Volume 8 Final Chapter Chapter 1072 A Little Sister in the Sect
After the theoretical discussion, the meeting room began to discuss practical matters.
It was Zelman who started the conversation again.
"Boss, and everyone, the countries that are currently privatizing their water services include the United States, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latin America, the United Kingdom, and China.
Although the idea of privatizing water services originated in Washington, the United States has very strict control over tap water. Water plants are not allowed to be controlled by foreign capital, and it is not easy for domestic capital to intervene. In fact, all water plants in the United States are directly managed by the military, and outsiders who want to visit need approval from the Department of Defense.
The situation in France is slightly better than that in the United States, but it is also under very strict control. In November last year, when Flathead Company wanted to find a water collection point in France, it was obstructed by the French government. France not only does not allow foreign companies to control the tap water industry, but also bottled water. In the end, Flathead Company obtained a water collection permit through cooperation with Sophie Investment.
There is a strong voice in Italy opposing the privatization of water services, so it is not advisable to enter the country for the time being; the privatization pace in the Czech Republic and Hungary is relatively slow, so we can send personnel in to carry out public relations work.
Since the 1980s, Latin American countries have been trapped in a long-term middle-income trap and are generally poor. There is no money in the treasury to invest in and improve water conservancy facilities, and about 130 million people in various countries cannot drink safe drinking water.
In order to raise money and solve the drinking water problem, they chose the simplest and most brutal way: sell water resources. Whoever has the money can do it.
Urban water resources and municipal facilities have been privatized. The government allows private water companies to participate in the sale of water and the construction of water purification facilities. It also supports private water companies through legislation and allows them to monopolize natural water resources and surrounding land and organisms.
Mexican law stipulates that companies engaged in water affairs or with large demands for water resources can seek private ownership of the aquatic territory and entire bioregions of rivers, lakes, and streams; and transfer the operation, use and contracting rights of dams and waterways on water resources to large companies.
In 1981, Chile promulgated the Water Code, which allowed water rights to be auctioned and used as collateral or guarantee. By 1991, 275 water rights transactions had taken place in central and northern Chile, and such transactions are still flourishing today.
There is no need for Zelman to explain the situation in Chile. If Chile had not promulgated the Water Code, Scarlett Mining Group would not have been able to develop lithium mines in Chile.
“Latin American governments and academic circles believe that clearly marking the price of water resources and transferring them to large foreign companies with higher technology and more advanced management can promote investment and development of water resources and reduce waste caused by lack of technology.
They firmly believe that private enterprises entering the public service sector can avoid corruption and operate more efficiently.
This is good news for us. Compared with the weak local capital, our financial strength will be much stronger and we can easily win in the competition. "
Brittany, a representative of the strategy team, said, "Please wait a moment. The privatization of water resources in Latin American countries is quite thorough. We know this, and other investors who are deeply involved in water affairs also know this. For example, in Mexico, General Water, Suez, and Thames have already developed there. They can be found in everything from bottled water to industrial water.
In addition, multinational companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Energia and Nestle also participate in controlling the bottled water market in Latin America. These companies and their subsidiaries obtain raw water at very low costs and can also obtain local subsidies with their own brands.
In order to increase their intimacy with the government and maintain their monopoly position in the long term, these capitals took advantage of the Latin American economic crisis and promised to help these countries obtain more international loans and debt relief.
In the foreseeable future, these capitals will use their influence in the international financial community to threaten Latin American countries to open up more of their domestic water resource markets, otherwise their international loans will be cut off.
Under such coercion and inducement, many Latin American countries will succumb, give up more water rights, and may even give up regulatory rights, allowing multinational water companies to use water resources, perhaps without having to pay any water fees, and even the initial property rights may be free.
What I envisioned is likely to become a reality. These investors, like us at Nanshi, are not lacking in public relations skills. It is relatively easy to do public relations with government officials in Latin America. "
Brittany looked sarcastic, "At the same time, they are also greedy. The capital entering Latin America must have one or more long-term huge expenditures in addition to the normal expenses of water operations.
Capital and power are combined, and the pursuit of profit has turned into extreme greed. After the initial efficient and transparent water resource development, the water companies entering Latin America will eventually show their sharp claws in the public domain. What will happen?
Water prices have soared; in order to save costs and obtain high profits, a large amount of untreated sewage has been allowed to seep into the underground aquifer, causing permanent pollution; groundwater has been developed to the limit, pollution has increased, and the groundwater level has dropped. If the situation is serious, there may even be a trend of urban sinking..."
"Brittany, do you mean that the capital entering Latin America will carry out predatory expansion there?" Nan Yi asked.
Brittany nodded, "Yes, extreme freedom will indulge extreme greed. Water contracts have a time limit. I believe the three major water companies have never thought about getting a chance to renew their contracts in Latin America. All they have to do is to get as much profit as possible in a limited time.
The profits will not stay in Latin America to improve the local water supply network; they will be used to pay high dividends and executive salaries and for global expansion.
The water situation in Latin America will deteriorate in a very short time. Public anger will be ignited, and protests against foreign capital's monopoly on local water affairs will occur one after another. Protesters will raise slogans to drive out international capital and bring back water affairs, which will eventually evolve into nationwide protests.
When protests occur, certain political forces in Latin America will take the opportunity to oppose neoliberalism, reduce social injustice, end the monopoly of water rights, and take back water rights from transnational capital, using this as an opportunity to achieve their highest status.”
Nan Yi: "OK, let's discuss your idea later, Zelman, you continue."
Zelman nodded and continued his previous thoughts, "Compared to Latin America, the UK has stricter controls, but there is a lot of room for investment. I suggest that Danshui invest in Thames Water to gain a certain say in the water supply in London and surrounding areas.
While China is introducing foreign investment, it also wants to introduce advanced management experience from abroad. Danshui Group has no production management experience in the field of tap water and has no advantage in competing with other water companies. I suggest that you first invest in a large water company and then enter China. "
After Zelman finished speaking, Vikram Pandit said, "I think we can add India. Since the 1980s, India has started to introduce pesticides and fertilizers to expand production, and after the 1990s, it began to introduce hybrid varieties..."
After Pandit's eyes swept across Nan Yi's face, he continued, "In particular, the pesticides and fertilizers of the Shiva Group and the Bombay Star cotton seeds have occupied most of the market in India. In the past, farmers used to select and keep seeds from the crops harvested in the previous year, but now most seeds have to be purchased from seed companies.
As the international prices of crops such as cotton have shown a downward trend in recent years, India, which is seeking to expand its agricultural exports, has criticized the agricultural protection policies of developed countries and strongly demanded the liberalization of agricultural trade.
During last year's Uruguay Round of negotiations, relevant countries reached an agreement on the developed countries abolishing agricultural protection policies. This agreement is theoretically beneficial to India, so New Delhi wants to learn from Western countries and turn agriculture into industrial agriculture dominated by large enterprises.
The reasons for doing so are driven by both domestic Indian capital and objective needs.
In recent decades, India has faced increasing water shortages, both in cities and rural areas, as the government-supplied water fails to meet rapidly rising demand, with a swelling population and expanding industry requiring more water every day.
In cities, water shortages are not only occurring in the slums of hundreds of cities across the country, but water supplies are also often unstable in middle-class urban residential areas.
In rural areas, basic agricultural irrigation cannot be met in many areas. This is due to the fact that water resources are controlled by landowners, as well as poor infrastructure and a lack of water storage dams.
In addition, India's water resource management methods are relatively backward. It cannot use sewers and wastewater recycling methods like other countries because India does not have wastewater treatment plants.
Both tap water supply and sewage treatment are urgently needed in India. If fresh water investment comes to India, I believe it will be welcomed.”
Nan Yi waved his hand and said, "Vikram, you know, I have been in India for quite a while, and I have visited the residential areas of wealthy upper castes, the residential areas of ordinary people, slums and villages.
As a foreigner, I understand India's series of problems much better than you, a native of India who grew up in a wealthy family, is one of the vested interests of the Indian system, and lived abroad for a long time after growing up.
As long as the Indian government does not effectively solve or curb the phenomenon of slum residents stealing electricity, it is not advisable to enter the people's livelihood field in India. If the water pipes are constantly dug up, the losses to be faced will definitely exceed that of electricity.
Moreover, as a private enterprise, I cannot imagine what should be done to bury the water pipes in a straight line in several more developed areas of India, such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, etc.
In addition, I personally do not think highly of the privatization of water services in India. Even if it is pushed through forcefully, how much will the water companies have to pay in the future to deal with the dozens or even hundreds of trade unions that keep popping up to cause trouble? "
There was no scene of humble apology or generous tolerance. The reason why a discussion meeting is called a discussion meeting is to give everyone the opportunity to speak freely, regardless of superiors or subordinates. Even Nan Yi does not have the privilege of having the final say. If there are different opinions, they can debate and clash, even with red faces and even swearing, as long as they don't engage in violence.
The meeting lasted about two hours and a rough result was reached - everyone agreed to invest in the UK, and that Freshwater Investment would come up with an investment plan as soon as possible; France, Hungary and the Czech Republic would first investigate and wait and see, and if there were investment opportunities, they would send people to do public relations; in principle, they would not enter the Latin American region, but would seek opportunities to acquire shares in the three major water companies.
At the same time, Danshui Group will establish a business line for reservoir and hydropower station construction. The next step is to enter the agricultural irrigation field while taking into account the power generation field.
…
The night is deep and the lights are coming on.
In front of the Jade Restaurant on Nathan Road, a car slowly stopped and a man and a woman got out. The doorman standing at the door noticed that the woman looked familiar and was slightly startled. He then opened the glass door and watched the two of them enter the restaurant.
"Why did you suddenly think of running so far to eat?" Nan Yi turned to look at Ruan Mei, and under the guidance of a waiter, went to the reserved seat.
Ruan Mei held Nan Yi's arm, tiptoed slightly and whispered in his ear: "I came here once with someone else, and I really like the taste here."
Nan Yi stopped and patted Ruan Mei's face with a smile, "Do you want to poach the chef?"
Ruan Mei looked at Nan Yi with sparkling eyes, her beautiful eyes were captivating.
She was wearing a light-colored lace double-breasted halter dress today, which pushed her chest up high. From Nan Yi's perspective, he could just see that he was having a hard night tonight.
Nan Yi cursed inwardly "fox spirit" and withdrew his gaze, then continued walking forward.
When they arrived at their seats, they sat down separately. When Ruan Mei called the waiter to take their order, Nan Yi turned his head and looked out the window.
A little further along Nathan Road is Yau Ma Tei, which is often mentioned in Hong Kong films. In the past, this area has always been a gathering place for social groups and a tug-of-war zone for various factions fighting for territory.
In the 1960s, a large number of refugees entered Hong Kong from the mainland. It was impossible for them to directly integrate into the mainstream society of Hong Kong like those wealthy and powerful people. Most of them could only live in shanties in the area from Nathan Road to Yau Ma Tei. The arrival of these people made the composition of the residents in this area more complicated and the competition for survival more severe.
With the rapid economic development, Nathan Road and Yau Ma Tei began to prosper and became the central area of Kowloon. However, relatively speaking, compared with the Hong Kong Island across the street, it is still a grassroots residence.
Nowadays, when many people in Hong Kong mention Yau Ma Tei, they still use the word "complex trade flow" to describe it.
However, many film and television stars have come out of this area, and their stories have become inspirational role models for young people stranded in this area.
After Ruan Mei ordered the dishes, she handed the menu back to the waiter and looked at Nan Yi who was looking at the scenery. "Are you leaving tomorrow?"
Nan Yi said without turning his head: "If nothing unexpected happens, we should cross the border the day after tomorrow morning. I will stay in Shencun for two or three days. If you are willing, you can go with me."
"Okay, I'm not busy these days."
Nan Yi turned around and was about to speak when he saw a little girl coming over with a plate.
"Sir, Miss, your dishes."
Nan Yi's gaze stayed on the little girl's face for a while, and he quickly figured out her name, and also the names of her future husband and lover. Unfortunately, after figuring out the names of the fathers of the two children, he failed to figure out who the father of the third child was.
This unusual acquaintance aroused Nan Yi's interest.
"Pretty girl, what's your name?"
The little girl raised her head and looked at Nan Yi carefully. When she found that she didn't recognize him, she glanced at Ruan Mei, and then her eyes suddenly widened.
"Who are you……"
Nan Yi made a gesture to keep quiet, and the little sister hurriedly covered her mouth and swallowed the word "Ruan Mei" forcefully.
Ruan Mei has acted in TV dramas, released songs, and often interacted with celebrities. She is not well-known in Xianggang, but there are still many people who know her. This is why Nan Yi doesn't often go out with Ruan Mei.
Nan Yi pointed at Ruan Mei and asked, "Why, do you know her?"
The little girl looked at Nan Yi, then at Ruan Mei, and nodded.
"You know her, but we don't know you. You're at a disadvantage." Nan Yi smiled faintly.
The little sister then remembered that she had not answered Nan Yi's initial question, and she quickly replied: "Sir, Miss Ruan, my name is Zhang Baizhi!"
The voice was crisp, and there was no trace of nervousness in the tone. Nan Yi sniffed the faint smell of smoke in the air, and knew that although the other party was young, he was an old hand.
"Oh, Zhang Baizhi, that's a nice name."
Zhang Baizhi was about to reply when he saw the restaurant's foreman approaching.
"I'm sorry, sir and miss. Our waiter is ignorant and has disturbed you for so long. I'm very sorry!" The foreman bowed and apologized, then turned around and glared at Zhang Baizhi: "What are you still standing here for? Did the restaurant invite you to come and chat with the guests?"
Although Zhang Baizhi expressed disdain for the foreman's words, he still lowered his head and left obediently.
Ruan Mei felt sorry for Zhang Baizhi and couldn't help but think of her past. When she was this old, she was working part-time as a piano teacher to earn money to supplement the family income. If she hadn't met Nan Yi and Nan Ruoyin and hadn't had a relatively stable income, her part-time career would not have been so easy. For a moment, she felt a little sympathetic.
"She is so young, how can you let her come to work?"
The foreman explained, "Miss, you misunderstood. We didn't ask her to come here. She took the initiative to apply for the job. If it weren't for her pity, the boss wouldn't have agreed."
Ruan Mei took out a 100-dollar Hong Kong dollar note from her wallet and handed it to the foreman. "We were the ones who took the initiative to talk to her just now. Please don't embarrass her."
The foreman accepted the tip and agreed readily.
At this moment, a middle-aged man and a young man broke into the restaurant and ran straight towards Zhang Baizhi who was heading to the kitchen. After intercepting him, they grabbed Zhang Baizhi's arm and asked loudly, "Where is Huxu Yongren? Take us to see him immediately."
"Don't ask me, I don't know."
Zhang Baizhi tried desperately to break free from the opponent's grip, but he was too small and not strong enough to break free.
This farce attracted the attention of all the guests in the restaurant. Many of them frowned. The head waiter saw that something was wrong and ran over in a hurry.
"Gentlemen, have you come to the wrong place?"
The middle-aged man saw a nosy person appearing, so he grabbed the foreman by the collar and said viciously: "Debt collector, it's none of your business, get out of my way."
The foreman heard this and saw a tattoo on the man's open collar. He immediately felt a headache, but he did not give up persuading him, "Sir, please calm down, or we will call 999. "
"You want to scare me with the police?" The middle-aged man's eyes flashed with ferocity, and he threatened: "If you want your restaurant to be smashed and you want people to hack you when you go out, just call the police."
When the foreman heard that the other party was not only not scared, but also threatened her, her face turned pale. She knew that the other party was not a small fry, and she quickly said in a humble manner, "We don't have a person named Hu Xuyong here."
The middle-aged man let go of the foreman's collar, pushed him away, and tugged at Zhang Baizhi who was restrained with his other hand, "Listen carefully, Hu Xuyong is her father. If he doesn't show up today, I will send his daughter to the stable to pick up customers, and then send her to make pornographic films until the debt is paid off."
Zhang Baizhi struggled desperately, crying, "Let me go, I really don't know where my dad is, I haven't seen him for a week!"
The middle-aged man was unmoved, dragging Zhang Baizhi out, cursing, "Shut up, if you don't see Hu Xuyong today, you'll have to go to Malan."
The guests in the restaurant were all whispering, and many sympathized with Zhang Baizhi, but no one was willing to step forward.
Ruan Mei couldn't bear to watch it any longer, so she whispered to Nan Yi, "Should we help her?"
Nan Yi retracted his gaze from watching the show, "I can tell at a glance that this girl is a little gangster, and her father owes a loan shark. Do you really want to help her?"
Ruan Mei nodded seriously.
"All right."
Nan Yi raised his left hand. Seeing this, the tiger cub at the table behind him immediately walked up to Nan Yi and leaned over.
"Try to mention Gregory's name."
"clear."
The tiger cub nodded and walked towards the middle-aged man, not hurriedly, until the middle-aged man and his two companions left the restaurant. Then he quickened his pace and stopped him outside the restaurant, "Let's chat for a while."
The middle-aged man glanced at the tiger cub and said arrogantly: "If you don't know Hu Xuyong, get out of the way."
The tiger cub was not annoyed by the other party's attitude, but asked calmly: "Is it Guili Gao's men?"
Hearing the word "Gui Li Gao", the middle-aged man was just slightly startled, and then he continued arrogantly: "You want to scare me with Gui Li Gao? Let him come by himself and see if I will chop him down."
When the tiger cub heard this, he knew that the other party had nothing to do with Guiligo. If he couldn't mention him, he would try something more elegant. He unbuttoned his suit and opened his collar to reveal the gun holster under his left armpit. "You don't give face to Guiligo, so will you give face to it?"
"Here, I admit defeat."
The middle-aged man retracted his dilated pupils, let go of Zhang Baizhi's hand, and left with the young man in a very single manner.
At first, their steps were slow, but after walking three or four meters, it was as if they were on a hot wheel. With a whoosh, the two people left two afterimages, turned into a fork and disappeared.
Seeing the two people disappear, Tiger Cub buttoned up his suit, nodded to Zhang Baizhi, then turned and left, leaving Zhang Baizhi still in shock and confusion.
In the restaurant, Nan Yi retracted his gaze, turned to Ruan Mei and said, "It's done."
"Thank you, boy. I know you don't like to meddle in other people's business."
"Haha, what you said shows that you are the only one who has sympathy, I don't." Nan Yi smiled and shook his head, "It's not that I don't like to meddle in other people's business, I just don't like to meddle in other people's business like loan sharking. Loan sharking may not be legal, but it is reasonable most of the time. There are a few loan sharks who don't know the interest rates, are not afraid of death when borrowing, and pretend to be innocent when they can't pay it back. Such people don't deserve sympathy."
"It's not like she borrowed it. If anyone is to blame, then we can only blame that Hu Xuyong."
"Okay, the food is getting cold, let's eat."
