Chen Feng merely smiled, not responding to Wang Hao, and directly pushed open the office door.
"Who are you? Who let you in? Can't you see there are guests in the office?" Li Hong frowned and questioned Chen Feng.
"Mr. Li, I can help the Baidu company save on patent royalties for American chips." Chen Feng cut straight to the point.
Li Hong's eyes shot out a gleam of light upon hearing this. The biggest cost for Baidu Company's self-driving car project was the chip patent issue. In reality, it wasn't just Baidu Company facing this. Most Chinese companies were similar; on the surface, they were developing rapidly, but in reality, their profits were not high. A significant reason was that core technology patents were not in their hands. This wasn't limited to China's private enterprises; state-owned enterprises also faced this problem. Take, for example, China's large aircraft project. On the surface, China had produced large civil aircraft, making it one of the few countries capable of doing so. However, the core technology for large aircraft, the engine technology, was not Chinese; it was foreign. Every year, China's large aircraft project had to pay substantial patent fees. Of course, this wasn't entirely China's fault. After all, China's technological development lagged far behind the West. They could only follow this path: first paying high patent fees, then slowly replicating. Finally, they would fully own independent intellectual property rights. This process was long and couldn't be achieved overnight. Especially for the chip technology in Baidu Company's self-driving car project. It was different from other Chinese companies. Other Chinese companies could follow the path of paying patent fees first and then replicating. However, the chip industry couldn't. The United States maintained extremely strict controls over the chip industry. It had to be said that Americans were truly intelligent, understanding how to grasp the big picture and let go of the small details. Small technologies could be let other countries "steal." They tacitly allowed various countries to form a global industrial chain, with the United States at the upstream position, earning significant profits. However, for major technologies and core technologies, the United States would never concede. The reason was simple: high-end, cutting-edge technology, when monopolized, generated astronomical sums of money. Therefore, the United States' control over the chip industry was extremely strict. Although Baidu's self-driving car project had the backing of a large company like Baidu, and even strong support from the Chinese government, it was still futile. The United States strictly controlled it!
"Say that again, what can you bring to Baidu Company?" Li Hong stared intently at Chen Feng.
"I can ensure that Baidu Company no longer has to pay exorbitant chip patent fees to the United States." Chen Feng stated calmly, word by word.
"Young man, you have quite a lot of nerve." Li Hong looked at Chen Feng with disbelief. Baidu Company, such a unicorn enterprise, couldn't even handle advanced chips, yet a young Chinese man could? How was that possible? Chips were currently the most difficult cutting-edge technology to master, and they were also indispensable. Every industry required advanced chip technology.
"Mr. Li, if I'm not mistaken, the chips required for Baidu Company's self-driving project are 2D chips, unrelated to thickness. For automotive chips, thickness is not the most important consideration. 1D and 2D chips are the most crucial factors." Seeing Li Hong's skepticism, Chen Feng didn't waste time and directly addressed the key point. Large equipment absolutely required 2D chips. The processing speed and accuracy of 2D chips were incomparable to 1D chips. Small machinery with limited mechanical actions could be adequately served by 1D chips. However, large equipment, requiring extensive mechanical actions, could only be satisfied by 2D chips!
"You understand chips?" Li Hong exclaimed in surprise. The concept of 2D chips was something only people within the industry understood. Ordinary people would just echo that thinner chips were better, which was a very one-sided view. Thickness was just one aspect of a chip, not the entirety. Many micro-technologies required consideration of chip thickness. For example, surgical robots needed chips to be as thin as possible. However, for large machinery, chip thickness was less important than chip dimensions.
"I don't just understand chips; I've also developed 2D chips. Of course, there's still a gap in quality compared to the United States. US 2D chips have a lifespan of ten years, while the 2D chips I've developed only have a three-year lifespan. However, I believe lifespan isn't really an issue. In the chip industry itself, the pace of technological iteration is fast. A ten-year lifespan is unnecessary. Three years is just right. When chips become obsolete, you simply replace them with new ones." Chen Feng said calmly.
Li Hong was stirred by Chen Feng's words. Without a second thought, Li Hong asked his guest for the day, a deputy governor of a province, to leave, stating that discussions on Baidu Company's investment matters would be held another time. This completely shattered the deputy governor's worldview. My goodness, had Li Hong lost his mind? For a mere youngster, he was making a deputy governor of his stature come back again. Wasn't that preposterous? A deputy governor was a high-ranking official in China's political arena, a big shot regardless of where they were stationed. And he was being dismissed by a mere youngster.
"Mr. Li, I had an appointment with you first. How about we finish our conversation, and let this young man wait a moment?" Old Zhao said in a low voice.
"Old Zhao, I'm truly sorry, but this young man has a very important matter to discuss with me..." Li Hong was direct and spoke his mind.
"Is there something so important to discuss that it outweighs Baidu Company's strategic cooperation with a major economic province?" Old Zhao deliberately emphasized the words "economic province" very loudly.
"Old Zhao, I know what you're thinking. How about this, we don't need to discuss it in detail; just double the investment amount, and you can go down now and sign the contract with Manager Wang Hao." Li Hong got straight to the point.
"Double it?" Old Zhao looked astonished.
"Yes, double it." Li Hong nodded slightly.
"Mr. Li, weren't we just discussing reducing the investment scale? You said Baidu Company didn't have that much money and couldn't take risks, so why now?" Old Zhao asked, looking confused.
"Old Zhao, you're not an outsider, so I won't hide anything from you. The reason for this sudden change of mind is that this young man, Chen Feng, is about to discuss a crucial matter with me that can immediately save Baidu Company one-third of its circulating funds. With that, Baidu Company will have the money to invest." Li Hong didn't conceal anything and spoke his mind directly.
"..." Old Zhao was stunned.
Damn, he had looked down on Chen Feng just now, thinking he was just a young kid. Who would have thought he had such great capabilities? It seemed one shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
"Old Zhao, is that acceptable?" Li Hong deliberately asked Old Zhao.
"Yes, of course, it is. Since the matter you are discussing is so important, I won't disturb you further." Old Zhao said with a fawning smile. Power structures were indeed realistic; as long as someone could offer significant benefits, even high-ranking officials like deputy governors would be respectful and amiable. The political arena was undeniably a realm of interests.
After speaking, Old Zhao retreated from the office with a fawning smile.
"Old Zhao, how did it go inside? Did Chen Feng..." Seeing Old Zhao come out of the boss's office, Wang Hao misunderstood, thinking Chen Feng had been severely reprimanded by Li Hong.
"Chen Feng is inside discussing a major matter with your boss. By the way, your boss said we should go downstairs to discuss Baidu Company's investment issues." Old Zhao asked excitedly.
"Certainly." The stone in Wang Hao's heart was finally lifted.
"Also, your boss said that Baidu Company would double its investment in our province this time." Old Zhao continued excitedly.
"What? Double the investment? Did you hear wrong? Didn't our boss say earlier that he wanted to reduce the investment?" Wang Hao asked, looking bewildered.
"Your boss did say that, but this young man, Chen Feng, made your boss change his mind." Old Zhao stated, word by word. His eyes were filled with admiration for this young man, Chen Feng.
"You mean, Chen Feng convinced our boss?" Wang Hao was taken aback.