The banquet hall of the Lijing Hotel is particularly bright and lively, and the celebration dinner of the China-Singapore Cultural Exchange and Art Festival is being held here, which is organized by the foreign affairs departments of the two countries. Although the main ethnic group is also the Han nationality, it is the latest country in Southeast Asia to establish diplomatic relations, only 14 years ago, and more rely on the maintenance of people-to-people relations.

The three celebrities of politics, business, and culture gathered like this, and there were five or six hundred people shuttling like weaving.

In addition to Chen Bo being able to recognize a few pop singers, the only acquaintance is Xu Huanliang, the president of Haidie Records.

"Xiao Chen, you're here too, I really didn't expect it." A familiar figure in the crowd appeared in front of him and said in surprise.

"Sister Pang, long time no see." Chen Bo pinched the wine glass in his hand and tilted it slightly, touching the other party's glass lightly to show respect.

"I have a show at the festival, what about you?" Pang Li is still the kind of everybody style, always with the aura of an artist.

"Oh, I just set up a branch here, so I'm here to join in the fun." Chen Bo replied simply, and introduced Ivanka, who had been by his side, to her. It's just that he can see through this look, but as the saying goes, if you look good and don't say it thoroughly, you're still a good friend.

Originally, the friendship was not deep, but now it is a foreign acquaintance, it is inevitable that he will talk a few more words, Chen Bo is still very gentle when he is not afraid of the media, and he also knows some skills of communication, so naturally there is no cold situation.

"The ambassador is waiting for you upstairs." Alyssa squeezed through the crowd and whispered to him.

Chen Bo nodded, apologized to Pang Li, and left Ivanka in place to talk to her, and it was not a problem to often perform abroad and the language barrier.

Following Alyssa's footsteps, she walked out of the banquet hall and came to a quiet small reception room upstairs, where a middle-aged man was sitting, this should be Zhang Pengsheng, the ambassador to Singapore.

Only the two of them sat quietly on the sofa, and Alyssa had closed the door and retreated, staying outside to ensure that she would not be disturbed.

"How do you feel about Singapore?" Zhang Pengsheng smiled shallowly and asked.

"It's good, cosmopolitan city, clean, tidy and modern."

Chinese officials like to play the right thing the most, and when they want to talk about one thing, they will always make a lot of groundwork for no reason before, so it's not boring.

"What else?"

"Rule of Law, Business Opportunity!" Since you don't say it, then I'll hold it too, and see who can't survive first.

"Look behind this prosperity." Zhang Pengsheng got up and walked to the glass in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, and in the distance was the Singapore Harbor and the dazzling starry sky on the dark sea, and it was the giant ship that passed through like a shuttle, which was about to block the channel.

"I don't quite understand." Chen Bo also got up, stood beside him, shook his head and replied.

"How about the sea route between the East and the West, the internationally renowned free port, and the financial center of Southeast Asia? Isn't it important! ”

"Hmm."

"Half of the ships that pass here are destined for the port of Huaxia, and it may even reach 70%-80% in the future, which is our maritime lifeline. Oil from the Middle East and minerals from Africa are urgently needed resources. Zhang Pengsheng's tone was a vision and confidence for the future, but it was fleeting and changed to a helpless tone: "Just 10 kilometers away in Changi Harbor, there is the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, and I am afraid that the Marines will also be stationed here in the second half of the year." ”

"I don't know much about these national affairs, and if you want to talk about Internet issues, then I still know a little bit about them." Chen Bo pretended to be confused, and deliberately said haha.

"It's not that you don't understand, but you're pretending to be confused." Zhang Pengsheng glanced at him with a little meaning, and said, "No matter what the official attitude here is, but after all, they are all Chinese of the same origin, the country is happy to see more people-to-people exchanges, the Internet industry is the industry that leads the future, and ant search represents an image business card of our country's economic development." Not only for the sake of the small family, but also for the whole country. ”

"Of course, I can't shirk it." Chen Bo said on the spot.

"But when it comes to the Internet, I think you can try e-commerce here, after all, the place is not big, and the consumption level is guaranteed." Zhang Pengsheng said again at this time.

E-commerce? Do you think I'm stupid, Singapore's consumption is definitely higher than that in China, but the cost of employment is also high, and the cost of warehousing and logistics needs to be considered, and how to solve the last mile of distribution is a big problem. The fact that Amazon and eBay have not come is enough to show that the conditions here are not ripe, and the domestic advantages of the Internet are gone here.

But because of the situation, I had to say yes verbally, and said, "I'll think about it carefully." ”

"That's good, no wonder several ambassadors praise you." Zhang Pengsheng was pleased, "Do you know the number one surname in Southeast Asia?" ”

Chen Bo shook his head, he is not a sociologist, and he has nothing to pay attention to these trivial things now.

"Just like you, Chen." Zhang Pengsheng said at this time, "The Chen family in southern Fujian and Lingnan is a big family, and there are no longer a few people who go overseas to seek a living. Chen Jiageng, Chen Liuenvoy, and Chen Wenqing are all famous patriotic overseas Chinese, you should know this? ”

Chen Bo nodded, he knew that the Chen Family Academy in Yangcheng had now become one of the eight scenic spots, and if he wanted to visit, he had to charge a ticket.

"According to the research of our domestic scholars, you and the Minnan Chen clan belong to the same clan, so I will personally take you to get to know the Chen family in Singapore later."

"There must be a mistake." Chen Bo immediately denied it, "I was born in Ludong, and my ancestors have never moved their nests. ”

"Does it matter?" Zhang Pengsheng frowned and said.

"It's very important, there are many ways to get buy-in, but I would never choose this one. The Chinese pay the most attention to the relationship between blood and kinship, if I do this, it is against the code of ethics, such an unscrupulous and unprincipled person, what can not be done? ”

There are those who go out to pick up money, how can there be those who go out to pick up their ancestors? Yes, no, no, forcibly climbing the relationship will make people look down on themselves, and there is no bottom line, at least he can't convince himself.

is not an ancient emperor and general, after turning over and becoming a master, he always has to find a justifiable background for himself, and he must be a famous aristocratic background, so as to conform to the righteousness. is a small farmer at the foot of the mountain, why should he forcibly crown himself with the blood of a child of the Lingnan clan.

"It will allow you to integrate into the local community more quickly." Zhang Pengsheng said again.

"As long as you have the ability and have common interests, is it difficult?" Chen Bo asked rhetorically, "I hope Ambassador Zhang will respect my choice." ”

"Hmm......" Zhang Pengsheng groaned slightly, and if he couldn't insist any longer, he could only nod his head. Then he dialed the internal phone on the table, called his secretary in, and asked him to take Chen Bo to the venue to get acquainted with the local rich gentry and celebrities.

Some things can be done, some things can't be done, there is no bottom line in life, and if there is no principle, you will become a capricious villain. Even if he needs a strong support behind him and a wider network of resources, it is pointless if he has to break principles to achieve his goals.

Although it is said that the eldest husband can bend and stretch, he must be forbearing, and he must be obscure. There are countless examples of accumulating grain and claiming to be king. But unconsciously, he has been labeled as sharp, and any small mistake may be infinitely magnified, so he can't be careless.

Mr. Tan Li-yan, Chairman of UNICEF, Singapore Children's Fund ......

"Chiyu Banking Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Chan Pui Wan......"

Mr. Chen Junbao, Chairman of Apex Aviation Materials......

"OCBC Bank Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lee Seng Yee......"

This is only the grandchildren of patriotic overseas Chinese Chen Jiageng, not to mention the other Hokkien Chen clans, whose heads are big in a circle. Although they didn't know much about Chen Bo, they saw that the ambassador's secretary was personally accompanied, which showed that they were not ordinary people.

Serious Internet companies feel very distant and disdainful to businessmen like them, who are mainly engaged in business.

There are no factories, no workers, no specific livelihood, and it is not a financial industry where money is made. What is the difference between such a company and a castle in the sky?

Although the news reports the madness of the Internet all day long, at best, they only think that the concept is more important than the meaning, and it is all hype. How else can the dot-com bubble be explained? With this mentality, many merchants and celebrities are only perfunctory on the surface, which can be regarded as giving the embassy a face, plus although this young man's surname is Chen, he does not understand Hokkien, and he is obviously not from my clan, let alone enthusiastic.

"Ms Ho Ching, Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings."

Chen Bo looked at the middle-aged woman in front of him, which could be said to be extremely ordinary. Short hair, not tall. The clothes are neither gorgeous nor fashionable, and they are not much different from the image of thousands of ordinary housewives in China. But he knew that this person was not simple.

Not to mention the person, Singapore's Temasek is an unusual behemoth, with state-owned capital registered in the name of a private person, managing more than 20 Guolian enterprises in the form of a holding company, plus more than 2,000 large and small subordinate companies, with total assets accounting for about 8% of the country's GDP.

Although it is a step behind the private companies such as Samsung Group, which controls the lifeblood of the country's economy, Singapore, a city town, is an existence that cannot be ignored. And she also has an identity that cannot be ignored, the eldest daughter-in-law of Father Lee Kuan Yew, the wife of the current Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lee Hsien Loong, so that at the beginning of her tenure, the controversy of "nepotism" and the media page continued.

"I would like to welcome Mr Tan to Singapore for a chance to talk about the collaboration between Temasek and Ant Search." He Jing took the initiative to stretch out his hand and shake it simply, and the words in public are naturally very official, there is nothing wrong with it, but speaking English on this occasion will always make people feel uncomfortable.

"It's an honor." Chen Bo simply replied and turned elsewhere, without stopping too long.