Chapter 2603: Working Meal

Xiao Minggui nodded heavily and said, "Director Su, we will do a good job in the ideological work of the workers."

Su Xinghui said, "Then besides laying off workers, what other measures do you have to let the factory walk out of the difficulty?"

Xiao Minggui said, "Now the factory's main difficulties are: first, the burden is heavy, so we have to lay off some workers; second, the funds are tight, which can be solved through various methods, but this is not a long-term plan because sitting and eating until the mountain is empty is not feasible without orders. Therefore, the most important thing is the third point."

Speaking of this, Xiao Minggui paused before continuing: "The third point is the technical problem. Now we are indeed lagging behind in technology and find it hard to compete with those foreign-funded enterprises. Therefore, we have contacted several foreign-funded enterprises, preparing to cooperate with them to make significant progress in technology."

Su Xinghui remembered that Ono Precision Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. This should be one of the foreign-funded enterprises the Shanghai Machinery Factory had contacted. During this period, cooperating and forming joint ventures with foreign-funded enterprises was also a way many state-owned enterprises chose to walk out of difficulty.

However, Su Xinghui also knew that many state-owned enterprises that cooperated and formed joint ventures with foreign-funded enterprises signed unequal treaties, basically terms that were unilaterally favorable to the foreign-funded enterprises. Not only did they not get the advanced technology of the foreign-funded enterprises, but the bulk of the profits were also earned by the foreign-funded enterprises.

This situation only slowly changed more than a decade later, when Chinese enterprises slowly rose and developed some internationally leading core technologies. However, in some industries, such as automobiles and machinery, the joint ventures were still dominated by foreign-funded enterprises, which took the bulk of the profits while not handing over the technology to China.

What would the cooperation terms be for the Shanghai Machinery Factory to cooperate with foreign-funded enterprises? Su Xinghui felt it was not optimistic.

However, Su Xinghui naturally wouldn't directly question it now. After all, his main task in coming to Shanghai was research, and he hadn't seen the cooperation terms between the two sides yet. The people from Ono Precision Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. had only arrived yesterday.

Su Xinghui asked, "How many foreign-funded enterprise people have you met?"

Xiao Minggui said, "We have already met people from an American enterprise and a German enterprise, but the other side's attitude was very arrogant, and the conditions they proposed were also very harsh, so it was temporarily shelved. Yesterday, a Japanese enterprise came, and we have already scheduled a meeting with them this afternoon."

Su Xinghui said, "This afternoon? Where are you meeting?"

Xiao Minggui said, "It's scheduled in the factory this afternoon. They want to see the situation of the factory first, and then propose conditions."

Su Xinghui nodded and didn't ask this question anymore. Next, he chatted with other factory leaders and asked them to call over some middle-level cadres and some representatives of laid-off workers to understand their thoughts.

As Su Xinghui expected, these middle-level cadres and these laid-off worker representatives spoke in unison about the good things of the factory. Especially those few laid-off worker representatives, they spoke passionately, saying that their layoffs were good, a sacrifice for the factory's renewed glory, and that to reform, there must always be sacrifices.

Seeing a laid-off worker in his forties speaking with tears in his eyes, Su Xinghui couldn't help but interrupt his words and ask, "May I ask, now that you are laid off, what should your family do?"

This laid-off worker's tears stopped immediately. He was a bit stunned. This line seemed a bit wrong, right? When the leader called him over, he didn't say that the high-level leader visiting would ask such a question, right? How should he answer this? His eyes couldn't help but drift toward the factory director and the others sitting on the side.

But how could the factory director and the others prompt him at this time? They averted their eyes. Xiao Minggui coughed, and the laid-off worker then moved his eyes away, stammering, "I'll just go do odd jobs to support my family. No matter what, the factory comes first, and we must sacrifice for the factory."

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "Alright, let's end the symposium here for today."

Xiao Minggui said, "Director Su, it's also time for lunch. Let's have a meal in the factory."

Su Xinghui looked at the time; it was indeed time for lunch. He nodded and said, "Alright, but don't make it too grand. Just a working meal will do."

It was called a working meal, but when Su Xinghui and his group arrived at the dining table, he frowned. Was this working meal too sumptuous? A huge dining table was filled with various delicacies, as well as several bottles of Moutai and red wine. This lineup could be taken anywhere and still be presentable.

Su Xinghui immediately walked toward the outside of the restaurant, scaring Xiao Minggui into quickly taking a few steps and blocking Su Xinghui's path, saying, "Director Su, what's wrong? Is there something you're not satisfied with? If you're not satisfied, we'll change it."

Su Xinghui turned around and pointed to the dining table, saying, "I said working meal. Is this your usual working meal? Your machinery factory has already fallen into difficulty, and your working capital turnover is difficult. But how much money does this table cost? Does this look like your working capital turnover is difficult?"

Xiao Minggui and the other factory leaders' faces turned white and then red; it couldn't have been more embarrassing.

For any state-owned enterprise, no matter how difficult it is, this entertainment expense can never be saved. This was almost an open secret. He hadn't expected this Deputy Director Su to be so disrespectful.

When leaders from the city come, does the Shanghai Machinery Factory dare to let them eat a real working meal?

Now that the research team from the State Planning Commission has come, does the Shanghai Machinery Factory dare to let them eat a real working meal? ===== CHAPTER 2605 =====