Chapter 382

Watching Gu Ming's expression, Huang Xinhai also understood in his heart. The Torch Group's establishment of the Lighter Import and Export Association, with its first act being to respond to Old Europe's anti-dumping investigation against domestic lighters, was a huge shock to the entire lighter industry.

Huang Xinhai didn't know what the reactions of other lighter companies were at this moment, but he estimated they were not much different from Gu Ming's.

One must know that before this, many domestic industries had faced anti-dumping investigations in America, Old Europe, and other places, and more industries and companies would face such trouble in the future.

It wasn't just the lighter industry; other industries like flooring, ceramics, steel plates, glass, photovoltaics, and many others would face such lawsuits in the future, or even be targeted.

In reality, this was because companies in Old Europe and America couldn't play the game anymore. Just like in the lighter industry, a host of lighter manufacturers like Zippo, Colibri, and Bic were beaten into a rout and had no choice but to use underhanded tactics, lobbying Capitol Hill to suppress domestic lighter manufacturers.

But before this, many domestic industries and companies, even when targeted, didn't dare to respond to lawsuits, let alone countersue. This time, the Torch Group had almost set a precedent, being the first to dare to draw their swords against the industries of America and Old Europe. The magnitude of the shock it set off can be imagined!

In fact, the media outside had already turned completely upside down. If the media's coverage of the Torch Group yesterday when it appeared on the News Broadcast was just standard,

then when the Torch Group announced it would respond to Old Europe's anti-dumping investigation against domestic lighters, it directly caused public opinion to explode!

Major domestic newspapers and magazines like the International Business Daily, the Economic Daily, the Entrepreneur Daily, the China Youth Daily, the Yangcheng Evening News, and the Southern Weekly all reported on this matter at the first opportunity.

And other media had even greater debates about this matter. There were those excited by it: if the Torch Group could lead the Lighter Import and Export Association to win this lawsuit, it could set an example for other industries and companies overseas that were subject to anti-dumping investigations, and they could also cope with these targeting tactics in the future.

However, what kind of atmosphere was this? It was an era where foreign companies, foreign culture, and foreign films were raging in the country.

After the Torch Group issued these statements, some people immediately jumped out to pour cold water, believing that the Torch Group was purely seeking fame and that doing these things was fundamentally futile; it was impossible to win this lawsuit...

"I think the Torch Group is simply too impatient. The rules of the global lighter industry today were established by American and European companies over decades. How could they be replaced by the Torch Group, which has only just been established?"

On an economic program on a Shanghai television station, the guest invited into the studio sighed endlessly, as if the Torch Group had already been thoroughly defeated.

"Does Professor Huang believe that the Torch Group cannot win this lawsuit?"

Seeing this, the television program host asked Huang Gaoqun, who taught foreign trade economics courses at a certain university.

Huang Gaoqun sighed repeatedly, "Up to now, I have served as a foreign trade consultant for hundreds of companies, guiding their foreign trade export businesses and cooperation with overseas companies, etc.

The current rules of overseas industries are basically formulated by foreign companies. I believe that domestic companies should still abide by these rules. Only by abiding by these rules can domestic companies develop overseas and get orders!"

"What the Torch Group should do is reach a settlement and compensation with the European Lighter Manufacturers Association, which is suing the domestic lighter industry, as soon as possible, and strive for the other party's understanding. Only then can they avoid being completely driven out of the Old European market!"

Huang Gaoqun's meaning was very clear: the lawsuit could not be won at all, and there had never been such a precedent in the country before.

Only if the Torch Group led the domestic lighter industry to bow their heads, admit defeat, apologize, and accept the conditions proposed by the other party could they survive.

Hearing Huang Gaoqun's remarks, Gu Dayang, a law professor at a university who had also been invited as a guest and was sitting opposite him, couldn't help but ask Huang Gaoqun.

"Then may I ask Professor Huang, if you cede ten cities today and five cities tomorrow, what happens if the other party doesn't stop after the cities are all ceded?"

Gu Dayang had been invited today to explain the legal issues that might be encountered in this lawsuit between the Torch Group and the European Lighter Manufacturers Association on the program.

But he didn't expect that as soon as he sat down, he would hear Huang Gaoqun's remarks telling the Torch Group to kneel directly, which finally made Gu Dayang unable to hold back.

Hearing Gu Dayang's words, Huang Gaoqun raised his eyebrows and couldn't help but frown, saying, "Professor Gu, is it? How many foreign companies have you dealt with, and how many lawsuits have you fought in overseas courts? Do you know how much money it costs to fight a lawsuit? If you lose, how much foreign exchange will be lost, and how many people will lose their jobs?!"

Gu Dayang said in a deep voice, "I haven't dealt with too many overseas companies, but I believe that the Lighter Import and Export Association needs to fight this lawsuit!"

"If this lawsuit isn't fought now, it will have to be fought later, and the losses might be even greater in the future. The Torch Group is setting an example for other domestic industries going overseas this time. Regardless of winning or losing, it has important significance for domestic companies overseas. Some tuition fees not paid now might have to be paid more later, or there might not even be an opportunity to attend school!"

"Moreover, this time, the Torch Group may not necessarily have zero chance of winning!"

Hearing Gu Dayang's words, the program host's eyes lit up immediately. She wanted the program effect; the tit-for-tat between Gu Dayang and Huang Gaoqun just now had already boosted the ratings by a significant margin.

"Does Professor Gu believe where the Torch Group's chance of winning lies?"

Huang Gaoqun shook his head repeatedly, looking at Gu Dayang, only thinking that Gu Dayang was doing this to seek fame. "I also want to hear Professor Gu's brilliant insights!"

Gu Dayang took out the materials he had prepared in advance. "Because of time constraints, my preparation is not sufficient, but I already have some ideas!"

"Anti-dumping is not something to be feared like a tiger. To a certain extent, it represents that the technical strength and product quality of products in some of our industries and companies are already on par with or even exceed those of overseas industries!

To maintain their advantages locally, the other party's companies have to use some special competitive means, such as high tariffs, fines, and sales bans, to maintain their sales and advantages locally!

Anti-dumping is a private lawsuit case. The one suing domestic lighters is the European Lighter Manufacturers Association, led by lighter companies like Bic and S. T. Dupont!

As long as they respond to the lawsuit, the Torch Group has a certain chance of winning. This lawsuit might last for a long time. As long as the Torch Group has not infringed on Bic's patents and can prove that the Torch Group's disposable lighters are completely different products from the refillable lighters of companies like Bic, then the Torch Group has a chance to win the lawsuit!"

Hearing Gu Dayang's words, Huang Gaoqun snorted coldly, "Is it that easy to fight a lawsuit with overseas companies? Then, Professor Gu, are you willing to fight this lawsuit for the Torch Group?"

This was almost a checkmate. Gu Dayang had just said a lot; if he didn't dare to go and help the Torch Group fight the lawsuit, then what he just said was all just empty talk.

Gu Dayang gritted his teeth, "If the Torch Group needs it, I am willing to join the Torch Group's anti-dumping legal team!"

Hearing this, Huang Gaoqun applauded, "I look forward to hearing the day Professor Gu returns in triumph. If Professor Gu truly wins this lawsuit, I will personally donate 500,000 yuan to Professor Gu to commend his contribution to the domestic foreign trade industry!

In addition, I will also personally apologize to Professor Gu. It was my shallow understanding. But if you don't win the lawsuit, when Professor Gu returns, it shouldn't be difficult to admit your mistake in front of everyone, right?!"

Huang Gaoqun didn't believe at all that Gu Dayang could win this lawsuit, or even that there was a shred of a chance of winning. He dared to propose these conditions because he believed he was definitely going to win.

"There's no need to donate to me. It's better to give the money to the law students at our university. Regardless of whether the lawsuit is won or lost, I will come here again!" Gu Dayang also agreed, but compared to the smiling Huang Gaoqun, his expression looked very solemn.

The Torch Group was busy at this moment. The entrance was lined with vehicles waiting to load goods. Production lines were constantly being added, and personnel were constantly being recruited, all to increase production capacity.

Coupled with the fact that the Lighter Import and Export Association had just been established, the entire Torch Group was busy to the point of madness at this moment.

(End of chapter)