After half a year of preparation, the cooperation negotiations for Fuhua Shipbuilding were officially launched at Kyutsu Manor in Kyoto, Japan.
The morning was just the opening scene, and both sides successfully completed the morning program in a relaxed atmosphere.
On behalf of the United Shipbuilding, Matsui Hei Shipbuilding Preparatory Office, submitted the equipment and technical information planned by the foreign parties to the Fuhua Shipbuilding Preparatory Office.
On behalf of Xuyang Group, Ms. Chen Yiyi handed over the existing site, equipment and technical information of Nakata Shipping Company to Helian Shipping.
There are several thick reports, drawings, and data, all of which are very professional, and most of them are not clear.
In the next three days, the think tanks and expert groups of both sides began to conduct a rough review of the information and exchange preliminary opinions on more important equipment and technical issues. Then the professional and technical personnel of both sides will be devoted to the cumbersome desk work until negotiations
Finish.
Qian Ding's two assistants, Qiu Wu almost became a communication center, and maintained uninterrupted contact with the Shanghai expert group for 24 hours. Zhu Tong also assigned Xiao Xiao and Ye'er to him, and Yu Lan volunteered to join.
Go in. A large amount of technical data needs to be transmitted, which is the most labor-intensive.
On the morning of April 7, the highlight of this negotiation officially kicked off in the Jiujin Fenglu meeting room.
Zhu Tong, Smith is the protagonist of course, Xiao Xiao and Sireya are the respective secretary and assistant, sitting next to the two. Mr. Wenger appeared in front of Zhu Tong for the first time as Smith's assistant. Smith said he needed it.
A translator, I believe Mr. Wenger's Chinese is good.
Matsui Hei and Miss Chen Yiyi attended the event as stakeholders, and Ikeda Ikeda Ikemi's representative, as the president of Ikei Consortium, and was sitting at the end of the long table with the mediator Lord Hamilton.
The harmonious atmosphere lasted only ten minutes, and the smell of gunpowder gradually rose on the negotiating table. The first step to decide is the negotiation schedule.
Unlike the joint venture negotiations, Fuhua Shipbuilding was divided into two parts due to its shareholding structure and the complexity of investors. The technical equipment part is similar to other joint venture projects, and it is complicated and specific. The main battlefield is in the interest distribution part.
That is, the division of shares, the allocation of board members and the investment ratio of the infrastructure part. Zhu Tong and Smith have been fighting openly and secretly for so long in order to take the initiative in this regard.
Zhu Tong proposed from the beginning that the Fuhua Shipbuilding project has been delayed for a year and the negotiations should have a final result before the end of April. Regardless of whether the two parties cooperate, April 30 is the deadline.
Smith disagreed. He believed that Fuhua shipbuilding was a multi-billion-dollar project that involved too many details and had too many differences between the two sides, and it was impossible to reach a consensus in just three weeks.
"Details? Well, you're talking about details." Zhu Tong picked up a document and threw it in front of Smith; "This is the equipment list of Orton Company. Mr. Smith, how much can you understand?"
"This is not our job." Smith threw it back to Zhu Tong without looking; "We all have experts, this is their job."
"So, what are you doing when you sit here?" Zhu Tong asked.
"I am the chairman of Helian Shipbuilding."
"Why are you, not someone else?"
"Because I have enough shares, we have paid a lot of money for this cooperation."
"So, you invested so much money and you can create benefits for you and your shareholders one day earlier by completing the negotiations. I think you are a very irresponsible chairman."
"Take negotiations carefully, it means being responsible to shareholders. We have been waiting for a year and don't care about waiting for an extra month or two. You should know that some of the experts we hired are in Europe and they need time to study your stuff carefully, if there is one
If necessary, field investigations are required. These all take time, and three weeks are not enough." Smith seemed to be holding a handful of good cards and was leisurely smoking a cigar.
"I don't have that much time. Mr. Smith, I have to make it clear that if negotiations cannot be completed by the end of April, I will go to Europe to visit several shipyards, and at least it will be impossible to have time to sit at a table with you again until July.
.”
"July." Smith blinked, confused; however, he soon realized something: "No, absolutely not to be delayed until July. We must do all the work by the end of June."
Lan Zhanjiang's 15% shares have only half a year's use rights, which means it expires in July. If the negotiations cannot be completed before this deadline, if Matsui Heizhi stands on Zhu Tong's side, Smith will lose it.
Controlling equity in Helian Ship.
"The choice is with you, either finish the negotiations by the end of April, or wait for my inspection to come back. There are four shipbuilding companies in Europe who hope to exchange ideas with us, and our experts suggest that we should stay in Ukraine for a few more days, Chervoch
The situation at Ke Shipyard is similar to that of Fukui Shipyard. Although their technology is a bit rough, the price is very reasonable. During this period, you can go to China to find out if there are any other partners? I have not been to Europe yet.
Looking forward to going for a walk. Mr. Smith has been in Shanghai for almost a year. You should know that I have not left Asia yet."
Wenger said something in Smith's ear. He translated every sentence Zhu Tong well. Only by using the translation level, Wenger seemed to be more professional than Xiaoxiao.
Smith looked at Lord Hamilton uneasy. The Lord was very calm on the surface, but he was crying in his heart: This rogue, he is blackmailing!
However, in the face of blackmail, there is no good way to compromise. The Lord wiped his beard and signaled that Smith would not have to get too entangled on this issue, and time is equally important to both parties.
The next time to start discussing the schedule, Zhu Tong and Smith are not good at details. Fortunately, there are expert groups behind both sides, and Xiao Xiao and Sireya both have a plan in their hands. It took a small and a half hour to exchange reading.
During this period, both sides returned to their assistants for comments several times, gradually reached a consensus, and finalized a timetable.
Before signing, Zhu Tong made another suggestion.
"Since it is a timetable that both parties have determined, it must respect its seriousness and authority. I think there must be an additional clause."
"What additional terms?" Smith has experienced many similar negotiations. It is not the first time he has encountered such a difficult negotiating opponent. He is always very careful. Otherwise, a simple schedule would not be wasted.
More time is part of the technique.
But this is the first time that an opponent like Zhu Tong has encountered. He used to dig holes for others. Now, what he is most afraid of is Zhu Tong to create tricks for front and back shops.
"Punishment clause." Zhu Tong took out another document; "Fuhua Shipbuilding starts construction one day earlier, and we can bring benefits to our shareholders one day earlier. We have no right to waste shareholders' time. Every day represents a huge amount of money.
money."
Smith took it over and looked through it carefully. Like Ikeda Ikeda and Lord Hamilton, Matsui Hei and Chen Yiyi also got the same document. As he looked, a slight smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. This document was equivalent to giving
Smith was handcuffed and shackled. If you want to do anything, you must first consider the consequences.
The document is not long, only a thin five pages, and a list of twelve clauses that bind the behavior of both parties. There are many contents on the negotiation schedule, but none of them have much practical significance.
There are only three key points, of which Article 6 stipulates: This cooperation must be a comprehensive cooperation. In order to maximize the protection of shareholders' interests, neither party can cooperate with a third party in any way or degree. This is to prevent
Once Smith doesn't gain much advantage on the Fuhua project, he will use spin-off or technology transfer to form other joint venture shipyards.
Article 7 is quite fatal. Zhu Tong proposed that in order to reduce unnecessary legal disputes, once the contract is signed, no one is allowed to interpret different meanings through the laws or rules of any country. Otherwise, it will be regarded as a betrayal of Fuhua shipbuilding and is regarded as
Automatically waive all rights, including shares.
Article 9 means that before the Fuhua Shipbuilding Project is completed, no member of the board of directors shall transfer or sell shares in his own name in any way, and the board of directors shall have the right to decide whether to sue the breach of contract and demand double punishment.
.
This is a contract, as long as you sign the name on it, it must be followed whether it is legal or not.
"You are wasting your time!" Sure enough, Smith firmly disagreed with signing the additional terms and left the negotiating table angrily.
The first formal negotiation between the two sides ended in an unhappy manner.
Zhu Tong then stood up and called out Mr. Wenger who was about to leave with Smith.
"Sir, please wait."
"Mr. Li?" Wenger stopped.
"I want to remind you that Shanghai welcomes any guest, no matter what his purpose is. However, I don't like to see Mr. Wenger appear in Shanghai again. Do you understand what I mean?"
Zhu Tong spoke Chinese, and Xiao Xiao translated it word by word, the same as when he was in the negotiations just now.
Wenger looked at the cold light shot out from Zhu Tong's glasses, and of course she felt angry. Immediately, anger turned into fear. He knew Zhu Tong's background. In Shanghai, if Zhu Tong planned something unexpected happened to someone,
It must not be intimidation. Because Zhu Tong had a reason to do so, the planner of the Kyoto assassination was Wenger.
"I get it." Wenger forced himself to calm down and turned around and walked out of the room.
"Is there any problem?" Lord Hamilton came over and asked with concern.
"No, I just want to get to know Mr. Smith's assistant. Unfortunately, Mr. Wenger doesn't seem to have much interest."
When Yukimi Ikei was not there, Ikeda Ikeda took on the role of host and prepared a sumptuous Japanese dinner for the guests who had been working hard for a day.
There was a staggering pan and cup, and the unhappiness in the afternoon seemed to have not happened at all.
Smith and Zhu Tong went from toasting each other to drinking with each other with a bottle of wine, and soon they got drunk.
Lord Hamilton's mediator's role has a chance to show.
After his two mediations, Zhu Tong agreed to temporarily shelve additional clauses and conduct the next negotiations.