Chapter 108: The Words of "Surrenderism"

Liang Xiaofeng was a modest man; he smiled warmly and exchanged a few pleasantries with the two before inviting them to sit down. Naturally, he engaged mainly with Wang Ziqing, occasionally chatting with Professor Zhu Maotao, and their conversation centered on the upcoming auto expo.

At a poignant moment, Liang sighed and said, “Old Wang, the pressure on this auto expo hosted by Songjiang City is immense.”

“Honestly, I haven’t been able to get a full night’s sleep these past few days. I couldn’t make it to the train station to pick you up today—please don’t hold it against me.”

“Oh, not at all,” Wang Ziqing waved his hand repeatedly. “Old Liang, we’re all on the same side; there’s no need for formalities... By the way, you mentioned the pressure on this expo—what’s the real reason?”

Liang forced a smile. “This Songjiang Auto Industry Expo marks the first joint exhibition in six years between Songjiang Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen.”

“During the expo, the German Volkswagen company will hold a press conference to launch new models like the Santana, Golf, and Audi—the leading Volkswagen-brand sedans from Germany,” Liang detailed.

Hearing this, Wang Ziqing looked puzzled and couldn’t help but ask, “Old Liang, isn’t that a good thing? German Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest automakers, right? Their introduction of new models should greatly boost the expo. Why worry?”

After Wang spoke, Jiang Hong, Liu Renhe, and Liu Yaohong all nodded in agreement. Only Professor Zhu Maotao appeared thoughtful, his expression growing serious.

As for Mo Xiaotian, he was feigning attentive listening to the senior officials, not yet grasping the full implications.

Wang’s question prompted Liang to sigh again. “Old Wang, you’re unaware of some things! The Songjiang Municipal Government and our Machinery Industry Committee organized this expo not only to provide manufacturers a platform and customers a close-up look at products, but with an equally important goal: negotiation.”

“Negotiation?” Wang began to understand.

“Yes, negotiation.”

Liang nodded and turned to Professor Zhu. “Perhaps Professor Zhu knows some details. Our own Songjiang Automobile Factory—”

“A month ago, after producing its last Songjiang-brand sedan, the factory was razed, freeing up nearly 200,000 square meters for the German Volkswagen joint venture,” Liang explained.

Professor Zhu sighed in response. “Yes, Director Liang, I’m aware. The former head of the factory’s technical department is an old classmate of mine. He mentioned this to me.”

“Old Liang,” Wang frowned. “Are you suggesting that the Germans are here to flaunt their strength, pressuring the Chinese side to lower their stake in the joint venture?”

“Not just that!” Liang’s face darkened. “The Volkswagen Group’s Vice President and Marketing Development Manager Thomas, accompanied by their Technical Development Director Yang Sen, have come ostensibly to expand the Chinese market, but in reality, they aim to force us to relinquish our 20% technical share.”

Mo Xiaotian, who had been only half-listening, now let out a hesitant “Uh?”

Seeing his puzzled expression, Liang cleared his throat. “Comrade Mo, if you have questions, feel free to speak up. This is an informal gathering; no need to be reserved.”

Mo Xiaotian’s eyes lit up. Since Liang’s arrival, he had been preparing to make an impression. Although he was originally from Songjiang, he had studied in Jinling all these years. Despite following Professor Zhu for so long with little success, his recent encounter on the train—where Zhao Guoyang had unintentionally outshone him—had stirred thoughts of seeking new opportunities back home.

Returning to Songjiang, where he grew up, seemed the best choice. If he could impress the director of the Machinery Industry Committee, his chances of securing a good position would improve.

With this in mind, Mo Xiaotian cleared his throat and said, “Director Liang, Director Wang, Professor, here’s my perspective. The German Volkswagen Group is a global leader in automotive manufacturing, and their technical secrecy is extremely stringent. Insisting on claiming that 20% technical share may not be very meaningful.”

He continued smoothly, “Ultimately, the foundation of our Republic’s auto industry remains weak. Even with 20% technology rights, what kind of cars could we realistically produce? The recent closure of Songjiang Automobile Factory is proof.”

“Therefore, in my view, rather than contesting technical shares, the Chinese side would be better off negotiating for greater equity. This would avoid direct confrontation while securing tangible economic benefits. Why not embrace this approach?”

Silence fell over the room after his words.

Liang frowned slightly and exchanged a glance with Wang, saying nothing.

Wang, a longtime friend, could read the signs clearly—it was obvious Liang disapproved of Mo’s proposal and was quite resistant to it.

In truth, Wang shared the same view but refrained from openly criticizing Mo out of respect for Professor Zhu.

As for Professor Zhu, he was taken aback and frustrated; he had never expected his favored disciple to be such a shortsighted fool, focused only on immediate gains at the expense of long-term development. He was at a loss for words.

At that moment, Zhao Guoyang, who had remained silent until now, couldn’t hold back a scoffing laugh.

His laughter immediately drew everyone’s attention; Liang’s gaze shifted toward the source.

Upon recognizing the young man—someone who had left no impression on him—Liang’s expression turned uneasy.

To Liang, Zhao was just a minor figure from the Jiangnan Provincial delegation, a mere accessory with no right to speak.

Mo Xiaotian’s “surrenderist” stance had already angered Liang; now Zhao’s antics only deepened his displeasure. His face betrayed his irritation unmistakably.