Chapter 270: Mud Sang Automobile

Weekend?
For those business tycoons, the weekend is just another place to continue the battle.
Not long ago, the Japanese government suddenly launched an attack, announcing strict export restrictions on core semiconductor raw materials to China.
Immediately, tensions rose within the country.
Officially, aside from diplomatic negotiations, no immediate and effective retaliatory measures could be devised.
It seemed that only the old path remained—to tacitly allow public sentiment to fester, unleashing a wave of boycotts of Japanese goods.
Just when everyone thought China would once again be on the defensive, Fanghuan Investment, this lurking shark in the deep sea, struck decisively.
First, it precisely shorted the Japanese stock market, then used shipping routes to block several key ports.
Coinciding with the US interest rate hike, this series of combined blows dealt a severe blow to the Japanese economy.
Ultimately, under immense pressure, the Japanese government had no choice but to sheepishly withdraw the trade restrictions.
A looming national trade crisis was averted by a private institution in a way no one could have imagined.
Following this victory, Fanghuan Investment's reputation in the capital market has soared to unprecedented heights.
Those once-arrogant Japanese conglomerates now have to carefully consider their own standing at the mere mention of "Fanghuan."
The lights were still on in the chairman's office of Fanghuan Group.
Huang Fengwen, looking exhausted, slumped in the sofa, having just finished a lengthy transoceanic video conference.
Su Hao clearly remembered that after becoming chairman of Fanghuan Group, Huang Fengwen had boasted more than once that he wouldn't be too busy, that he would spend his weekends playing games at home, and that he wouldn't work overtime even if the King of Heaven himself came.
And the result?
In all this time, Su Hao hadn't seen him properly rest on a weekend.
This guy's constitution is really strange. The moment he sits in the chairman's chair, all sorts of troubles explode around him like a series of bombs.
"Brother Huang, are you done with work? Come on, let's grab a drink tonight."
"Hey, perfect timing, I have something to tell you."
"What, trouble again?"
"Not trouble, but a request for help." Huang Fengwen handed over a document.
Su Hao took the document, opened it, and saw it was information about the domestic automobile company "Xiamen Automobile Group."
"Xiamen Automobile?"
"Yeah, this afternoon Qin Han brought the CEO of Xiamen Automobile Group over for a visit. He implied that they wanted us to help them."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Xiamen Automobile has also started making electric cars, following the trend.
The problem is, their technology isn't keeping up. After all, they're a latecomer, with a weak foundation. So they're trying to 'buy time with money.'"
There are only two globally recognized pioneers in the electric vehicle field.
One is Musk's "Tesla."
The other one is "Nissan Motors" from Japan.
These two companies can be considered pioneers in the electric vehicle era.
"Nissan is currently facing internal and external troubles, a whole host of problems. They're in a terrible financial bind," Huang Fengwen continued.
"Plus, we dealt Japan a heavy blow before, and Nissan is now completely unable to breathe, on the verge of collapse."
"So the CEO of Xiaqi wants to take advantage of their weakness and finish them off?" Su Hao immediately understood.
“That’s right.” Huang Fengwen nodded.
“Xiaqi’s plan is to take this opportunity to swallow up Nisang, this lucrative business, and acquire its core technology.
The only problem is that 40% of Nisang’s shares are held by the French company Renault.”
Renault, as Nisang’s major shareholder, not only didn’t help, but instead shifted all the blame for its poor management onto Nisang, exploiting it extremely ruthlessly.
“Renault originally had a ruthless guy named Carlos Ghosn pushing for a merger between the two companies, hoping to completely absorb Nissan,” Huang Fengwen added.
“But things didn’t go as planned. Our combined attack brought Japan’s manufacturing industry to a complete standstill, and Renault’s plans fell apart.”
“So Xiaqi’s idea is to take advantage of this window of opportunity and buy Nissan at a rock-bottom price?”
“Yes. And they don’t want to take it all for themselves; they’re willing to give us a share, and the price can be even lower.
The condition is that we have to get the Japanese government to agree.
After all, if Xiaqi goes and they ignore us, but if Fanghuan Investment speaks up… they can’t ignore it.”
That’s true.
Last time, when Fanghuan Investment acquired those shipping companies on the verge of bankruptcy, the Japanese government should have had no chance of approving it.
But their own ports were overflowing with cargo, and new supplies couldn’t get in. If they didn’t let them through, the entire industry would be paralyzed, so they had no choice but to accept it.
That wasn't approval; it was Fang Huan Investment holding a knife to their throats.
"How about it? Shares for free. They can handle the negotiations with Renault themselves. We'll just act as 'lobbyists,' offering our support."
"Huang Fengwen asked.
Su Hao didn't answer immediately. He took out his phone, his fingers flying across the screen, browsing the company information for "Nissan Motors."
This company was indeed in dire straits; the 30% plunge in global sales was the best proof.
But its electric vehicle technology, especially in battery management, was truly top-notch.
The trouble lay with Renault, which held a controlling stake, and…
"That guy named Carlos Ghosn is also a big problem," Huang Fengwen's voice was somewhat grave.
"He's the head of the alliance between Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi.
Even if the Japanese government approves, it won't pass if he doesn't agree."
This three-way alliance wasn't a merger, but a strategic partnership formed to share the exorbitant R&D and production costs.
Nominally, the three companies were independent, but in reality, Renault, with its 40% stake, had practically seized all of Nissan's decision-making power, acting tyrannically.
And Carlos Ghosn was the mastermind behind it all, the undisputed "emperor" of the Auto Union.
Su Hao's gaze was fixed on the phone screen, on Carlos Ghosn's smug official profile picture.
In his vision, a vortex blacker than ink, more terrifying than an abyss, swirled around that face, radiating an aura of greed and decay.
A strong premonition enveloped him—this man was absolutely untouchable; doing so would bring utter disaster.
Strangely, however, this ominous premonition only targeted Ghosn himself.
When his thoughts touched upon the company "Nisang," a gentle warmth flowed slowly from his fingertips.
A good thing, but with an obstacle.
The meaning couldn't be clearer:
The problem lay with this guy named Carlos Ghosn.
"Brother Huang," Su Hao looked up, "tell Xiaqi to bypass Carlos Ghosn and talk directly to the Renault Group's board of directors, discuss it as deeply as possible."
"Bypass him?" Huang Fengwen was greatly puzzled. "But he's the one who holds the key!"
"Keys can be changed," Su Hao said calmly. "Sometimes, breaking the lock is simpler than finding the key."