Chapter 2008

The door to the venue opened, and a few more people entered. Walking in front was actually Young Master Pu, wearing a white suit and white leather shoes, always as flamboyant as ever.

Zhou Andong only nodded slightly at Pu Pu Zhenrong and the others, then his expression became serious. The reporters below also sensed the change in atmosphere and gradually quieted down.

"In 1949, at the suggestion of the United States, a multilateral export control coordinating committee was secretly established with some Western European countries. Because its headquarters was in Paris, it was called the Paris Coordinating Committee, or COCOM for short.

This was an organization led by the United States with the participation of various EU countries to control the export of military technology. It was a national organization specifically aimed at implementing embargoes and trade restrictions against socialist countries. In 1952, COCOM officially established a China Committee, which was the executive agency specifically aimed at implementing embargoes against us.

Just on July 23rd of last year, the United States, citing intelligence, accused the Chinese cargo ship Yinhe of transporting raw materials for chemical weapons to Iran and threatened to impose sanctions on our country, shutting down the GPS navigation system and causing the Yinhe cargo ship to be unable to navigate normally.

At the same time, the United States dispatched two warships and five helicopters to the international waters where the Yinhe was located. The Yinhe was detained for as long as three weeks.

On September 4th, the last cargo container on the Yinhe cargo ship was inspected, and no chemical weapons were found. The Yinhe was forced to suspend normal shipping for 33 days.

In the end, the truth came out; everything was just a farce in which the United States forcibly violated our country's sovereignty based on a vague piece of information. The United States, which should have been the party at fault, neither offered a formal apology nor made any compensation, and we could only swallow our pride..."

The reporters below were all full of confusion. Of course, they knew about these things, but even the country was helpless and could only endure it with grievance. What was Zhou Andong's intention in saying these things at a press conference?

Reporter Guan Reporter Guan Shengjie and Du Du Youwei looked at each other. Although they didn't know Zhou Andong's intention either, they knew him too well; since he brought these up at a press conference, it definitely wasn't without purpose.

As for Young Master Pu and the others, they were listening as if it were just a story, with it going in one ear and out the other. If they were asked to think about deeper things, their already limited brain cells would likely be killed, eventually turning them into idiots.

"Just a short while ago, our country's application to join the US International Space Station program was rejected on the grounds of preventing the leakage of technical secrets. When I saw this news, my heart could not be calm for a long time.

'The sky is high and the earth is vast; the universe is infinite.' This is a wise saying left to us by our ancestors, and it still rings loud and clear today. Ever since humans first looked up at the starry sky, our curiosity and longing for the unknown world have been as brilliant and endless as the stars.

Our predecessors used their wisdom and courage to write brilliant chapters of history, and these stories also inspire us to keep moving forward.

Looking back at the past, every feat of 'Tiangong Kaiwu' (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature) was a spark of Chinese wisdom shining in the darkness. From the launch of the first short-range missile to the successful explosion of the two bombs, and then to our country's first Earth satellite, Dong Fang Hong I, flying from the Gobi Desert to the nine heavens—these are all brand-new chapters in China's scientific and technological cause."

The venue was very quiet. Pairs of eyes were all looking at Zhou Andong, but they were even more confused.

"Thinking back to those years, when New China was just founded, everything was waiting to be done, and we were poor and blank. Externally, the great powers were eyeing us covetously; internally, the people's lives were miserable, and the whole country had almost no industrial foundation to speak of.

However, our predecessors, those great scientific researchers, did not wallow in self-pity because of the lack of technology. Instead, they concentrated limited resources, forged ahead, overcame numerous difficulties, and created one milestone after another.

They have been forging ahead on the road to climbing the peaks of science and technology, demonstrating unparalleled Chinese spirit and Chinese strength. Relying on firm belief and tenacious perseverance, they overcame countless difficulties and challenges, constantly created miracles, and achieved breakthroughs from nothing.

They even forged the scientific research spirit of 'being especially able to endure hardship, especially able to fight, especially able to tackle key problems, and especially able to contribute' with their unique noble realm, tenacious will, and excellent wisdom.

Every leap is a perfect interpretation of 'Tiangong Kaiwu'. This spirit is not only reflected in scientific and technological innovation but also in our firm confidence and determination for the future.

Therefore, I believe that even if the United States refuses to let us join the International Space Station program, with our own strength, we can also make our own space station float in the vast universe.

Just as the ancients said: 'As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should unremittingly practice self-improvement. As the earth's condition is receptive devotion, a gentleman should hold the outer world with broad virtue.' When one day we look up at the starry sky, Chinese aerospace will definitely make the galaxy in the night sky even more brilliant."

Quiet. The venue was excessively quiet; one could even hear breathing and heartbeats. Those pairs of eyes, originally clear and shrewd, were now full of confusion.

You, Zhou Andong, held a press conference, giving away fountain pens and watches, making such a big scene, just to tell us these things?

"The family is the smallest country, and the country is the largest family. The family is the foundation of the country, and the country is the extension of the family. The greatest thing in being a person is knowing how to be patriotic.

"The family is the smallest country, and the country is the largest family. The family is the foundation of the country, and the country is the extension of the family. The greatest thing in being a person is knowing how to be patriotic.

I have always emphasized that as an entrepreneur, one must build a socially responsible enterprise. I also firmly believe that while making an enterprise strong and large, sharing the country's worries, taking responsibility for the industry, and contributing to society is its ultimate destination.

Therefore, the moment I saw the United States refuse to let the country join the International Space Station program, I decided to donate one billion US dollars to the National Aerospace Research Institute in my own name."

Zhou Andong's voice was not loud, but it shocked everyone present and deeply touched their hearts.

The venue remained silent; time seemed to have stopped. Everyone was open-mouthed, staring with wide eyes.

One billion US dollars—what is this concept?

In March of this year, the second Forbes China Rich List, the Liu brothers were still ranked first with 600 million yuan.

One billion US dollars, converted into RMB, is 7.6 billion. And the entire net worth of the richest person is just a fraction of Zhou Andong's single donation.

Last year, Zhou Andong donated 20 million US dollars to the Central Academy of Fine Arts. At that time, the shock in their hearts still had ripples long after.

But they never expected that in less than a year, Zhou Andong would donate nearly 10 billion again.

At this moment, Zhou Andong's image became tall; he was no longer an ordinary entrepreneur, but a hero with patriotic feelings.

He used practical actions to interpret what true patriotism is and what selfless dedication to the motherland is.