Free Web NovelChapter 1418: Chapter 218: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, While the Oriole Waits Behind
PM, Linghai Municipal Committee.
Shen Fan finished the Secretary Office meeting and followed Secretary Qian into the Secretary’s office. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Recently, Han Xiangning led a team to East Sea for investment promotion, and Linghai was equally busy. Secretary Qian had just returned from investment promotion in East Sea as well.
Although both were engaged in investment promotion, Linghai’s top leader had a completely different approach compared to Han Xiangning, who was a temporary Vice Mayor. This time, they visited the investment promotion bureau East Sea Branch.
The Investment Promotion Bureau is a central state-owned enterprise headquartered in Hong Kong, with its predecessor being the Ship Recruitment Bureau established in 1872, the first shipping company in China’s modern history, and a pioneer of China’s national industry and commerce, representing a century of national enterprise history.
The bureau’s main business is transportation, primarily shipping. Every shipping company has its own shipbuilding facility. If the Investment Promotion Bureau invests in a factory in Linghai, Linghai’s shipbuilding industry could reach a new level.
"They have this plan, but for now, it’s just a plan. We are anxious but can only maintain contact and monitor their development."
"Are the leaders of the Investment Promotion Bureau willing to inspect our investment environment in Linghai?"
"I invited them. They said they’re busy lately but promised to visit when they have time."
Secretary Qian hoped to implement this major project during his tenure but understood that true major projects aren’t achieved overnight; it requires three to five years of continuous effort. He added self-mockingly, "What they said was mere courtesy. We shouldn’t take it seriously nor wait passively. Whenever possible, we should visit them."
Linghai’s development momentum was strong in previous years.
First, despite tough conditions, Linghai Port was built. Although Linghai Port has been acquired by Binjiang Port Group, the city profited significantly from transferring shares, and the port remains in Linghai, continuing to drive its economic development.
Subsequently, they successfully introduced billion-yuan enterprises like Cosco Kawasaki, Shenglong Shipbuilding, and Hailuo Cement, rapidly boosting Linghai Development Zone.
Although these efforts were collaborative, whether from superiors or the public, they credited Secretary Ye with these achievements, as the train’s speed relies on the engine, and Secretary Ye was the "leader" at the time. Naturally, the political achievements are noted in his name.
The previous City Committee and Municipal Government were overly capable, placing great pressure on the current team.
Shen Fan knew what Secretary Qian wanted to ask, so he pretended to be relaxed and smiled: "Secretary Qian, the situation at home has stabilized. It shows that those clients we negotiated with had foresight. Although Han Xiangning boasted excessively, none were influenced by her.
President Chen from Zhenjiang decided to sign the investment agreement with us early next month, and President Yang from Zhangjia Port just transferred the land usage fee yesterday. President Liu from Jiangyin said they’re holding a board meeting these days specifically to discuss investing in a factory in Linghai. Once approved, they’ll sign the investment agreement with us."
Who could have thought the "Fine Master" would take on the temporary role of a Minister and Vice Mayor in Changzhou!
And who could predict the "Fine Master" would turn hostile, returning to undermine Linghai!
When Han Xiangning initially started frequent contact with potential investors interested in Linghai, Secretary Qian was genuinely startled, fearing they might lose their cooked ducks.
Now that the territory is confirmed secure, Secretary Qian relaxed a bit and asked with a smile: "Words of a young person are unreliable? Did they recognize her temporary position and doubt her promises?"
"The main issue is our strong foundation, with nine different shipyards, attracting investments in either shipbuilding or ship machinery manufacturing. Naturally, Linghai is preferred. Although Changzhou’s Yangtze River coastline is not short, it’s split into east and west segments by the city.
The western segment has poor waterway resources, unable to compete with the aggressively evolving shipbuilding in Gaoru. The segment adjacent to Linghai is short, with good waterway resources but poor natural conditions like water depth, making it impractical for developing shipbuilding and ship machinery manufacturing."
Over the past years, "Junior Sister" had consistently experienced smooth sailing.
Shen Fan genuinely thought "Junior Sister" should encounter some setbacks, as situations on land are vastly different from those on the river.
He took a cigarette from Secretary Qian, and with a slight sense of schadenfreude said, "Ultimately, Xiang Ning is too young, unaware of how treacherous people can be. Focused solely on undermining us, she ended up having her home invaded by Luo Hongxin—I suspect she’s still oblivious."
"What trouble is Luo Hongxin up to again?"
"The city seeks development, which requires land for construction. Secretary Lu personally went to the Transportation Department leader, seeking the Shipping Academy’s plot, intending to relocate it out of the city center. The Transportation Department leader agreed, rendering Dean Shao’s opposition futile, rushing to find a location."
Shen Fan lit up a cigarette, savored a puff, and spoke with a relaxed demeanor: "Initially, Dean Shao approached Luo Hongxin, but seeing that the Shipping Academy wasn’t willing to pay the land usage fee, and relocating to their development zone wouldn’t generate benefits, Luo Hongxin wasn’t very interested.
Dean Shao could only turn to Han Xiangning, who promptly reported to Chu and Hou. Hou Duo demonstrated his savvy, immediately welcoming the Shipping Academy’s relocation to Changzhou, waiving the land usage fee, with municipal finances covering land acquisition and demolition. Two consecutive meetings were held, swiftly forming a development plan driven by education."
Secretary Qian curiously asked, "How does education drive development?"
Shen Fan briefly introduced the "neighbor’s" development plan and sighed, "If this plan can be implemented, it could truly gather popularity along the riverbank in the shortest time, maybe even build a more prosperous town along the river than our Linghai Development Zone.
Involving long-term planning and land use requires reporting to the city. Luo Hongxin realized his earlier miscalculations and immediately approached Dean Shao, even inviting Minister Chen to handle public relations at the Transportation Department. For the policies that Changzhou gives to the Shipping Academy, the development zone can offer the same, or even more than Changzhou!"
Secretary Qian understood the situation and jokingly scolded, "He’s not calculating, he’s short-sighted."
"But they’ve got support and backing from city leaders. Their location advantage is better than Changzhou, being closer to the urban area. Even traffic and other infrastructure are more complete than Changzhou, whose riverbanks are desolate with nothing there. They are a national-level development zone, having developed over many years with everything in place."
"Does that mean the Shipping Academy will relocate to the development zone?"
"From a personal emotion perspective, Dean Shao surely wants to move to Changzhou, after all, he is the teacher of Salted Fish and Xiang Ning, and also their marriage witness, good things should certainly be in favor of his students. Moreover, Luo Hongxin initially showed no regard, anyone would be reluctant to take up what they initially refused."
Shen Fan paused for a moment, then continued, "However, such a significant thing like relocating the academy can’t be decided solely by Dean Shao. The superior believes the development zone’s location is suitable, and relocating to Changzhou is inappropriate. The teachers and administrative staff below also prefer to be closer to home; if they can go to the development zone, nobody wants to go to Changzhou."
Secretary Qian laughed and asked, "The Fine Master is left empty-handed?"
"Not only Xiang Ning is left empty-handed, I estimate even someone as boastful as Hou would be quite frustrated."
"Hahahaha, didn’t expect Hou Xiu Feng to experience setbacks too."
"Moreover, this is just the beginning."
"What do you mean?"
"Recently, Xiang Ning not only wanted to bring the Shipping Academy into Changzhou, she also led a team to East Sea like you for investment promotion, supposedly discussing with several large chemical enterprises planning to relocate from East Sea."
Secretary Qian instinctively asked, "Did Luo Hongxin also set his eyes on the chemical enterprises Xiang Ning talked to?"
They say the business world is like a battlefield, but the political scene is equally a battlefield.
Shen Fan sympathized with his junior sister’s experience, softly sighing, "No malicious intent, but precaution is necessary. Xiang Ning is too naive, unaware of how deceitful Luo Hongxin that neighbor can be. As soon as she steps back from East Sea, upon receiving the information, Luo Hongxin steps in with his team to go to East Sea."
"Confidentiality is crucial. Which enterprises she visited, which ones she wanted to bring to Changzhou, such crucial business secrets should not have leaked to Luo Hongxin!"
"She has little interaction with Luo Hongxin, even if there were, she wouldn’t tell Luo Hongxin. As far as I know, the problem lies with her subordinates, their tongues aren’t tight."
"Trying to develop the shipbuilding and ship machinery industry, she can’t compete with us and Gaoru. Trying to develop the chemical industry, she’s equally unable to compete with the development zone. Over the years, how many chemical factories has Luo brought in? The development zone is about to turn into a chemical park, surely preferring the development zone over her so-called Bridge Industrial Park."
"Moreover, what policies does the development zone enjoy, and what can her Bridge Industrial Park offer?"
"This is the case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!" Secretary Qian couldn’t help but laugh, thinking again and jokingly scolded, "Luo Hongxin really is something, actually daring to bully a female colleague."
"He wants achievements, he’s served as Director of the Management Committee for nearly ten years, he should be on the move according to logic."
"Even if wanting achievements, he shouldn’t be doing this, internal fighting, what’s the point."
"He’s targeting large chemical enterprises with an annual output value of over a billion yuan, and East Sea’s chemical enterprises are shifting externally. Just attracting one will bring multiple supporting enterprises along. How much tax revenue can it generate for the development zone annually? In the face of such substantial benefits, he wouldn’t care whether Xiang Ning is female."
Shen Fan sighed lightly, then continued, "Xiang Ning certainly can’t compete with him, and can’t do anything against him, can only settle scores with his son."
"Settle scores with his son?"
"It’s about Old Luo’s son, Xiao Luo, who once served as the Water Police Captain in Sanhe, later promoted to the Provincial Department, and reportedly tasked to return and serve as Deputy Director of the Water Police Station."
Secretary Qian delighted, laughed heartily, "Sins of the father passed to the son, since we can’t deal with Old Luo, we’ll deal with Xiao Luo. Though the Water Police Station and Changhang Bureau aren’t in the same system, regardless, if Xiao Luo is on the river, he has to listen to Salted Fish. I’ll make a call to Salted Fish later, let him assist his wife to vent her frustrations!"
