In 1980, West Germany produced 31.66 million tons of steel, and in the next 20 years, West Germany could only produce about 600 million tons of steel. According to Feng Xiaochen www.biquge.info the account that residential construction alone requires 1 billion tons of steel, which means that it is necessary to have a steel production capacity of one and a half West Germany to meet the needs of China's residential construction.

Residential construction is not all that a country uses steel, commercial buildings, railways, ships, automobiles, machinery and equipment, etc., all need steel. According to this calculation, by 2000, China needs to form at least 100 million tons of steel production capacity per year.

In 1980, China's steel production capacity was only 27 million tons, a shortfall of more than 70 million tons compared with the 2000 target. The production capacity of more than 70 million tons corresponds to dozens of sets of iron-making blast furnaces, steel-making converters, slab continuous casting equipment, hot rolling equipment, cold rolling equipment, etc., and the investment will be calculated in hundreds of billions of US dollars.

In the face of such a large market, or such an attractive piece of cake, can such arrogant equipment manufacturers still maintain their reserve?

Not to mention the equipment manufacturers, even little Joel himself has a feeling of salivation. With so many complete sets of equipment, even if a tenth of them needed to be integrated with the help of Joel, Joel could become one of the largest consulting companies in Germany overnight.

"Young man, I completely understand what you mean!" little Joel interrupted Feng Xiaochen's words and said. There was no need for a hammer to ring the drum, and he didn't need to wait for Feng Xiaochen to finish speaking, so he could understand what Feng Xiaochen meant. Feng Xiaochen wanted him to use these principles to convince equipment manufacturers that if they want to cut a piece of the Chinese cake, then sorry, please seriously consider the issue of cooperation with the Chinese.

"What do I mean?" Feng Xiaochen stretched out his hands, "Mr. Joel, I don't seem to have said anything. ”

"Hehe, I think I've understood. Little Joel didn't care how Feng Xiaochen pretended to be stupid, he turned to Luo Xiangfei with a smile and asked, "Mr. Director Luo, how does the Chinese official think about this matter?"

Feng Xiaochen said these words, he had communicated with Luo Xiangfei before, Luo Xiangfei felt that Feng Xiaochen's idea had some truth, but he also felt that using this way to bargain with foreign manufacturers or coercion and inducement would damage the image of the government. Now that Feng Xiaochen has said it bluntly, Luo Xiangfei is naturally happy to pretend to be confused.

"Chinese are very particular about friendship, and we will never forget the friends who helped us in our difficult times. Luo Xiangfei replied quite horizontally.

Feng Shuyi looked anxious, and simply said it for him: "Can we understand that if a manufacturer is willing to cooperate with China, then China will give this manufacturer more preferential treatment in the future, such as in government procurement, market access, etc." ”

"It's okay for Mrs. Feng to understand it this way. Luo Xiangfei responded.

"I know what to do. Little Joel nodded, and then said: "Mr. Luo, our Joel company is very willing to assist your country in building modernization, we will wholeheartedly provide services for your country in this project, and we also hope to have more cooperation in the future." ”

Luo Xiangfei said with a smile: "What Mr. Joel said is exactly what we are looking forward to. Our Economic Commission is in charge of China's economic construction activities throughout the country, and in addition to the business undertaken by our Metallurgical Bureau, other areas of business are also within the jurisdiction of the Economic Commission. We are very willing to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with a consulting company like Joel that has the strength and sincerity to cooperate with China. ”

"That's great!" Joel Jr. said, "We are willing to undertake this project, and in terms of commission, we only need to charge 2.5%, which is our special offer for long-term partners." ”

"Thank you very much. Luo Xiang flew to Little Joel and said with a smile.

After breaking through such a barrier, the communication between the two sides became very smooth. In the next few days, Luo Xiangfei, Qiao Ziyuan, Hao Yawei, Ji Ming, Yang Yongnian and others began to conduct in-depth negotiations with the technical personnel of Joel Company to implement specific cooperation details. According to the requirements of the Chinese side, Joel Company carried out a preliminary design of the hot rolling production line, made a list of each part of the equipment, proposed several alternative manufacturers for each part of the equipment, and then began to contact each house to negotiate the conditions.

In the face of these manufacturers, little Joel spoke more bluntly. He first described the huge potential of the Chinese market to the other side, and then made it clear that the Chinese government's negotiating delegation was in Germany, and the delegation's opinion was very strong, that is, any manufacturer who was unwilling to cooperate with the Chinese side would lose the qualification to enter the Chinese market in the future.

As Feng Xiaochen analyzed, there is also competition between equipment manufacturers. Some relatively small enterprises are difficult to compete with the giants in the Western market, and they are naturally reluctant to let go when they hear that there are opportunities from the East. Although the international giants are not looking at the eastern market for the time being, they are also unwilling to fall into the hands of potential competitors, so they have also responded positively to the Chinese offer.

Feng Shuyi gave full play to the expertise of a patent lawyer, and she gave Luo Xiangfei and others a lecture on patented technology, telling them that there are several different ways to transfer technology in the international market, and the Chinese side can flexibly use them. For example, one way is the license transfer method, in which the Chinese side pays a certain fee to buy a patent license from the West, and the West will also provide the Chinese side with technical drawings, special technology, special equipment, etc., and provide long-term or short-term technical assistance at the same time as transferring the license; As a higher form of cooperation, the two parties form a joint venture to jointly complete production and business activities.

Through Feng Shuyi's introduction, Luo Xiangfei and others eliminated many previous misunderstandings. They have always believed that allowing Western developed countries to transfer technology is only beneficial to developing countries, so even if developing countries are willing to pay a certain price, it depends on whether Western countries are willing to help. In fact, this kind of technology transfer is also beneficial for Western countries, which can transfer some of their production activities to developing countries with lower productivity costs, thereby reducing their production costs and obtaining higher profits.

As far as the hot rolling mill that China intends to introduce this time is concerned, the total weight of a set of equipment will reach 70,000 or 80,000 tons, of which the most profitable is the machinery and equipment of the main rolling line, which is what German companies want to do the most. And some of the surrounding auxiliary equipment, time-consuming and labor-intensive, stupid and coarse, and can't make much money, German companies are actually eager to hand over to others to do. If the Chinese side is willing to take on these tasks, it will be undesirable for these manufacturers.

Next, if the Chinese side has mastered the production technology of these auxiliary equipment through the cooperation of this production line, and the quality of the products can meet the standards of the German side, then in the future, when German manufacturers provide the same equipment to other countries, they will also tend to subcontract this part of the work to China. At that time, it will not be the Chinese asking the Germans for help, but the Germans asking the Chinese for help.

With such an understanding, Luo Xiangfei was a little more confident when they talked with the manufacturer. In the past, I blindly thought that I was asking for someone, but now I know that this kind of cooperation is a win-win situation, and I can't say who asks whom, so can I also put forward some requirements on my side and let the other party make some concessions?

In the process of negotiating with German companies, Luo Xiangfei and others deeply felt the rigor and innocence of the Germans. Compared with the previous negotiations with Japanese companies, the officials felt that the employees of German companies were really cute, and they had one thing to say and two things to say, and they would not set up traps in a different way.

The style of Japanese company employees is extremely polite on the surface, saying a word and bowing three times, but when encountering benefits, even if it is a benefit of one yen, they have to fight to the death. Most of the time, the employees of German companies have black faces, as if you owe him a lot of money, but when it comes to specific benefits, they are very talkative. Training fees can be waived, some drawings can be given away, and even some core technical links are allowed to be observed by the Chinese side, which is something that Japanese companies will never agree to.

"The Germans are really good friends of the Chinese. Hu Zhijie said with emotion when the audience talked about the negotiation process.

"Yes, the Germans are really good teachers for us. Luo Xiangfei echoed.

Regarding the leaders' opinion, Feng Xiaochen just smiled and said nothing. On a private occasion, he said to Luo Xiangfei: "Actually, this is just because the Germans do not take the Chinese seriously, and in their opinion, China will never become their competitor, so they are happy to show their generosity." ”

"Xiao Feng, you just need to understand these words in your own heart, don't say them in front of your comrades. Also, don't say it in front of your grandmother's family, especially not in front of your aunt, she's purely German. ”

Luo Xiangfei solemnly reminded. It seems that although this old man usually has the words "friendship lasts forever" on his lips, he always has a string in his heart and knows what it means to be "not my race".

Feng Xiaochen said with a smile: "Director Luo, don't worry, my aunt is also married to a chicken and a dog, since she is married to my uncle, she will also regard herself as a Chinese daughter-in-law." ”

"This time we were able to work with Joel thanks to her. Luo Xiangfei said, "It's a pity that we can't express our gratitude to her." ”

"Leave this to me. Feng Xiaochen said with a smile.