Chapter 1228: Investing in the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station

'Secretary Liu, long time no see!'

'Mr. Xia, it really has been a long time!'

'So, did you have a good time on this trip?'

'Of course I am happy. You can't appreciate so many magnificent and spectacular scenic spots in Xiangjiang. This trip has been a cleansing for my whole soul!'

'Haha... As long as Mr. Xia is happy, the land of China has countless scenic spots left over from thousands of years. If you have the opportunity to visit again next time, there are many treasures in Guangdong Province. If you are interested, I will accompany you...'

'...'

After chatting with Liu Zhongfei for a while, Xia Yu exchanged a few words with Li Bin, and then the group walked towards the courtyard and arrived at Liu Zhongfei's living room.

After the secretary made tea, she was sent away by Liu Zhongfei.

In the living room, only Liu Zhongfei, Li Bin, Xia Yu and Luo Yunfei were left.

'Mr Xia, Mr Luo, please have some tea!'

'Okay, thanks!'

'Mr Xia, what are your impressions of this visit to Guangdong and Shenzhen?'

Liu Zhongfei asked with a kind smile.

Guangdong Province, and Shenzhen in particular, is changing by the day. It's been two and a half years since 1980, and he has witnessed the changes.

But he also wants to hear Xia Yu's views. After all, apart from the policies, the biggest contribution to the changes in Shenzhen and Guangdong Province has come from Hong Kong businessmen.

And as the biggest leader among Hong Kong businessmen, any of Xia Yu's opinions are worthy of Liu Zhongfei's attention and improvement, so that Pengcheng and Guangdong Province can become better and the effectiveness of reform can be accelerated.

Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth!

Only by achieving results can we silence the opposition and provide the strongest support for their side!

Xia Yu's gaze flickered over Liu Zhongfei and Li Bin for a moment, before he gently set down his teacup and said after a moment's thought: 'Secretary Liu, Guangdong Province has undergone great changes, especially in terms of various infrastructure projects. I haven't looked into other aspects and regions, so I won't speak too much about them. I'll just talk about Pengcheng.'

'Pengcheng is developing rapidly and is currently in the midst of a construction boom. However, behind this, there are huge hidden worries. In fact, there are already signs of this now, and it will become completely apparent in the next two years!'

As soon as Xia Yu finished speaking, the faces of Liu Zhongfei and Li Bin changed.

In particular, Li Bin, the head of Pengcheng, looked very serious and hurriedly asked, 'Mr Xia, I'm not sure what hidden worries you're referring to?'

'There are quite a few, and they involve a wide range of areas,'

Xia Yu spoke softly, but it sounded like thunder in Liu Zhongfei and Li Bin's ears.

'Mr Xia, please give us some pointers!'

Liu Zhongfei said to Xia Yu with a serious face.

'I don't dare to give pointers, so I'll just say a few words,'

Xia Yu cleared his throat and spoke his thoughts, which he had organised in his mind.

'The first point is the most obvious and most urgently needed solution, and that is the issue of public security.

'I've heard that the unemployed now account for more than 10% of the population. These people are all unstable factors, causing crime rates to surge in all regions. From a business perspective, a peaceful and stable law and order environment is a very important part of the business environment. If this problem is not solved, the impact on economic development is only secondary. The most important thing is that it will affect the deterrent effect of the ruling system, which will undermine the foundation.'

Liu Zhongfei nodded in agreement. He was standing in a very high position and was the leader of Guangdong Province, so naturally he could understand that what Xia Yu had said was the real situation, and he even knew what Xia Yu hadn't said.

'Mr. Xia, please be assured, the higher-ups are already considering this issue, and there will be action soon. You will definitely be able to see our determination to govern the country.'

'The country that the people of the whole country have built through the fire and gunfire absolutely cannot tolerate a group of evil forces destroying it!'

A murderous gleam flashed in Liu Zhongfei's eyes, and the aura of a warrior who had fought through the war years radiated from his elderly body. At this moment, he did not look like an amiable old man at all.

Xia Yu, who had memories of a previous life, of course knew what Liu Zhongfei was referring to. He nodded with a faint smile and said, 'I look forward to it!'

Then he continued,

'The second point is the construction of infrastructure. Guangdong Province still has a huge deficit in this area. It may not be an issue for the time being, but if we don't plan ahead, it will have a huge impact on reform.'

'Roads and bridges are under construction, and there have been significant improvements in transportation, so there is no problem there. The key issue is the construction of the power supply network. If Guangdong Province wants to develop industry, it must have a strong and stable power supply!'

Li Bin nodded in agreement, saying with emotion, 'Mr Xia, you have also hit the nail on the head. Industry consumes a lot of electricity, so we really need to plan ahead.'

'We have a plan for this, but it has not yet been implemented, and there are still some issues that need to be resolved.'

After saying this, Li Bin looked at Liu Zhongfei.

Liu Zhongfei said to Xia Yu, 'Mr Xia, as you may have heard, at the end of last year, it was officially confirmed that a commercial nuclear power plant would be built in Guangdong Province. The name has also been decided, and it will be called the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant. The site has been approved.'

'However, there are still unresolved issues regarding the investment and technology involved in construction.'

Xia Yu smiled and said, 'I know that there are indeed many problems with the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant project. I have a suggestion here that you might like to hear, Secretary Liu.'

'Please go ahead, Mr Xia!'

Liu Zhongfei made a gesture of invitation and leaned slightly forward in a listening position.

'The construction of the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station involved an investment of up to 4 to 5 billion US dollars, and a lot of it was in foreign exchange. The technology also required mature technology from Europe and the United States, and there were many problems in the negotiations.'

'And I also know that the power supply from the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station was considered for Xiangjiang. Although Xiangjiang now has large-scale new power plants being built by Xiangjiang Electric Light Company and China Power Limited to increase power generation, if there is cheaper nuclear power on the mainland side, Xiangjiang can make adjustments.'

'How about this: I will ask China Light Power Company Limited or Hongkong Electric Company Limited to cooperate with Guangdong Province to jointly invest in the construction of the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station. The funds will be contributed in proportion, and I will be responsible for liaising with regard to the technical aspects. There should be a quick result, which can speed up the construction and commissioning of the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station.'

After Xia Yu finished speaking, he looked at Liu Zhongfei with a smile.

Liu Zhongfei lowered his eyebrows and pondered.

An investment of four to five billion US dollars is indeed a huge burden for the mainland. At least two-thirds of it needs to be used to import foreign equipment and technology, which is destined to use precious US dollars in foreign exchange, which is currently in short supply in the mainland. Foreign exchange is needed everywhere, and every province, city, major department and state-owned enterprise has to fight for their foreign exchange quotas, and every time they do, they have to fight like dogs.

It is difficult for them to get foreign exchange, but if Xia Yu is brought in, they won't have to worry about foreign exchange at all. Xia Yu can easily solve this problem, which will greatly reduce the burden on Guangdong Province and the mainland.

In addition to funding issues, technology is also another key point.

Commercial nuclear power plants exist in many countries such as the UK, France and the United States. It is necessary to compare each country's technology and cost-effectiveness.

More importantly, the mainland is not free to choose as it wishes, as it also depends on whether they agree to help the mainland build the plant and whether they will rip the mainland off. And even if they agree, there is the question of whether they will harbour hidden malice.

All these issues must be considered.

But if Xia Yu can be brought in, then these issues can also be left to Xia Yu to deal with. Xia Yu has invested in the project and will definitely pay attention to it.

In terms of business, Liu Zhongfei knows that the mainland is no match for Xia Yu.

Furthermore, he was also aware of Xia Yu's enormous influence in the UK, France, the United States and other countries, and that Xia Yu was a guest of honour at the table of the heads of state of various countries. If Xia Yu were to step in, many problems would no longer be problems!

No matter how you think about it, cooperating with Xia Yu on the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station is an excellent choice.

Moreover, China Light & Power Company Limited and Hong Kong Electric Company Limited are both controlled by Xia Yu behind the scenes, and he also has the strength and qualifications to cooperate with the mainland.

Thinking about this, Liu Zhongfei did not hesitate for long, and made up his mind. He said solemnly to Xia Yu, 'Mr Xia, I personally very much agree with your suggestion, but I need to report it to the higher-ups first and see what they think about it. I will get back to you then.'

Xia Yu nodded with a smile and said, 'I understand. This procedure is definitely necessary. We'll see what the higher-ups say.'