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Chapter 1207: Chapter 1064: Creating Debt (Please Subscribe!)
The suggestion of building an industrial park clearly showed that,
Tang Qing’s goal wasn’t merely to establish a steel factory, but a complete steel industry chain, an industrial base that spanned from mining and smelting to advanced processing of steel.
After going through advanced processing,
profits would more than double.
If one further expanded both horizontally and vertically along the production chain, profits could greatly increase. In Africa, a blank market, as long as one was willing to focus, the future was full of money-making opportunities.
It’s just that ordinary people couldn’t make this money.
Because they didn’t have the courage. 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝙢
Only Tang Qing.
Wasn’t afraid that someone would dare to owe him money, nor was he afraid of someone stealing his things. Whether it was those African countries or the local armed forces, if they didn’t follow the rules, he would teach them the rules.
Just that the tuition would be very expensive.
...
February 1st.
Within a fifty-kilometer radius of the mining area,
nearly sixty tribal chiefs and elders were called to the factory’s conference room.
"First, I want to announce something to everyone, starting from today, Kivu Industrial Park has officially been approved by the Congolese Gold Congress and is established," Guan Songhua said happily.
As the manager of the park,
he even received a formal appointment from the President of Congo-Kinshasa’s office.
Although it was just a title,
it was still given to the position of mining area manager. Whoever held this position was the manager of the park and could enjoy some benefits similar to visa exemptions. But this was enough to excite Guan Songhua.
This news.
The chiefs below didn’t feel much about it, because it didn’t relate to them.
However,
what Guan Songhua was about to discuss next was relevant to them.
"We’re planning to build an enclosure wall and surround the industrial park with it. The total length of the wall will be over sixty kilometers. For this project, you will supply workers based on the proportion of your tribes’ populations, and the construction period is one month."
"We will recruit two hundred local employees whose daily task will be to clear the slag scattered on the road, maintain the cleanliness of the roadway, and repair any damaged roads."
"The second phase of the infrastructure project..."
The steel factory was about to be fully operational.
Ore transportation, scheduling, logistics, every task needed people. Core equipment operation was not something these Africans could do, but they were perfectly capable of handling various miscellaneous tasks.
Although their work efficiency was low,
it was commensurate with the modest wages.
Hearing that work was about to start,
the chiefs were very happy. Previously, it was just trial production and the demand for raw materials was not great, so they had been quite idle. Now that the factory was gearing up to operate at full capacity, they all imagined themselves lying at home and counting money.
Of course,
this would have to wait until they had paid off the ’debt’.
Who did they owe?
Of course, it was the steel factory.
For mining,
one needed mining equipment, mining carts, electricity, fuel, transportation—where did all these not require money? They had mines but no money; what to do? That’s when the steel factory came up with a plan—borrow.
I’ll lay electric wires for your mining area.
Provide you with transportation trucks,
mining carts,
and fuel.
All converted into money, loans were made according to the tribe or tribal alliance, with very low interest, only ten percent annually. Once you’ve paid back the debt, we can discuss cash payments.
For this reason,
based on their territories, various tribes formed thirteen borrowing entities. After all, some small tribes had no mines, only people. They obviously couldn’t just sit by idly; they had to eat.
Like that,
they racked up a large debt.
It would take several years to repay, and this was if no new debts were added during that period. And of course, Tang Qing wouldn’t just let them off; if they had no debts, he would create debts for them.
As the saying goes.
Without a market, we created one.
Without demand, we created it.
So.
After introducing the recruitment information.
Guan Songhua led them to an open area east of the steel factory.
Suddenly.
They stopped in their tracks.
Their eyes sparkling as they stared at a structure in the distance.
It was a modern villa, flat-roofed and double-storied, with huge French windows, a decor leaning towards white, exquisite furniture, tiles, a garden brimming with floral splendor, a garage, and so forth—everything was complete.
Such things.
They had only seen on TV before.
"Guan Manager, what does this mean?"
Belev stared intently at the villa before him, his heart suddenly filled with a strong desire to own it.
"This is the product we are preparing to launch next," Guan Songhua explained, showing some respect to Belev, who had a tribal population of several hundred thousand, arguably the most powerful tribe around.
"Product?" Belev asked in confusion.
More than a hundred pairs of eyes were fixed on Guan Songhua.
Could Wan Qing Mining really be thinking of developing real estate here?
"Yes, our company believes that Africa’s geographical conditions are superior, the land is broad and suitable for promoting this type of villa. This is the luxury model, and we also have business and economy models, as well as economically priced residential and functional types."
"All buildings use steel as the main structural theme, you just need to follow the design drawings to standardize the assembly into a variety of sturdy structures. We are not developing real estate."
"We are simply providing a solid, low-cost, integrated civilian construction solution."
"As partners of the company, we can offer you credit to improve the living environment for you and your tribespeople, and we will not charge interest on this debt."
When Qu Shan first advised him to do this,
Guan Songhua was also baffled for a long time. They were in the steel-making business, and he could understand processing steel, but it seemed like they were acting like developers. However, after the explanation, he gave Tang Qing a thumbs up for his decision-making.
This was killing several birds with one stone.
First, it consumed the factory’s output.
Second, it created huge debts for these tribes, easing the company’s financial pressure.
Third, it could form a demonstration effect, and maybe even earn quite a bit of money.
Lastly.
And what Guan Songhua admired the most.
"You can also become agents of the company, help promote it, and the profits you make—whether from gold, silver, diamonds, jewelry, ore—we will split fifty-fifty," Guan Songhua announced.
Promotion.
No one could do it easier than the locals.
This was also a way to transform these tribes from cheap labor into ’second-hand dealers,’ igniting their motivation to make money. Without motivation, just think of the debt hanging over your head, think of such a beautiful house.
And there it was.
"Are you saying, we can also do this business?" Belev asked.
"Yes, we only provide the plans and materials. Our company is very willing to make money together with everyone. Since we are fortunate to be neighbors, we hope you are wealthy and live good lives," Guan Songhua said.
"What if our tribe people want to build but have no money?" another tribe leader asked.
"You can build first, but the debt belongs to the tribe and it’s up to the tribe to repay it. How you manage the internal debts of the tribe, you figure out by yourselves," Guan Songhua explained, acknowledging that collecting debts from individuals was very difficult.
"So you’re saying, if we want to clear the debts, we have to wait even longer?"
Guan Songhua smiled.
"What’s the purpose of your making money? It’s to improve the quality of life for your tribespeople, right? As long as our company is here and business is good, the faster you’ll be able to clear your debts. Our interests are aligned."
"This could also create more employment opportunities. You are just moving into these types of houses in advance, enjoying the benefits brought by economic development. You are considering the well-being of your tribespeople."
"If you give them money, do you think they will use it to improve their lives, or squander it on gambling, on addictive indulgences? Why is Africa so poor? Do any of you want your tribespeople to remain poor forever?"
"You are their tribal chiefs; it’s your duty to tell them what’s right, what’s wrong, what’s good and worth pursuing, what could be deadly, what behaviors are irresponsible."
"..."
Guan Songhua had the capability to be a general manager.
His skill in speechmaking was remarkable. Gradually, he saw the tribal leaders lower their heads in contemplation. Keen to exploit this opportunity, Guan Songhua pushed for a ’construction craze’ among them.
Once they agreed...
everything else would be easy.
