Chapter 1033: Hackett has arrived

Hackett led the World Bank's China office inspection team and arrived in Shangjun County around 11:00 a. m. on the 17th. County Magistrate Tian Xiaopeng led the relevant personnel participating in the reception work and waited in the eastern suburbs of Shangjun County to welcome the inspection team.

The inspection team was composed of eight people, including Hackett and his secretary Su Shanna. The rest were several traffic construction experts, supervision experts, and an interpreter.

Although Hackett and Su Shanna could both speak fluent Chinese, the Chinese listening and speaking ability of those experts was very average, so an interpreter was still needed.

Seeing the two cars of the inspection team stop, Tian Xiaopeng stood at the front of the welcoming crowd with a smile on his face. Under Su Xinghui's introduction, he reached out his hand to Hackett, but unexpectedly, Hackett shook his hand perfunctorily and then bypassed him, reaching out both hands to Su Xinghui behind him, saying, "Hi, Su, very happy to see you again!"

Su Xinghui also smiled and reached out both hands, hugging Hackett tightly, "Mr. Hackett, I am also very happy to see you again!"

Seeing this scene, one didn't know what Tian Xiaopeng was feeling, but he still naturally shook hands with all the members of the inspection team one by one, and then invited them to get into the cars and drive toward the county government.

Arriving at the county government, Tian Xiaopeng invited the inspection team into the conference room, and everyone discussed the relevant matters of the inspection project. Su Xinghui then drove a car to Zhuangyuan Lane to pick up Hou Guangbi.

Hou Guangbi was very trustworthy. He waited in his old residence. As soon as Su Xinghui went, he picked him up and drove to the county government again, arriving at the conference room in just a few minutes.

Su Xinghui introduced to Hackett, "This is Mr. Hou Guangbi, the chairman of the French Hou Group."

As soon as Hackett heard this, he stood up and respectfully reached out his hand to Hou Guangbi, saying, "Respected Mr. Hou, hello! I am Jim Hackett, you can call me Jimmy, very happy to see you."

For the great names of the French Hou Group and Hou Guangbi, Hackett had of course long admired them. In fact, Hou Guangbi had a very good relationship with Hackett's superior at the World Bank headquarters. This time, it was Hou Guangbi who called his superior, and his superior then called him, which was why he could chat so well with Su Xinghui and why he had this trip to Shangjun so quickly.

Now that he saw Hou Guangbi in person, Hackett showed his respect at the right time to this old man who managed huge wealth of billions of dollars.

Hou Guangbi shook hands with Hackett and said, "Jimmy, hello, I am Hou Guangbi, you can call me by my French name, Henri. Very happy to see you."

Hou Guangbi was usually very easygoing with everyone in Shangjun County. Besides his elegant temperament, his dress and appearance were similar to an ordinary old man, and he didn't look like a big shot at all. However, at this moment in front of Hackett, he showed a strong aura, and he was wearing a very formal suit today, and a trace of majesty appeared on his face, making people afraid to be presumptuous in front of him.

After the two exchanged pleasantries, everyone sat down again. Tian Xiaopeng said, "Mr. Hackett, it is almost lunch time now. After we have lunch, you can rest for a while, and we will go to Pengjiawan Township tomorrow to see the site selection for this Changjiangdaqiao project."

Hackett shook his head, "No, no, no, we will go after lunch."

Tian Xiaopeng said in surprise, "There is no need to be so anxious, right? You have come from afar and must be very tired. It won't be too late to rest for half a day before going."

Hackett said, "We can only stay in Shangjun County for three days this time, so there is no extra time to rest. We must seize the time to inspect this project. After the inspection is finished, we will have to go to Newhe County on the opposite bank to conduct an inspection. County Magistrate Tian doesn't need to worry. We are already very accustomed to this rhythm. Your place is not considered anything. That year when the Chuan-Yu Expressway was built, the environment was even more harsh."

Tian Xiaopeng was also somewhat surprised by the work rhythm of foreigners. However, since Hackett had already said so, he could only nod and say, "Then fine, then we will go to Pengjiawan Township after lunch."

The county government arranged sumptuous dishes at the guesthouse at noon and also prepared wine. However, the people from the World Bank were very rigorous in their work style and didn't touch a drop of alcohol at all. They finished their meal at a very fast speed, which forced the relevant personnel of the Shangjun County government to speed up their own rhythm. After finishing the meal, they rushed to Pengjiawan Township together.

Hackett invited Hou Guangbi and Su Xinghui to sit in his car. After getting in the car, he asked Hou Guangbi, "Old Gentleman Hou, may I ask if the Hou Group will also invest in this project?"

Hou Guangbi nodded, "Yes, the Hou Group will also invest 15 million US dollars to jointly establish a Shang-Xin Changjiangdaqiao Management Company with the Shangjun County government and the Newhe County government. After the Changjiangdaqiao is built, it will charge passing vehicles to repay your bank's loan and the Hou Group's investment."

Hackett smiled, "So to speak, Old Gentleman Hou has great confidence in the prospects of this Changjiangdaqiao?"

Hou Guangbi nodded, "Over the years, the Hou Group has had many investment projects, and there are not many that don't make money. Since we have invested 15 million US dollars in this Changjiangdaqiao, it of course proves that we have absolute confidence in this Changjiangdaqiao!"

Su Xinghui smiled, "It should be said that Old Gentleman Hou has absolute confidence in the economy of Shangjun County. Mr. Hackett, you might not know yet that besides investing 15 million US dollars in this Changjiangdaqiao, the Hou Group is also investing 10 million US dollars in the first phase in Pengjiawan Township to establish an electrical appliance factory."

Hackett said in surprise, "Is that so? This is a big move!"

Hou Guangbi smiled, "Jimmy, I believe that before you came to Shangjun County, you also did some homework on the economic trend of Shangjun County. The economic development speed of Shangjun County in these few years can be said to be amazing. Even for me, I haven't seen a region with such rapid economic development in so many years. Think about it, if a Changjiangdaqiao and an expressway are built here, what will the economic prospects here be like?"

Hackett had of course done detailed homework on the economic development of Shangjun County in these few years. The average annual GDP growth rate of Shangjun County in these few years had reached over 30 percent, almost reaching three times the average annual GDP growth rate of China.

And China's average annual GDP growth rate is the fastest in the world. Hackett was very clear about this. In the few years he had worked at the World Bank's China office, he didn't know how many infrastructure loans he had handled and released in China, and the World Bank's business around the world was also the most active and highest-yielding in the China region, which made Hackett's status within the World Bank higher and higher.

In the China region where the economy is so active, the economic growth rate of Shangjun County reached about three times the average growth rate of China. This is simply a miraculous figure. With such economic growth to support it, there is no need to worry about the repayment ability of this loan.

As for Newhe County on the opposite bank of Shangjun County, it is also a region with a very active economy, and its GDP growth rate in recent years has also exceeded the national average GDP growth rate. After the Changjiangdaqiao and the expressway are built, their economy will presumably be even more active.

At least a portion of the trucks that must cross the river from Jiangcheng can be diverted from this Changjiangdaqiao.

As the chief representative of the World Bank's China office, which specializes in issuing infrastructure loans to developing countries, Hackett understood the principle of "If you want to get rich, build roads first" better than anyone.

Therefore, before coming, Hackett was already inclined toward this project in his heart. Now that he had heard Hou Guangbi's words, he felt even more that this project was very feasible.

Hackett smiled, "With Old Gentleman Hou's vision, I believe these few investments will bring generous returns to the Hou Group!"

Hou Guangbi said, "These loans that the World Bank has issued in China in recent years must also be making Mr. Hackett's status in the World Bank higher and higher, right? On this point, I have heard it from Mr. Collison. He said that Mr. Hackett has high hopes of being transferred back to headquarters."

Hackett laughed out loud. Clearly, Hou Guangbi's words had touched his heart. Collison was that superior of his at the World Bank headquarters, and if he could be transferred back to headquarters, that would of course be a promotion.

Not long after, the motorcade arrived at Pengjiawan Township. Su Xinghui had called Comrade Comrade Comrade Qi Jian in advance, and Comrade Comrade Comrade Qi Jian had already led the township leaders to wait at the entrance of the township government.

After exchanging pleasantries, Hackett didn't even enter the gate of the township government. He directly let Su Xinghui lead them to the place by the river where the Changjiangdaqiao was to be built to conduct an inspection.

Hackett's resolute and vigorous work style made the county leaders who followed them somewhat unable to bear it. When had they ever had such a fast work rhythm? No matter where they went, they would first sit down to drink tea, talk, and then go to the site to take a look, and then they could go back. ===== CHAPTER 1035 =====