In the early autumn of 1980, Nanjiang Provincial Metallurgy Department.
In the spacious conference room, four floor mounted electric fans are driving at full power to deliver cool air, but they can't dispel the stuffy heat and strong cigarette fog in the room in any way. Twenty or thirty old, middle-aged and young participants of three generations sat around the conference table, fighting with each other, even with a cold murderous look in their eyes.
"The spirit of the central government is very clear. We must reduce the investment of 40 million US dollars. There is no price to talk about. The project of Pujiang Iron and Steel Plant is more than ten times more important than you. Now it has been completely suspended. It is very good that you can keep the project of Nangang, but the budget must be greatly reduced, otherwise the Economic Commission will not be able to invest!"
The speaker was Hao Yawei, the director of the Budget Department of the Metallurgy Bureau of the State Economic and Trade Commission. He was a "young" official in his 30s, known as the "cold faced hell" in the industry.
"Director Hao, we are not talking about price, we are talking about science. Nangang's 1780mm hot rolling mill project is not for the service of Nanjiang Province, but for the whole national economy. The budget of the project has also been approved by your budget department. Now we are about to sign a contract with Japan. You suddenly asked to cut the budget. Where can we cut it for you? If you want to cut it, then cut my salary first. I will take my wife and children to your home for dinner! "
Zheng Chuankai, the director of Nanjiang Iron and Steel Plant, did not show any weakness in refuting Hao Yawei's request. He is already over 50 years old this year. He has been the director of Nanjiang Iron and Steel Plant for more than 10 years. He is also an old qualification in the whole national metallurgical industry and dares to fight with officials from the capital.
Hao Yawei said coldly, "Why should I take care of your wife and children's food? Don't think I don't know about your Nangang's over standard construction of a canteen. No one can afford food, nor can it be the turn of your factory director Zheng's family."
Zheng Chuankai choked at once. Hao Yawei's revelation is really a weakness of Zheng Chuankai. At least it can make him unable to find words to deal with it.
Perhaps since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the state has constantly required enterprises not to build "halls", and similar notices are frequently given, which is even more frequent than the physiological cycle of female comrades. However, enterprises don't pay attention to such requirements at all. Any rich enterprise will not build some small canteen, club, guest house and other facilities in private.
It is not because the leaders in the enterprise are greedy for enjoyment that such facilities are built. It is because everyone does so. If there is no such facilities in your factory, it will be inferior. Besides, when the superior leaders come to your factory to inspect the work, how can you make the leaders eat and drink well without a canteen? How can leaders have fun without a club?
Nangang is one of the largest enterprises in Nanjiang Province. Officials from the central ministries and commissions often visit Nangang when they come down, so these entertainment facilities of Nangang are more high-end than those of other enterprises. This kind of thing is not a matter at ordinary times, but it can become a handle when discussing the budget. You have the money to build a luxurious canteen, can't you reduce the budget of the new project? You bite the bullet and say that 40 million dollars can't be kept down. Who knows if you want to use the money to build another entertainment facility.
Liu Huimin, the deputy director of Nanjiang Metallurgy Department, came out to rescue Zheng Chuankai. He is also an old cadre and is about to retire. At this age, the man would not be so grumpy. He gave a gentle cough, drew everyone's attention to himself, and then said to Hao Yawei kindly:
"Xiaohao, every yard counts for every yard. In fact, it was several years ago that Nangang built a small canteen, which has nothing to do with the investment in the 1780 hot rolling mill. Laozheng's words just now are also angry words. No matter how much he said, he would not be paid. I understand. What Laozheng meant was that the budget for the introduction of complete sets of hot rolling mill equipment had been set long ago and was also based on evidence. We have been negotiating with Sanli Steel Works of Japan for nearly half a year, and they offered us a quotation of 380 million dollars for the complete set of equipment, which is the result of our repeated price reduction. It may be possible for us to work hard to reduce another US $12 million. But it is impossible to reduce 40 million yuan at one time. "
"Unless we reduce the equipment standard and choose another 1500mm mill of Sanli Steel Making Institute, we can also achieve the compression of another 100 million, not to mention 40 million, but can the National Economic Commission agree?" Zheng Chuankai chimed in.
Hao Yawei said: "It is impossible. 1780 is the specification selected by the Metallurgical Bureau after repeated consideration. If it is replaced with 1500, it will be behind before the equipment is put into production. Such introduction is unnecessary for us."
"That's it. You want to modernize, but you can't think of any money. Is there such a good thing?" Zheng Chuankai regained his confidence and began to counter attack.
Hao Yawei said: "For the negotiation, the Metallurgical Bureau can send someone to help you discuss with the Japanese side. You can also contact other suppliers to see if you can find a lower price. Budget reduction is the unified arrangement of the whole country. The focus of the whole economic work this year is to close and turn on a number of projects with large investment and slow efficiency. If the budget of Nangang 1780 rolling mill cannot be reduced, then another plan can only be adopted. "
"What plan?" Zheng Chuankai asked.
"The construction will be postponed," Hao Yawei said. "It will be postponed for two years. When the economic situation of the country improves, we will start again."
"I'm afraid this is not appropriate?" Qiao Ziyuan, the director of the Metallurgy Department, said. Instead of communicating directly with Hao Yawei, he looked at Luo Xiangfei, the deputy director of the Metallurgy Bureau of the State Economic Commission, who was sitting next to Hao Yawei, and said, "Lao Luo, I remember when you came last time, you told us that it was urgent to start the hot rolling mill. I remember you said that our country will spend 34 billion US dollars on importing steel every year, which means tens of millions of US dollars a day. If the project is delayed for two years due to the lack of 40 million dollars, how can this account be uneconomical? "
Hearing what Qiao Ziyuan said, Hao Yawei wanted to contradict him at that time. Luo Xiangfei patted his arm, motioned that he should be calm, then smiled and said to the crowd:
"What Director Qiao said just now is true. Our country's steel production technology is seriously backward. In the words of the central leadership, steel cannot be made into useful materials. Every year, it costs a lot of valuable foreign exchange to import steel from abroad. Because of this, the country is determined to introduce a number of steel projects, including the 1780 hot rolling mill project of Nanjing Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd., which is unquestionable.
However, it is also clear that our country is facing enormous economic difficulties. In the past few years, the market was too large and there was a serious shortage of funds. If the scale of investment cannot be effectively reduced, people's lives will be affected, and subsequent construction will not be guaranteed.
Under such circumstances, the state resolutely decided to suspend a large number of projects, including the Pujiang Iron and Steel Plant mentioned by Director Hao, for which we also undertook huge compensation for breach of contract. Nangang is a key project guaranteed by the State Economic Commission. The Economic Commission also hopes that this project can be put into production on time to ease the country's foreign exchange tension. However, the original budget cannot be guaranteed. The reduction of 40 million yuan is the result of Director Hao's careful calculation. The country has only so much money. If you don't press it, other projects will be terminated. I think you can understand that.
Now, for us, there are only two choices. First, we should continue to tap the potential and try to reduce the capital for equipment introduction by another 40 million yuan; The second is to suspend the project and restart it after the national economic situation improves. There is no third way out of the two choices, so we don't have to waste time on the third way. "
Luo Xiangfei's tone was very calm, but the firmness in his words was no less than Hao Yawei's just now. He came to Nanjiang Province as the leader of the Metallurgical Bureau. His words basically represent the final opinion of the Metallurgical Bureau, which should not be doubted by Qiao Ziyuan and others.
"It's really hard to do." Qiao Ziyuan scratched his head and said, at the same time, he looked at Lu Jianyong, the deputy chief engineer of the Metallurgy Department. "Xiaolu, you have always been negotiating with foreign businessmen. Do you have any room?"
Lu Jianyong raised his glasses and spoke slowly: "Director Luo and Director Qiao, in fact, during the negotiation, we also learned about the quotations from several other Japanese manufacturers. The price of Sanli Steel Factory should be the lowest. Even if we negotiate with other manufacturers, it will be difficult to keep down the price. If the Metallurgical Bureau wants us to lower the price, I think we can only focus on the equipment.
The main rolling line must not be cut down. In terms of finishing equipment, we originally planned to introduce three transverse shear units, which are divided into thin plate, medium plate and thick plate. If we only introduce two and leave the thick plate line for later introduction, we can reduce about 12 million dollars. The water treatment, laboratory, maintenance workshop and other parts of the auxiliary equipment can be canceled first if it is really impossible, and the existing facilities of Nanjing Iron and Steel Group will replace them... "
"How can the laboratory be cancelled?" Luo Xiangfei said in a low voice
Lu Jianyong nodded bitterly: "Director Luo is right, so..."
He couldn't go on. In fact, he also knew that this way of reducing functions was not appropriate. It was the leaders who forced him to come up with a plan, so he had to say it.
Qiao Ziyuan saw that there was another deadlock in the meeting place. He quickly stood up, looked at his watch with a fake look, and then said with a smile:
"Why don't we all have dinner first? It's not as big as our own stomachs. Things can't be solved at once. You can't think of a way out of hunger, can you?"
