Lu Weimin observed the middle-aged man in front of him, whose expression was fluctuating, without showing any emotion. It was clear that the Hong Kong businessman, despite running all the way here, was still not entirely satisfied with the conditions in Nantang.
This could not be blamed on the other party, as the infrastructure in Nantang was indeed quite poor. Even Lu Weimin himself felt that convincing the other party to invest and build a factory here was a bit of a stretch. However, the current situation was such that they were in a bind. There was no need to mention Shen Zilie, even the county party secretary, An Dejian, had specially taken two hours to meet and discuss with the other party, accompanied by Xu Xiaochun and Lü Yuchuan.
Over the past two days, Mao Rong and he had been accompanying the other party to inspect and explore the area, from the raw material source to the factory site, from power supply and water supply to road traffic. Any department involved was summoned at a moment's notice, and any issues were to be decided on the spot. However, the other party was still not entirely satisfied.
Mao Rong had been following for two days and was also feeling exhausted. She had caught a cold from the wind and had to go for an IV drip. Lü Yuchuan had a meeting in the afternoon, so only he and Xu Yang were left to accompany the other party to inspect the area again.
The roads in the county's various districts and towns were not in good condition, but the Hong Kong businessman was full of energy, walking from place to place to understand the situation, from Donggu to Baita, even personally visiting the kiwi orchards to talk to the farmers in his heavily accented Cantonese Mandarin, mainly asking about the fertilizers and pesticides used by the farmers. This made Lu Weimin change his attitude towards the Hong Kong businessman, who had previously enjoyed drinking in Lingnan.
"Mr. Lin, if you have any further concerns, please feel free to raise them. As long as they are within our county's capabilities, we will absolutely meet your requirements. You have met Secretary An, County Chief Shen, and County Chief Lü, and I believe you can feel our county's enthusiasm," Lu Weimin tried to adjust his tone to make his attitude more sincere.
In addition to Lin Yaohong, there was also a lawyer and two assistants who accompanied him. One of the assistants was responsible for production, and the other for finance. The four of them, though small in number, were well-equipped. Lu Weimin felt that this also showed the other party's sincerity in wanting to invest.
"Mr. Lu, I feel that the conditions here are quite different from what you described to me in Guangzhou, and the differences are significant, which makes me very hesitant."
Lin Yaohong's dark and thin face, apart from his slightly sunken eyes, and his ill-fitting suit and windbreaker, made it hard to believe that he was a man with millions of assets in any other setting.
In fact, Lin Yaohong also knew that everything before his own eyes was the only truth. Communist officials were very good at talking up the situation to lure investments, but the reality was often very different. He was not unfamiliar with the mainland, and the situation in Lingnan was the same as here. He was prepared for this.
To be honest, although the infrastructure conditions in Nantang County were poor, they were still within his expectations. The natural conditions in Nantang, which were very suitable for kiwi cultivation, also made him quite excited. This was the main factor in deciding whether to invest and build a factory. Of course, the poor infrastructure conditions were also a reason for him to complain and use as leverage to negotiate better terms.
"Is that so? Mr. Lin, I admit that our inland area may have some gaps compared to the Pearl River Delta, but our advantages are also very obvious. You should be aware that our advantages cannot be replicated in the Pearl River Delta, and the gaps in infrastructure can be gradually narrowed," Lu Weimin pointed to the vast wasteland behind the embankment, his tone full of confidence.
"Actually, the land you see here was still a riverbank that could be flooded during the summer before this year. But now, as you can see, in less than a year, a solid embankment has firmly held back the floodwaters. This area will become our industrial development zone. I assure you that within a year, this place will become a bustling industrial area, with numerous enterprises rising up. I hope you can be the first foreign enterprise in our Nantang Industrial Development Zone, which will make you and your enterprise a historic landmark forever recorded in the Nantang County Annals. This will be an unparalleled honor."
Xu Yang looked at Lu Weimin with envy. This guy was a year younger than him, but his eloquence was far beyond his own. Moreover, his words were always so moving, making people subconsciously follow his train of thought.
"Oh, Mr. Lu, I know all of this. You have already introduced it to me. I admit that Nantang has many favorable conditions, such as the kiwi fruit from Nantang being the exclusive healthy fruit for the Asian Games team, which I have heard about. I also hope to be recorded in your county annals with a glorious name, but I want to talk about more practical matters. We have visited many places over the past two days. You say this is your county's planned industrial development zone, but in reality, it is just a paper plan. What we see in front of us is still a desolate riverbank. The nearest road is still one kilometer away. Land leveling, road construction, and the installation of power lines and water supply systems are all still in the air. How can I believe that this development zone is not something you have just imagined?"
After a quick conversation in Cantonese with his assistant, Lin Yaohong calmly replied.
Finally, they had entered the substantive issues. After several days of running around, everything that needed to be seen had been seen, and everything that needed to be understood had been understood. Lu Weimin had considered everything that needed to be considered, and it was time to lay the cards on the table.
"Mr. Lin, I understand your concerns. But we have been in contact for a while now. Do you think I have ever lied to you? Perhaps I exaggerated or understated some aspects of Nantang, but I have not concealed or hidden anything. The conditions in Nantang are as I have described. In fact, the conditions in other inland areas are similar to ours. I believe that Nantang has done everything it can." Lu Weimin's tone was calm and confident. "As for what you just said, can I understand it as, if we make commitments on the infrastructure you mentioned, our negotiations will enter the final stage?"
Lin Yaohong's face also showed a serious expression. After a few words with his lawyer and a long conversation in Cantonese with his two secretaries, he replied, "Basically, yes. If the infrastructure construction and project approval can be completed as soon as possible, I think this project can be located in Nantang."
"Good, Mr. Lin, how long do you think it will take to complete all this construction?" Lu Weimin asked solemnly.
"The latest completion of all infrastructure construction and project approval cannot be later than May. The factory must be completed no later than early August. Installation and testing of equipment will take about half a month, and additional training for workers will also be needed. I remember you mentioned that skilled workers can be provided..." Lin Yaohong smiled.
"Mr. Lin, rest assured. I am responsible for everything I have said. All of this can be written into the agreement," Lu Weimin responded, also thinking to himself that this was probably the best situation they could achieve. Without the infrastructure, no enterprise would be willing to locate here, and the short time frame was also a test of the county's administrative execution and efficiency.
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By the way, can you give me two recommendation votes?