industrial overlord

Chapter 669 The Bottom Line
Marco finally left the Development and Reform Commission resentfully. Huang Gang and Lin Zhenhua stood at the window of Huang Gang's office, watching the backs of Marco and others, talking in low voices:

"Huang Gang, I found that you are much darker than before."

"Really? I've been on business trips recently, have I been in the sun too much?"

"It's not that the skin is black, it's that the heart is black."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you notice that Marco's face turned green when he left? That's why you were angry. I remember that you didn't talk that badly in the past."

"You still say, I have been with you for a long time, and I am black when I am close to ink. Who doesn't know that Chairman Lin is not forgiving, and his words are not shocking."

"Uh...Huang Gang, do you think Marco can accept this condition? All 2100 core patents are transferred to the Chinese side, which is equivalent to taking out all his family assets and selling them, and he will not be able to live in the future?"

"Hmph, it's not that you don't know that Gisen is facing a financial crisis. If it can't get a big order as soon as possible, it may be dismembered. So, I dare say, if they refuse our request, then they It’s impossible to live now.”

"Black...it's too dark!"

"..."

Not to mention that Huang and Lin gloated over there, but only said that Marco went back to the hotel in disbelief.He sat down on the sofa, first drank two cans of cold beer to recover from his anger, then he hesitated to pick up the phone and dialed the company headquarters in Germany.

"Mr. Lutz? I'm Marko, please allow me to report to you about our meeting with Chinese officials today." Marko said.

On the other end of the phone, it was Lutz, the president of Giesen Company, who held up the phone and listened patiently to Marco's story.As he listened, Lutz's hands began to tremble, and a mixture of anger and sorrow filled his whole body.

"It's blackmail, it's total blackmail!" Lutz said.

"That's true!" Marco said empathetically.He said in his heart, you just heard my report. If you are at the scene, you will know how angry these Chinese people are.

"I have worked in this industry for so many years, and I have never seen such a brazen customer. They want to use an order of more than one billion euros in exchange for the technological advantages we have accumulated over decades. If we agree Their conditions, after a few years, we will have no technical advantage in front of them." Marko said.

"You mean, during the meeting, Hanhua Heavy Industry personnel were also present?" Lutz asked.

Marko said: "Yes, and the person present is Lin Zhenhua, the chairman of Hanhua Heavy Industries. He is a very cunning person. He only made demands, and he left all the pressure on us to that man named Huang Gang. Chinese officials. I can tell that the relationship between them is very good, they have a very tacit understanding."

"Lin Zhenhua came forward in person. It seems that they have planned for a long time. They just want to take advantage of this opportunity to steal our technology from us." Lutz said, "ALK's point of view is correct. Hanhua Heavy Industries is our most dangerous enemy, and we must curb its growth."

"However, it is too late to say this now." Marko said, "The development of Hanhua is beyond our control. Chinese officials said that if we refuse to cooperate with China, they will take all these orders If it is entrusted to Chinese companies like Hanhua, the government is willing to accept even if the equipment they provide is of poor quality. In order to protect its own companies, the Chinese government has always spared no effort.”

"This is the tradition of the Chinese. Their government and enterprises are completely in collusion. Unlike us, the EU has not yet had a clear attitude to support us." Lutz complained.

"Mr. Lutz, what do you think we should do now?" Marco asked for instructions.

"I think, maybe this is just the asking price of the Chinese, and they may be willing to take a step back from this price." Lutz said, "I think that if only 1600 slightly peripheral patents are transferred...well, What I mean is that if the price the other party is willing to pay is relatively reasonable, we may agree. But we cannot give up the 500 core patents anyway.”

"Okay, let me try again." Marco responded with little confidence.

In the next few weeks, Marco worked hard with the Development and Reform Commission, and would come to the door to meet someone for negotiation after a day or two, which was even more persistent than when he was chasing his wife back then.

However, the attitude of the National Development and Reform Commission is also very tough. It is unacceptable to transfer only 1600 patents or 1800 patents. It must transfer all 2100 patents to completely clear the patent threshold.Otherwise, Giessen can only be eliminated from this project.The Chinese said: leave Butcher Zhang and don’t eat mixed-haired pigs. If Gisen cannot show sincerity in the cooperation of this project, then the Chinese side will have to cooperate with those companies that are sincere.

"Mr. Huang, these demands you put forward are overlord clauses and do not conform to WTO rules!" During the negotiation, Marco jumped up repeatedly and complained loudly to Huang Gang.

At this time, Huang Gang just shrugged and replied disapprovingly: "Mr. Marko, you have the right to file a complaint with the WTO. However, I don't think the WTO has the right to interfere with our project bidding requirements? This is A project entirely funded and constructed by the Chinese government."

"Mr. Huang, we have shown great sincerity. We can transfer 1900 patents, leaving less than 200. This is our bottom line, and it is impossible to back down." Marko insisted, so he had to Switch to a soft strategy.He seems to have forgotten that he has declared the "final bottom line" to the Chinese countless times, but each time the bottom line fell apart before it lasted for two days.

Huang Gang said with a smile: "Mr. Marko, you should understand our concerns about patent barriers, so if we cannot obtain the last 200 most critical technologies, our worries will still not be eliminated. Now that you have agreed to transfer 1900 What is the difficulty of the last 200 items?"

"We have to keep some of our core technology, right?" Marco said pitifully.

Huang Gang said: "I believe that you will have your own updated core technology. The patents you have now are outdated. After you get this project, you can use the profits of the project to develop the next generation of patented technology. Always maintain your technological leadership."

"..." Marco was really speechless. The development of patented technology is not like a hen laying eggs.With the learning ability shown by the Chinese now, once they obtain the intellectual property rights of all patents, they will definitely be able to develop the next generation of technology faster than the Germans, and then Giessen will only be a follower in the market.

It's not that Marco didn't think about the option of directly turning against the Chinese, but after testing, he finally gave up such an idea.Gissen Company needs this huge order from China very much, but Gissen Company is not the only seller in China. Nojima Heavy Industries from Japan and Maple Leaf Company from Canada are also eyeing this big cake.When Marco went to the National Development and Reform Commission to negotiate, he collided with his colleagues from Japan and Canada several times. At this time, the other party appeared in the office building of the National Development and Reform Commission, and his motives were clear at a glance.

Due to the existence of a competitive relationship, Marko was unable to communicate and negotiate with these two peer companies.According to his observation, these two companies should also be facing a situation similar to that of Giessen, that is, the Chinese use huge orders as a bait, requiring them to transfer related technologies in full while providing products.

Marko knew that, at least so far, the two colleagues had not agreed to the conditions of the Chinese, otherwise, Huang Gang would not be interested in continuing to grind his teeth with Marko.This situation is precisely the most uncomfortable. In fact, the three companies all know that the purpose of the Chinese is to make them suspicious of each other and make concessions in order to defeat their opponents.The problem is that no one knows how far the other two will make concessions. If they are too tough, they can only push the Chinese to their opponents in the end.But if you are not tough, what can you do?

"Perhaps, we should visit Maple Leaf Company and Nojima Heavy Industries, and make an agreement with them." Marco's assistant Haun suggested.

"Do you think it is possible for us to advance and retreat together?" Marko sneered, "Now the entire Western world is facing the plight of shrinking heavy industry, and everyone hopes to get orders from the Chinese market. Who can ally with another?"

"However, if our three companies continue to fight like this, everyone will suffer losses." Haun said.

"It's a buyer's market now, and we have no choice at all." Marko sighed, "If we can reject this order of more than 10 billion euros, then we have plenty of room to maneuver. But now, this order is too important for us No matter how harsh the Chinese offer, we can only accept it.”

"We should invite the media to expose their bad behavior. We have an obligation to let the public know how despicable methods the Chinese have used to poach our technology." Haun said angrily.

"Media?" Marco asked, "Haun, do you think the exposure of the media can have any effect?"

"How do I know?" Hown said. He was just a technician, and he didn't understand these twists and turns.He said: "I just think that things like this need to be known to everyone. At least let the bureaucrats in the EU take a look?"

Marco looked up at the sky, thoughtful.

(End of this chapter)