Walking into this low-key club, He Zhengcheng found it rather simple and indeed very understated. It occupied an entire floor, but the interior space felt a bit rustic.
This is how unsophisticated natives are; they can't compare to the otaku of twenty years later. It's said that the Heaven on Earth club is also quite rustic now. He wondered if he could go there to save fallen young women.
"Hello, who are you looking for?" A soft female voice greeted He Zhengcheng as their front desk staff came forward.
All-natural, pollution-free, original ecology. Hmm, not bad, I like it!
"I received an invitation from Ms. Xu Xin yesterday!" He Zhengcheng said. His attire at the moment was rather ordinary. While not street vendor goods, they weren't expensive either, probably less than a thousand yuan for his entire outfit. But since he was dealing with natives, he didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
"Alright, I'll go ask. Please have a seat and wait here!" Although the beautiful front desk attendant was a bit displeased by He Zhengcheng's aggressive gaze, her excellent professional demeanor prevented her from reacting.
"Mm!" He Zhengcheng wasn't coy and sat down straight.
"Cheng Zai, you're finally here!" Xu Xin quickly walked out and greeted him warmly.
"I'm not late, am I?" He Zhengcheng wondered.
"I was afraid you wouldn't come!" Xu Xin replied.
"I have too little social experience right now, and I want to experience all walks of life. Sister Xu, I truly cherish this opportunity you've given me," He Zhengcheng said humbly and honestly.
Upon hearing this, Xu Xin's opinion of He Zhengcheng improved considerably. He Zhengcheng seemed humble and easy to get along with, but an air of arrogance always unconsciously emanated from him, as if he looked down on everyone and was extremely confident.
Therefore, even though He Zhengcheng hadn't proven himself yet, she still had an inexplicable confidence in him, but also a good deal of worry.
"Some of them are executives from Daxia Country state-owned enterprises, and some are executives from local Chinese-funded large enterprises in Hong Kong. They've gathered to discuss the uncertain future situation," Xu Xin explained.
"What is my task today?" He Zhengcheng asked.
"No task, just repeat what you told us, but you can focus on introducing this financial crisis," Xu Xin replied.
"Alright, no problem!" He Zhengcheng said confidently with a slight smile.
He walked into a room in the club where there were over a dozen people, mostly in their thirties and forties.
"Hello everyone, let me introduce you. This is the genius I mentioned, Cheng Zai He Zhengcheng! He has profound insights into the global economy and finance, and has formed his own set of theories..." Xu Xin shamelessly praised He Zhengcheng, but few responded, only nodding symbolically.
Xu Xin was the daughter of a state-owned enterprise magnate, not a government official, so her influence was limited. It was already quite good that she could bring He Zhengcheng.
"Let me introduce you. This is Manager Cheng from China Resources Company, this is Manager Hao from China Everbright, this is Manager Hu from Daxia China Mobile, this is Manager Nong from China Merchants Group, this is Manager Ma from Cheung Kong Industries, this is Manager Guo from New World, this is Manager Wu from Wharf Holdings..." Xu Xin introduced them one by one, giving him an impression, though only a few people even gave him business cards.
He Zhengcheng didn't care. Anyway, most of them were just minor characters, perhaps appearing for only one episode. He was too lazy to remember names. Oh, no, he should remember the names of those who gave him business cards, that's polite.
A small character is a small character. Even after rebirth, one still needs to climb up step by step; it's impossible to achieve success overnight. This can be seen from his current social interactions. How could those who are good at networking miss such a good opportunity... He Zhengcheng's psychology at this time was quite contradictory; he both looked down on the other party and wanted to gain their recognition. In a word, he was being pretentious!
"Alright, we've heard you brag many times. Let's get straight to the point!" Manager Cheng from China Resources Company spoke.
"Then I'll talk! Are there any tools like a blackboard?" He Zhengcheng asked.
"I'll go ask!" Xu Xin walked out.
Seeing Xu Xin leave, He Zhengcheng's originally straight back immediately slumped. Through the introductions just now, he had a general understanding: unless these people had connections and backgrounds, there wasn't much value in befriending them.
Their positions indicated that they didn't have much decision-making power at the moment. Was it necessary for him to expend so much effort and words here?
"My theory hasn't fully formed yet and has many flaws, so some of what I say may be difficult to understand. I'll have to use drawings to illustrate and simultaneously jot down some keywords to avoid contradictions," He Zhengcheng explained verbally, but his performance showed no sincerity. Fortunately, these business elites were very composed and didn't react.
"Sorry, there isn't one here!" Xu Xin quickly returned.
"Then forget it!" He Zhengcheng said. He hadn't prepared a PPT or a script anyway, so he could only speak as thoughts came to him!
"The causes of the Asian Financial Crisis can be simply divided into internal and external factors. However, as this crisis unfolds, there's no immediate need for us to analyze its internal causes, so let's first discuss the external factors.
Everyone knows that Soros attacked the Thailand financial market, triggering the Asian Financial Crisis, and profited significantly from it. But were the international Hedge Funds, represented by Soros, truly the biggest beneficiaries? I have serious doubts about that.
My view is that through this Asian Financial Crisis, European and American banks, investment banks, and multinational corporations opened up the markets of these countries and regions. Local enterprises in various Asian countries will mostly fall, and national industries are highly likely to be destroyed. They will basically lose a large amount of their sustained ability to generate capital.
Therefore, I believe: this financial crisis is less of a financial crisis and more of a financial war. The purpose of the war is not to gain direct war profits, but rather the benefits that come after victory in the war.
Most Asian countries need rescue from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to escape their predicaments. However, obtaining IMF rescue is not without conditions. The IMF's condition is essentially one: open up their domestic markets. Do not restrict international enterprises' investment and acquisition activities in their countries.
After the Asian Financial Crisis passes, the economic development of almost all countries and regions will fall into a slump. Of course, to use an academic term, these countries and regions will fall into the middle-income country trap.
This is all easy to understand, right?" He Zhengcheng looked at the group of people who were deep in thought.
"Then, if we use this line of thinking to look at present-day Hong Kong, can we better understand the current situation?
Hong Kong is a springboard for European and American capital to enter the Daxia Country market, and it is also a frontline outpost and early warning center for Daxia Country's defense against financial warfare.
If Hong Kong is defeated, international capital will inevitably intervene in Hong Kong's financial system. Then, through Hong Kong, they will better grasp Daxia Country's various economic situations and data.
Under the existing international financial system and rules of the game, Soros and his counterparts actually know exactly how much capital Hong Kong and Daxia Country can invest. In other words, our trump card is essentially an open card. If European and American capital truly wants to collapse Hong Kong's economy at all costs, we actually have no hope of winning.
But what if this is a war?" He Zhengcheng paused, proactively found a water glass, and took a sip. No one spoke.
"Let's temporarily set aside Hong Kong and look back at the entire world. The North America economy is essentially the United States economy. Europe, or rather the European Union, can be considered a whole.
They stand at the top of the financial capital industry chain, they are the initiators of war, and the exploiters of profit.
The Middle East region is basically an oil economy. The continuous decline in international crude oil prices in recent years has been their biggest blow.
As for Africa and South Asia, are there large capitals there? No, right? At least for now, they can be directly ignored.
The South America region, not to mention it was already plundered once in '94, has always been the backyard of the United States, a meal on Wall Street's plate. Would they allow European capital to loot South America?
Impossible! The remaining Australia can barely be considered a member of Europe and America, so let's not discuss it.
In all of East Asia and Southeast Asia, besides Hong Kong and Daxia Country, where else has not been crushed by international capital?
Is there?
There is!" He Zhengcheng said loudly!
I don't know if this chapter made it clear, but the protagonist wants to convey that the various financial crises of the 1990s were actually the United States trying to make international capital flow back, suppressing various countries.
Historically, the internet bubble was precisely exacerbated by the large influx of international capital into the US capital market.
Don't observe or consider anything in isolation; always consider it from the perspective that the world is a whole.
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