Chapter 61: Exchanging space for time, the most helpless choice

Author: September Sauce

Chapter 61: Exchanging space for time, the most helpless choice

A few days later, conference room 606.

A discussion meeting on the hot isostatic press purchase plan was held on time.

Wang Xianguo presided over the meeting. Lin Yongming did not attend the meeting, but only requested that a copy of the required documents be sent to him after the meeting.

Those present were all experienced business people. Their majors are marketing and negotiation. Of course, they are also familiar with large-scale procurement matters.

Sitting in the center of the right side of the circular desk is a man in a suit and leather shoes. His name is Ma Li. He once went to Europe alone and negotiated a purchase contract for a large mining machinery crusher at a very small cost. It can be said that

He has made great achievements.

This time, he will also lead the purchase negotiations for hot isostatic presses.

After confirming that everyone was seated, Ma Li lightly knocked on the table and then said:

"We have already understood the basic situation of this purchase, so I won't go into details here."

"The first thing to make clear is that our procurement can only succeed and cannot fail."

"And the contract signing and equipment delivery must be fast! Any delay may have a major impact on the work of other comrades."

"This is not my deliberate pressure, but the actual situation we are facing."

"So, based on this current situation, my request is that everyone mobilizes all your relationships, whether it is through technical means or guest workers, and you must go all out to promote it."

"Now, we start to discuss the difficulties of the project. At today's meeting, we will propose solutions to all difficulties."

After speaking, he looked around the venue and motioned to Wang Xianguo to speak first.

Noticing his prompt, Wang Xianguo took a deep breath and said:

"First of all, the biggest difficulty we are currently facing is actually one: there is a price but no market!"

"Based on previous visits, DSI has expressed its willingness to sell hot isostatic pressing equipment, but the conditions attached are extremely harsh."

"Including that it cannot be used for military purposes, must undergo regular technical reviews, and must be operated in the presence of US personnel, etc."

"This condition is a complete joke. Not to mention that we can't agree, they probably don't expect us to agree."

"So, this is actually a soft, disguised rejection."

At this point, Wang Xianguo paused slightly, and then continued:

"The situation at QUINTUS is similar. We have had three rounds of negotiations with them. In the second round of negotiations, they raised the price to a level that we absolutely cannot accept. The reason is that maintenance is more difficult."

"It is impossible for us to follow their quotation and purchase. Not only will the project budget be overwhelmed, but it will also cause endless trouble in the future."

After listening to Wang Xianguo's words, Ma Li nodded slightly and then asked:

“Isn’t there a third supplier available?”

"Yes, but the technology is too different. For example, Britain's AIP and France's STM all have hot isostatic pressing equipment for sale. If it is used for ordinary industrial products, it is almost enough, but in the aviation field... we definitely don't dare to use it.

of."

Ma Li pondered for a moment and then said:

"We don't necessarily use it."

"You want two peaches to kill three people? This is impossible."

Wang Xianguo immediately saw Ma Li's intention, but he denied it without hesitation.

In fact, since the 1990s, killing three people with two peaches has been a classic tactic in the process of China's technology introduction. The most famous one is the sixth high-speed rail speed increase. The Ministry of Railways tricked four companies including Alstom and Siemens.

A story that goes around and around.

——

Of course, this was in 2004 and has not happened yet.

But in addition to this "battle", this strategy has also been used many times in many other fields.

Especially the introduction of AL-31FN in Institute 606 actually has the shadow of this strategy.

Therefore, as soon as Ma Li asked about the third supplier, Wang Xianguo responded immediately.

But at the same time, he also knew very well that there was absolutely no way this strategy could be used in the introduction of hot isostatic pressing equipment.

the reason is simple:

First, the market is not exclusive. It does not mean that if you buy one company, you cannot buy another.

Second, there is no trump card in hand.

When your strength is not enough to overturn the table at the most critical moment, all games are actually a joke in the eyes of your opponents.

Wang Xianguo explained his considerations, and Ma Li fell silent.

This is indeed a deadlock.

But since they are sitting here, it is to break the deadlock.

After thinking for a moment, he said:

"The content discussed next may involve highly confidential information. If there is any confidentiality level lower than the core level, please leave the office now."

One after another, several participants got up and left. After closing the door and getting the signal from the security personnel, they asked in a deep voice:

"Is there any possibility of concessions in the South China Sea? Or, in other areas of interest, is there any possibility of concessions?"

Upon hearing his words, the entire venue fell into silence.

No one dared to answer his questions, because it was absolutely impossible for them to make decisions on these two questions.

Its impact is so great that it may even spread to the entire national strategic dimension.

"What do you mean?"

Wang Xianguo asked with a frown.

"My point is clearly that we must re-evaluate the importance of Project 22 at your disposal."

"Obviously, even if our opponents don't know the details of this project, their goals are well known."

"That is to suppress the progress of our country's self-developed fighter jets."

"So, we have to make a choice."

"Should we pay the price in other fields in exchange for the development of fighter jets, or should we postpone Project 22 and wait for a better time?"

Ma Li looked serious. He knew exactly what he was talking about. Perhaps to the outside world, his statement was arrogant, arrogant, and irresponsible, but he knew that someone had to put forward this point of view.

Even if you have to bear the infamy.

"...This is not something we can decide."

Wang Xianguo answered with difficulty.

"It's certainly not something we can decide, but we have to ask the question."

"Of course, I don't have to use this option, but we must leave ourselves a way out."

"At least, we need to let our superiors know the situation we are facing first."

After hearing this, everyone who originally wanted to refute fell silent again.

yes.

Apart from gaining room for development through compromise and concessions, what else can we do?

Trading space for time is a last resort choice.

Although it is humiliating and helpless, it can really solve the problem.

——

But, I really can’t reconcile myself to it.

Serving the Qin State with the land is like putting out a fire with firewood. If the firewood is not used up, the fire will never be extinguished.

How can those Americans be satisfied with temporary and local interests?

This time we barely got the opportunity for development, but what about next time? Do we have to sell the country's interests and dignity every time in exchange for a so-called "opportunity"?

At this moment, everyone's hearts were extremely depressed.

We are still too weak.

Our technology is still too backward.

Just imagine, if we have the technology to manufacture hot isostatic presses, even if the technical level is far from the level of DSI and QUINTUS, it will be a huge trump card and bargaining chip.

Unfortunately, we have nothing now.

There was a heavy sigh in the venue.

Wang Xianguo raised his head and said to Ma Li:

"I'll discuss this matter with Mr. Lin first."

"If we really have to make concessions in other areas...then the goals of Project 22 cannot remain the same."

"We don't want to finish, but we want to be perfect."

"Only in this way can it be possible to make up for our losses."
Chapter completed!