"Of course, the premise is that you have to be on the right track."
"At least, I'm on the right track."
"Efficiency is the first step in the gap between you and me. The second is the technological gap. Our engine was modified by the XX Aerospace Academy. Oh, by the way, I also participated in the modification. And by the way, I promised to allocate a research grant to them every year. Judging from this year's situation, if all goes well, this research grant should be around one million."
The two factory managers looked at each other.
They remained silent.
They knew what a million-dollar research grant meant.
In those days, research funding was scarce. The main problem was that the necessary machinery had to be imported. Our country's foreign exchange reserves were not very high. So, even if you wanted to conduct research, you had to wait in line. Domestic factories did conduct their own research, but very few. Most factory engineers were only at the level 8 (equivalent to a lower level in China).
Further up, they wouldn't stay in the factory anymore, but would go to the laboratories in the college.
Therefore, these factories are unlikely to produce anything of high technological content.
Technology is developed from top to bottom, much like how the military develops it first and then gradually transfers it to factories.
One must descend step by step. Those who, like Wang Shouren, ascend directly from the bottom up are practically nonexistent.
"So don't expect me to give these things to you for free. I have to pay a price for all this. Let's go back to what we were talking about earlier. If you want to sell this product, you have two options."
"First, buy the engines from me. As for the appearance, you can design them yourselves. As long as they are not the same as mine, I don't care."
Secondly, you can do contract manufacturing for me. I'll send people over to teach you the techniques—the complete set of skills. You'll help me produce the motorcycles in our factory, and for each one, I'll pay you a portion of the labor costs.
"Isn't there a third option?" Factory Director Qiu hesitated for a moment before saying, "For example, you could send someone over to provide technical guidance, and then we can produce it ourselves."
"Director Qiu, then our annual research funding of one million yuan is just going to be wasted. If everyone thinks like that, then there's no point in our factory continuing to innovate in the field of technology."
Factory Director Qiu's lips twitched. If Li Weiguo hadn't been there, he would have immediately started complaining. Everyone was lying down comfortably, but here he was, running out to start a fuss. Now the factory's goods were here, but they couldn't sell them, and they were having a terrible headache.
"I think you should go back and think it over carefully. See which of these two paths is more suitable for you. You know Shouren's position. Go back and discuss it yourselves." Li Weiguo hadn't spoken until now, but he finally spoke, and his words directly expressed his attitude.
The two exchanged a glance and sighed inwardly.
He could only nod, and left a short while later.
The two walked to the front of the department and stopped in tacit agreement. Cheng Derong gave Qiu Zhengpai a cigarette.
"So, what are you thinking?" Qiu Zheng took it and lit it for himself.
“Originally, I thought it came out of nowhere. I investigated and it was a joint public-private enterprise. But I never expected it to be Secretary Wang…” Cheng Derong patted his head in frustration.
Both of them were deputy-department-level officials. In a typical public-private partnership, they wouldn't even need to show their faces; their subordinates could handle the matter perfectly well. But since this person was Wang Shouren, there was nothing that could be done.
"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Qiu Zheng looked up at the gray sky, which mirrored his mood.
"What did you figure out? I'm telling you, Lao Chou, we've been friends for years, don't try to hide anything from me." Cheng Derong immediately perked up; his sense of smell wasn't very sharp, and he needed his old friend's help.
"The higher-ups think we're having too easy a time, so they're going to let a catfish out of the way." At this point, Qiu Zheng patted Cheng Derong on the shoulder: "Go back and think about it carefully."
"Hey, hey... I'm telling you, you need to explain yourself clearly."
The two figures gradually disappeared in front of the Ministry of Industry.
Inside the minister's office.
Li Weiguo and Wang Shouren were staring at each other.
Li Weiguo finally couldn't hold back: "Tell me, what are you here for this time? You've been quite busy these past few months."
"I've brought you a report." Wang Shouren took the report out of his briefcase and placed it on the table.
Li Weiguo glanced at it: "Just say what you have to say."
"Open up the civilian market for transportation vehicles," Wang Shouren stated succinctly.
Li Weiguo: ...
Good grief, you really are shameless.
"Don't make that face. It's been many years since the reform and opening up. In our city of Beijing, quite a few people have gone into business, and quite a few have been so eager to try new things that they're sick of it. They have money in their hands and can afford a motorcycle. And our factory's production capacity can keep up with demand. Besides, we've been talking about reform all along, so isn't this a good opportunity to test people's standards after the reforms?"
In 1979, you still needed all sorts of receipts to buy things.
The so-called "openness" meant that some goods could be purchased without tickets. While some supplies were now readily available, others still required tickets due to their scarcity. Motorcycles were one such item that required tickets. If Wang Shouren wanted the authorities to remove this restriction, he needed to produce a corresponding report demonstrating his capabilities.
"Leave it here, let me see. I'll hand it over to you later. It shouldn't take too long." Li Weiguo nodded.
Actually, after the two motorcycle factory directors came to him, he realized that the big boss hadn't been wrong.
Sometimes, without competition, there's no progress. If this factory had an ambitious leader, it would be fine; but if it had leaders who just wanted to coast along, this factory would be enough to keep them going until they died. But with external pressure, everything changed. They needed to work hard, and they needed to create. At the same time, he understood the significance of Wang Shouren's "Patent Act."
If this weren't available, people would probably just take it and use it without him having any grounds for complaint.
"Alright, then I'll trouble you, old leader," Wang Shouren said cheerfully.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can get lost now." Li Weiguo waved his hand.
“Um…” Wang Shouren rubbed his hands together.
"What's up?" Li Weiguo glanced at him.
"I don't have any of your special-supply cigarettes."
Li Weiguo's lips twitched slightly. Good heavens, a robbery is coming.
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