Omniscient Investment Point - Chapter 279



Only Noblemtl

279 Standing at the center of practical diplomacy – 4

(1)

It was my first time in China.

But I didn’t expect that this visit would be a stop to resolve issues between the two countries.

I thought you were coming for business, if not for pleasure.

Even the schedule was tight.

As soon as we entered the country, we met diplomats waiting for us and went with them to meet someone.

“As you may have known, Jang Yi-min is quite strong.”

I nodded after hearing the diplomat’s explanation.

This was a part that Song Jae-hwan had already explained.

– He is a maverick with strong self-esteem and an overly assertive personality.

By the way, since we were also a diplomatic envoy, China also put forward the same envoy.

In that sense, Bang Jeong-hyeon felt very regretful.

I was hoping someone I knew would show up, but it turned out to be someone I’d never seen before.

It seems that China had already inquired about Bang Jeong-hyeon and put forward someone to respond to him.

‘Then, I guess you’ve done your background check on me.’

I was curious about this part.

How would China evaluate me?

Maybe I have been reported similarly, as we summarized Jang I-min in one line.

‘Well, I also have strong pride and self-assertion.’

However, I really wanted to add the word ‘reasonable’ in front of it.

At least I have never negotiated with anyone without logic or ignorance.

But today, I thought, maybe I should just do whatever I want and accept what I feel like.

“You can’t be unaware that North Korea is sharpening its knife, so why on earth is South Korea acting like this?”

After greeting each other, without any prior notice, he suddenly touched on our country’s weaknesses.

This is a characteristic of people who try to push through what they think is right like a bulldozer.

The polite Bang Jeong-hyeon was also a type that could never be dealt with.

So I had no choice but to step forward.

“If we fail, we will attack North Korea.”

“What?”

“Won’t China attack Taiwan someday? Then we’ll attack North Korea.”

In that moment, Zhang Yimin’s face turned bewildered.

The person who came with him was no joke.

Maybe he came to assist Bang Jeong-hyeon like me, but unlike Jang I-min, he didn’t say a word and stayed quiet the whole time.

“Haha…, it seems like our conversation got heated from the beginning. Should we take a break and talk again?”

We haven’t even talked to each other for 10 minutes and you’re already taking a break?

This means that the conversation did not go as they expected.

Honestly, I was okay, but Bang Jeong-hyeon also smiled awkwardly,

“Yes, I think so too.”

Agreed to take a break.

And as soon as I left the conference room, I asked him.

“What was that person’s name? So, he came as an assistant to Jang Yi-min······.”

“Hucheonrin?”

“Oh, right. It’s hard to remember that name. Anyway, Chairman, you deal with Hou Cheon-rin. I’ll go up to Zhang Yimin.”

“Heh heh heh.”

Bang Jeong-hyeon burst into good-natured laughter at my expressions that were almost vulgar.

There was never a look of trouble on his face.

Rather, he said this with a nuance of warm welcome.

“First of all, that strategy looks a lot better.”

Bang Jeong-hyeon was not the type of person to avoid or run away from a given mission.

The reason he says this is because he thinks it’s a really good strategy.

So, I thought I’d go a little further and made the first move in the conference room that resumed a little later.

“I’m curious. What do you think China can do with the West without Korea’s help?”

This time, Jang Yi-min is excited, thinking that it is an unexpected question.

“What has Korea helped us with since the establishment of diplomatic relations?”

“It served as a bridge between China and the West. That’s why China grew so much.”

“Not anymore. Southeast Asia is enough.”

“Then, let’s continue to focus on Southeast Asia from now on. Since it’s a direction that has nothing to do with Korea, it’s good for both sides.”

Even though we went through an interpreter, our conversation sounded direct and rude to each other’s ears.

However, we stopped talking up to this point and didn’t open our mouths any further.

As if they knew the critical point and would not cross the final line.

Honestly, I felt calm.

I’ve had a hunch about this for a while now, but I think this is a situation where the saying that a scared dog barks is a perfect fit.

‘Okay, I’m sure.’

I am someone who has had countless negotiations while investing in companies.

Although he is still young, he has gained quite a bit of experience.

And even if this intuition is wrong, there is no point in losing.

The fact that China could launch a local war against Taiwan is something we cannot prevent······.

‘That doesn’t mean America can solve it.’

Instead, if China goes to war, it will have more to lose than you can imagine.

Even though they were the same dictators, a different style from Russia was at the top.

‘You can’t ignore public opinion, right?’

Here I recalled what I had studied in advance.

It may resemble totalitarianism, but will the Chinese people really stay still if the Chinese economy explodes?

I absolutely did not think so.

First of all, the one who broke the silence was Hu Cheon-rin.

“It seems like you two are getting heated again. What do you think? Let’s stop the negotiations here for today and continue the conversation tomorrow.”

“Hehehe, good.”

Since it was certain that parallel lines would be drawn anyway, Jang Yi-min and I accepted the agreement between the two as it was.

But the end of the negotiations was not just the end.

“Come on, I’d like to treat you to dinner.”

“Wow, that’s nice.”

“If there’s anything you’d like to eat.”

“I thought Peking duck was so delicious.”

“I know a place, let’s go there.”

“Oh my, thank you.”

I chuckled at yet another agreement between Bang Jeong-hyeon and Hu Cheon-rin.

‘Want to discuss diplomacy while drinking?’

It’s one of two things.

Either the alcohol will cause them to become even more violent, or the alcohol will act as a lubricant and completely dissolve the intense confrontation from earlier.

Personally, I expect the latter.

As I got up, I read Jang Yi-min’s gaze.

– Strangely, it doesn’t move the way I want it to.

This is exactly what I sensed in his psychology.

Indeed, I’m really curious to see how things will go at the drinking party.

(2)

The vehicles moved separately, and Bang Jeong-hyeon praised me first from inside the car.

“Well done.”

“Did you do a good job?”

“Yes, if it weren’t for Representative Jang, they would have pressured me without any consideration.”

I nodded inwardly.

Just as we studied Jang I-min, they must have also searched hard for information on Bang Jeong-hyeon.

So, it seemed like Jang I-min, who had a reckless style, took the lead, and Hoo Cheon-rin, who had a soft personality, supported him from behind.

“I think the person who actually has influence in the Chinese government is Hou Chenlin.”

“Yes, I think so too. That’s why I’ll play around with Zhang Yimin at the drinking party, and you, Chairman, discuss the matter with Hu Cheon-rin.”

“Hehehe, let’s go and take a look for now.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

I always think about it, but Bang Jeong-Hyeon seems to have the power to move people’s hearts.

Of course, that power is only activated in special circumstances.

For example, a comfortable and exciting situation?

(3)

My first taste of Peking duck was just so-so for me.

But when I enjoyed it with a Chinese liquor whose name I didn’t know, I gradually began to think it was a delicacy.

After a few more rounds like that, Jang Yi-min starts talking to me in English.

“How is it? Is it delicious?”

“Are you okay?”

“I knew it. Hahaha.”

With a hearty laugh, he pushes even an unknown dish forward.

“This is cold noodles from the northeast. Koreans seem to like it quite a bit.”

“Really? Then, I guess it would suit my taste too?”

It’s a completely different character from before.

Since the words coming in were beautiful, the words leaving could not help but be beautiful as well.

“But your original occupation was the CEO of a steel company?”

“That’s right. Mr. Jang, are you the head of an investment company?”

“Yes.”

“I have to look good in the future. Someday, our company may need Mr. Jang’s money. Hahaha.”

“Of course. Hahaha.”

The mood was ripening, and we got really into the economics discussion.

China’s real estate market is not doing well, and there are many problems with domestic steel demand.

In a situation where eco-friendliness is the trend, there is even talk of gradually investing in electric blast furnaces.

Of course, in the meantime, the conversation between Bang Jeong-hyeon and Hu Cheon-rin was briefly conveyed.

“I am a bit disappointed with the Korean government’s decision this time. No, at some point, it became too much about de-China and became absolutely dependent on the United States.”

“I also regret that part. However, I also think that China provided the reason why our country had to end up like that.”

“Us?”

“We were too lukewarm on the North Korean issue. If we had pushed harder, the friendship between South Korea and China would have been strengthened at some point.”

“That may be true. But at that time, the United States was in control. If we look at the essence, the North Korea issue would not have been resolved even if we had stepped in.”

“I agree. If that’s the case, then I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea for China to take the lead and deal with the North Korea issue with us.”

“Hey, would America just sit still?”

“I don’t think so. So I hope that you will compete with each other to bring about peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

“It may not be as easy as it sounds, but I think we can make a suggestion to the authorities.”

“Hehehe, okay. In that spirit, shall we have a toast?”

“Okay, cheers!”

The two spoke in Chinese, and there was quite a warm atmosphere between them.

At first glance, it seemed like peace would come before war.

On the other hand, Jang I-min, who is gradually getting drunk, reveals his true colors.

“Representative Jang, you went a bit too far earlier. You shouldn’t act like that when you come to another country.”

“Oh, it’s the opposite. If you have guests, shouldn’t the host be considerate and considerate?”

“That’s why I brought you here.”

“You? Hey, that’s the one who brought us here.”

“Wow, you haven’t said a word. I feel like we’re going to have a huge clash somewhere else.”

“I have a rough idea where that is. But then your nose will be flat.”

It wasn’t necessary to fight a war with guns and cannons.

For economists, there is a completely different battlefield.

“Flat nose? Oh, my, I like it. Let’s try it.”

“Okay, let’s definitely try it out.”

Now, both I and Jang I-min are tongue-tied.

My consciousness is slowly fading.

I frowned and opened my eyes wide, thinking I shouldn’t drink anymore.

Then, with a thud, Jang Yi-min was seen falling down.

I immediately declared victory in my mind.

‘I won.’

Of course, I was so dizzy that I couldn’t say it out loud.

Instead, since he didn’t lose consciousness like Jang Yi-min, Bang Jeong-hyeon’s voice could be heard from time to time.

This time it was English again.

“There should be no war.”

“Of course. If you do something unnecessarily, you never know where the unexpected variable will pop up. But please save some face for us.”

“I will go back and talk to the government. Let’s think about a new industrial value chain with China. In return, please lower the THAAD sanctions significantly.”

“Okay. I’ll make sure to pass this on to the authorities.”

You speak very well.

‘Oh, I’m sleepy.’

At this point, I lay face down and closed my eyes.

I don’t know if it was the strong Chinese liquor I drank today or if I just couldn’t control myself.