Chapter 363 - A Major Relocation
Chapter 363: A Major Relocation
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
July, 20X0.
The focus returned to the country.
In the northwestern desert region of Z country, Xing Hai Technologies was carrying out the transformation of 500,000 square kilometers of desert land at a faster and more efficient rate.
This was especially the case in the northeast corner of the Taklimakan Desert. Xing Hai Technologies had been carrying out the transformation in the 50,000-square-kilometer region for seven years non-stop.
There were countless investments, including a large number of incredible high-tech applications.
A miracle happened.
A few years ago, it was a desert where there was not even an inch of grass. Now, there were contiguous forests, grasslands stretching for miles, a flowing stream, birds singing and the scent of flowers. What filled the eyes observers had changed from a monotonous yellow to a continuous green.
“We have completely reached a standard suitable for human survival. Even the pollution index is small, which is good for your health.” This was the evaluation given by the United Nations Environment Programme after testing the composition of the water, air, and soil.
Since that was the case, I seemed better to just move to the desert redevelopment area.
Dozens of research centers, laboratories, large-scale equipment, and tens of thousands of employees of Xing Hai Technologies could be relocated to the Technology City No. 1. The city had already been completed and spanned 100 square kilometers.
The relocation arrangements made by Xing Hai Technologies were very simple. They were completely linked to real estate prices. If the average price of the real estate surrounding the company facility exceeded $100,000 per square meter, it would be included in the first batch of facilities to be relocated. If the average price of surrounding real estate exceeded $80,000 per square meter, it would be in the second batch to be relocated. If the average price of surrounding real estate exceeded $50,000 per square meter, it would be in the third batch to be relocated.
As for those buildings where the surrounding real estate prices did not exceed $50,000 per square meter, no transfer would be considered for now.
Using this standard as a reference, the company’s research institutions and office centers located in first-tier cities such as Shang Hai, Su Hong, Shen Zhen, Hang Cheng, Yang Cheng, and the capital city would all be relocated. Some would be relocated in the first wave, some in the second and some in the third. Eventually, they would all be transferred.
The facilities in Shang Hai were a particular priority. Xing Hai Technologies’ 12 large research centers, 5 office centers, hundreds of enterprise laboratories and nearly 100,000 employees would all have priority in the relocation arrangements, except for a very small number to be left behind. The facilities would be transferred to the northwest desert reconstruction area more than 3,000 kilometers away.
The move was extremely rapid. Xing Hai Technologies rented ten large passenger planes and ten large cargo planes to transport people and goods all day and all night. The relocation was done at a rate that was equivalent to flying more than 2,000 employees and more than 1,000 tons of materials out of the metropolitan city of Shang Hai every day. With this speed, the relocation could be completed in about three months or so.
Wow…
Although this relocation was not publicly disclosed, the company’s action had alarmed the media and caused widespread panic and shock. A variety of thrilling and eye-catching news headlines came out.
“Xing Hai Technologies escapes from Shang Hai for several nights in a row.”
“Quickly stop Xing Hai Technologies! It is abruptly withdrawing at the speed of light.”
“Without Xing Hai Technologies, the lights in Shang Hai will dim immediately.”
“Haha, congratulations to real estate prices, you have won.”
However, the majority of netizens was not surprised by the move.
“Real estate prices in the city center are $180,000 per square meter. The prices of real estate in suburbs outside the five rings are generally between $80,000 to 100,000. What high-tech company would not flee from such prices?”
“Xing Hai Technologies has also been hoisted by its own petard. Ten years ago, the company put forward the concept of ‘absolute wages’ and promised to pay the rent of their employees. As a result, landlords began to see Xing Hai Technologies as a company with more money than sense. Rental prices were frantically increased, especially for properties near Xing Hai Technologies. A simple furnished two-bedroom apartment of 50 square meters cost $10,000 per month. And this was considered cheap.”
“I’ve heard speculators shouting that reasonable housing prices in Shang Hai should be $200,000 per square meter. It’s because the city has Xing Hai Technologies. I don’t know if they still have the confidence to say this now?”
“Xing Hai Technologies is not a company with more money than sense. It will not pay for their speculative behavior. If you make the company anxious, it will move straight into the desert. I didn’t think it was possible before, but they have actually done it in! Ruthless, I can only say that they are ruthless!”
“I’m curious about this. How did Xing Hai Technologies convince tens of thousands of employees to get on the plane and agree to go work in the northwest desert? How did Xing Hai Technologies do it?”
“I am also very curious. If it was me, if I had to leave my friends and family, leave a lively environment that I had gotten used to, all to go work in the desert thousands of kilometers away, where life is far less convenient than Shang Hai, where education and facilities are less than excellent… If it were me, I might resign rather than be relocated. I wouldn’t be able to get used to it.”
“The above comment is too ridiculous. The benefits and salaries given by Xing Hai Technologies are one or two grades better than what civil servants and state-owned enterprise workers enjoy. Who is willing to give up such good treatment? If it were me, I could only follow the orders.”
“In reality, most of their employees are not locals from Shang Hai, but migrant workers. To them, coming to Shang Hai to work is not too different from going to the northwestern desert. Changing the location of the workplace has little effect on them.”
“No! The impact on most people is actually very big. In these past ten years or more, most employees who have already worked for Xing Hai Technologies for more than three years would have been able to buy a house and settle in Shang Hai. They would even have the ability to bring their wife, parents, and children over to Shang Hai and support them. At least 50% of Xing Hai employees have become Shang Hai residents. Most of these employees are also included in the move to the northwest desert. They may not be happy to leave.”
“How did Xing Hai Technologies eliminate the employees’ concerns? It is not known at the moment.”
Solving the real reasons behind this problem was actually very simple. Chen Jin had proposed three solutions.
One, if the whole family migrated to “Technology City No. 1”, the company would provide free housing and arrange work for the employees’ families. Professional kindergartens, schools, and hospitals were built. The facilities were perfect, and the immigrants would not be too inconvenienced.
Two, they could choose the “two-week rotation work system”. Under this system, employees worked one week in Shang Hai, flew to work in the Technology City next week, and returned to Shang Hai the week after.
Three, complete working freedom. Under this model, employees did not have to go to the company or the Technology City. They worked from home every day. It was enough to complete the tasks assigned by the company. Their salaries were linked to the number of tasks completed. The more work completed the higher the salary. The less work completed the lower the salary. If there was no work, then there was no pay. The related benefits were also reduced. Thus, employees under this model would become a freelancer. This was more suitable for groups like “programmers”.
The majority of Xing Hai employees had chosen the first or second option. Employees who chose the last option were rare.
In the end, there were only a scant few who felt they had no option but to resign. They did not accept any of the three programs and also refused to stay in Shang Hai.
The overall progress of the relocation was going very smoothly.
But there were some people who were in an utterly frantic state. They called Chen Jin one after another.
“President Chen, don’t go, I’m begging you to please not go!”
“We will provide some tax concessions and 60% off land rental! We have issued countless policies in response to real estate prices. We are determined to keep the prices down. I promise that not only will housing prices not rise for the next year, but they will fall by at least 5%. We are doing our best to protect the real economy!”
“President Chen, don’t go! Please believe in our determination and abilities!”
Chen Jin was silent for some time. Then he said, “I believe what you say. Whether prices fall by 5% or rise to a new record of $200,000, it all depends on you. So don’t call me again. I will not keep you company any longer.”
…
Three months later.
The first batch of personnel and equipment was transferred, and Xing Hai Technologies had their first core base in the northwest desert.
Because the land was cheap and there were large numbers of farms, pastures, and fish ponds that were directly subordinate to Xing Hai Technologies, the products are rich in quantity and excellent in quality. These were completely sufficient for human consumption.
The rows of bungalows and villas in the Technology City were also owned by Xing Hai Technologies.
For the 80,000 Xing Hai employees and 200,000 plus family members of those employees, they had saved huge amounts in all aspects, including clothing, food, shelter, and transport.
The financial situation of Xing Hai Technologies had improved significantly in an instant.
The only price was this. The real estate prices of Shang Hai, which had always been very strong, plummeted by 15% in three months. The real estate investment circle was in chaos. Even Chen Jin did not expect Xing Hai Technologies’ departure to have such a tremendous impact. Its departure had caused the property market to lose several trillion.
In the desert, Technology City No. 1 experienced a wage/price reform which set off a huge storm. The impact of this storm was even greater than the company’s speedy withdrawal from Shang Hai!