Chapter 59: Confrontation

"Director Tong, I think this way. Just as Director Quan Jun said just now, it is still the initial negotiation. I think there may be more companies participating in the understanding. It should be said that Hua Aluminum and Wu Minmetals have great advantages over other private enterprises. In my opinion, even if this series of projects is really successful, private enterprises can only serve as participants rather than leaders. Why can Hua Aluminum and Wu Minmetals not compete with private enterprises?" Zhao Guodong said lightly: "A step back, if Hua Aluminum and Wu Minmetals are really unable to cooperate with private enterprises, then our National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, and the functional departments can also make central adjustments. I think I can let go of the worries of vicious competition."

Zhao Guodong's words made Tong Liguo's face slightly suffocated and became a little gloomy, but his complexion was still good and he would not be covered with clouds. Fu Quan nodded slightly, obviously agreeing with Zhao Guodong's point of view.

"Well, I think Director Guodong's idea can be considered. At present, there is a strong voice in both foreign political and economic circles, that is, there is a strong hostility towards my country's state-owned enterprises going out to participate in investment and mergers and acquisitions. On the one hand, they believe that our state-owned enterprises represent the country, backed by the state and capital, and compete for the non-market economy. On the other hand, they are also worried that state-owned enterprises will help the country to carry out strategic control and seizure, especially in the resource industry. This hostility and worry are more obvious. It can be seen from some companies under the Ministry of Energy when dealing with European and American oil companies. This sign is quite prominent. If private enterprises join in, it may be able to downplay and weaken the impact in this aspect."

The unexpected words of He Lizhi talked about her own views, which surprised Zeng Quanjun and Tong Liguo.

Zeng Quanjun realized that the views of the Commission on this issue have now undergone some subtle changes, which should be related to the "Thirty-Six Articles on Promoting the Development of the Non-Public Economy" issued by the State Council last year. It is obvious that Zhao Guodong and He Lizhi are both figures who support this view, and Fu Quan also seems to be inclined to gradually lift the ban in this field.

"Well, Director Lizhi's view is also very representative. At present, when foreign companies, especially European and American companies compete with our state-owned enterprises in overseas markets, they always repeatedly accuse our state-owned enterprises of the nature of our state-owned enterprises, thinking that we represent state institutions, which is not normal market competition, and they also deliberately exaggerate the harm that state-owned enterprises entering these fields may bring to the resource security and industrial security of their countries, and slander the economy and resources of their countries will be controlled by our countries. This has also caused concerns among some countries, especially Southeast Asian and African countries. In addition, after entering the markets of our countries, some of our state-owned enterprises did not adapt to the national conditions and corporate culture of their countries, and failed to effectively integrate into their countries' society, resulting in constant disputes. This has also become an excuse for European and American companies. On this issue, I have exchanged opinions with relevant leaders of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. They also believe that this is indeed an urgent issue and needs to be carefully studied and resolved."

Fu Quan also joined in and analyzed and explained this issue.

"Of course we cannot retreat because of the slander of those European and American companies, but we must also consider resolving these unfavorable factors from many aspects. I think private enterprises joining, not to mention effectively alleviate this sentiment abroad, but private enterprises also have many weaknesses, such as overall strength, corporate culture, and adaptation to foreign laws. It is of course a great benefit to joining, but there are also many risks. Therefore, on this issue, our Development and Reform Commission should guide them in a reasonable and moderate manner. As Director Guodong said, if state-owned enterprises and private enterprises can cooperate closely in many fields and specific projects, it may be a win-win result."

Fu Quan's views compromised the opinions of Zhao Guodong, He Lizhi and Tong Liguo. Private enterprises can certainly enter, but the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce should reasonably guide, grasp the initiative, coordinate the relationship between state-owned enterprises and private enterprises when entering the same field, especially the same project, and avoid possible vicious competition. At this point, it is particularly necessary to grasp a fair and just standard and strive to achieve a win-win situation.

"But Director Fu, it is probably not easy to achieve a win-win situation on this issue. State-owned enterprises and private enterprises are both enterprises, and they are aimed at profit. They are inevitably required to adopt various competitive means for their own interests, especially the mechanisms of private enterprises are more flexible and the means are more diverse. This also leads to state-owned enterprises that may also compete in other aspects, which is very likely to turn from benign competition to vicious competition. It is also an unknown number of intervention forces that government functional departments can exert on this issue." Wei Xingxi also said.

"Being healthy competition is a good thing. We promote their cooperation, but we do not need to interfere with their competition. I am afraid that we will stand on a fair and fair standpoint and coordinate the interests of both parties. I think in many specific projects, state-owned enterprises and private enterprises still have different targets. For example, state-owned enterprises can use their own scale advantages and capital advantages to dominate large projects more, and private enterprises can cooperate with partners to intervene. Small and medium-sized projects, especially projects that cooperate with local projects in their countries, can give full play to their strengths and advantages. I think it can complement each other in this regard."

The visit of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Geology and Minerals in Guinea has suddenly triggered discussions and debates on the status of state-owned enterprises and private enterprises by the entire NDRC. It is not just whether to invite representatives of private enterprises to participate in the visit and discussion of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Geology and Minerals in Guinea, but it involves a deeper issue, that is, the NDRC's attitude towards the increasing call for private enterprises to enter resource industries.

Zeng Quanjun did not make a clear statement on key issues. He was a little dissatisfied with the fact that it was originally a not-complex issue but had evolved into such a broad topic. He was not yet clear about his attitude towards some more sensitive issues, so he decisively stopped this topic.

"Well, I think Guodong's view is also very representative. Now private enterprises have become increasingly important part of our national economy. The private economy has always criticized the so-called glass door phenomenon. It believes that the government administrative departments still maintain old thinking and use some invisible clauses to *** the private economy enters many important industries. I do not agree with this view, but I also have to admit that this phenomenon does exist in some areas. Director Guodong proposed that private enterprise representatives can be invited to participate in the discussion. I think this is also a pioneering attempt, and it also shows that our Development and Reform Commission has no prejudice in its subjective identity as economic development."

Zeng Quanjun weighed the pros and cons and decided to make some attempt on this issue. The private economy has always criticized the National Development and Reform Commission for Development and Reform. On this issue, he does not want to attract countless criticisms. Although today is just an internal meeting within the Commission, it is hard to say whether today's discussion will be revealed to the outside world. Once the National Development and Reform Commission has classified private enterprises out of the boundaries, even if it is just the simplest contact, it may be hyped.

The same time as the Tyrannos and Jianlong incident broke out the year before yesterday, state-owned steel companies were expanding their capabilities. Baosteel, Wuhan Iron and Steel, Bengang, Angang, and Magang all made great progress, and almost every project was approved without any suspense. Even foreign capital entered China with great strides like mercury. Pohang, Amsail, New Nippon Railway, Thyssen Krupp, and Boseg, all conquered cities and land in China. These projects were also approved naturally, but Tieben has become a typical example of killing, so mainstream media commented that, inside and outside the door, some people sang and cried outside the door, and some people sang and danced lightly in the door, and ice and fire, so cruel.

These remarks and views put a lot of pressure on the National Development and Reform Commission. Zeng Quanjun also sent signals to explain on different occasions, but without exception, they were besieged by the media and economists. In particular, some elites who claim to be nationalists frequently compared the Tieben and the Australian Boseg Suzhou Steel Project at the same time. The former was so breathless by one gold medal after another. There is no following. The latter's 1.7 billion project completed all procedures in a week. The high efficiency is unimaginable. The tragic comparison of results obtained by one country and one foreign country cannot help but make people feel deeply moved.

Zeng Quanjun's final conclusion was to set the tone for this originally very simple foreign affairs activity. He could invite representative private enterprises in the industry to participate in this discussion with Hua Aluminum and Wugang to learn about the exploration and development projects that China may cooperate with. Of course, as for who can win in the future in cooperation with Guinea, that is another matter.

To be precise, this is a posture, but even such a posture is enough to make many people feel a different atmosphere.

Zhou Xin was immersed in an inexplicable excitement almost all day long. Even though he knew that this might be purely a gesture, he didn't care.
Chapter completed!