Chapter 831: What Is Still Lacking Is Confidence

A few days later, Fan Wubing was invited by Fortune magazine. Headed to Shanghai to attend this year’s annual meeting.

On October 27, the American Fortune magazine's Fortune Annual Conference was held in Shanghai. The theme of the annual conference was China's next fifty years. It not only means looking forward to the future, but also caters to the fact that the founding of the People's Republic of China has just passed its fiftieth anniversary. Anniversary festive atmosphere. More than 300 leaders of multinational companies came to participate, including more than 60 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

More than 40 state-of-the-art private jets landed at Pudong International Airport in one day. This was an unprecedented luxury scene. You know, this was unimaginable before. After all, China is a country with very strict air control. Although there are many people who can afford to own a private jet, it is difficult to obtain a flight permit.

In the past two years, China's economy has not only withstood the continuous impact of Soros and the Asian financial turmoil, but also maintained steady growth. The economic slowdown has surprised the whole world, and everyone in major companies has I want to come to China and see it with my own eyes.

Former US Secretary of State Kissinger applauded China from a historical perspective. He said that the United States has only two hundred years of history, while China has five thousand years. The Chinese believe that their history is at least 4,800 years without the involvement of the United States.

Chief No. 1 attended the meeting in person and gave a speech at the opening dinner. He said that tonight we are in the Liujiazui area of ​​Pudong, Shanghai. Six years ago, there were some simple residences and farmland, but now it is a vibrant financial and trade area with tall buildings. More than 50 years ago, he was a university student in Shanghai and had a deep understanding of the poverty, backwardness and national decline of old China. It was at that time that he determined to devote himself to the great cause of establishing an independent, free, independent, unified and prosperous New China, and has been striving to this day.

This year’s Fortune Annual Conference is also the highest-level international conference hosted by Shanghai. Since the Pudong Development Strategy was determined, the face of the largest city in the Far East has changed with each passing day. By this year, the Inner Ring and Outer Ring Elevated Roads, Yangpu, Nanpu and Lupu Bridges , Metro No. 2, Pudong Airport, Century Avenue, Pudong Avenue and a series of major projects such as Jinmao Tower, the tallest building in China, have been completed or are close to completion.

The holding of this annual meeting means that Shanghai has returned to the ranks of important global financial centers.

The more than 200 Chinese entrepreneurs attending the meeting were also very excited. After all, this is the first international business feast. For many people, an admission ticket seems to mean a ticket to globalization.

"Chinese companies still have a long way to go before they can enter the forefront of the world." Fan Wubing said this when talking about future development with several entrepreneurs around him.

Just last month in Fortune magazine, the annual selection of the world's top 500 companies was announced. Five Chinese companies were on the list, namely Sinopec, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Sinochem and COFCO. They are all state-owned monopoly enterprises.

Therefore, whether more Chinese companies can enter the top 500 list in the shortest time has become a topic of greatest concern to local entrepreneurs. They regard the annual meeting as a stage for swearing an oath, which makes foreigners feel like they are acting.

It can be said that in the United States, whether one can enter the top 500 may affect the direction of the company's stock and the salary of managers, while for Chinese companies, the top 500 complex includes the entrepreneur's life value and national responsibility.

Fan Wubing always believes that based on the current situation of Chinese enterprises, even if they develop for another ten years, there will still be a certain gap if they want to truly reach the level of the world's top 500 companies.

After all, the world's top 500 companies not only examine the economic aggregate, but also look at corporate culture, inherent development potential, and the ability to adapt to market changes. This goal cannot be achieved by relying solely on the monopoly market.

Monopoly has no future. Only competition can continuously promote the healthy and effective development of the entire industry.

However, after Fan Wubing stayed in Shanghai for half a month, a truly global ticket was finally successfully pre-sold.

On November 15th, China and the United States formally reached an agreement, and the United States expressed support for China's entry.

From 1982, when China participated as a special observer at the ministerial meeting organized by the predecessor of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, to 1986 when China formally submitted its application for resumption of customs relations, it took more than ten years. China has been working hard to apply to join this international economic cooperation organization, but the United States, which safeguards its own interests, has always been the biggest obstacle.

As early as two years ago, China had completed all important multilateral negotiations except the United States. However, the Sino-US negotiations have experienced many twists and turns. The United States proposed a series of harsh market opening lists, which were rejected by China.

Just when many international public opinion was already very disappointed with the Sino-US negotiations, the agreement was reached in a dramatic way. Perhaps all great moments are full of drama. For more than a hundred years, the Chinese people have been trying to integrate into the global economic family as an active and equal role. In the last year of the twentieth century, the Chinese people finally got this ticket.

After the Sino-US negotiations reached an agreement, the top management held a reception. The negotiators at the time and the relevant personnel who had contributed greatly to the negotiations were all invited. Fan Wubing, as a person of great importance to the domestic and foreign economies, Influential people were naturally invited to attend the reception as guests.

During the dinner, Head No. 1 and Boss Zhu happily clinked glasses with Fan Wubing and said many happy words.

However, Fan Wubing's mood is more complicated. Although China has obtained the most critical vote to enter, the problems that come with it are also quite difficult. In order to get this vote, the Chinese people have paid a lot of effort. cost.

The first is that within twelve years after joining, other member states can impose high taxes or non-tariff barriers on Chinese products. The second is anti-dumping investigations. Within fifteen years of joining, other member states can implement anti-dumping on Chinese products. The survey does not have to be based on the average cost of the country under investigation, but can be based on the average price of a third country. The third is to conduct an annual review of China every year.

In the final analysis, Western countries still treat China differently, and have not sincerely accepted the rise of this great Eastern country, and have no intention of recognizing China's market economy status.

In fact, when the pros and cons of China's accession to the World Trade Organization were discussed, many scholars predicted that the first ten years would do more harm than good, and the next ten years would do more harm than good. This means that many people have already considered the issue of paying tuition fees in advance and are not interested in China's membership. There are certain psychological expectations about the price paid by the WTO.

However, what Fan Wubing learned about the subsequent reality is that nearly ten years after China joined the World Trade Organization, anti-dumping and countervailing disputes have continued, but it has not really improved transaction efficiency and reduced transaction costs.

Ultimately, the World Trade Organization is an international trade coordination organization established by the United States and Western developed countries in order to adapt to the trend of world trade shows and protect their own national interests. It aims to protect the vested interests of developed countries, promote financial services trade and Negotiations on intellectual property trade, however, the World Trade Organization has to stipulate the basic principles of fair trade in its general principles, imagine all WTO members as market economy countries, and conduct trade negotiations accordingly.

Unfortunately, China did not win market economy status for itself during the negotiations to join the World Trade Organization. Therefore, China's entry into the WTO is not a banquet as a friend, nor is it a change of trade rules as a host.

Because China has not fought for the most basic rights, it cannot become a guest at the banquet of developed Western countries, let alone amend the rules of the World Trade Organization. After China joined the World Trade Organization, not only was it unable to reduce anti-dumping and countervailing lawsuits, but because China became a member of the World Trade Organization, other World Trade Organization members could close their doors and follow the rules of the World Trade Organization and even the bilateral provisions of China's accession to the World Trade Organization. Protocol and fight against China.

so. When many years later, when we look back and re-analyze the World Trade Organization, people will realize that the core value of the World Trade Organization is actually the market economy. If China does not win market economy status, then China's accession to the World Trade Organization will not How meaningful.

Of course, whether it was the participants at the Fortune annual meeting or many domestic scholars, most people did not expect this result. However, Fan Wubing looked on with a cold eye and saw the huge hidden dangers. At the same time, We also noticed the efforts of senior management on this issue.

At least, he would not hesitate to accept one-third of New Zealand's wool sales in exchange for New Zealand's recognition of China's market economy status and open a gap for Western developed countries' trade barriers against China.

In this sense, I can fully afford the toasts given by Chief No. 1 and Boss Zhu.

"I suddenly realized that the responsibility I bear is very heavy." Fan Wubing drank the slightly bitter red wine in the glass and said to Boss Zhu, "This French product is really unauthentic. It is better to drink Xinjiang wine." Delicious sweet wine.”

"International laws." Boss Zhu replied to Fan Wubing, and then continued what he said before, "It is very critical to how far China's economy can develop in the next ten or twenty years. If we can catch up, If we lose this opportunity, the gap between us and the developed countries in the world will become wider and wider. "

"I believe that the next ten years will be a golden decade for the national economic development. I have never doubted this." Fan Wubing thought of many things in the past ten years and couldn't help but said with emotion, "Maybe we are still There will be many twists and turns, many hardships, and many challenges, but we will eventually overcome them one by one and catch up.”

"Haha, listening to the predictions of our little master Fan makes me feel more confident than listening to the predictions of economists." After hearing this, Boss Zhu immediately laughed.

Ever since Fan Wubing dreamed of predicting an earthquake in Taiwan at the wedding, Master Fan's reputation has become even more famous. Today, Boss Zhu is in a good mood and made fun of him.

But speaking of it, Boss Zhu does pay more attention to Fan Wubing's opinions. This guy is very accurate in many things, which is very amazing. It can only be said that he knows things like a god.

In fact, Fan Wubing is also very aware of this. Although it is not advisable to often make shocking remarks, he occasionally expresses his views from a high position and then confirms his views, thereby establishing his mysterious and mysterious reputation in the minds of the world. His high status is very helpful for him to continue to maintain his current advantage and influence.

Although he did not have the idea of ​​being a charlatan, he could subtly deepen the blind obedience of others to him, which had many benefits. At least when he put forward a seemingly exaggerated viewpoint, everyone would habitually consider it seriously, instead of pointing fingers at him and saying something absurd. This was the effect he expected.

Fan Wubing walked around the hall and was stopped several times on the way. In addition to several young and beautiful girls from wealthy families who wanted to chat with him and make friends, there were also some elites from various industries who wanted to get some useful information from him.

Although Fan Wubing did not like it very much, he still tried his best to provide them with some help for some of the questions they raised. This could be regarded as doing good deeds every day. Because of his very precise foresight, Fan Wubing could easily find the weaknesses in their ideas, and then pick them out one by one to judge them. This made those who came to verify it gain a lot, and those who came to ask for advice suddenly realized and admired Fan Wubing.

After staying here for a while, Fan Wubing felt that he couldn't go on like this, otherwise the girls who had been following and listening next to him might not even be able to move their legs. Now, they basically had heart shapes in their eyes.

From the exchanges tonight, most domestic entrepreneurs still lack sufficient confidence, which leads to them not being able to seriously discuss the development direction of their own companies and what their companies really need. Instead, they pursue foreign evaluation standards, even though those standards may not meet the domestic market conditions. This makes Fan Wubing feel quite regretful.

As a big country that needs to rise from the siege of countries around the world, it is not a good thing to follow other people's standards.