Chapter 91 If all else fails, buy land and build: Romania can open up the European market
The atmosphere became awkward for a moment.
City leaders quickly stepped in to mediate: "Director Taylor, please don't misunderstand. These are our Chinese friends, not Japanese. They want to rent the factory to develop the market and meet everyone's needs."
Factory manager Jotelle remained completely unmoved: "I know you people too well. You're selling out the country, selling out all of Romania. Hey! Look at the stupid things you've done, how terrible! You've ruined a perfectly good Romania, aren't you ashamed?"
City leaders tried to persuade him: "Director Yotyl, we have suffered such terrible rule, and the country needs time to recover. Please believe that we will get better."
"Terrible rule? Our national income has increased 32 times, our industry 119 times, and agriculture 6 times. In 1989, our ordinary workers could earn 3,000 lei per month, which was equivalent to $300 at the time. 82% of our people live in clean and spacious homes. Ha, my Chinese friends, now tell me, my loyal friends, aren't these great achievements?"
Factory Director Yotelle was visibly emotional. "I clearly remember when Chinese friends came to visit, they told me that this was a great victory for socialism and that they hoped China could achieve the same success. Now, have you changed your tune?"
Wang Xiao couldn't argue that what others said was wrong.
82% of the population now live in new homes, with an average living space of over 14 square meters per person.
Alas, even before she transmigrated into the book, China, with its booming economy, hadn't achieved that.
Moreover, in this day and age, it's common for three or even four generations to live together, with family members sleeping in bunk beds and in large wardrobes.
Comrade Wang Tiejun said with particular sincerity: "The economic achievements Romania has made are obvious to all, and we also believe that a bright future belongs to the heroic and great Romanian people!"
Factory Director Yotyl's eyes were red as he praised Wang Tiejun: "You are an upright and conscientious person. Unlike them, they spread rumors that the army killed 60,000 people. Who saw it? Who actually saw it?"
You're saying he has a billion dollars in overseas savings? No one with a brain would believe that. He trusts his people so much, why would he keep his money abroad?
You contradict yourselves, on the one hand saying he is a red king, a tyrant who treats the country as his property; on the other hand saying he transfers assets abroad.
Shouldn't a king feel that his kingdom is the safest place? Why should he trust foreigners? Only traitors—”
He glanced at Ivanov with disdain, "Only Soviet revisionists who betray the Soviet people would flee with gold."
Ivanov felt that he and Romania were absolutely incompatible, just as the Chinese had said.
First of all, he didn't offend anyone.
Secondly, he still didn't offend anyone.
Why did he get shot even though he was lying down?
Wang Xiao thought the factory director's words made some sense.
The famous former head of state of Romania was notoriously stubborn and self-willed.
He believed he had complete control over Romania, and even while unrest was raging at home, he was still on a visit to Iran.
There's really no reason for someone like that to put their huge fortune abroad.
He genuinely believed he was absolutely right.
So why was he accused of such a crime?
Ah, throughout history and across the world, the feelings of ordinary people have always been exceptionally simple and genuine.
Nothing is more hated by ordinary people than corruption.
In reality, for a dictator, money is merely a symbol.
Sometimes, what causes a country to fall apart is not corruption, especially overt corruption.
Factory manager Yotyl was still talking non-stop.
Thank God, this time his target wasn't Ivanov, but rather the city leaders.
"Why were you so eager to shoot him? Because you know that all your accusations against him are baseless."
You are afraid the people will discover your true colors; you lie and lie. Even the prosecutor who tried him knew he had committed a crime and committed suicide out of fear.
“That’s because the prosecutor is afraid you’ll retaliate against his family. He’s an honest and good man!” The city leader subconsciously raised his voice, then lowered it to remind him, “Director Taylor, we’re talking about the factory.”
The burly middle-aged man angrily waved his arm and said, "You'll only make Romania a mess. Ha, the National Salvation Front? How dare you use that name? You officials are busy seizing luxury villas, busy reselling real estate, busy colluding with foreigners, and profiting from import and export trade. Without you, how could great Romania have died? Get out of here so that Romania can be saved."
The managers and middle-to-senior level employees in the Romanian factory generally have college degrees or above, so although his English has a strong accent, Wang Xiao and Ivanov could still understand it.
If he were speaking Romanian, the city leaders would definitely not translate for them.
Ivanov was practically laughing to himself. Ha, Romania.
The Wang father and daughter, however, remained as quiet as quails, adhering to the principle of never uttering a word.
They can't say anything about other countries' politics.
The city leader, maintaining his composure, tried again to steer the conversation back on track: "Director Yotyl, we need to solve the immediate problem. The factory has already ceased production. So many workers need bread and milk. We must find a way to raise funds. Director Yotyl, this is not the time to act impulsively. Look, we can reach a consensus. Our Chinese friends are sincere and conscientious; they are not swindlers. Renting out the factory will at least provide funds to subsidize the workers."
Factory manager Yotelle, however, remained adamant: "This is a factory, not a residence, and it cannot be rented out. What the factory needs now is to resume production immediately."
The city leaders were exasperated: "You're just being unreasonable. The factory's shutdown is its own responsibility. As the factory director, instead of reflecting on your own actions, the municipal government is trying to help you solve your problems, and you're still causing trouble."
No matter how much he pleaded or tried to persuade him, Factory Director Yotelle remained unmoved.
Finally, the city leaders lost their temper and issued an ultimatum: "Director Jotelle, do you think this is still a dictatorship? Romania is a democratic country, and the factory belongs to all its employees. Now, I am going to convene a factory-wide meeting and let the workers vote on the fate of the factory."
Factory manager Yotyl's face turned ashen, and he finally cursed angrily, "Fine, let these idiots see how they'll get themselves killed by their own stupidity."
Then, the two sides switched to Romanian, which Wang Xiao and Ivanov could no longer understand.
The two bodyguards would occasionally exchange glances; they both understood some Romanian.
Wang Tiejun looked around for a while before finally asking a practical question: "Where are the restaurants around here?"
The factories have all stopped production, so we definitely won't be able to get food at the canteen.
People need food to survive; you'll get hungry if you skip a meal.
We still need to find a place to eat.
Wang Xiao interrupted their argument: "Um, excuse me, where's a restaurant around here?"
The city leader then turned around and thanked the guests who had come from afar: "Excuse me, let's eat at the city government restaurant."
Factory manager Yotelle coldly remarked from the side, "Weren't you going to hold a factory-wide meeting? Are you canceling it? Or are you telling everyone to wait until you've had your fill of food and drink before coming over?"
Okay, then what else is there to say? Let's just find a place to eat nearby, following the principle of proximity.
The small restaurant that Factory Manager Yotler found for them was truly tiny, with only seven or eight tables in total, similar to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in China.
However, the dishes served were quite good, including flavorful braised rabbit and sauerkraut chicken soup. What surprised Wang Xiao and her father the most was that, in addition to bread, there was also fried rice as a staple food.
The city leaders helped translate: "The owner learned this from his Chinese friends. They all said it was delicious."
Wang Xiao took a bite and thought, "Hmm, it's a bit stronger in flavor than Yangzhou fried rice, but it tastes pretty good."
A little girl, around 10 years old, ran into the store.
To Wang Xiao's surprise, she was even wearing a red scarf.
Yes, Russian primary school students do wear red scarves, but the Soviet Union only officially became history on December 26th of last year.
Romania, however, changed course in December 1989.
The city leaders noticed Wang Xiao's gaze and explained, "We've decided to keep it; we'll keep the children's red scarves."
Wang Xiao didn't know how to react, so she could only awkwardly say "oh, oh" twice.
As she put down her spoon, the little girl ran over again, shyly handing her a hand-drawn card.
Wang Xiao laughed, pointed to himself, and said, "Give me?"
Clearly, even a primary school student with broken English wouldn't understand, so Taylor quickly stepped in to translate: "A gift for you."
Wang Xiao smiled broadly, and immediately took out a greeting card with a Great Wall pattern from her bag, handing it to the little girl with a smile: "Thank you, welcome to China, this is the Great Wall of China."
The little girl happily accepted the greeting card, her face flushed, and ran away.
Ivanov watched coldly, suspecting that the Romanians were playing the emotional card, and that even the two seemingly unapproachable city leaders and factory directors were just putting on an act to raise their prices in the upcoming negotiations.
He felt he had guessed correctly.
Romanians are really daring to ask for too much.
In this run-down factory, those guys who call themselves workers' representatives actually dare to demand $20,000 a month in rent!
Ha, even Moscow wouldn't dare to be so arrogant.
They acquired shops on the busiest streets, shops frequented by countless European customers every day, 200 square meters of shops, for less than $5,000 each.
Romanians are clearly obsessed with money!
Wang Xiao frowned; they were treating her like a fat sheep to be slaughtered.
She turned to the city government leader and smiled: "Sir, I think you no longer need to worry about the workers and the initial problems of the factory. Just by renting out the factory buildings, each worker can receive a subsidy equivalent to 5.7 times the minimum wage. I believe that in this way, Romania will soon be on the road to prosperity."
Who do you think is stupid? Romania just raised its minimum wage to only 7,000 lei.
The city leader blushed deeply, but managed to laugh: "We can talk about it, the rent is negotiable."
Wang Xiao's eyes darted around, and he immediately cut the price by 3/4: "5,000 US dollars, 5,000 US dollars a month, that's the highest I can go. I need to renovate the factory, and the investment will be very high."
When divided among each worker, it amounts to roughly $50 per person. Currently in Romania, this is roughly the income level for an average worker after a month's work.
Unfortunately, the workers were still afraid of being taken advantage of. After they gathered together to discuss it again, they did not ask for a price increase, but they were dissatisfied with Wang Xiao's proposal to rent the factory for ten years.
They only rent out for a maximum of three years, and ideally for one year.
Not to mention Wang Xiao, even Ivanov, who had only heard it a little, almost jumped up on the spot.
Are you crazy? How could this be!
They're trying to get into the warehousing market, and after three years they've only just started to make some progress. And now these people want to reap the rewards? What kind of pipe dream are they having!
No, 10 years is the minimum. They won't rent it for less than that.
But the workers persisted and refused to back down.
Just three years ago, they all earned $300 a month. They believed that in three years, their salaries would definitely rise to the same level or even higher.
By then, a rent of $5,000 will be too low, and they can't afford to suffer such a loss in silence because of short-sightedness.
Since they couldn't agree on the lease term, neither side could continue the negotiations.
Everyone had to say goodbye with regret.
On the way back, Wang Xiao simply asked the city leaders, "Are there any bankrupt factories?"
It's true, bankrupt companies are actually easier to deal with. She'd accept it even if the location was a bit out of the way.
In any case, Romania has a well-developed transportation system with plenty of subways and buses, and a high rate of family car ownership.
Unfortunately, Romania's privatization is indeed in its early stages and progressing rather slowly. At least for now, the government is still relying on voter turnout and, in preparation for the general election in September, lacks the courage to bankrupt loss-making factories.
"I'll talk to them again," the city leader assured. "They're just having trouble adjusting their thinking right now; a little more talking will make things better."
That being said, who knows when we'll be able to convince the workers?
Wang Xiao understood the workers' thoughts; this was exactly what demolition and relocation were like during a time of skyrocketing housing prices. Which person facing demolition didn't want to take the opportunity to escape poverty and achieve a better life?
If it were her, she would also want to maximize her profits.
The problem is that she is impatient, and her market sense tells her that if she doesn't find a way to get the warehousing and wholesale market up and running right away, someone else will soon be the first to do it.
Her only advantage right now is the time difference.
There was a time lag before Romanians had a chance to develop a market economy mindset.
Currently, Chinese businesspeople doing business in Romania are still in the initial capital accumulation stage and lack sufficient confidence to expand significantly. Moreover, Chinese people generally have a strong attachment to their homeland, and most are still in a "working abroad" mentality, thinking that they should make money for a couple of years while they can, and then return to their hometowns to live a better life.
By the time the two of them came to their senses, it was no longer her business.
They argued all afternoon, and by the time they left the factory, the sun was already high in the sky. A vast expanse of red light shone on the riverbank; it truly deserved the description of a blood-red sunset.
The city leaders once again promoted the factory: "Actually, the production equipment is still there. Although Director Yotyl is stubborn, he is a responsible and good comrade."
After using the word "comrade," he suddenly realized it was inappropriate and quickly corrected himself, saying, "He is a very responsible factory manager. To this day, the equipment is still well maintained and ready to be put into production at any time."
Seeing that Wang Xiao and Ivanov didn't react, he pulled out his trump card, "Then the municipal government can allocate more land to the factory to build new warehouses for trade and wholesale."
Wang Xiao immediately turned to look at him: "You mean, you can approve the land for us to build houses, right?"
Forgive her for asking such a naive question; she really is a bit confused.
According to Ruan Xiaomei and her group, land in Romania can be rented to foreigners, but cannot be sold.
Article 1, Paragraph 4 of Chapter 1 of Romania's Foreign Investment Law stipulates that foreigners may acquire ownership and other property rights in certain movable and immovable property, except for ownership of land.
Article 7 further stipulates that foreigners may purchase production land other than investment ancillary parts, or other buildings and construct on them, except for residential buildings.
Now the leaders are saying they can approve land to build a warehouse. What does this mean?
What exactly does he mean by "allow"?
Even the city leaders were stumped.
Don't laugh at him for not understanding his own country's policies; in fact, Romania's reforms were more like being forced into a situation.
Before December 1989, this control over all aspects was very strict.
All units considered important by the state were staffed with military representatives and personnel from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose presence was even more extensive than that of the Soviet secret police.
Citizens are not allowed to have contact with foreigners at will; they must obtain approval before they can meet with them.
After making contact, citizens must report to their organization. Otherwise, they will be considered to be colluding with foreign powers or leaking state secrets.
Under such close surveillance, even when the rule of the dictator was overthrown, the country failed to form a stable and powerful opposition force.
How well can a government hastily formed like this, after decades of being highly isolated, truly understand the relevant policies when it is forced to undertake reforms?
After thinking for a long time, he found a suitable word: "Right of use, yes, right of use of land. Ownership of land belongs only to the Romanian people. But you can obtain ownership."
"for how long?"
That's the key point.
Then the city leader got stuck again, saying he would go back and check.
According to European practice, the maximum term shall not exceed 99 years.
They may need to discuss it further before making a decision.
Wang Xiao wanted to touch his nose again. This was a common problem with the incomplete development of capitalism, switching between rule of law and rule of man one moment and making it truly unpredictable.
However, she didn't force anyone to discuss it now.
It's already dusk, the time when people are getting off work.
Wang Xiao pointed to the large open space on the riverbank and said seriously, "If it were 1999, I would like to take over this area."
In fact, she would be willing to take even a 40-year commercial land lease.
She had to act quickly.
Romania currently lacks a real estate-based economic mindset.
The reason why the country refuses to allow foreigners to buy land is simply to prevent the loss of national territory.
So what if it's a leasehold right, even if it's for 99 years?
The city leader readily agreed: "I will report it tomorrow morning and will definitely give you a reply as soon as possible."
To be honest, the current Romanian government is indeed quite anxious.
They have been reforming for more than two years and have been trying to attract foreign investment.
However, for various reasons, Romania is currently the country in Eastern Europe that receives the least foreign investment.
According to experts, Romania's fixed asset aging rate has reached 38.8%, and they need at least $56 billion to recover their economy and achieve modernization.
In reality, Romania only attracted $1.124 million in foreign investment in 1990.
Last year was even worse; after a year, it only attracted $43.9 million.
Not only did it not rise, but it plummeted by more than half.
Therefore, the Bucharest municipal government is now very keen to attract more foreign investment.
Wang Xiao smiled: "OK, then I'll leave it to you. Romania is our most trusted friend, and we have the same trust in you. I hope everything goes smoothly, and that we can build a factory in Bucharest in the near future. I look forward to a brighter future for Romania."
She raised her hand and glanced at the watch made in China.
Don't think that wearing Chinese-made goods is beneath you. In Romania today, "Made in China" is synonymous with high-end products.
"It's 5:30. Is now a convenient time to visit the TV station? Would we have the honor of inviting you to dinner?"
The city leaders were taken aback, then burst into laughter: "Is this the speed of China? Everything is fast."
Ivanov thought to himself, "She's always on fire, and she talks about work at every meal."
The city leader smiled and nodded: "I don't know either, we can only try our luck."
Fortunately, they were lucky; when they arrived at the TV station, the station manager had just driven away.
Without saying a word, the city leaders immediately gave chase.
Finally, at the next intersection, at the traffic light, they caught up with Chief Militru's car.
The station director showed great magnanimity in the face of such rude behavior.
He not only expressed his welcome to his Chinese friends, but also readily accepted the invitation to have dinner together.
The dining venue was recommended by city leaders, and it has a rather imposing name: Athens Palace Hotel.
The hotel's decor is also worthy of the name "Royal Palace," featuring a magnificent and opulent style.
The walls of the grand restaurant were adorned with exquisite sculptures. Most wonderfully, the domed ceiling was inlaid with stained glass; when the lights shone on it, Wang Xiao involuntarily began to sing along in his mind: "Diamonds, diamonds, sparkling bright..."
Just as everyone was seated and Wang Xiao was about to exchange pleasantries, the band immediately started playing cheerful music.
She admitted that the music was quite nice, cheerful, and had a strong Romanian style.
But the band can't go on like this forever.
She invited people to dinner, but the focus wasn't on the meal itself.
She can't go through all that trouble to invite people over, only for them to eat and then just leave without saying anything.
When she had no other choice, she quietly asked the city leader, "Excuse me, could that band play... I'm so sorry, I was very rude. Could you perhaps change the piece to something softer?"
Dear brothers and sisters, could you please keep your voice down?
Fortunately, the city leaders knew the purpose of her trip and personally went to discuss it with the band.
Soon, Comrade Wang Tiejun couldn't help but shake his head and sway his body, because the song he was familiar with, "The Waves of the Danube," had been changed.
Wang Xiao was finally able to get straight to the point.
Station Director, would you be interested in broadcasting Chinese dramas?
I've heard that people in Romania quite like Chinese films.
A few years ago, Romania broadcast "The Regency" many times. My landlady told me that she went to watch it every time.
However, the station director didn't take her offer, instead showing a regretful expression: "I'm sorry, now is not the right time. Our current task is politics, and the people are also concerned about politics. We have no plans to import foreign films at the moment. Right now, everyone is concerned about the country's secrets and future. As the media, we must concentrate on the content that everyone is concerned about."
He wasn't making excuses; this is the general state of the media in Romania, or rather, throughout Eastern Europe, in recent years.
Because the flags were changed and the Soviet Union collapsed, governments around the world relaxed their control over the media.
We live in an era that values freedom and democracy, and everyone is concerned about political topics.
Television stations need to produce related programs to attract more viewers.
This is also driven by the sense of social responsibility of media professionals.
Ivanov rolled his eyes. He said that Romanian televisions were just for show, there was nothing to watch, and all he could do was listen to a bunch of people talking nonsense for ages without solving anything.
Wang Xiao paused for a moment, then smiled: "Is it that everyone really only focuses on political topics, or is it because the media only provides political topics?"
While the station director was still in a daze, she spoke again: "Let me digress for a moment. First of all, I want to emphasize that I don't understand politics. I want to speak from a businesswoman's perspective, so I'd like to share my thoughts on why Romania has not done a satisfactory job in attracting foreign investment."
The station director's reaction was relatively calm, but the city leaders were a bit agitated.
In fact, he and his colleagues were quite confused and didn't know what the right thing to do was.
They hope to create as much wealth as possible for the country, especially valuable foreign exchange, without harming national interests.
But it seems that nothing goes as planned.
Wang Xiao took a sip of cola, which is also a very popular drink in Romania.
It has almost become synonymous with Western culture, and it is sold at newsstands on the street.
After swallowing his cola, Wang Xiao spoke again: "It's because of politics, you guys are too focused on politics. For Western countries, this is very dangerous, even to a frightening degree."
Why does Romania attract the least foreign investment compared to countries like Hungary? I think besides policy reasons, the political environment is also a significant influencing factor.
When China was carrying out reform and opening up, the Prime Minister of Singapore once advised Chinese leaders to stop exporting revolution.
It is evident that established capitalist countries, particularly in the Western world, are highly resistant to revolution.
Revolution means that private property may be nationalized, and revolution means that wealthy merchants may be reformed.
The city leader couldn't help but interject: "Our laws clearly stipulate that citizens' property is sacred and inviolable, and we will absolutely not nationalize foreign companies."
Wang Xiao smiled, his tone subtle: "Do you think Romanian law is credible now? Especially to the Western world."
No.
There are far too many people who are executed without a proper trial.
This includes Romania's previous leader.
"This is one of the reasons why the Western world feels that Romania is unsafe. The essence of business investment is to make money, but you have to be alive to spend the money you earn."
Your country overthrew its dictatorship through violent revolution, which no longer meets the expectations of the Western world for a peaceful transition.
Moreover, the situation did not stabilize after the revolution. Violence broke out again in June 1990.
This led the United States to issue a travel warning for Romania.
The entire Western world is fearful of Romania's security situation.
Last year, there was another nationwide strike by unemployed workers.
All these factors combined mean that, aside from countries like China that have maintained a long-standing friendship with Romania and deeply understand the warm, kind, hardworking, and ambitious nature of the Romanian people, how many others would dare to take the risk?
The city leaders and the station director both fell silent.
They actually know some things in their hearts.
But it was so chaotic at the time; everyone was fighting and grabbing. Bucharest was in complete disarray.
It was as if a demon that had been suppressed for a long time had suddenly been unleashed.
Wang Xiao concluded definitively: "Therefore, let's stop discussing politics. The public's attention is actually very easy to divert. As long as the media stops constantly outputting content and provides more lighthearted and interesting content, everyone will soon forget about what they were previously concerned about. Couch potatoes are actually more in line with the Western values' demand for the public."
She was speaking the truth from the bottom of her heart.
This trick is really effective.
Otherwise, why would scandals in the entertainment industry always become a shield for public events?
It doesn't matter if a job is old, as long as it works.
Wang Xiao sincerely offered his suggestion: "I think what Romania needs now is stability. Only in a stable social environment can we concentrate on economic development."
In reality, no one can be completely satisfied, regardless of their circumstances. There are always all sorts of problems in society.
But sometimes, when attention is diverted, the problem doesn't seem so serious.
Forget politics; stop leading people to talk about politics.
This will create a relaxed and peaceful social atmosphere, helping Romania attract more foreign investors.
She looked earnestly at the station director and said, "This is what media professionals should do, for a better future."
While it's true that truth becomes clearer through debate, sometimes empty talk harms a nation, while hard work builds it. Now, Romania may need everyone's diligent efforts even more.
Ivanov listened to the whole thing and couldn't help but wonder: Does modern Russia no longer need people to discuss politics?
But if people don't pay attention, the government will only become more corrupt and incompetent.
When that time comes, will they also launch another violent revolution?
Wang Xiao didn't care about his dilemma.
The Romanian television station director hesitated before asking if there were any suitable Chinese TV dramas to recommend.
Wang Xiao smiled broadly: "Yes, our experts from the China Television Association are already screening them, and they're guaranteed to be popular with the audience. They're all very exciting TV dramas."
The station director smiled and said, "Then I'll wait for good news."
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "I certainly won't let you and your colleagues down."
She went to great lengths to convince them that she absolutely couldn't just release an album casually.
Fortunately, Chinese dramas from this era were actually quite good; they weren't exactly low-quality productions.
The music in the restaurant changed, and a cheerful tune started playing again.
Wang Xiao continued to eat, engrossed in her meal.
To be honest, the strong flavors and wide variety of Romanian cuisine suited her taste quite well.
"Then—" the city leader hesitated before speaking, "what do you think Romania should be doing right now?"
Wang Xiao ate several bites of food before realizing that the person being talked to wasn't the TV station director, but herself.
This question is indeed quite complex and has exceeded the scope of her knowledge.
Everyone knows the answer is to find a way to restore production; otherwise, with so many young and middle-aged laborers without jobs and income, there will be huge chaos.
The problem is, can production be restored so easily?
If it were that simple, Romania's economy wouldn't have been in such a mess all this time.
After thinking for a long time, she gave a rather clever answer: "I think the biggest dissatisfaction among ordinary people is that prices are rising too fast and wages are not keeping up."
That's complete nonsense.
The Romanian government was certainly aware of this, but their foreign exchange reserves were pitifully small. Previously, the massive amount of money printed had caused a terrifying devaluation of the currency.
If the printing presses continue to run at full capacity, then Ley will soon become worthless.
That will be the time when the real disaster strikes.
Unexpectedly, Wang Xiao changed the subject and suggested: "If you're short of money and can't find a job in Romania, you can go abroad to earn money."
In professional terms, this is called labor export.
"As you probably know, China has a large population, and the situation where surplus labor cannot find work is quite common in most parts of China."
The Chinese people's solution to this problem is labor export.
For example, in a populous province like Henan, some people go to work in the more economically developed Pearl River Delta region, while others go to places like Xinjiang, where cotton is in urgent need of harvest, to pick cotton during the cotton harvest season.
Others go abroad to work.
She smiled and said, "In this respect, I think the Romanian people have a unique advantage."
On the one hand, most young people know foreign languages such as English, so they can adapt quickly whether they go to Western Europe, Northern Europe or Southern Europe.
On the other hand, Romania has a high level of cultural and vocational education, resulting in a large pool of highly skilled workers. If they seek employment abroad, they will have a significant competitive advantage as long as their salary expectations are lower than those of locals.
However, city leaders and the television station director worried: "If everyone leaves, who will build Romania?"
Wang Xiao thought to himself, "People strive for higher positions, and water flows downhill; that's perfectly normal."
But after blinking a couple of times, she quickly offered some comforting words: "You'll come back eventually. These countries have high incomes, but also higher prices. Earning money abroad and spending it back home is the most cost-effective thing to do."
Besides, buying a house and settling down in these countries isn't easy. Their property prices are quite high.
Wang Xiao then took the opportunity to flatter the Romanian officials, saying, "Your country does a very good job in terms of social welfare, which is a national advantage."
She continued to tout the benefits of working abroad: "If you have more money to spend when you come back, it can boost the market. And with market demand, factories can naturally restart operations and even expand production."
Moreover, the Romanian people are hardworking and intelligent, and working abroad is also a good opportunity for them to learn advanced production technologies and management practices in practice.
The saying goes, "A soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't a good soldier." When everyone returns home after completing their studies and has saved their first pot of gold, that's when they'll invest back home, either contracting or starting more private businesses.
The TV station manager remained skeptical: "Will everyone come back?"
In previous years, Romania had very strict restrictions on residents leaving the country, and applications were rarely approved. Even if they were approved, applicants had to pay tens of thousands of marks.
So when the ban was lifted, many people emigrated abroad, especially Germans and Hungarians.
Now, he lacks confidence that everyone will come back.
“Yes, I will,” Wang Xiao said with a smile. “It’s hard to leave one’s homeland. There’s a TV series in China called ‘The Outsider Girl,’ which tells the story of a migrant worker girl from an economically underdeveloped inland area who goes to work in a special economic zone. Later, the protagonist returns to his hometown and becomes the head of a local enterprise.”
The station manager became interested: "There are TV dramas like that?"
Wang Xiao nodded: "Yes, it was released last year and it's very popular in China. You could say the streets were packed with people."
She immediately assured them, "When you see it, you definitely won't be disappointed."
Actually, she had another reason she didn't mention: Romania is poor right now.
Romanians, whether they go to Western Europe, Northern Europe, or Southern Europe, are always poor laborers.
In China, people who come from impoverished rural areas to work in bustling cities are often discriminated against.
Besides, in Romania, this is a cross-border issue.
The theory of biological evolution dictates that the human instinct is to admire the strong. When you're on someone else's turf, a poor laborer is definitely a second-class citizen.
Only by making money, returning home in glory, and spending lavishly can one regain their wounded self-esteem amidst the envious gazes of others.
They find peace of mind in the process of constantly envying and being envied.
The music stopped, and everyone put down their cutlery.
Ivanov snapped out of his daze.
it's over?
Has she convinced the leaders of Romanian television?
Hey!
He really wanted to see how her tongue was made; it truly was a tongue that could never be uttered.
Once the important matters were settled, the conversation became much more relaxed.
Even though the leaders sighed repeatedly about how declining production was a real worry, it didn't dampen the overall lively atmosphere at the dinner table.
Even when the band played a classic old movie theme song, Comrade Wang Tiejun hummed along with them.
A group of middle-aged men swayed their bodies, immersed in the glory of their youth.
Then everyone talked about the development of Romania's film and television industry in recent years.
The TV station director repeatedly expressed his hope that there would be an opportunity to export the latest Romanian films to China, so as to strengthen exchanges between the two countries.
Wang Xiao listened intently while eating dessert.
After everyone finished dinner and got up to leave the restaurant, she smiled and asked the city leader, "I know very little about the current industrial situation in your country. I wonder if you could provide some relevant information? Some of my friends might be interested in investing in factories."
The city leaders immediately beamed with joy: "No problem, we will explain all the policies in detail."
As everyone was leaving the dining room, laughter erupted from the next table.
A middle-aged Romanian man with hair in the middle, supporting the frontier, clapped his hands and laughed: "Truly impressive, truly wonderful."
The TV station director was both amused and exasperated: "Hey! You rascal, you were eavesdropping! Is this how you get your 'truth'?"
Wang Xiao also recognized the person; to be precise, she recognized the other guest at the table—a reporter from the People's Daily.
In foreign lands, Chinese faces are easy to recognize.
What a coincidence! They all had dinner at the Golden Apple Restaurant last night, and today they've both come to the Athens Palace Hotel.
The Chinese guests at the table stood up, smiling as they greeted Wang Xiao and the others. Then, pointing at Wang Xiao, they said, "I know you, Wang Xiao. Our newspaper reprinted news about you. You're really impressive, bringing honor to the country. Your business has grown so large. Have you moved from Moscow to Bucharest?"
They were having dinner with the Romanian newspaper "Pravda" just now, and they were originally discussing a joint venture to open a store specializing in Chinese goods.
As a result, when they heard the people at the next table analyzing the problem in a very logical and systematic way, both sides stopped talking at the same time.
This proves that everyone has their own area of expertise.
The perspectives that professionals have are things that laymen like them could never even imagine.
Competing with someone like that in business is simply impossible; they'll have to foot the bill for you.
Even now, a reporter from the People's Daily couldn't help but joke: "Mr. Wang, you've completely shattered our dreams of getting rich."
Wang Xiao laughed and denied it: "No, we just came to visit an old friend."
The reporter assumed she was there to investigate the market and didn't press her for details. Instead, he smiled and told his colleague from Pravda, "Didn't you ask how China's market economy combines with its planned economy? And how the Party organization plays a role in your factory? These are questions best asked of professionals."
Comrade Wang Tiejun immediately stood up and answered fluently.
Actually, he didn't understand these issues before either, but now that he's the deputy director of the steel plant, he has to figure them out even if he doesn't understand them now.
He usually has someone write his speeches for meetings, so he just needs to memorize them.
It's just in time to take it out and use it.
Oh my, this is a foreign newspaper! He'll definitely buy it and bring it back home so everyone can have a good look at it.
No one from their steel mill has ever been featured in a foreign newspaper.
After he finished the interview, it was already quite late. Everyone exchanged a few pleasantries and then went home to their respective mothers.
Ivanov asked Wang Xiao with some hesitation, "Shouldn't we Russians also go out to work?"
Wang Xiao looked at him suspiciously: "Where are you going to work? You're already the best in the Russian-speaking region."
Due to the influence of the Cold War, the English proficiency of Russians is probably about the same as that of Chinese people. Perhaps they are slightly better at it because Russia's education system is more advanced.
But it's limited, isn't it?
Compared to Romanians, they are definitely far inferior.
When it comes to working abroad, Russians don't have much of a competitive advantage.
Ivanov choked, then said sourly, "Wang, why aren't your friends interested in investing in Russia? We also have a bunch of factories that need investment."
Wang Xiao looked puzzled: "But many Russian households already have color TVs. Didn't you hear what the station director just said? Although many Romanian households have refrigerators, color TVs are a rare commodity. If we don't find someone to invest in and set up a factory here to produce color TVs, where else can we look?"
Ivanov then became happy and once again belittled Romania: "They boasted so much from the beginning, but in reality, they're just like that."
Wang Xiao chuckled and didn't continue the topic.
Her reason for wanting to contact manufacturers to produce color TVs was entirely because she could use Romania as a starting point to open up the European home appliance market.
If Chinese color TVs are not manufactured in Romania but labeled as Romanian, Europe is still imposing anti-dumping measures on them.
Ivanov then asked curiously, "Wang, why didn't you invite reporters to the pork festival?"
Last night, when Brother Ren left, he mentioned that this weekend, which is Saturday, there will be a pork festival in the village where they rent land to grow vegetables.
If Wang Xiao, her father, Ivanov, and others are interested, they can go and have a look.
Given Wang Xiao's personality, shouldn't she have taken the opportunity to participate in the interviews and promote Chinese businessmen?
Even though the Romanian Communist Party has fallen from power, Pravda is still a powerful and influential newspaper in Romania.
If this newspaper advertises it, people all over Romania will probably flock to Bucharest to buy things from them.
Wang Xiao sighed: "Do you think I don't want to? But I have the People's Daily."
At other times, with those two great guys around, he would rack his brains to find a way to get an interview.
The problem is that the People's Daily has too much influence in China, and the "craze for going abroad" in China is at its peak.
If everyone reads the newspaper and rushes to Romania, it will be a disaster.
Keep in mind that Romania's area is roughly the size of Guangxi Province, but its population is only half that of Guangxi Province.
It simply couldn't handle so many gold prospectors.
If too many Chinese people come, it will definitely cause fierce conflicts.
Currently, Romanians are showing a welcoming attitude towards Chinese traders, not only because of the goodwill brought about by past propaganda, but more importantly because these people learned their lesson in Budapest and are now trying to cultivate an image of being law-abiding, polite, and well-mannered.
However, the group of resellers is a mixed bag, and to be honest, they are considered to be uncivilized in China, let alone in Romania where the standards are even higher.
When they flood in like a tidal wave, all the efforts of the predecessors will be in vain.
Ivanov thought about the large number of villagers he had seen in rural China and understood what she meant.
He exclaimed with admiration, "China is so lucky to have so many people."
Despite the Soviet Union's efforts to encourage childbirth, the population did not increase significantly.
Russia's population will probably be even smaller in the future.
While other parts of the world encourage childbirth, China implements family planning; yet there are still so many people.
It's truly enviable, and makes me jealous.
Wang Xiao simply replied with a "hehe": "Don't worry, it will decrease once you realize it."
Ivanov couldn't help but sigh, his tone filled with melancholy: "If that day really comes, the Earth will probably be destroyed by then."
Wang Xiao was horrified. Just how much trauma had this guy suffered that he was talking nonsense?
What are you thinking? It's not that easy to destroy.
The masters of Earth have changed countless times, and countless masters have gone extinct, but it hasn't affected the Earth's continued revolving around the sun.
Humans should never take themselves too seriously.
Otherwise, you'll end up like Ivanov, constantly having period cramps.
————————
O(∩_∩)O In 1992, the *People's Daily* did indeed visit Romania at the invitation of the Romanian newspaper *Pravda*, but it was in October. At that time, *Pravda* also proactively proposed a cooperative business dealing in Chinese goods, but I haven't found any follow-up information and suspect this matter was never resolved. Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-12-20 06:59:08 and 2023-12-21 01:12:33!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Qiqi (23 bottles); Qi (15 bottles); Calculus Doesn't Fail (10 bottles); Hui, 372964581 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
