Reinventing the Millennium.

Chapter 502 I Spend Money (Two in One)

The business and energy approvals have passed, which means that half of the hurdles stuck on the way forward for the ice core have been passed.

Apart from Fang Zhuo and Bingxin, the equipment manufacturers are the most excited.

While Fang Zhuo was waiting in Washington, several ice core manufacturers came to inquire about the situation.

For example, Lam Research, which focuses on etching, deposition and cleaning markets, KLA-Tencor, which dominates the semiconductor photomask and reticle equipment market, Teradyne, the world's leading provider of device testing equipment, etc. .

The semiconductor equipment manufacturers in the United States are world-class, such as Kelei, they provide not only mask equipment, but also solutions for the yield rate of semiconductor products, which are extremely lacking in the foreseeable range of ice core.

Bingxin's procurement team has long been waving checks to contact these manufacturers, and everything is almost settled, only the administrative review has not been obtained.

Equipment manufacturers value the purchase list from the Eastern factory, which is a large contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Moreover, after the equipment is sold, they can earn a lot of dollars in after-sales expenses and production line solutions.

In addition, such factories for semiconductor manufacturing often do not build only one production line. For example, SMIC, which was signed by the four major departments of the United States four years ago, purchases one by one. It is definitely a major customer of equipment manufacturers.

This is a long-term business worth caring about.

In particular, the chairman of Ice Core is now in Washington, and the approval process is more than halfway through, and those waving checks are about to fall into the pocket.

"Lam's felt more urgent to me than ourselves."

"what's going on?"

Taking advantage of the remaining two tough bones, Fang Zhuo also participated in discussions with the ice core procurement team while attending sports activities to maintain his image.

"Mr. Fang, Fanlin is afraid that we will choose Japan's Tokyo Electron." Xu Shenghui, head of the procurement team, explained, "Once the audit is passed, the obstacles in front of the ice core will no longer exist, and our choice will be broad. a lot of."

"Tokyo Electron's equipment is also very advanced, and it is more convenient in terms of distance and communication."

"Fanlin's equipment is more expensive, but the industry solutions they provide are quite good in word of mouth."

Fang Zhuo nodded, yes.

He thought for a while and asked, "What about the attitude of after-sales and solutions?"

Xu Shenghui said without hesitation: "They're all quite uncles."

Fang Zhuo shook his head slightly, not surprised.

"Mr. Fang, which one do you think we should choose?" Xu Shenghui asked the boss for his opinion.

"The review has not yet been completed, so you can make such a judgment." Fang Zhuo didn't want to interfere with the expert's judgment on this kind of matter, but said, "Try to consider the long-term relationship as much as possible."

He thought for a while, and then said: "You mean equipment companies like Fanlin and Kelei, do they have the resources to lobby the state affairs and national defense?"

Xu Shenghui hesitated, not daring to make a judgment.

After Fang Zhuo went through the energy and business review process, he found that the scale was quite... quite different from what he imagined. Although he also encountered difficulties, it was not the kind of difficulty he had imagined.

Of course, it could be that Smith is doing some work behind the scenes, too.

Goldman was more capable than he realized, and Smith was moving more than he let himself be told.

On June 6, the Ice Core Five submitted an application for equipment procurement and technology introduction to the Economic, Energy and Commercial Affairs Bureau of the State Council according to the usual time.

It has to be said that whether it is the name of the department or the full name of the leader, Fang Zhuo feels a little strange.

The head of this department is called State Affairs Youth, and he is someone whose name can be heard frequently in the news.

Fang Zhuo also realized one thing through this procurement application. The State Council here in the United States is different from the domestic agency of the same name. It is actually more of a diplomatic b, and it performs diplomatic affairs.

But even if it is not what Fang Zhuo imagined, the State Affairs Youth is still the number one member of the cabinet, more important than cabinet members in other departments.

Fang Zhuo asked Smith one thing before coming.

"Will we meet with Powell? Do we need his approval for our review?"

Smith was very calm: "I definitely won't see him. He has gone to France. If everything goes well, the vice secretary should be responsible for the procurement review of ice cores. Fang, your nervousness seems strange."

Fang Zhuo explained the reason.

Smith was a little surprised, and said, "Didn't you have a meal with Donald before? You should understand what a lot of news is like."

"..." Fang Zhuo turned his concern back to the business, "What about the goods this time?"

"It's a serious thing. We have to apply according to the process." Smith replied.

What is a serious thing like?

Fang Zhuo really didn't quite understand Smith's answer, but this time the application was indeed in accordance with the process. After a whole day of busy work, it was just to complete the submission of the application. The process was very cumbersome.

Many things written on the materials were mechanically asked again.

Detailed questions about who you are, where you are from, what you are going to do and more.

then……

Three days have passed.

There was no news of it, and there was no news.

Fang Zhuo called to inquire, but what he got was the answer that had already been submitted, with almost no change in wording.

"what's going on?"

Fang Zhuo asked Smith.

"Wait for another two days and see." Smith didn't have a good solution. The state affairs side didn't have many resources, so he made insinuations and didn't respond.

After another two days, it seems that the application for the purchase and introduction of ice cores has been dealt with coldly.

Smith is contacting more people to help solve this matter, and Fang Zhuo even called Mr. Zhang Rujing in China to ask how he passed the review of this family.

Zhang Rujing's answer was not very informative. At that time, his first business was State Affairs, and the process was relatively smooth, but the latter one was more troublesome.

Fang Zhuo had no choice but to wait for another two days.

In the past two days, apart from feeling a little tormented, he received news from Sony Music that a shareholder meeting will be held on July 7, and the merger between Sony Music and Bertelsmann will be discussed.

Among them, Yike's shareholding and external director candidates will also be determined together.

This is good news for Fang Zhuo. Yi Ke will get more music copyrights, which is enough to confront Apple head-on.

In addition, Yike also has a channel to spy on Sony Music.

The turbulence of the Sony Group and the development trend of the global music industry are destined to make it difficult for the merger of Sony Bertelsmann to have too positive effects. This is a good opportunity for Yike, an intervening player.

On July 7, Smith, who flew to Los Angeles and New York, came to Fang Zhuo in a hurry and proposed a new proposal.

"Mr. Fang, I heard that Yi Ke is a client of Bloomberg? I'm afraid we need to find them to solve the problem this time."

"Bloomberg provides Yike with data and certain media services. Can they help?" Fang Zhuo had doubts, and he wanted to figure out the logic inside.

The fact that Yike became a client of Bloomberg was regarded as coercion. At that time, Fang Zhuo was still in China, and the New York State Congressman in the United States suddenly jumped out to accuse Yike of dumping.

Later, according to the lawyer's suggestion, Yi Ke purchased the service of Bloomberg, and the state congressman suddenly stopped.

It seems that the Congressman has nothing to do with the boss behind Bloomberg, Michael Bloomberg, the top leader in New York City, but this benefit is a bit too obvious.

It can only be said that there is no problem in the process.

"Although Bloomberg gave up his Democratic membership and won New York City as a Republican," Smith said, "but he has a wide range of contacts. If the ice core application is not moved, I am afraid it will be blocked for a long time."

Fang Zhuo asked anxiously, "Will he be willing to help?"

Smith said bluntly, "Of course, you spent money."

Fang Zhuo choked.

"Michael is not a person who does not speak politically when he spends money on things."

Smith's words brought Fang Zhuo to a new level. Is political credit used here?
However, political donations and lobbying are legal, and it is always right to listen to experts.

Fang Zhuo became a client of Bloomberg since Yike became a client. It was the first time he contacted the other party and briefly described the situation encountered.

As a result, people from Bloomberg came that night.

The posture was very professional, he asked about the situation of the ice core back and forth, and read the review of the previous two departments.

Then, Bloomberg had a question.

"Yike is our customer, Bingxin is not."

The answer to this question is somewhat obvious.

Bingxin also became a Bloomberg client before 12 midnight.

The next day, the people from Bloomberg did not show up again. Instead, a small local law firm in Washington came to ask about the situation of the ice core.

On July 7, Fang Zhuo seemed to call the fire department after a fire broke out, and also seemed to order a meal delivery service through the phone.

The firemen huh-la-la flooded the fire, and the knocking on the door delivered the meals to the door.

Near noon, Fang Zhuo received a call notification from the Bureau of Ecnnomic, Energy, and Business Affairs, a subordinate department of the State Affairs Bureau.

The review of Ice Core CSMC's factory equipment procurement and technology introduction in China has ended.

"Your company meets the measurement standards of the U.S. State Department, and will obtain the approval document from this department, which is valid for four years."

"In view of the sensitivity of equipment and technology, Ice Core CSMC's factories in China may be subject to random inspections. Once violations are found, the department's approval documents will immediately lose their effectiveness."

With such a warning about approval and follow-up review, Bingxin has obtained the stamped documents from the State Department, and has already obtained approval from the three major departments of the United States Energy, Commerce, and State Affairs.

After Fang Zhuo received the call, he went to the Truman Building with Smith.

When he was holding the document, he felt very complicated: "I got it, it's great, it's great."

Smith looked at Mr. Fang's emotional expression and said, "Mr. Fang, you spent money."

Yes, I paid for it, and I deserve it.

Fang Zhuo quickly put away his emotions about passing the review. Compared with the carelessness of energy and the plutocratic style of business, the process of state affairs here seems not to be too surprising.

He praised: "Michael really has political credibility."

Smith said while driving: "So, Mr. Fang, if you come to the United States, you may be able to maximize the effect of money like Evans and Michael."

Fang Zhuo knew that the other party had brought up the matter of nationality again.

He said dumbfoundedly: "Smith, no, I have a bottom line. If I really want to come to the United States to engage in politics, I will definitely never make it in my life."

"I think Mr. Fang will definitely be better than that idiot Evans if he goes to Business B." Smith sighed, "Evans is too stupid."

Fang Zhuo asked curiously, "Have you dealt with him before?"

"I had a stupid cooperation with this idiot when I was a congressman." Smith sneered twice.

It turns out that this is not Jianzheng, but a real member of Parliament.

Fang Zhuo remained respectful and polite, and did not open his mouth to comment.

Smith was not interested in talking further, and just turned the topic to the last link of ice core approval, which is also considered the most difficult link-defense.

Rumsfeld, a hawk with rich political experience, was the youngest defense chief in Ford's cabinet, and now he is holding this position for the second time in the Bush cabinet.

In recent years, Rumfeld has strongly promoted the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq, and he is a very influential figure.

It is also because of this that there is a high sensitivity to advanced equipment and technology in this link.

On July 7, Bing Xin submitted the application to the subordinate office of the national defense following the national defense.

In just half an hour, Fang Zhuo and others received a clear rejection.

"Energy? Business? State affairs? This is capital enemy!"

Henry, the office director, shook the ice core purchase list with his hands, and said in a stern voice, "How did they pass it? No need to apply, we won't stamp it here."

The head of the office was tough and didn't leave an iota of space.

Smith stepped forward to negotiate, and tried to prove the reasonable compliance of the ice core with the judgment of the first three departments.

However, Henry stubbornly refused to accept the opinion.

"Mr. Henry, even Mr. Bushi thinks that Huaxia will be a global partner of the United States. If we are really enemies, how could he say that?" Fang Zhuo tried to talk about the trend at the top.

Henry just sneered: "Will you take it seriously? Or will I take it seriously? Don't have illusions, we won't be enemies."

Fang Zhuo couldn't, Smith couldn't, the group had no choice but to end the application for this trip first.

The toughness of national defense here is far beyond imagination, and even the application cannot be submitted.

"How about I look for Bloomberg again?"

Fang Zhuo turned to Smith for advice.

"The relationship between Michael and Rumsfeld may be a bit bad." Smith rejected this method from this perspective.

"What about asking the media to exert influence?" Fang Zhuo asked again.

"This kind of toughness cannot be influenced by the media." Smith also had some headaches.

Fang Zhuo thought for a moment: "What if I negotiate with Huaxia's diplomacy here? Reverse effect or miraculous effect?"

"In that case, you must submit the application, and you will be rejected sooner." Smith shook his head.

The two of them thought about it left and right, they got the right plan, they considered a few ways, but they still couldn't come up with an effective way.

Just like Rumfeld's words hanging on the wall in the office today - if in doubt, don't do it.

Now, at this stage, the ice core is considered suspicious, and even the first threshold cannot be passed.

(End of this chapter)