Chapter 507 I will come in person
On May 8, the morning light in Peking had not yet completely dispelled the mist.
A Gulfstream G650 took off from the runway of Beijing Capital International Airport, pierced through the clouds, and flew towards the East China Sea.
Inside the cabin, ultimate tranquility and luxury are intertwined.
Song Ci leaned against the porthole, holding a small spoon in his fingers, unconsciously stirring the steaming coffee in the cup.
Looking through the porthole at the endless rolling sea of clouds, a sense of vastness beyond this world comes over me.
On this trip, he flew to the East China Sea as a representative of entrepreneurs to attend a high-level free trade zone preparatory meeting.
The accompanying personnel also included Tang Jun and Yang Bowen from Dewen Manufacturing.
In addition to Tenda Technology, an internet giant, Dewen Manufacturing, a subsidiary that focuses on cutting-edge manufacturing, will also be one of the first key enterprises to enter the free trade zone and enjoy policy dividends.
Because Dewen's president, Wang Fengying, had urgent matters to attend to and was unable to leave, two vice presidents represented the meeting.
Tang Jun was sitting on the other side of the aisle, leisurely flipping through an economics book; Yang Bowen was looking down at emails on his tablet, his fingertips sliding quickly across the screen.
After a long silence, Song Ci suddenly spoke softly, his eyes still looking out the window at the boundless world, as if talking to himself, but also as if asking: "How is the rare earth integration going?"
The sound was not loud, but it instantly caused ripples in the cabin.
Tang Jun closed the book almost as a conditioned reflex, leaned forward, straightened his expression, turned sideways to face the boss, and instantly entered the reporting state.
"Mr. Song, although the company's integration into the southern ionic rare earth field has encountered many difficulties, it has generally progressed smoothly and is basically proceeding according to the schedule set last year."
"Yes." Song Ci retracted his gaze and turned to his trusted general with a calm expression, "Tell me the specific situation in detail."
Tang Jun cleared his throat and quickly organized his thoughts: "So far, the biggest breakthrough is the successful acquisition of shares in Ganzhou Rare Earth Group, becoming its second largest shareholder.
In Fujian Province, all approval procedures for our joint venture with local state-owned assets, Minde Rare Earth Development Company, have been completed.
It will be officially listed and operational next month, having obtained exploration rights for two important mining areas and a separation quota to process 3,000 tons of rare earth concentrate annually."
Upon hearing this, Song Ci praised softly, "Not bad!"
"In Guangdong Province, progress has been the most rapid. Through mergers and acquisitions, we integrated three small and medium-sized separation plants in Meizhou and Heyuan, not only gaining valuable production capacity, but also securing a separation quota of approximately 1,500 tons.
All in all, Dewen's actual rare earth separation production capacity has already ranked among the top three in the southern market."
Song Ci listened quietly, his fingers occasionally stroking the rim of his coffee cup. He nodded slightly, his voice sounding particularly solemn:
"Good work. But it needs to be faster. Rare earths are crucial, the foundation of military and aerospace industries. Missile guidance systems, aircraft engines, radar and sonar—which one can do without high-performance neodymium iron boron?"
Looking to the future, the lifeblood of industries like new energy vehicles and wind power generation also hinges on rare earth permanent magnets. We must accelerate integration and gain control of upstream sources. Only by gaining access can we have a say.
"Understood, Mr. Song." Tang Jun's expression was stern, and he was very clear about the company's ultimate strategy. Dewen Manufacturing would never stop at selling minerals and primary processed products.
It has invested heavily in setting up a high-end materials laboratory to tackle the research and development and production of high-performance NdFeB permanent magnets. Its goal is to challenge the monopoly of Japan's Hitachi Metals and Shin-Etsu Chemical in the high-end market.
After observing the boss's expression and seeing that he looked serious but slightly satisfied, he decided to reveal the problem that had been brewing for a long time.
"Mr. Song, the company is expanding rapidly, but we're also facing a series of major challenges. We're currently facing several obstacles, and it's difficult for Mr. Lu and I to overcome them alone."
"Oh?" Song Ci raised his eyebrows slightly, "What are the problems?"
"First, mining quotas are severely limited." Tang Jun frowned, his expression serious. "The annual total rare earth mining quota control indicators from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources are growing slowly.
Moreover, most quotas tend to be allocated to leading light rare earth companies in northern China, such as Baosteel Group. Although the company has obtained some separation quotas through mergers and acquisitions, it is extremely difficult to obtain upstream mining quotas.
Minde Company and several newly built mines in Ganzhou have all the equipment and personnel in place, but due to insufficient targets, they are in a semi-shutdown state and cannot produce at full capacity, which has led to high costs.
Song Ci's expression remained unchanged as he asked calmly, "Apart from the indicators, are there any other questions?"
"Yes, and it's very common." Tang Jun seemed to have found an outlet and said in one breath: "In some areas, local protection is serious.
While Dewen has reached strategic cooperation with the provincial level, it faces significant resistance at the municipal and county levels. Some regions explicitly require that rare earth ore be processed locally.
They refuse to ship to more efficient centralized separation bases, hoping to keep tax revenue and GDP locally. This directly increases logistics costs and hinders the overall optimization of resources.
Tang Jun took a breath, his face filled with worry: "The mining areas in the south are scattered and have many historical problems. Although illegal mining has been curbed after rectification, it still persists.
These low-cost, environmentally insensitive "black rare earths" are flooding the market, severely impacting the pricing system. There are also environmental issues, with new standards constantly emerging.
He glanced at the big boss and added, "Mr. Song, to be honest, at this stage of development, the company is currently like being tied up by invisible ropes in the rare earth field.
We have funding and plans, but we are stuck in a deadlock over indicators, local policies, and environmental protection, and we are unable to make full use of our resources.”
The cabin fell silent for a moment, the only sound being the steady roar of the engines. Yang Bowen also put down his tablet and stared over.
Song Ci fell into deep thought, his fingertips tapping lightly on the expensive solid wood armrests, making a very rhythmic sound.
After a moment, he raised his head, his eyes sharp, and made his arrangements in a resounding voice:
"Mining and separation indicators are the source of water. I will handle this matter. I will personally visit with the relevant leaders of Industry and Information Technology and Natural Resources.
Dewen develops rare earths not to speculate on minerals and sell soil, but to build a national supply chain of core materials for high-end manufacturing and break overseas monopolies.
I will explain this clearly. We will strive to make Dewen Manufacturing a new force in the national rare earth strategic support, rather than just another company competing with local interests.
"If we can't avoid environmental issues, we should take charge." Song Ci paused and took a sip of coffee. "Let Lu Chenggong take the lead in establishing the 'Dewen Rare Earth Environmental Protection Research Institute'.
Invite top domestic environmental engineering experts and academicians to join, not only to solve their own problems, but also to participate in and even lead the formulation of new industry standards.
Dewen aims to be a benchmark for environmental protection and turn compliance into a moat, not a weakness.”
"As for local barriers..." Song Ci frowned slightly and pondered for a moment, "In late June, when I return from my visit with the chief, I will personally go to Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces.
This time, we will not only talk with the provincial government, but will go directly to the cities and counties where the resistance is the greatest to meet with local leaders.
Taxes and GDP sharing can be discussed and innovated, but the principle of intensive and efficient resource utilization will not be compromised. At the provincial level, I will first communicate and obtain support."
He naturally planned that his visit to the United States with senior officials in June would be an important "momentum". Taking advantage of this favorable trend in negotiations, the results would be completely different.
"As for illegal mining," his tone suddenly turned cold. "Tang Jun, you need to prepare a detailed report with accurate data and solid evidence, detailing the area, scale, and personnel involved.
I will report this to the special rectification working group at the appropriate time. Relying solely on corporate appeals or local law enforcement is far from enough.”
He has his own considerations on this matter. In a few days, a new round of inspections will be launched, starting from the capital and traveling to various places. This report will be a precise "scalpel".
"Okay, Director Song! I'll do it right away!" Tang Jun breathed a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders finally relaxing. With his boss personally coordinating these high-level challenges, his stress was greatly reduced.
As the problems were solved one by one, Song Ci glanced at his two subordinates and encouraged them: “Dewen is now snatching food from the tiger’s mouth and reshaping the industry landscape.
Resistance is normal, even inevitable. Don't be afraid of problems; solving them is our value.
Only by implementing these measures one by one and tackling these tough challenges can Dewen truly establish its voice and leadership in the rare earth industry. Only then will we be qualified to be players in the future of high-end manufacturing."
The richest man's voice was steady and powerful, echoing at an altitude of ten thousand meters, setting the tone for future actions.
The plane began to descend slowly, and through the window, the spire of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the winding Huangpu River were clearly visible.
A short while later, the Gulfstream G650 landed smoothly on the runway of Donghai International Airport, taxiing to a stop. The hatch opened, and the ramp truck docked precisely.
Song Ci's conversation with Tang Jun and Yang Bowen came to a halt. He straightened his suit jacket and calmly walked out of the cabin.
In May, the air in the East China Sea is warm and humid, with a hint of the unique atmosphere of a coastal city.
As soon as I stepped onto the gangway and looked towards the tarmac, I saw a small group of people waiting not far away.
The leader was wearing a dark jacket and had a very friendly smile on his face. He was Guo Guangchang, the helmsman of Fosun Group.
Song Ci quickened his pace as he walked down the gangway, extending his hand from a distance: "Boss Guo, why did you come here in person?"
Guo Guangchang walked over quickly, shook Song Ci's hand tightly, and shook it vigorously. He said in a loud voice: "Mr. Song, welcome! It's been a while since we last met, and you are still as charming as ever!"
"Mr. Guo, you are too kind. You are not bad either, and your momentum is even better than before." Song Ci responded politely, his tone very humble.
The two last met over a month ago to discuss Fosun Group's acquisition of a stake in MyBank as a key strategic investor. They enjoyed a lively conversation back then, and their reunion today felt even more familiar.
Guo Guangchang smiled heartily, turned sideways and made a "please" gesture, keeping a very humble attitude, showing his full respect.
"Mr. Song, what are you talking about? You've come to Donghai, how can I not show my hospitality? The car is ready, please come this way."
"Then I'll trouble you, Mr. Guo." Song Ci readily agreed.
The two business tycoons chatted as they walked, and the topic ranged from the weather in the East China Sea to the global economic trends. Their words were full of macro perspectives and information density that others could hardly grasp.
Tang Jun, Yang Bowen and Fosun's entourage followed behind tacitly, keeping a polite distance.
Soon, everyone arrived at the car. Guo Guangchang insisted that Song Ci get in first, and then he sat in the spacious back seat.
The convoy drove smoothly out of the airport and merged into the busy traffic flow in Donghai.
The atmosphere in the carriage was harmonious. After the two exchanged greetings, the topic naturally turned to business. For them, small talk was just an embellishment, and career and business were the eternal themes.
Guo Guangchang leaned slightly toward Song Ci, his expression serious. "Mr. Song, on our last call, you proposed that Dewen Manufacturing and Fosun's Nangang Group jointly establish a 'New Materials Joint Laboratory.' The board of directors took this very seriously and held a special meeting to discuss it in depth."
Then he concluded briskly, "We believe this idea is highly strategic and entirely feasible. The board of directors has approved it."
When Song Ci heard the answer, he nodded slightly, with a smile of understanding on the corner of his mouth, as if he had expected it.
"It's a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Guo. I believe that if Dewen and Nangang work together, it will be a win-win situation, or even a win-win situation for all parties involved."
He gazed out the window at the rapidly passing streets of Donghai, his thoughts racing. Every shareholder of MyBank was a key node in a carefully woven network of strategic alliances.
Fosun has been deeply engaged in the three major sectors of health, happiness and wealth, with a solid industrial foundation, which is highly complementary to its "Internet + Entity" layout.
In particular, its subsidiary Nangang Group is adjacent to the new energy vehicle super factory built by Dewen Manufacturing in Jiangbei, Jinling, and its geographical advantage is unparalleled.
What does this mean? It means that in the future, the special steel needed for Devon's automotive production may be able to achieve an "hourly" supply chain response.
The products coming off the rolling mill at Nangang Steel do not need to enter the traditional warehouse and are directly delivered to the Dewen stamping workshop through dedicated logistics.
This will significantly reduce logistics and inventory costs, improve supply chain efficiency and resilience, and create advantages that are difficult for competitors to replicate.
Guo Guangchang also attaches great importance to this cooperation.
Although he is well-known in the business world and Fosun is already a huge group, he is aware that there is still a gap between him and the young richest man in Asia in terms of capital strength, future potential and social influence.
Now that Nangang has entered the new energy vehicle industry chain of the richest man, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Through this, Nangang can break away from the image of a traditional steel company, enter the blue ocean of high-end automotive steel, achieve industrial upgrading, and join the first echelon of domestic special steel, which is of great significance to Fosun's overall asset optimization and valuation improvement.
The two hit it off immediately, as great minds think alike.
Guo Guangchang enthusiastically outlined the details: "Mr. Song, my idea is that the laboratory cannot be a mere decoration. We should adopt the most pragmatic model.
Dewen provides cutting-edge vehicle design goals, performance indicators and failure mode data. After all, you understand market needs best.
Nangang has brought out all its technical reserves and process experts in smelting, rolling and heat treatment.
The two parties jointly invested and dispatched core R&D personnel to establish a physical laboratory.
We have only one goal: to develop the world's best-performing high-end steel that is most suitable for new energy vehicles!"
Song Ci listened carefully and nodded from time to time: “Mr. Guo, your thinking is very clear, I completely agree.
Dewen can invest initial capital and immediately build a team of experts in vehicle engineering, materials science and safety technology.
The specific agreement and charter will be finalized as soon as possible by the teams of both sides within this week.”
"Great!" Guo Guangchang clapped his hands and smiled. "Efficiency is vitality. I'll have the chairman and chief technical engineer of Nangang lead the team directly to connect with the Dewen team. I hope to produce industry-shaking results as soon as possible!"
The vehicle sped towards the city and the two business tycoons shook hands again.
(End of this chapter)
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