Chapter 386 Davos Summit: So Naive
The State Duma elections were like toppling the first domino; with the victory of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), the call for CPRF Chairman Gennady Zyuganov to succeed him grew louder.
The latest polls show that his approval rating has exceeded 20%.
If you don't feel anything after looking at this data, then let's look at another set of comparisons.
Meanwhile, the president sitting in the Kremlin has a paltry 7% approval rating, only one-third of Zyuganov's.
This shows that even though the president was eager to scapegoat First Deputy Prime Minister Chubais to appease public anger, there are plenty of people with brains who know who should really take responsibility for the failure of economic reforms.
Whether the president can sit still or not, Wang Xiao doesn't know.
But Yura couldn't sit still any longer. He rushed over to Wang Xiao as if his backside was on fire: "No, Wang, we can't wait any longer. Time won't make the problem disappear. If we let it run its course, the problem will only get worse."
However, Wang Xiao raised her eyebrows: "Sir, I don't understand what you're saying. I don't know what the problem is."
"Communists! Zyuganov will come to power!" His voice rose eight octaves. "We're doomed, we're all doomed! We have to save our president."
He was terrified, his whole being gripped by an endless fear, and the anxiety nearly drove him to the brink of collapse.
Unfortunately, human joys and sorrows are not shared.
Wang Xiao had neither the ability to empathize nor the capacity for empathy.
She coldly shook her head in refusal: "Save the president? Did the president ask you for help? If not, what does it have to do with you? Aren't you overthinking it? The president will arrange for someone to handle the election; he doesn't need anyone else meddling."
Yura was alarmed: "How can this be a trivial matter? This concerns the future of Russia."
“Any matter in which the parties involved did not formally request or seek help from the outside world is a private matter.”
Wang Xiao solemnly emphasized, "Please maintain boundaries, don't point fingers, and respect others."
Yura was about to explode; he was frantic with worry.
His intuition told him that the situation couldn't get any worse.
Anyone who remains blindly optimistic will be hanged by the Communist Party, or displayed under a streetlamp.
Looking down at the streets, he saw Communist speeches everywhere and leaflets covering the sky, which involuntarily reminded him of the early days of the Russian October Revolution.
Good heavens, what a terrible thing that is! The immense fear kept him awake at night, and he felt as if he were being roasted on a hot stove.
Ivanov found his constant pacing dizzying.
"Alright, alright, Yura, sit down."
"How can I sit still?" Despite saying that, Yura still plopped down on the soft leather chair in the VIP waiting room and started complaining, "Why did you all go to Davos? If you want to ski, you can ski in Russia, there's snow and ice everywhere! You shouldn't have left Moscow, especially you, Wang!"
Wang Xiao didn't even bother with the most basic pleasantries, and simply rolled her eyes at him: "So, sir, what are you going to Davos for? If a government official like you can go to the World Economic Forum in Davos, why can't we, as businessmen, go?"
Yura's teeth seemed to have grown back, making him restless: "Damn it, it's a job assigned by the government. What exactly do you want to do there? Promote global economic integration? Good heavens!"
His intention was to be sarcastic, because the theme of this year's Davos Annual Meeting was "Promoting Global Economic Integration".
But Wang Xiao actually took the bait seriously: "Yes, we're here to promote global economic integration."
Ivanov, at least, still considered Yura a friend and worried that his mind had become rigid and he wouldn't understand; so he specially explained, "We want to start a software outsourcing company and look for opportunities in Davos."
Yura was suddenly pulled from the sky to the ground, and under the influence of gravity, she began to stammer, "Looking for... looking for what opportunity?"
"Look at what you're saying." Wang Xiao could only genuinely think he was a fool. "Of course, we need to find orders. How can a software outsourcing company survive without orders?"
Yura felt as if she had been hit hard on the head. For a moment, she was speechless and could only stammer out, "You can still find orders in Davos?"
He felt like he was going crazy. Did they even know what Davos was? Did they think it was some kind of investment conference?
Unfortunately, neither Wang Xiao nor Ivanov could read minds, so they couldn't hear his inner monologues.
Besides, even if they guessed it, they probably wouldn't care, because they would only do things at their own pace.
"How could it not be found?"
Ivanov proudly showed him the documents, saying, "Look, we have a natural advantage in software outsourcing."
Yura was forced to look at the information in front of him, and the first line that appeared before him was the potential advantages of Russia's software outsourcing industry.
I. Top-tier mathematical and computer science foundations
1. The research system inherited from the Soviet Union has cultivated world-class talents in algorithms, encryption technology and systems engineering, and has a unique competitive advantage, especially in the development of complex systems such as military and aerospace.
2. The economic crisis led to the depletion of research funding, forcing a large number of highly skilled engineers into the market, forming a "high-skilled, low-wage" labor pool (wages are about 1/5 to 1/3 of those in Europe and the United States).
II. Geographical and High-Tech Adaptability
1. Close to the Western European market, with a high degree of time zone overlap (such as Germany and France), communication efficiency is better than in India (about 10 hours time difference with the United States).
2. Proficient in undertaking highly complex and customized projects (such as industrial software and scientific computing), creating a differentiated competitive advantage compared to the mainstream low-end code outsourcing in India.
Yura was dazzled by what he saw, while Ivanov continued to ramble on beside him: "Intelligence, Russia's intellectual potential is the treasure we should be fully exploring. Our industry and agriculture are shrinking, but our brilliant minds have not disappeared. Thank God, you are mainly focused on the economy and military, and haven't had time to extend your reach into education, so we can continue to cultivate talents in science and engineering."
Yura was overwhelmed by the dense English words, and the upcoming presidential election in the summer was like a sword of Damocles hanging over his head, making it impossible for him to have the patience to continue reading.
He irritably pushed the documents aside: "If it's just about getting orders, you don't need to go at all. Good heavens, you may be businessmen, but you seem to know absolutely nothing about economics. Davos is a high-level global economic forum, not a container market, not a small commodities market, not a place where you can just set up a table and get orders."
"Oh—" Wang Xiao raised his eyebrows. "I see. I've never been to Davos before. So, may I ask, what is it like?"
Yura patiently pointed to Chubais in the seat in front of him: "Those going are all top political and business figures from various countries. We are here to see the global economic trends, discuss the future of the world economy, and thus formulate economic policies from a macro perspective."
Chubais was sitting a little far away from them.
Although he was removed from his position as Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister this year, as Russia's renowned new Tsar of economic reform, he still set off as scheduled to attend the Davos World Economic Forum.
Because of the distance, Wang Xiao spoke without restraint: "So this is how you formulate economic policies."
She looked at Yura suspiciously, "If you have such a high vantage point and a long-term vision, how did you manage to make such a mess of the economy?"
Yura's face turned bright red, and she was furious: "Economic... economic policy formulation is a very complicated matter. Its effects cannot be immediate or achieved overnight. It must be proven over time."
He tried to argue, "Look, the economic downturn in 1995 was much better than in 1994. We are slowly getting better."
“Really?” Wang Xiao raised his eyebrows. “Is it possible that we’ve already fallen into a low-lying area?”
Yura jumped up and paced back and forth next to Wang Xiao's seat, unable to contain herself any longer: "You really are something!"
"What do you mean, 'really'?" Wang Xiao looked at him and smiled, kindly reminding him, "Is your heart racing right now? Are you blushing when you look at me? Please remember, you're angry, not because you're attracted to me. Don't misunderstand, love often stems from illusions."
Yura is really going crazy.
Why is the heating in the VIP lounge so strong? He felt like he was turning into flames and bursting into flames: "You, you, you! If you were any man, I would have punched you right then and there!"
Wang Xiao reached out and cupped her face, making a flower shape with her hands, staring at him: "Really? Look me in the eyes when you speak, are you willing to do that?"
Poor Yura, a renowned young talent in Moscow, was driven to the brink of madness by him.
He pointed at her angrily, then turned to Ivanov: "Look at her! How can you stand her?"
Good heavens, she did this right in front of Ivanov!
Ivanov sighed deeply, looked at his old friend, and said helplessly, "Yura, you should be grateful that you are my friend."
That idiot, if he weren't his friend, would have been swallowed whole by Wang long ago.
Yura came from a good family, received a good education, and most importantly, was good-looking and outgoing, which suited the king's taste perfectly.
If it weren't for his connection, Wang would have taken action long ago.
Now, out of consideration for him, Wang Cai was just teasing him.
Otherwise, Yura would have already become the next Wu.
Oh, that poor handsome guy from the East, how heartbroken and unwilling he must have been when Wang cut him in two.
This is normal; any other man would do the same.
They will never be satisfied with the king; they will only become more and more greedy and want more and more.
And that's how tragedy unfolded.
He could almost imagine how devastated Yura, that shiny-faced fool, would be at that point.
Yura, oblivious to her narrow escape from death, was still so angry that her chest heaved, her face turning red and white.
Wang Xiao looked at him with amusement. Hmm, so cute.
If you can't do something to a real person, make a doll like him.
My assistant brought me a scoop of ice cream, an imported Italian product I bought at the airport.
Wang Xiao took a bite and held it in her mouth. The cool sweetness calmed the restlessness in her heart.
She ate one bite after another, making Ivanov's eyebrows practically jump up.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, grabbed her hand, and muttered softly, "Look at your hands, they're so cold."
Good heavens! How cold it is in Moscow at the end of January. Just like her mother said, she eats cold things the colder it is.
Berezovsky also entered the VIP waiting room, dragging his suitcase.
If he were to return to Sheremetyevo International Airport at a different time, he would surely be filled with emotion.
Since Russian International Airlines should have belonged to him originally, the airport would naturally fall under his control as well.
Look at the passenger flow here; the airport's duty-free shops alone can make him a fortune.
Unfortunately, none of that matters to him now, and he has no time to think about it.
His gaze locked onto Wang Xiao, and he immediately dragged his suitcase over, greeting her proactively: "My God, Ivan, Miss Wang, it's so good to see you."
Wang Xiao leaned her head against Ivanov's chest, nodded slightly at him, smiled, and continued eating her ice cream.
She handed the initiative in the social interaction to Ivanov, who naturally chimed in, "Yes, dear Boris, it's so good to see you."
Berezovsky didn't feel good at all; he felt terrible.
He wished he could travel back to November 9, 1995, to that night at the victory banquet in the Kremlin, and how he had gone along with it all and taken on the president's media relations task all by himself.
At that time, Wang Xiao had already stated bluntly that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation would win a landslide victory in the State Duma elections.
Unfortunately, he was completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation at the time.
Now, he has single-handedly undertaken the publicity task for nearly three months, which has completely worn him down.
He never realized how incompetent he was.
Even if he couldn't beat MMM in a bragging contest, he still managed to make $30 million, so he didn't come away empty-handed.
These past three months have been good, but not only the Kremlin, but even he himself can't see any achievements in his work.
Berezovsky felt he was about to have a good talk with Miss Wang.
This can't go on; they're really going to be finished.
He was still pondering how to begin when Ivanov's helpless laughter came from beside him: "You naughty thing."
It turned out that Wang Xiao deliberately put her icy hands, which were cold after she finished eating ice cream, into Ivanov's collar, making him shiver.
Ivanov grabbed her playful hand and threatened to taste the ice cream in her mouth.
Judging from their posture, the young couple is flirting.
Even if Berezovsky had a natural light bulb above his head, he couldn't really be a third wheel at this moment.
He awkwardly stood by and endured it for two minutes, but the couple in love just kept talking and didn't pay any attention to anyone else.
Poor Berezovsky could only drag his suitcase to find an empty seat nearby.
As for Yura, needless to say, he simply couldn't see.
I can't stand these two disgusting guys.
He strongly suspected that while they claimed to be going to Davos to find orders, they were actually on their honeymoon, which explained their overly affectionate behavior.
Although the Russian International Airlines planes have been in service for a long time and the pilots are like they've been drinking vodka, mainly driving recklessly, they still managed to get them safely to Zurich Airport in Switzerland.
With the snow-capped Alps along the way, the car took another two hours to take them to the famous snow city of Davos.
Honestly, Wang Xiao's first thought was that Suzhou didn't need to be so fixated on the airport.
The distance from Suzhou to Hongqiao Airport is much shorter than the distance from Davos to Zurich Airport.
The World Economic Forum is held in an area without an airport, yet it's still bustling with activity.
Nearly 2,000 leaders from the political and financial sectors, CEOs of major companies, experts and scholars from more than 90 countries and regions around the world were invited to gather here and celebrate this grand event.
Among them were the Israeli Prime Minister, the legendary Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and the newly appointed President of the European Union.
Driven by boundless curiosity, Wang Xiao even went to the hotel next door to listen to a report titled "Can Africa Become Another Soaring Dragon? An Assessment of Economic Development in South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana," just to see Arafat up close.
Before she transmigrated, when she was a kindergarten student, her teacher would show them the news every day.
What impressed her most at the time was that Arafat was critically ill, and the news broadcast his condition every day until he passed away.
Even as a young child, she sensed the difference between people. Look, one person's life could attract the attention of the whole world.
However, when Wang Xiao met the real person this time, he didn't show the excitement of a fan, and didn't even go up to ask for an autograph.
She just watched silently, nodding to herself: Oh, so this is what he looks like.
Before his death, the Middle East had not achieved peace; after his death, the Middle East remained rife with conflict.
Anyway, when she transmigrated here, the fighting in the Middle East was still going on, and she didn't know when it would end.
Ivanov asked curiously, "Why are you looking at him? International oil prices?"
When talking to leaders in the Middle East, all he could think of was how the situation in the Middle East would affect international oil and gas prices.
Good heavens, please raise prices already! The continued slump in oil and natural gas prices is definitely not good news for their businesses.
Wang Xiao immediately shook his head vigorously, reluctantly refusing: "No, no, no, if prices were to skyrocket now, our oil fields might not be able to be saved."
People are fighting tooth and nail over the price right now. If it goes up several times over, uncontrollable factors could cause it to skyrocket.
Ivanov looked around: "Should we stay here any longer?"
After the meeting, there will be a buffet in the breakout sessions to facilitate continued conversation and communication among participants.
Wang Xiao shook his head: "Forget it, let's go listen to the economic trends in the United States."
The conference arranged shuttle buses between the various breakout sessions. After listening to the economic analysis of Africa, everyone arrived at another breakout session in about ten minutes, where they could listen to Ms. Tyson, the US President's National Economic Advisor, talk about the US economic situation in 1996.
The IT industry is booming, and since Clinton took office, the construction of the information superhighway in the United States has accelerated. After the Cold War, it's perfectly normal for the United States to reap the lion's share of the IT industry's benefits.
Wang Xiao and Ivanov actively networked, handing out business cards everywhere to secure orders for their company, which had only been established for less than two years.
The Red Revolutionary Machine Tool Factory ventured into the computer industry in the 1980s. Later, it was privatized, and the boss naturally had to separate out the computer company so that they could make a living in the IT industry.
We're newcomers and don't know how to meet your industry outsourcing requirements. No problem, you can teach us.
Our engineers and programmers are among the brightest minds in the world. Once you teach them, you'll discover a huge treasure trove of knowledge and skills, and you'll be able to save a tremendous amount of human resources.
India? No, no, no, we're pursuing a high-end strategy; we don't need to compete with them on the low end.
Our technicians are all graduates of research institutes; they were top talents in developing advanced weapons back then, and there is no miracle they couldn't create.
We take on niche, high-end projects; we specialize in private customization.
The two were flying around the field when Yura, with a gloomy face, rushed over and grabbed Ivanov's arm: "Come on, come with me right now."
Ivanov frowned: "My God, Yura, can't you see? We're not here to play, we're here to work, we're here to drum up business."
"What business are you even talking about?" Yura said angrily. "Russia is finished. Even if you manage to get business, where are you going to operate it?"
He dragged the person out the door and ran to the next venue.
Heaven above, Wang Xiao has to say, Davos truly lives up to its name as the Snow City; its winters are really cold.
They ran and sprinted all the way, wrapped in scarves, their faces numb with cold. When they arrived at the hotel next door and the warm air hit them, she shivered violently.
It was just that the place Yura had taken them to was even colder.
Chubais, Berezovsky, Gusinsky, Khodorkovsky, Luzhkov, and other big names in Russian politics and business, all with frosty expressions, stood there like a living embodiment of a frozen wasteland.
The person making them all look grim—Gyula Zyuganov, Chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation—was speaking at the meeting: "Why did the former Soviet Union collapse? Because it monopolized power, monopolized state property, and monopolized thought. If the Communist Party of the Russian Federation wins the presidential election, it will certainly learn from the lessons of the former Soviet Union." (Note ①)
Wang Xiao turned around and looked at Yura with a puzzled expression: "You just found out he was coming, so what are you so surprised about?"
With the Cold War over, the world's mainstream is now focused on economic development. Everyone has also realized the enormous influence of politics on the economy.
Therefore, the Russian presidential election naturally became a focus of public attention in Davos.
It is no exaggeration to say that Gennady Zyuganov's attendance was one of the selling points of the 1996 Davos International Economic Forum.
Yura's face showed signs of collapse. Good heavens, the fact that he had managed to stay upright until today was entirely due to his strong willpower.
He stretched out his hand, his fingers trembling: "Look at them, they've gone mad."
The "they" he was referring to were the world's industrial giants, the presidents of major American and European companies.
These people, whom Yura sees as basking in the glow of freedom and democracy, are fawning over Zyuganov.
Yes, their smiles and their postures were fawning, bordering on obsequious.
These guys are really crazy. Don't they know that Zyuganov is a communist, a member of the Red Army? The Red Army that would hang all the capitalists under the streetlights!
Wang Xiao's reaction was even more shocked than Yura's.
However, what shocked her was: "Why are you surprised? If the profit is high enough, capitalists will not hesitate to sell the rope that will hang them. That's basic common sense."
Tsk tsk, thank goodness he has that face and a good figure, otherwise, with his naive and innocent nature, she wouldn't even bother to tease him verbally.
Yura felt like she and Yura were in two different worlds, on completely different wavelengths.
He couldn't even respond to Wang Xiao's words. How could this person keep talking about hanging? Wasn't she afraid of death?
Wang Xiao kindly told him, "I'm more afraid of poverty than death. Poverty makes me feel like I'm living a life worse than death. Even if I earn one less penny, it's the same."
She gestured to the Western business tycoons, saying, "That's what they all think."
Before Yura shattered completely, Chubais came to him: "Yura, my dear friend, we must hurry back."
It has to be said that Yura is always a beat slow to react.
So whether it was the fall of Gaidar's government or the ouster of Chubais, this slowpoke was spared from being swept away by the typhoon because he failed to keep up in time.
He still couldn't keep up and asked Chubais blankly, "Back to Moscow?"
Chubais's forehead veins were throbbing, but he didn't have time to get angry. He could only patiently explain, "We need to get information from Moscow to expose Zyuganov's true colors. He has two faces, one at home and one abroad. He has deceived them, he has deceived the entire international community!"
Wait a minute, Wang Xiao looked at the indignant Chubais in disbelief.
Yura is a naive and innocent girl, which she can accept. She's always known that this guy uses most of his energy to save face.
But now standing in front of her is Chubais, the man known as the new economic tsar of Russia.
Doesn't she even have a brain?
Wang Xiao subconsciously said, "Sir, you don't think these business tycoons are fawning over Zyuganov because he successfully deceived them, do you?"
Looking at Qiubais's completely matter-of-fact expression, she wanted to cover her forehead.
At this moment, she truly feels sorry for the Russian people.
With a population of 200 million, how come they can't select even one person with a decent IQ?
“No!” She shattered Chubais’s illusions. “They’re surrounding him for one reason only: current opinion polls and State Duma election results indicate that he is very likely to become the next Russian president. What are his beliefs? What does his ideology matter? As long as it doesn’t affect people’s business and money-making in Russia, none of that matters.”
Previously, the Western world called you the hope for Russia's economic reforms and seemed to support you immensely. You don't actually think you perfectly align with their ideas, do you?
No! The only reason they were so enthusiastic about you was because you were in power at the time, and you controlled the Russian economy.
Just like their cold reaction to you now, it's not because your ideology has changed, but because you've been dismissed by the president and you're no longer Russia's first deputy prime minister.
Power and profit are the eternal pursuits of the capitalist world.
Who has the time to waste on someone as worthless as you?
————————
Note: In actual history, Yevgeny's approval rating was even lower, less than 5%, and sometimes only 3%. The novel revised the ending of the Chechen Wars and the hostage crisis, thus raising his approval rating. Zyuganov's approval rating was indeed above 20%. The main reference for the background information on the 1996 Davos Annual Meeting in this chapter is the article "The International Rotating Stage 'Davos'—A Summary of the 1996 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting" in the June 1996 issue of *World Knowledge* magazine. Note ① is the original text of Zyuganov's speech.
Chubais's reaction at the time was later described in an interview with an American journalist: "I saw many of my former friends, all presidents of famous American and European companies, but at that moment they were dancing around Zyuganov, trying to catch his eye and probe his mind. They are world-renowned business tycoons. Their actions also showed that Western society had recognized Zyuganov's leadership and was trying to build a good relationship with him, so this shocked me greatly."
Well, when Akin was researching, he was also shocked when he came across this passage. The new economic tsar is so naive.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
