Binjiang Police Affairs

Chapter 1409: Chapter 211: Is the School Joining?

After discussing work, she attended a dinner gathering for two units.

They were all old friends, and everyone toasted, congratulating Han Xiangning on becoming Vice Mayor.

People usually come to a position either with funds or projects, but Han Xiangning had nothing. She couldn’t achieve nothing, so she took this opportunity to hold a Zhuge Liang meeting, inviting old friends from the Maritime Bureau, Customs, her alma mater, and other units to offer their advice.

"Xiang Ning, they say there are many Linghai people developing in East Sea, but actually there are also quite a few Changzhou people in East Sea. My brother-in-law works in East Sea, and their factory leader is a Changzhou person."

"Instructor Wang, which unit does your brother-in-law work at in East Sea?"

"He works at a chemical plant in East Sea. Their plant just completed a restructuring, and now the government wants them to relocate. He called me a few days ago and said their plant might move out of town. He doesn’t want to go, and he’s quite troubled by it."

"Why would a well-established company need to relocate?" Han Yu asked in confusion.

Instructor Wang put down his beer and explained, "They are too close to the city center, and as long as it’s a chemical plant, there will be odors. The government wants to develop the area, but if they don’t move, no one will buy the developed properties."

Han Xiangning laughed, looking up and said, "They could move to our Bridge Industrial Park. Our park is by the river, and once the bridge is built, transportation will be convenient. Plus, no one would mind the smell from chemical companies, and we can even offer them favorable policies."

"I’ll help you ask around then."

"Alright, thanks, Instructor Wang."

Everyone chimed in, offering their suggestions.

On the way home after eating and drinking, Han Yu couldn’t help but ask, "Ningning, are you really planning to introduce a chemical plant?"

"What’s wrong with introducing a chemical plant? As long as we boost the economy and properly treat chemical wastewater instead of discharging it directly into the river, preventing pollution of the Yangtze River, I’ll introduce as many as I can!"

"I thought you were planning to introduce shipbuilding and marine equipment enterprises."

"I would love to, but Linghai is ahead of Changzhou. Linghai’s shipbuilding and marine equipment industry is already well-established. Even with favorable policies, they wouldn’t want to come as business thrives where there’s a cluster."

Han Xiangning held tightly to his waist, thought for a moment, and asked, "San’er, do you have connections? If you have any leads, you should also help me think of a solution."

Han Yu answered without hesitation, "Who do I know? What connections could I possibly have?"

"Help me ask Cosco and Zhonghai if they have any new projects."

"You might as well call Director Feng directly."

"That’s true, I’ll contact Director Feng tomorrow."

...

Meanwhile, Sister Zhu sat in the living room with Vice Mayor Qin, watching TV and chatting about Han Xiangning.

"Xiang Ning is capable, but lacks local working experience and doesn’t have a network. Making her also Secretary of the Bridge Industrial Park right after she arrives seems kind of whimsical, no?"

"Her main job is to coordinate the Yangtze River Bridge construction, and having her responsible for the Bridge Industrial Park is just incidental."

Vice Mayor Qin knows very well how Changzhou’s top leadership thinks and smiled, saying, "That Bridge Industrial Park is different from Shen Fan’s Linghai Development Zone. The water, electricity, and roads haven’t been resolved because they haven’t been properly planned. Even assigning someone with extensive local experience would find it hard to make headway."

"Not planned well!"

"It’s not a lack of intention to plan, but rather it can’t be planned at this stage."

Vice Mayor Qin took a sip of tea and patiently explained, "The design for the Yangtze River Bridge is underway. Once completed, it will undergo various reviews, and the planning and design of the highway connecting the bridge and the road leading to the city center will follow the same process.

To put it simply, that area will become an important hub for Binjiang Highway traffic in the future. Before the bridge and its major connecting roads are planned, Changzhou’s Bridge Industrial Park can only develop on the periphery of the bridge hub, essentially being built along the Yanjiang Road."

Sister Zhu understood, bitterly smiled, and asked, "At a distance from the real bridge?"

"Otherwise, it would be built now only to be relocated later."

"With nothing there, how is Xiangning supposed to attract investments!"

"At least the area advantage is there. The bridge will be built eventually, the highways will be connected in time, and it’s not far from the airport." Vice Mayor Qin knows Xiangning’s start is tougher than Shen Fan’s earlier days, but still smiled and said, "Moreover, she can focus not only on the Yangtze River Bridge Industrial Park but also on the ten-kilometer Yangtze River coastline."

"Secretary Chu and Mayor Hou are just bullying a woman!"

"This isn’t bullying, it’s entrusting her with significant responsibility. Besides, Xiangning is in a position for temporary duty, mostly for gaining experience; achieving great success isn’t the primary concern."

"That’s true."

...

Han Xiangning didn’t know Sister Zhu was worried about her. As soon as she got home, her father pulled her aside for a "work report."

Master Han was even more concerned than Sister Zhu about whether his daughter could establish herself and make progress. Han Xiangning had no choice but to smile and say, "Isn’t it just attracting investments? I may not have eaten pork, but haven’t I seen a pig run? I’ll follow Mayor Shen’s example from before."

"How do you follow the example?"

"Start by setting up an investment office."

Han Xiangning exchanged a glance with Han Yu, and spoke excitedly, "I learned a lot today while having dinner at San’er’s place. Instructor Wang mentioned at dinner that his brother-in-law’s unit is going to relocate. East Sea has been developing rapidly in recent years, with the city expanding, and there will definitely be other companies like his brother-in-law’s that need to move out of town.

This presents an opportunity for our Bridge Industrial Park and Changzhou. We’ll take in any enterprises that others don’t want. No rejection, introduce as many as possible. With more businesses, we can sell land, generate tax revenue, and bring employment to Changzhou. How great is that!"

Han Yu reminded her, "But how can you contact those companies that need to relocate?"

"Ask friends for help, inquire around, then visit in person, and invite them to come to Changzhou for a visit and inspection." Han Xiangning smiled and added, "When the conditions are ripe, we can even hold an investment promotion conference at a hotel in the East Sea and invite interested businessmen to attend."

"Mainly to the East Sea for investment promotion?"

"Dad, I actually want to go to Hong Kong, the United States, Japan, and other developed countries for investment promotion, but I’m not Mayor Hou. I don’t know that many people. Going would be a waste of time." At this point, Han Xiangning suddenly brightened up, "But I do know people in Hong Kong. I must call Lin Xiaohui; she definitely knows many bosses in Hong Kong!"

This topic about Lin Xiaohui was too sensitive. Han Yu didn’t dare to comment, habitually getting up to fetch the hot water bottle to refill his father-in-law’s tea.

To Han Yu’s surprise, his father-in-law pondered and said, "Since your investment targets are mainly East Sea enterprises, your mom and I need to take Han Han to the East Sea anyway. Why don’t we head over earlier and see if there are any companies planning to relocate out of the East Sea?"

"Dad, you want to help me with investment promotion in the East Sea!"

"A father-son duo is inseparable in battle. If I don’t help you, who will?"

"Do you have friends in the East Sea?"

"I have several comrades in the East Sea, and since I’m involved in meteorology, I have quite a few friends at the East Sea Meteorological Bureau." Master Han smiled, then asked, "By the way, should there be a Director of the Management Committee at the Bridge Industrial Park? Who is the Director?"

"There is a Director, surnamed Chen, named Chen Guishan. He’s thirty-eight years old and was previously the Deputy Town Mayor of Dongfang Town. Very capable and competent; he is the one responsible for the relocation work."

"Does he respect you? Does he listen to you?"

"We work well together. He respects my opinions, and I respect his. Also, I’m only temporarily holding the Vice Mayor position, at most for two years. As long as the Bridge Industrial Park develops, the office I temporarily occupy, this Secretary position, will sooner or later be his. So we cooperate quite well in our work."

"That’s good."

The secretary was replaced by a female colleague, and unexpectedly, there’s a male Director of the Management Committee.

Han Yu really wanted to suggest to his senior to replace the Director of the Management Committee at the Bridge Industrial Park with a female Director, but he could only think about it. It’s important to note this is arranged by the Changzhou Municipal Committee, and the person is a Full Department Level cadre. It’s not something anyone can change at will, unlike a secretary.

Feeling quite unsettled, the senior’s phone suddenly rang.

"Dean Shao, it’s Xiangning. Why did you think of calling me so late?"

"You’ve become a Vice Mayor, of course I want to call and congratulate you." As a student of the Shipping Academy, Dean Shao was genuinely happy, cheerfully asking, "Xiangning, Wang Hongbing just called me, saying you’re working on investment promotion. I want to ask, are you considering attracting schools?"

"Attracting schools?"

"The City Government has set its eyes on our academy’s land, wanting us to move and develop real estate. Although our academy isn’t under Binjiang’s management, being in Binjiang means supporting Binjiang’s economic construction. Also, you’re aware with Salted Fish that the current campus is a bit small. We want to expand but there’s no space, so why not take this opportunity and negotiate with the city?"

"Negotiate what?"

"Compensation! If they want our place, they have to pay. Besides, their intention to move us is to sell our land to real estate developers."

While brainstorming ways to attract investment, unexpectedly, the leadership of his alma mater reached out, and even more unexpectedly, there’s a chance to attract a school.

Han Xiangning chuckled, immediately standing up, "Dean Shao, are you planning to move the school to Changzhou?"

"We are the Shipping Academy, the new campus certainly needs to be built by the river. The city’s coastal lines are all developed, no need to think about it. There’s no suitable place in the development zone, going further west isn’t suitable, going to Linghai is too far. After considering, relocating to your area is most suitable."

"City compensates school, if the school really moves here, does it mean... does it mean you also need to pay us some land occupation fee?"

"Ningning, we are a school, not a business!"

"I understand, but our land isn’t given for free. It was acquired from the people, who need to be compensated as well."

Bargaining with his student, this was a first.

Dean Shao, tightly gripping the phone, couldn’t help but laugh, "You’re talking about industrial and commercial land, while we’re talking about educational land. Besides, our school has so many faculty and students; if relocated to your side, it can bring popularity and even promote economic development there."

Han Xiangning, holding back his laughter, said, "Dean, educational land still requires payment."

"But it can’t be the same standard as industrial land, Ningning, let me be honest: regardless of where the school moves, at most, there’ll only be a symbolic land use fee. I mean at most; you might not believe it, but some places are begging us to move and not only don’t charge us a penny but actually give us money."

"I believe it, but the situation here isn’t like that."

"Ask your city leaders how they respond."

"Alright."

This is a significant matter. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

Han Xiangning didn’t dare delay for a moment, immediately calling to report to Mayor Hou.

Both Han Xiangning and Han Yu were further surprised when Mayor Hou clarified the situation and said with a smile, "Comrade Xiangning, assigning you to Changzhou was truly the right decision. Who would’ve thought you’d quickly attract a ’Golden Phoenix’ like the Shipping Academy for us."

"Mayor Hou, are you saying..."

"Shipping Academy is a higher institution; how rare it is for a county-level city to have a higher institution. If your alma mater truly relocates to Changzhou, it can enhance our city’s brand and external image. And as the leadership of your alma mater mentioned, the numerous faculty and students coming not only bring popularity but also boost our local consumption."

"What about the land fees?"

"They’re willing to come, a recognition of us! No fees for the land, compensation for land acquisition and relocation will be borne by the city. While it might initially seem like a loss-making deal, long-term, it’s worthwhile, it’s sensible, we’ve even profited!"

The mayor certainly has a grand vision.

Han Xiangning wasn’t quite sure how to continue when Mayor Hou enthusiastically suggested, "Comrade Xiangning, we must seize this opportunity. You’d better arrange this; both Secretary Chu and I are free these days. Let’s see if we can convene with the leadership of your alma mater soon, have a good discussion, and strive to finalize this matter quickly."