Chapter 545 Hong Kong is really lively: It's not a wasted trip!
Mr. Wang bought himself a green tongue ice cream. When frozen, it has the texture of ice cream, but when it melts in your mouth, it turns into jelly. It's quite interesting.
On the day she left for Hong Kong, she arrived at the airport with a green tongue-shaped cigarette in her mouth, just like before.
Zhang Rujing and Jiang Shangzhou arrived one after the other, and were not surprised by what they saw.
After all, while the big bosses on TV may seem sophisticated, they are actually mostly senior managers. Real bosses, aside from being extremely shrewd with money, are often quite capricious in their daily lives.
However, while the two of them had no problem with Boss Wang, Boss Wang had a lot of problems.
Because Zhang Rujing actually bought an economy class ticket.
Wang Xiao was speechless: "If you travel for business and fly economy class, how are other people supposed to fly?"
Dr. Zhang had his reasons: "Sitting in the same position makes no difference."
He said he also wanted to get Jiang Shangzhou to speak on his behalf, "Director Jiang, don't you think so?"
Jiang Shangzhou immediately distanced himself from the situation: "My ticket is for business class."
It's not that he couldn't stand the cramped feeling of economy class, even for a short distance like from Shanghai to Hong Kong; it's just that Hong Kong reporters' eyes are as sharp and venomous as a wasp's stinger.
They will determine whether you are in business class or economy class based on the order in which you disembark. Moreover, they know that only officials at the bureau level or above in mainland China are qualified to fly business class.
Therefore, the class of your travel determines your status.
The high rank of the guests attending the Hong Kong Microelectronics Centre also demonstrates the importance that mainland China attaches to this center.
Therefore, Director Jiang cannot save this money for the country.
Wang Xiao said directly to Dr. Zhang, "Alright, don't skimp on this money. I'll use my points to upgrade you to a higher class."
After actually getting the person into business class, Mr. Wang felt a little regretful.
How should I put it? Everyone feels uncomfortable around those super-intellectually academic high-achievers.
As soon as Dr. Zhang and Director Jiang boarded the plane, they opened their briefcases, took out documents and files, and got to work.
Mr. Wang had originally intended to turn around and chat with someone for a bit, but upon seeing this situation, he instantly felt like one of those bad students in class who didn't study properly themselves and tried to drag their good classmates down with them. He could only quickly retreat, touching his nose, and mutter to Liuba in a low voice, "Look at them, really."
Lyuba patted her back reassuringly.
Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao secretly chuckled to themselves, then silently counted 1, 2, 3.
Sure enough, before the third sound had even faded, their boss had already taken out the documents and started working.
When it comes to folding paper, Mr. Wang has always been the king of folding paper.
What document was she looking at on the plane? It was about the operation of I Buy's flea market.
Unlike eBay's online auction model, flea markets are more like Xianyu's conventional model.
The reason eBay doesn't do adrenaline-pumping online auctions is because it has already established a very stable presence in this field.
Adding a new platform to rashly challenge the other party's dominant position in the online auction market might just result in spending money to make a noise, without actually attracting any users.
Moreover, while the adrenaline-pumping auction format is certainly exciting, many people don't actually want that kind of excitement.
Whether they are selling or buying, they already have their own target price in mind.
However, the auction model dictates that your starting price must be low; otherwise, it won't attract any bidders. This exposes the seller to a hidden risk—the bidding price won't go up, and they'll end up selling at a low price they're not satisfied with.
On the buyer's side, there is also the risk of financial ruin.
Originally, I only had a budget of $100 and started the auction with a bid of $50, but the bidding went all the way up to $105. Because I got emotional, I couldn't let go and ended up winning the bid at $150.
After the initial excitement of winning the bid faded, I realized I had spent an extra $50, and the thought of it still stings.
But returning the item feels a bit dishonest, and I might get criticized on the forum, so I guess I'll just have to swallow my pride and accept it.
The analysis report was given to the boss by Yang Tao, who used the analogy of a vegetable market versus a supermarket as an example.
The survey results show that many people, especially young people, skip the seemingly fresh and cheap farmers' market and go directly to the supermarket to buy vegetables because the supermarket has clearly marked prices, so there is no need to bargain and there is no problem of being cheated.
Similarly, in online secondhand flea markets, the price is what it is.
Let's not play any thrill games; if you don't play them well, they can really make you angry.
Moreover, the auction model dictates that customers will spend more time interacting with the product during the purchase process.
In the US, it's fine; you can get unlimited internet. But in Europe, the internet fees are exorbitant, and nobody complains once they've been used up.
Ironically, the online secondhand market in Europe is performing quite well.
eBay began its expansion into the European market last year, launching its German and UK sites. In the first quarter of this year, its transaction volume surged 84%, reaching $86.92 million. Registered users also skyrocketed, reaching 966,100. Furthermore, the German site became the world's second-largest auction website.
Wang Xiao was amazed. Wasn't it said that Germans were known for their meticulous and boring style? It turns out they really enjoyed the exciting online auction format.
How should Ibuy respond? It needs to fully leverage its self-operated logistics advantages and further develop these advantages in Europe.
How should we promote it?
This brings us to the unique issue of labor migration in Europe.
It is well known that Western Europe's largest source of cheap labor is Eastern Europe. Every year, a large number of Eastern European workers travel to Western Europe on various visas to work.
When you're living in a foreign country, do you have a lot of logistical needs to connect with your hometown and family? Sending letters is relatively easy, but sending packages is quite troublesome.
I Buy's logistics department is also developing this aspect.
In addition, they plan to further expand their business in Italy.
The reason is simple: there is a large Chinese population in Italy.
In 1995 and 1998, Italy granted amnesty to immigrants, allowing a large number of Chinese to obtain legal residency. 80% of them came from Wenzhou.
Wenzhou merchants are found all over the world. In Wang Xiao's trade cities that span Asia, Africa and Europe alone, there are Wenzhou merchants. They are either fellow townsmen or acquaintances with each other.
This gave I buy the means to persuade these Italian Chinese to open online stores.
As for why we need to persuade them?
Because half of the Italian shoe industry, the fashion capital, is supported by Chinese people.
The positioning of those high-end fashion brands dictates that they would never collaborate with Ibuy. The affordable nature of general e-commerce platforms would damage their high-end brand image.
Even without Zhang the butcher, you can't eat a hairy pig. If the big names aren't playing, why not find a substitute?
Being made in Italy, it naturally appeals to consumers. Moreover, many of these smaller manufacturers also do OEM manufacturing for major fashion brands.
Wang Xiao read the entire report with great satisfaction, as if it were a story. Overall, the situation was very promising, and business was expanding actively.
Ms. Wang flew the entire way with great satisfaction, and then got off the plane with equal gusto. As soon as she left the airport, she was surrounded by reporters.
There was a little incident in between.
As everyone knows, August in Hong Kong is extremely hot, with the sun so bright it hurts your eyes.
So when Wang Xiao got off the plane, she was wearing sunglasses. Therefore, when she was surrounded by cameras and microphones, her first reaction was to be flattered and then highly suspect that she had been mistaken for a female celebrity.
Wow, this is absolutely stunning! She's gorgeous, like a movie star! There's a real difference between celebrities and ordinary beauties. Seriously, with that hairstyle today, which celebrity did the reporters mistake her for?
As a result, she stopped smiling as soon as the reporter opened his mouth.
It wasn't because the reporter recognized her and called her Miss Wang.
Instead, they deliberately brought up a sore spot, asking her, "What are your thoughts on the stock price decline?"
What kind of thoughts could they possibly have? Everyone's falling, who can stop this kind of thing?
Even for a market star like eBay, which has been profitable for a long time and has been consistently profitable, its stock price has been falling sharply since March.
No matter how outstanding an individual's performance is, it cannot affect the overall environment.
The stock prices of Ibuy and Inet are also falling.
Therefore, Wang Xiao simply replied, "As a company, we can only work hard and prove to our investors that they have good judgment and that supporting us was the right thing to do by achieving outstanding performance and a bright future."
But the reporters weren't going to let her off the hook, and kept pressing her for answers: "Will the website lay off staff? How many people do you plan to lay off?"
At this point, Wang Xiao had no choice but to stop and declared sternly, "I want to reiterate once again: there will be no layoffs, and there are no plans to lay off any employees. The website has grown from nothing to where it is today thanks in no small part to the contributions of our employees. They have done nothing wrong. The website will continue to increase revenue and reduce costs to improve efficiency, but there will absolutely be no layoffs."
The reporter, still unconvinced, pressed further: "Are you really not going to lay off any employees?"
“No layoffs.” Wang Xiao looked at the reporter and said seriously, “Although layoffs may seem to save costs and make the short-term financial statements look better, it does not align with our corporate culture and long-term development interests.”
She spoke eloquently, “Under normal circumstances, we all take it upon ourselves to complete tasks quickly, receive the corresponding rewards, and then devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the next task. But if everyone is under the shadow of layoffs, for example, if you lose your jobs after this interview with me today, then without a doubt, everyone will want to interview me forever.”
Some of the reporters laughed.
Wang Xiao curled the corners of his mouth: "The same goes for the website's employees. If everyone is afraid of losing their jobs, then everyone will try to extend the project. This way, because the company considers sunk costs, it won't easily lay off the project participants before the project ends. Moreover, if the project is about to end and can't be delayed any longer, the participants will also try to get into the next project to ensure they don't lose their jobs. Then, who will do the finishing work properly?"
She shook her head. "In that case, the company's management would fall into chaos, work discipline would be lax, and it would be a complete disaster for the company."
"People are never a cost to a company, but rather beings that create benefits and miracles for the company. As a manager, my company and I will do our best to provide a stable working environment for everyone. I believe that my colleagues will also contribute their boundless creativity and wisdom to the website."
Mr. Wang's inspirational quotes could be used to write an essay.
But reporters don't want to read essays, nor do they want to drink inspirational stories. Interviews are meant to be sensational; without a juicy story, there's no point in reporting.
The reporter immediately seized on this: "But eBay already laid off employees last month. Do you think eBay's layoffs are a short-sighted move that only looks at short-term financial statements? And Amazon is also planning layoffs. Isn't that also a form of short-sightedness?"
Wang Xiao maintained a polite smile: "eBay has scaled back its in-person auctions and shut down the offline operations of Butterfield Auction House in Chicago and other locations. This is a shift in business direction. Moreover, as far as I know, these personnel have been reassigned to eBay's Great Collections website to handle online business. I'm quite certain of this because our website contacted them to ask if we needed any assistance. They expressed their gratitude and told us that they had already moved to Great Collections to work on online auctions."
See how appropriate that response is? It doesn't belittle any of its competitors; it's all about understanding and support.
When the truth is revealed, we are a loving family.
But how could the reporters let her go if they hadn't found a juicy story?
"What about Amazon? What do you think about Amazon's layoffs?"
What's so interesting about Boss Wang? What does her personal life have to do with her?
She dodged the question, saying, "I don't know. I haven't seen any announcement from Amazon saying they're going to lay off employees."
The reporter pressed on: "What if the layoffs are true? So many other websites are laying off staff."
Ms. Wang originally intended to reply that she never commented on "if," but upon hearing the next sentence, she changed her approach: "I believe that every company's arrangements are the result of repeated weighing of pros and cons. Every company has its own considerations and will try its best to protect everyone's interests."
Dodging the issue was unwelcome, so the reporter pressed her for a bombshell: "So do you think layoffs are right or wrong? Did other companies make a mistake by laying off employees?"
Goodness gracious! She's not a celebrity who lives off media attention. What good would it do her to smear her competitors? Clearly, there are too few legitimate businesses in Hong Kong; the reporters who come to interview her are all driven by gossip and paparazzi mentality.
Wang Xiao had already taken a step forward: "We must allow ourselves to be ourselves, and allow others to be others. Everyone has their own considerations."
The bodyguards struggled to escort her out, and it was only with great difficulty that they managed to get her into the car.
Before getting into the car, Mr. Wang politely nodded to everyone: "Thank you all for your concern for the website. I hope everyone is doing well."
The car door closed and the car drove away, and Xiao Gao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Hong Kong reporters are indeed impressive.
Zhang Rujing and Jiang Shangzhou watched the commotion from the sidelines for a long time, but no one paid them any attention.
Now the two of them simply teased Wang Xiao: "Boss Wang, you're getting the treatment of a superstar!"
Wang Xiao looked completely overwhelmed: "Thank you, but I didn't really enjoy it. The microphone was practically shoved into my nostril."
Everyone on the bus laughed.
Mr. Wang was still shaken: "How could they all be so crazy?"
Tang Yicheng laughed and said, "Boss, don't you know you're very popular now? I Buy is the only one standing out right now, it's in the newspapers every day."
After laughing, he sighed, "The Hong Kong stock market is also in a terrible state now. The Hang Seng Index has fallen by 15% since March."
There's really nothing strange about that.
In the year 2000, the United States was undoubtedly the world's economic engine. If America sneezed, the whole world would catch a cold.
Tang Yicheng's concern: "Everyone is saying now, is it possible to push Cyberport to go ahead? It's hard to say."
Why do I say this? Because of the tech stock devastation. With prices plummeting like this, who wouldn't be filled with anxiety?
When the Hong Kong Cyberport project was announced in 1998, it attracted the attention of 34 internationally renowned companies, including HP, IBM, and Yahoo, who signed letters of intent to move in.
But now that the dot-com bubble has almost burst, all tech companies are busy scaling back operations and cutting costs, preparing for a harsh winter. Who would still be making big investments in Hong Kong?
Wang Xiao listened and nodded, "Oh, this is a great opportunity for our microelectronics center."
Everyone on the bus choked up.
Boss, do you want to hear what you're saying? We're currently worried about the poor market conditions.
Mr. Wang argued confidently: "Since everyone else might not come, isn't the only notable achievement of the Cyberport project our Microelectronics Centre? The illegitimate son of a large family may not necessarily live a better life than the only heir of a small family. The Hong Kong government has no other choice, so naturally, the only policy support left is for the Microelectronics Centre."
Isn't that just how the world works? What's honey to one is poison to another.
If the Hong Kong government does not want the Cyberport project to become a complete real estate project, it must strongly support the already completed Hong Kong Microelectronics Centre.
Jiang Shangzhou nodded, indicating his support for Wang Xiao's statement.
To use an imperfect analogy, in a situation where there's no other choice, like the one-child policy in mainland China, many families only have one daughter. Even if the family originally wanted to raise a son, what can they do? They can't use the resources they have; they have to prioritize their own family. So they can only grit their teeth and raise their daughter well.
Having someone to help is better than having nothing at all, right?
Whether a project can be successfully developed depends heavily on the support of the local government.
Zhang Rujing is a semiconductor expert, so his perspective on issues naturally differs from that of businessmen and government officials.
He was quite worried: "If no technology companies move in, the microelectronics center will have a limited number of heavyweight partners to find."
Wang Xiao has always been optimistic: "We Asian companies aren't exactly heavyweight partners yet. If they really don't come, we'll just do our own thing."
One of the purposes of the Hong Kong Microelectronics Centre is to establish a semiconductor kingdom independent of the US system. When people are dependent, they can't help but want to rely on others; when they are no longer dependent, they are forced to become independent.
As soon as she finished speaking, a sudden gong sound came from outside, startling her so much that she immediately looked up.
Outside the car window, a large group of people were seen carrying banners and banging gongs as they marched forward.
Mr. Wang was surprised: "What's going on? Is there some kind of celebration? Did Hong Kong win an Olympic gold medal?"
That's not right. Sydney is in the Southern Hemisphere, and August is a harsh winter, not suitable for outdoor sports. Therefore, the opening ceremony of this Olympic Games will not be held until September 15th.
How could we possibly get a license now?
Tang Yicheng smiled wryly: "It's not the Olympics, and there are no medals. It's a protest against the 85,000-person plan."
The so-called "85,000 Housing Units Plan" was a housing policy proposed by the Chief Executive in his first Policy Address in October 1997.
The core of the plan is to build no fewer than 85,000 public and private housing units annually, with the goal of significantly increasing the homeownership rate among Hong Kong families within 10 years, enabling 70% of families to buy their own homes, while simultaneously shortening the public housing waiting time from 6.5 years to 3 years. (Note ①)
There is no doubt that the Hong Kong government is doing this in order to solve the problem of severe housing shortage and exorbitant housing prices in Hong Kong.
Jiang Shangzhou was slightly puzzled: "Isn't it better for the government to lead the construction of houses? So many people don't have a place to live, it's a big problem."
After he started working in Shanghai, he discovered that housing was extremely scarce and that the government was constantly trying to improve residents' living conditions.
When he came to Hong Kong on a business trip, he went out to conduct research and found that housing in Hong Kong was even more strained than in Shanghai, to the point that it was driving people crazy.
He thought the 85,000-person plan was excellent, beneficial in the present and lasting for generations.
Tang Yicheng was pondering how to explain this when his secretary couldn't help but speak up: "With so many houses flooding the market at once, housing prices have plummeted. If they fall any further, everyone will be in negative equity."
The reason is that 85,700 housing units have been completed this year and are ready to be put on the market.
Unfortunately, starting in March, the decline in tech stocks triggered a chain reaction in the real estate market, with housing prices already falling. Once news broke that a large number of homes were being put on the market, prices plummeted even further.
As we all know, Hong Kong property prices are very high, with 70% of the income of working-class people going towards mortgage payments. Real estate is the biggest asset for ordinary people. A drop in property prices means a decrease in asset value, and prices are likely to fall even more sharply next year, as more houses will be built then.
Suddenly, everyone's assets have depreciated. Who can afford that? Especially those who bought houses at the peak in 1997, they were furious.
They must stand up and stop the government from acting recklessly and completely disregarding the lives of Hong Kong people.
Those waving banners expressed everyone's sentiments: "Stop the 85,000 yuan price drop, save our homes" and "Oppose the price drop that destroys our property."
Wang Xiao leaned back in his car seat, listening to the secretary's impassioned speech, guessing that this unlucky girl had also taken over a high-ranking position.
She understood; she understood her emotions perfectly.
Because before she transmigrated, she also bought at a high price. When the property was handed over, the price started to fall, and then continued to drop further.
By then, she had already become a major online celebrity, earning a lot of money, so she didn't care about the financial burden. Her neighbor was practically contemplating suicide; her outstanding mortgage was higher than the current housing prices.
Anyone who gets caught up in this would be devastated.
However, Tang Yicheng had a cold and ruthless heart, showing no mercy to the lady, and directly retorted to the secretary: "Didn't the housing prices also plummet at the end of 1997 and the beginning of 1998? The drop was even greater than it is now. Back then, the 85,000-unit plan had only been proposed for a few months, and no construction had even started. We can't just pin the blame for the housing price drop on it."
The secretary earnestly emphasized, "That's why you can't stack them! Hong Kong stocks have fallen so much, and housing prices were already declining. If so many houses enter the market at once, won't those who buy first lose money? Is it wrong for everyone to work hard to save money to buy a house? Should those who don't work hard, don't know how to save for a down payment, and don't work hard to settle down be the ones who benefit?"
Tang Yicheng stroked his chin and lectured his secretary: "How can you say that? People who buy houses first get to enjoy life first. It's normal for anything to depreciate. The same chip will drop in price by half in 18 months. (Note ②) And the phone and computer you use are about half the price they were a few years ago. So shouldn't everyone have bought them back then and waited until now? In a few years, the price might drop again."
The secretary couldn't help but retort to her boss: "How can a house be compared to these consumables?"
Tang Yicheng also argued confidently: "In this life, all material possessions are consumables. And I don't understand why people who buy houses are so anxious. If prices drop, so be it. Are you going to use them for financing? If you just want a place to live, no matter how much prices drop, it doesn't matter to you. No matter how much they rise, it doesn't matter either. If you sell the house, where will you live?"
The secretary felt that her boss was impossible to reason with, and could only emphasize, "That's different."
Tang Yicheng showed no sign of softening his stance, continuing to emphasize, "How is it different? Oh, if you're buying a house as an investment, then you should think it's even more normal. There's no such thing as a sure thing in investing. People lose money in the stock market every day."
The secretary didn't really want to talk to her boss anymore.
But Brother Tang has never been the type of person who needs someone to be his straight man in order to talk about sex.
He went on and on: "Actually, the drop in Hong Kong property prices is a good thing. It's a good thing for the sake of future generations. Think about it, when your children grow up, they will eventually have to buy their own houses and start their own families. If property prices keep soaring, how will your children afford to buy houses then? Most people won't be able to afford them."
The secretary, unable to bear it any longer, reminded her boss, "Thank you, but I have no plans to get married or have children."
Tang Yicheng grinned: "Then you don't need to worry at all. With housing prices falling, commodity prices will also fall, and the quality of life will be higher. You can definitely live comfortably on your own."
Wang Xiao turned her head away, desperately trying to suppress her laughter.
No wonder Brother Tang has a great physique, good looks, and promising future, yet he's still single.
With that mouth of his, Wang Xiao had every reason to suspect that he poisoned a girl during their date.
Unfortunately, Tang Yicheng was completely oblivious to this and continued to ramble on: "To be honest, I think it's pointless for Hong Kong to develop real estate. In other places, real estate development can bring along upstream and downstream industries. How can Hong Kong do that? It can only produce 30% of its own steel. The rest, as well as cement, bricks, timber, and even bamboo for scaffolding, have to be brought in from outside. What are they selling? They're just selling land, driving up land prices, and then all the other things, prices rise."
He also engaged in a comparison, saying, "Look at why Singapore has an advantage in industrial upgrading and investment attractiveness; it's because they gave up on getting rich through real estate early on."
Thankfully, the car stopped in front of the hotel in time.
Otherwise, Mr. Wang was very worried that the secretary would lose her temper and retaliate, giving Tang Yicheng a good beating.
But on second thought, probably not.
After all, the secretary bought a house and is now burdened with a mortgage.
If a person is burdened with heavy debt, they will become like a snail, unable to live a carefree life any longer.
That's why Tang Yicheng was so audacious.
When escorting her boss to his room, she would also give her secretary a lecture: "Food, clothing, shelter, and daily necessities are basic human needs. The rich can indulge in delicacies, wear fine silks, live in villas, and drive luxury cars, but the poor must at least have enough to eat, warm clothes, a roof over their heads, and the ability to travel by bus. Otherwise, in ancient times, these poor people were called vagrants, and vagrants were equivalent to bandits, which was very dangerous."
Wang Xiao almost died laughing when she heard this.
That evening, she called Ivan and told him about it, and he was equally amused and exasperated.
Unfortunately, poor Ivan had to work and couldn't gossip about Little Tang with him.
So Mr. Wang reluctantly hung up the phone and prepared to have a proper talk with Dr. Zhang.
Unfortunately, Dr. Zhang ran into Chairman Zhang and his entourage from TSMC and went off to chat with them.
He's a very concerned person, and Worldwide was merged into TSMC earlier this year. As the former general manager of Worldwide, he's quite concerned about whether Worldwide's engineers are adapting well after joining TSMC.
Mr. Wang didn't want to get involved in this mess, so he could only swallow his pride and go home.
The assistant muttered under his breath, "I didn't expect Chairman Zhang to come in person."
He said this because the relationship between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is still somewhat delicate.
Because Dr. Chang Ru-ching insisted on building a factory in mainland China, the Taiwanese authorities issued him a fine of NT$5 million as a warning. Enraged, Dr. Chang publicly stated that he would renounce his Taiwanese citizenship.
As a result, the Taiwanese authorities, fearing it would affect Taiwanese businesses investing in mainland China, simply ignored his application to release his household registration.
That was the end of the matter.
As the head of TSMC, the leading semiconductor company in Taiwan, Chairman Chang's visit to Hong Kong is easily subject to politicization.
Given Chairman Zhang's cautious nature, his assistant originally thought he would send Chiang Shang-yi to attend in his place.
Wang Xiao smiled and shook his head: "Then you are underestimating Chairman Zhang too much. Remember, the Chief Executive will be there tomorrow to personally unveil the plaque."
In international and regional exchanges, "equal treatment" is a fundamental principle of etiquette. For an event hosted by the Chief Executive, the presence of Chairman Zhang, as the highest-ranking leader representing the partner, is the most appropriate way to express respect and importance.
Sending only senior technical executives, such as Chiang Shang-yi or Hu Cheng-ming, would be considered impolite and disrespectful in terms of political etiquette, and could be interpreted as a lack of respect from TSMC towards the Hong Kong SAR government.
How could Chairman Zhang, who is always cautious, make such a mistake?
This presents an excellent opportunity to establish direct, high-level contact with the first Hong Kong SAR government after the handover. It is crucial for TSMC, a company that needs to operate in a globally sensitive political and economic environment.
That is why the Hong Kong government has given the Microelectronics Centre such high-level attention.
Hong Kong has only been back in China for three years, and the success of the "one country, two systems" principle is attracting worldwide attention. The international community is also highly concerned about whether Hong Kong can maintain its prosperity and stability.
The participation of world-class technology leaders like TSMC in Hong Kong's high-tech projects aimed at enhancing its international competitiveness carries symbolic significance beyond mere business, representing the confidence of international capital and the technology sector in Hong Kong's future.
After hearing the boss's explanation, the assistant finally understood the intricacies of the situation.
My goodness, public officials all over the world are indeed shrewd; they even consider such details when sending out an invitation.
Wang Xiao laughed: "That's why the old saying goes, 'Cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.'"
However, she immediately changed the subject, "Don't forget Principal Tian. Even without what I just mentioned, Principal Tian's academic reputation and personal charisma alone are enormous intangible assets. Chairman Zhang, as a leader with similar vision, will certainly attach great importance to Principal Tian's initiative. Attending the ceremony is a sign of respect and investment in Tian Changlin as a person and the 'academic power' he represents."
Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao felt like they were about to faint.
Listen to that, the boss has said everything.
The boss then discouraged them, saying, "So you need to think more and consider problems from every angle."
Okay, then they shouldn't even consider it. If they keep thinking about it, they won't be able to sleep well at night.
The next morning, after washing up and getting ready, Wang Xiao had breakfast at the hotel with Zhang Rujing and Jiang Shangzhou. Introduced by Jiang Shangyi, he greeted Chairman Zhang, shook hands, exchanged a few polite words, and then hurried off to the Microelectronics Center.
It's really hot in Hong Kong in August. Even though it was only a little past 9 a.m., Wang Xiao felt sweating as soon as he got out of the car.
Tian Changlin gave her a lot of face and came to pick her up personally.
Two months ago, on the advice of the health care doctor arranged by Boss Wang, he took a break and recuperated for a period of time, and felt much better.
Wang Xiao also teased him, "Oh my, Principal, you look radiant and glowing."
Tien Chang-lin was both amused and exasperated: "You said my lines! I was just about to say that Mr. Wang is forever young and increasingly charming."
As a result, Boss Wang directly rejected his way of praising people: "Please don't praise me like that. People usually praise those who are old and young. I am genuinely young."
Everyone around laughed.
When Zhang Rujing and the others came over to shake hands with Tian Changlin, suddenly, the sound of gongs being struck came from not far away.
Everyone looked over, wondering why the celebration had started so quickly.
Jiang Shangzhou and Zhang Rujing exchanged a glance, seeing surprise and worry in each other's eyes.
Really? Homebuyers who are protesting the 85,000-unit housing plan because they think it will drag down prices have come here to protest?
This unveiling ceremony is about to get quite eventful.
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Note ①: This content is from the "85,000 Housing Units Plan." To ensure its implementation, the government also established a special committee and action group to coordinate various aspects such as land supply and construction approvals. The policy was initially very effective, with 85,700 housing units completed in 2000, 100,000 in 2001, and 67,000 in 2002, totaling approximately 242,000 units over three years. However, due to the 1998 Hong Kong financial crisis and the dot-com bubble of the millennium, Hong Kong property prices plummeted. In 2002, the Hong Kong government launched the "Nine Measures" to rescue the market, including halting the construction of subsidized housing and stopping the auction of residential land, marking the complete shelving of the plan.
Note ②: The anti-Moore's Law states that the price of the same chip will drop by half in 18 months, so pricing current chips based on prices several years from now is somewhat reasonable.
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