Chapter 567 Successfully Bid for the New Pier

After the 70s, Hong Kong's real estate market gradually rose, and even at the entire social level, real estate tycoons would gradually replace various industrial tycoons and become the top wealthy families in Hong Kong in the future;
In the past, the four major families and the top 90 listed companies in Hong Kong after the s were basically mainly engaged in real estate or very early monopoly infrastructure business. As for those former industrial tycoons, they have almost disappeared. Only a few have gone to the mainland to develop business, but the scale of their companies is far less than that of the real estate giants.
Although the core business of Changxing Group is still industry, adapting to the times is what every time traveler should do. It is impossible to give up the current real estate market in Hong Kong, and even the real estate markets in Japan and the Mainland in the future should not be missed. At most, one is speculation and the other is long-term investment.

After more than a decade of development, and having successfully taken advantage of the opportunity in 1967 to acquire a large amount of land, Cheung Hing Properties has become one of the largest real estate companies in Hong Kong. In terms of land reserves, it is basically the second largest in Hong Kong, second only to Central's Bigwig Land Development.

When the real estate business develops to a certain extent, it will also need to gradually involve some long-term infrastructure. For example, in the past, Li Ka-shing acquired China Gas and Li Ka-shing acquired Hong Kong Electric. Now that British capital is still protected, the target of Changxing Real Estate is naturally the port where market reforms are taking place.

At the end of March, the official auction for Container Terminals 3-2 at Kwai Chung Port began.

The auction took place at the Kadoorie family's grand hotel. A few days before 8 a.m., many reporters arrived. Due to hotel rules, they could not enter, so they could only block the door.

The auction of the four container terminals is of great significance to Hong Kong's industry, real estate and even financial industries, and can definitely be regarded as the top hot news.

Many luxury cars arrived at the hotel one after another, but both the hotel security and the customer security blocked the reporters. Many reporters asked questions from a distance, but only occasionally received a response.

"Mercedes-Benz fleet, that's Yang Wendong's." A reporter shouted loudly, attracting the attention of other reporters.

Many wealthy families in Hong Kong like to use top luxury cars such as Rolls-Royce and Maybach, but Yang Wendong is an exception. He drives a Mercedes-Benz.

However, it is said that they also found a top-level bulletproof car specially customized by Mercedes-Benz, which is as valuable as Rolls-Royce and has higher security. Seven or eight identical Mercedes-Benz drove over, and no one knew which car Yang Wendong was in.

Many reporters went there to interview, but dozens of security guards and even police officers from the hotel pushed the reporters to both sides.

Many security guards in the convoy got off the vehicles, and after making sure it was safe, they opened the doors to let Yang Wendong and his wife get off.

Su Yiyi said: "There are so many reporters here today."

Yang Wendong smiled and said, "Normally, four docks with a total investment of more than 4 billion will create jobs for tens of thousands of people. In the future, it will also help countless factories in Hong Kong reduce transportation costs, which will bring even greater economic benefits.

It can be said that since the founding of Hong Kong, no major infrastructure can compare to the four container terminals. Once completed, Hong Kong’s economy will undergo a qualitative change.”

In the past, in the mainland, a top port could affect tens of millions of people in the surrounding area because the port would bring about a very terrifying cluster effect. Countless factories would be built nearby, driving the industrial chain and surrounding economy.

The total population of Hong Kong is only 400 million, so the average economic benefits brought by the port are even greater. Even in the ten years after the mainland's reform and opening up, before the construction of Yantian Port, many commodities in eastern Guangdong Province were shipped out of Hong Kong, which also brought great benefits to Hong Kong's economy.

Su Yiyi nodded and said, "Yes, containers are popular now, so it's very convenient for me to export clothing."

"Yes, any exit will become more convenient." Yang Wendong also said.

Before the emergence of container terminals, Europe and the United States had textile industries. This was because clothing suffered great losses in shipping by sea. Although clothing was relatively light, it was easy to be damaged in the messy old-fashioned cargo ships and was easily corroded by the salt gas of seawater. This situation did not improve until the emergence of containers. This is also the reason why Berkshire Hathaway encountered a crisis.

It can be said that the emergence of containers changed the global economic landscape. Even the death of polar bears 20 years later had a lot to do with this invention.

"Mr. Yang, Mrs. Yang, please come in." A representative of the Hong Kong government hurriedly walked up to Yang Wendong and his wife and said.

"Okay." Yang Wendong nodded.

The two followed the guide to the 16th floor of the hotel, where there was a medium-sized conference room, which was generally used for participating in the Hong Kong government's auction.

"Guaranteed for birth." Yang Wendong quickly saw an acquaintance.

Bao Yugang smiled when he saw Yang Wendong, "Mr. Yang, I haven't seen you for a few months. Your international business is growing."

"International business? Mr. Bao, are you talking about the cinemas in Japan?" Yang Wendong asked back.

Previously, Changxing Film Company acquired Japan's Nikkatsu Cinema Line. This matter was also hyped by the media in Hong Kong for a while. Many people believed that this was an ambitious acquisition by Changxing Chinese people. However, some people believed that Changxing Group should invest in Hong Kong instead of going overseas.
As for these media comments, Yang Wendong basically just reads them and does not respond, otherwise he would be very busy.

Bao Yugang nodded and said, "Yes, the acquisition of Japan's fifth largest cinema chain is a move that really shocked me."

Yang Wendong smiled and said, "It's called the fifth largest, but it's actually been suffering from heavy losses for a long time. The gap between it and the first four is also quite large. Otherwise, I think it would be unlikely for me to acquire it."

"Haha, yes, that's also amazing." Bao Yugang added, "I've also seen your company's movie, Li Xiaolong's, it's very good, haha, I'm very interested in martial arts."

Yang Wendong smiled and said, "If you are interested, I can ask Li Xiaolong to visit you once."

Li Xiaolong is very famous in Asia now, but he is still a star after all. Compared with the Chinese capital tycoons, his status is still a little bit lower. Even if he reaches the peak in the future, it will not be enough.

"No need, I'm just talking." Bao Yugang shook his head and said, "Mr. Yang, the auction will start soon. If the funds exceed my budget, I will ask for your appropriate help at that time." "With Mr. Bao's financial resources, a wharf should be no problem, right?" Yang Wendong asked back.

Bao Yugang said: "A wharf is indeed not a problem, but my funds also need to be used in other places, including buying ships and the like. Mr. Yang is also an expert in this area, so there is no need for me to explain more."

"Okay, I understand. If the British side raises the price too high and Bao Sheng refuses to give up, I will support you." Yang Wendong agreed.

In order to protect the interests of British capital, the Hong Kong government can restrict each consortium to participate in only one wharf. In that case, Yang Wendong can only obtain one wharf, and the others can only obtain 15.9% of the shares at most.
Rather than letting British capital acquire it, it would be better to give it to other Chinese capital. Pao Yu-kang was the most suitable one. First, he had good character. Second, apart from shipping, there was no business conflict between him and their own. The shipping market was too large and there was basically no competition between the two sides.

The third is that this is also borrowing money, and Bao Yugang will have to pay it back later. He will not use his own funds. At most, he can ask Hang Seng Bank to borrow money. Anyway, as a major shareholder of Hang Seng, he cannot take money directly from Hang Seng. So using him as a capital pool and doing him a favor is not bad, and it can also bring interest to Hang Seng.

"Haha, thank you very much. When I succeed, I will treat you two to a banquet." Bao Yugang said with a smile.

"You're welcome." Yang Wendong smiled.

The two of them exchanged pleasantries for a while, and then Bao Yugang left.

Su Yiyi asked: "Brother Dong, why don't you seek to invest in Bao Yugang's company? I saw that you have invested in many Chinese companies before, right?"

"Bao Yugang is indeed very capable, but it is hard to say what the future of their family will be like. In addition, Global International may not be ready to go public, so it is better for me not to participate." Yang Wendong shook his head and said, "I am also involved in shipping. It is the same if I invest the money I give them and buy ships and operate them myself."

Originally, the Bao family had no future. Although the company was divided into several parts, the Wu family had good profits, but they were also dependent on Wharf Holdings.
Now that I am ready to take action on Wharf Holdings, the shipping market has declined since the 80s, and the instability of the Bao family's assets is too great, so there is not much point in investing on my own;
However, history has changed a lot now, and Bao Yugang has also begun to participate in the port, so maybe he will take another path. We will talk about it later.

"Oh." Su Yiyi didn't ask any more questions.

The two soon ran into Qi Dezun from Hutchison Whampoa again. After chatting for a while, they dispersed. Yang Wendong said, "Qi Dezun also promised to do his best to take over a dock. If they succeed, we will indirectly control four docks."

The Hong Kong government has introduced restrictive policies to avoid being the only dominant power, but it also has its own plan: indirect control through capital.

Especially on the Hutchison side, he also regarded it as his future in his pocket. As long as Hutchison controlled a dock, the future would belong to him.

"That's good. The auction will start soon." Su Yiyi said with a smile, "The first one is Pier 2."

"Well, I am determined to get this wharf." Yang Wendong nodded and said.

The four piers launched by the Hong Kong government are of similar size, but Pier 2 is connected to its existing Pier 1, which makes more sense than the other three piers;

Soon, the auction for the pier began. The initial bid price for Pier 7500 was HK$500 million, and each increase in price was no less than HK$ million.

"8000 million." Yang Wendong was the first to raise the sign.

"8500 million." John Keswick of Jardine Matheson also came to the venue in person and raised his placard to compete.

"9000 million." It's the same on Taikoo's side.

"9500 million." Yang Wendong's expression did not change at all.

Many parties are competing with each other, and some American and Japanese consortiums have also joined in. This is also a relatively fair auction in which capital from all parties can participate. The Hong Kong government must now face up to global capital freedom, otherwise it will be targeted by the Americans.

Soon the price reached 1.6 million, which made many players hesitate. After all, winning the bid was only the first step, and they still needed to spend several hundred million to invest in infrastructure.
Although everyone is optimistic about the future of Hong Kong, it is unclear whether the five terminals can operate at full capacity. If the initial investment is too large, it will inevitably result in losses.

"1.7 million." Yang Wendong raised his sign again and directly added 1000 million;
The current speculations of many financial groups about the future of Hong Kong's economy are still too conservative. After all, no one could have imagined that the mainland would reform and open up in the future, and Hong Kong would become the only bridge between the East and the West for a long time.

Around 85, the Hong Kong government launched a new container terminal, and the auction price was over 40 billion.
Although money is more valuable now, it is still not much in total.

The direct increase of 1000 million was quite shocking to others. There was silence in the meeting room. Few people had the generosity of Yang Wendong. 1.7 million Hong Kong dollars in cash was not a small amount of money even for big European and American conglomerates.

"1.7 million once, 1.7 million twice, 2 million three times."

"make a deal."

As the gavel fell, the new dock had its owner.

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(End of this chapter)

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