The docunt Hou Yuncheng showed to Bai Xiaosheng, although put together, were actually two separate things. The top few pages were formal docunts, which included the consent from the Xisuli Governnt, stating a comprehensive, full-scale cooperation with the Huaxia side on the extraction and developnt of "rare earth" minerals.
What exactly are rare earths? Many people have heard of them, but it’s often just the na they know.
Many don’t even know the na.
With the help of the Red Lotus System, Bai Xiaosheng was able to quickly grasp all the information.
Rare earths are not a single tal, but a collective na for a group of tals, including 17 elents from the periodic table such as lanthanum, cerium, and praseodymium. Known as the "industrial MSG" and the "mother of new materials," the new materials developed using rare earths are indispensable for advanced equipnt manufacturing, new energy, and erging industries, and are also widely used in electronics, petrochemicals, tallurgy, machinery, new energy, light industry, and environntal protection.
There’s an expression that if oil is the blood of industry, then rare earths are the vitamins of industry.
Just as people cannot live without vitamins, industry cannot do without rare earths.
Huaxia has always held the top three spots in the rare earth sector: the largest reserves, the largest production scale, and the largest export volu.
In recent years, Huaxia has placed extre emphasis on the rare earth strategy.
Africa is rich in minerals, with substantial rare earth reserves. Just this year, Xisuli discovered another large rare earth deposit, and combined with the four it already had dostically, its production from five mines now ranks among Africa’s top rare earth producers.
Xisuli initiated talks with Huaxia for cooperation because, after all, Huaxia has unparalleled experience in rare earth developnt.
While Bai Xiaosheng was reviewing the files, Hou Yuncheng also emphasized to him that Huaxia attaches great importance to this cooperation. Just now, he received several calls, with leaders at various levels expressing deep concern, saying this matter must be handled well.
As he said this, Hou Yuncheng’s expression was extrely solemn.
However, with a few words, Hou Yuncheng clarified to Bai Xiaosheng.
There’s a situation here: among the five rare earth mines in Xisuli, three are state-owned and present no issues for cooperation. The other two require the business group to negotiate on its own, and the Xisuli Governnt will provide so assistance.
The last two pages in the docunt that Hou Yuncheng gave to Bai Xiaosheng were introductions of these two companies.
The bottom one, "Xuanjin" company, is affiliated with the Zhenbei Group.
Bai Xiaosheng understood at a glance.
Hou Yuncheng valued his position and connections within the Zhenbei Group and wanted him to facilitate cooperation between the parties.
Bai Xiaosheng couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
This should have been ntioned earlier, even one or two days sooner would have been better.
Now?
Bai Xiaosheng had just dealt with five enterprises and five senior executives under their jurisdiction, and now he had to propose cooperation?
And who knows what kind of attitude the African Regional Business President, Mr. Brown, would have. It certainly wouldn’t be easy to handle.
With a bitter smile, Bai Xiaosheng explained his situation to Hou Yuncheng in detail.
Hou Yuncheng was taken aback, not having anticipated such a situation.
"I had heard about today’s business upheaval, but I didn’t realize it was your doing!" Hou Yuncheng said, surprised and amazed, "I must say, Sheng, you’re quite sothing. You stayed there a half day longer and stirred up so much commotion!"
Bai Xiaosheng responded with a wry smile.
It’s not that he was capable, it was that he was "set up." And from the start, he was utterly oblivious.
Pretty much a failure.
"However, would Mr. Brown really confront you directly over this matter? Would he really be so overt? I’ve heard of him; he’s a renowned businessman with a significant position in your group. By all accounts, he should be quite shrewd and should act prudently in matters pertaining to the group. Moreover, it’s not your companies collaborating with him, but other Huaxia enterprises. If he has grievances, he could simply raise the conditions; as long as they’re not excessive, we can negotiate. Would he truly give up such a good opportunity?"
Hou Yuncheng perford a rational analysis.
However, Bai Xiaosheng, having learned in advance from Jiang Kuo about Mr. Brown’s nature, knew better. Who’s to say a successful person must be deep and won’t retaliate openly? It takes all sorts to make a world, and especially across such distances, who knows?
Who knows what Mr. Brown’s attitude is now...
Bai Xiaosheng kept his thoughts to himself.
There was nothing to be said about Hou Yuncheng’s support for him.
Moreover, this was in service to Huaxia, so Bai Xiaosheng genuinely wanted to give it a try.
"Director Hou, actually, I’d very much like to help, but I’m concerned that due to personal factors, the cooperation may fail." Bai Xiaosheng voiced his worries.
Hou Yuncheng, seeing Bai Xiaosheng’s willingness to try, imdiately smiled, "Sheng, just go for it. At the end of the day, it only involves one rare earth enterprise; we’ve already reached consensus with three state-owned ones in Xisuli, and the other two aren’t must-haves either. If you fail, I’ll send soone else to negotiate. They won’t target a Huaxia businessman just over this. As for the other company, I’ll have soone else communicate with them. I believe there will be progress. Securing four agreents would be above expectations, and the leaders wouldn’t say much more."
Hou Yuncheng’s words greatly comforted Bai Xiaosheng.
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