Chapter 542

The materials Su Xinghui handed to Hackett included the feasibility study report, project plan, funding plan, repayment plan, and so on for the Shangjun County Changjiangdaqiao project, all written in great detail.

After about half an hour, Hackett finished reading all the materials. He looked up and said, "Mr. Su, I personally think your project is quite good and has great prospects."

This project was indeed good. On the Changjiang, there were only about ten completed bridges. Upstream from Shangjun County, in Yiyang City, there was a Changjiang bridge about two or three hundred kilometers away from Shangjun County, and downstream, in Jiangcheng, there was another Changjiang bridge about seventy kilometers away.

Between these two bridges, along more than three hundred kilometers of the river, there was not a single Changjiang bridge. This was a blank space, and Shangjun County’s geographical location was excellent; on the opposite bank was Qingyang City.

Qingyang City was the largest plain city in Hudong Province, with the entire city situated on a vast alluvial plain. The land was fertile, the produce was abundant, and the economy was developed. If a Changjiang bridge could connect Qingyang and the south bank, it would be a huge boost to the economic development of both sides of the river.

Qingyang City was considered a relatively economically developed city in Hudong Province, consistently ranking in the top three in the province's GDP. Shangjun County’s economic development had also been rapid in recent years; for the past three years, its GDP growth rate had ranked first in Hudong Province. After Hou Guangbi had someone call him, Hackett had done his homework and knew the basic situation of these two places. He knew that the governments of these two places had the ability to repay.

Su Xinghui said, "Thank you for your affirmation, Mr. Hackett."

Hackett said, "You're welcome, I am just speaking the truth. I also admire your fundraising and repayment plans; they are very clear and operational. You did these, right?"

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "I did."

Hackett said, "Very high level. However, there is one thing I don't quite understand. Your provincial government’s appropriation has reached fifty percent, and you only need to raise thirty million US dollars yourselves. With the strength of the Hou Group, it wouldn't be a big deal for them to cover all these funds. Why do you still need to take out a loan from our World Bank?"

In the fundraising plan Su Xinghui made, the Shangjun County government and the Qingyang City government on the opposite bank would jointly apply for a loan of fifteen million US dollars from the World Bank, and the Hou Group would invest fifteen million US dollars. Together with the provincial appropriation of about thirty million US dollars, they would form a management company to build this project.

Su Xinghui said, "This was a suggestion made to us by the elder Mr. Hou Guangbi. He said that your World Bank has the world’s best traffic engineering construction experts and supervision experts. As long as we take out a loan from you, your experts can intervene in the project, which will be beneficial to the project’s cost and quality."

Hackett laughed: "Thank you for Mr. Hou’s high evaluation of our World Bank. Since that is the reason, I can accept it. Our World Bank’s experts in traffic engineering are indeed the best in the world."

Su Xinghui was overjoyed and said, "Does that mean, Mr. Hackett, that you agree to our project?"

Hackett shook his head and said, "My agreement alone is useless. I can only say that I am inclined toward this project in principle. However, for the specific evaluation of the project, we still need to send a delegation to conduct an assessment."

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "I understand. Then please send a delegation to our Shangjun County to conduct the project assessment as soon as possible. I hope you can go personally so I can take you to taste the tea art of that high monk."

Hackett said, "But looking at your materials, this project doesn't seem to have been officially approved by your country yet, right? According to the regulations, we can only start the assessment procedure after the project has been successfully approved."

Su Xinghui said confidently, "We are currently running around at the State Planning Commission to get the project approved. This project will definitely be successfully approved in the near future."

A cunning light flashed in Hackett’s eyes as he said, "If your project is not successfully approved, then any promises I made today will not count."

Su Xinghui smiled and said, "That is of course. If the project isn't even approved, what use would the loan be to us?"

Hackett looked at the wall clock and said, "Mr. Su, it is already past five o'clock, so I won't keep you."

Su Xinghui said, "Mr. Hackett, it is already past five o'clock, which is dinner time. Why don't I invite you to a casual meal?"

Hackett said, "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Su, but I won't eat. Of course, don't worry, me not eating this meal will not affect my assessment of your project."

Hackett was clearly an old hand in China. He knew that in China, asking for help meant inviting someone to dinner. If you couldn't even get them to dinner, it often meant they were unwilling to help. Therefore, he told Su Xinghui in advance, which could be considered as dispelling his concerns.

Su Xinghui said, "Mr. Hackett, please also rest assured. I am not inviting you to dinner to make you take care of me. It is like this: I know of a very good private kitchen restaurant in Jingcheng, where the head chef is someone who once worked at the State Guest House. The taste of the food is unique. Don't you like Chinese food? Then you absolutely cannot miss this place."

Hackett pondered. He certainly knew about the State Guest House. Since the chef had worked there, the level was naturally beyond doubt, and he couldn't help but hesitate.