"How to control the Jiangnan Group has always been a problem we've been researching. Do you have any good ideas to suppress this fellow?" Mr. DuPont asked straightforwardly.
"Sir, suppressing the Jiangnan Group is extremely difficult. Their absolute technological lead is the main reason. Only when our related technologies are perfected can we potentially suppress them through commercial means. I believe unless we directly employ administrative measures, there is no other way to directly suppress the Jiangnan Group!" Bick said in a low voice.
"Administrative measures... it's not time yet. Once we act, the reputation of our entire country will be greatly affected!" Mr. DuPont frowned. The four major consortiums had indeed considered administrative measures; in fact, they had prepared dozens of different plans.
However, when they were ready to act, they realized that administrative measures were not that effective.
The simplest method, of course, would be a technology blockade. But the problem was that the core technology of all of Jiangnan Group's major products was held in their own hands, rendering a technology blockade non-existent.
Then there was market blockade, which should have been an excellent measure. But unfortunately, the Jiangnan Group seemed to have anticipated this crisis. So, although they had many companies in the United States, these companies were mostly involved in handling various administrative tasks. Their core production and business operations had been transferred elsewhere.
Take, for example, the initial memory chip project. Due to its absolute advantage in chip cost-effectiveness, it ended up monopolizing the entire market.
Therefore, the Jiangnan Group never set up chip sales departments in any country's market. Anyone who wanted to buy chips had to order them from China.
At the same time, the Jiangnan Group adopted a model of numerous distributors subcontracting the work, allowing many US distributors to purchase large quantities of chips and then sell them to the local market. All market operations and tax payments were handled by local companies.
At most, you could only ask these local distributors to stop selling, but you couldn't stop other companies from purchasing and importing from abroad.
Even if you blocked imports altogether, or imposed heavy taxes to re-establish the domestic memory chip industry, this would take time. Moreover, the prices of these chips would definitely be extremely expensive, far exceeding Jiangnan Group's prices.
Ordinary consumers would not directly purchase chips. Those with chip procurement needs would always be large enterprises. To reduce their costs, these enterprises might even choose to produce directly overseas and then import them back for domestic sales to avoid heavy taxes.
Most critically, these large enterprises had investments from the four major consortiums to varying degrees. They couldn't possibly obstruct their own business!
As for Jiangnan Group's most important business currently, which is the terminal business, that's even more absurd.
Jiangnan Group no longer directly sells terminals. All parts and technology licenses are purchased by various third parties. You can't possibly blockade all manufacturers in the entire terminal industry.
In addition to this, there's the gaming industry. Although these four major consortiums could completely block the oo game center, just as people in China can use VPNs, wouldn't overseas players who want to play games also be able to use VPNs?
As long as something is on the internet, it's impossible to block it unless the internet is physically cut off.
The only thing that could be completely blocked is cultural products. For instance, movies, TV series, and variety shows produced by Jiangnan Group's various film and television companies could indeed be completely banned from public screening.
But these are not the main source of profit for Jiangnan Group. They don't rely on these things to survive. What they value more is the IP value these products bring.
Furthermore, even if Jiangnan Group doesn't screen these commercially for profit and instead releases them online for free, that wouldn't prevent the spread of these cultural products.
In summary, it seems that from the moment they began venturing into the US market, the Jiangnan Group had anticipated actions against them and had implemented various unbelievable strategies, keeping all important core assets, technologies, and brands outside of the United States.
At the time, these actions seemed incredibly foolish, but now, they undoubtedly demonstrate top-tier foresight.
However, what angered the four major consortiums the most was that Huang He never left his stronghold, making it impossible for them to deal with Jiangnan Group using the simplest and most efficient means. It was utterly infuriating.
Of course, it wasn't entirely impossible to block Jiangnan Group. But doing so would require excessively ruthless actions, which would completely tear off the mask they had maintained for decades. The four major consortiums did not wish to pay such a massive price.
"Do you have any good ideas to deal with the Jiangnan Group?" Mr. DuPont asked, feeling extremely uncomfortable as he thought about it.
"Sir, I actually believe we have been in a misunderstanding all along," Bick stated. "We've always been thinking about how to suppress and defeat Jiangnan Group. But why have we never considered if we could make Jiangnan Group even larger, fostering its even faster growth?"
"You are someone sent by the Jiangnan Group!" Hearing this, Mr. DuPont's eyes widened, and he glared fiercely at Bick.
"Sir, I have no relation to the Jiangnan Group. I am merely offering a thought!" Bick said calmly. "Because none of us have ever considered what would happen if Jiangnan Group becomes increasingly powerful, its technologies more advanced, and its assets even larger."
"Naturally, it would ride over us, just like that damned nigger!" many directors of the US United Super Vacuum Tube Railway Company, who had just been angered by Little Swift, said through gritted teeth.
"Yes, but this would also put the Jiangnan Group in greater danger!" A strange smile appeared on Bick's lips. "Mr. DuPont, the core reason why we can't do anything about Huang He and the Jiangnan Group is precisely because its headquarters is in a country we cannot infiltrate, a country that views us as a plague, a country that firmly keeps us out."
"But if one day, Jiangnan Group becomes as large as us, Huang He's personal wealth becomes uncontrollably immense, and eventually the Jiangnan Group becomes one of the five major consortiums in the United States, will he still have a safe haven?"
"..." A silence fell over the room. This idea was too far-fetched, yet upon closer thought, it did seem to hold some merit.
"Your idea is too speculative. As far as I know, Jiangnan Group has very good social connections, and Huang He is not that foolish!" the head of the Rockefeller consortium suddenly interjected. "And if we allow Jiangnan Group to grow larger while its headquarters remains secure, then we would be making the most fatal mistake."
"Yes, I was just offering a simple thought, apologies for making you laugh!" Bick knew his idea was too shocking and ahead of its time, so he didn't say more.
In any case, he had already garnered enough attention today. The important figures of the four major consortiums had recognized him, and his future prospects were now clearly bright. Any more spotlight would be excessive.
Bick fell silent. Subsequently, more people began to speak and chat. However, Alice, who had been serving them, noticed that although many people tried to steer the conversation elsewhere, it almost always circled back to the Jiangnan Group and the country behind it. After all, it was a visible threat.
When the Jiangnan Group was mentioned, many people in the financial sector began to complain, recounting the grievances they had suffered recently at the hands of Little Swift. After all, everyone in the world knew that the Western Mustang Fund was backed by the Jiangnan Group, or rather, by Boss Huang himself. And Little Swift's actions were certainly directed by Huang He.
Otherwise, how would an American like him dare to oppose all of Wall Street in such a manner?
The underlying meaning of these words was that they hoped the four major consortiums would directly use their influence to regain face in the matter of the US United Super Vacuum Tube Railway Company, or at least find a way to divide the remaining assets of the US United Super Vacuum Tube Railway Company. After all, these were billions of dollars in colossal assets.
However, the expressions of the four major consortiums were very serious. It wasn't that they didn't care about the billions of dollars in colossal assets, but rather that the matter of the US United Super Vacuum Tube Railway Company was truly difficult to manipulate.
After all, the Western Mustang Fund entered the fray after the incident occurred. Therefore, many previous matters could not be attributed to them, and it was difficult to continue to disrupt them financially.
Unless they set aside the US United Super Vacuum Tube Railway Company and chose to directly make things difficult for the Western Mustang Fund financially.
However, the situation of the Western Mustang Fund was extremely special. This fund held a massive amount of capital exceeding a trillion US dollars. And unlike most commercial funds whose capital sources were from the middle class, the Western Mustang Fund's capital came from the lower strata of American society.
Because the Western Mustang Fund had no minimum purchase threshold, allowing investment with as little as one dollar, many impoverished individuals also invested tens or even hundreds of dollars to purchase shares in the Western Mustang Fund.
According to incomplete statistics, about half of Americans currently have some funds in their Western Mustang Fund wallets. If they were to disrupt the fund financially at this time, it might offend half of the American population. Even the four major consortiums dared not act rashly in such a manner.
In short, everything was extremely thorny. All businesses under Jiangnan Group were like hedgehogs, impossible to move.
"Mr. Bick, do you have any good ideas?" Finally, Mr. DuPont remembered Bick, who had performed brilliantly earlier, and asked curiously.
Initially, Mr. DuPont did not have much expectation. However, Bick uttered a suggestion that made everyone explode.