Chapter 15 Chapter two

On the second day, Franco's guests from the Italian foreign businessman arrived at Xu Zhao's "Suzhou Tourist Hat Factory" on time, led by friends from Shanghai foreign trade. "That's good, that's good. We are satisfied with your factory's production scale, factory appearance and manufacturing quality! OK, our cooperation will surely be a success!" The Italian businessman said happily to Xu Zhao while visiting the factory's production workshop. "Thank you, Your Excellency. Our product quality and production time will fully meet your needs. May our cooperation and friendship last forever!" During the banquet, Xu Zhao frequently toasted to the guests with a happy smile on his face.

A successful "subcontracting" won a big business, and the tourist hat factory got out of the loss. The workers, holding the bonuses they hadn't seen for many years, praised full of praise, "Mr. Xu is capable!" If you have no ability to do foreign trade business, you have to be led by the nose to a dead end.And many things in international trade, ordinary people can't figure out what "foreigners" think.Take the United States for example. It imposes many seemingly absurd conditions on the import of Chinese textiles. For example, for the import of a kind of all-cotton tablecloth, it requires a quota for all-white cloth, while dyed cloth does not.How many merchants in China have been turned away by the Americans for this reason.Xu Zhao received an order for white tablecloths from an American businessman when he was working in a tourism factory, but he couldn’t get the quota, what should he do?Xu Zhao's mind turned: If there is a kind of yarn-dyed or dyed cloth that can fade into colorless white cloth after entering the United States, won't it cross the quota barrier set by the Yankees?

It's easy!The master workers told Xu Zhao that they could do it, saying that as long as two specially dyed red threads are sandwiched in the white cloth, wouldn't it be a "colored fabric"?This special dyeing can restore the white cloth needed by the merchant after technical treatment after entering the US customs. Why do Yankees fart in their pants?After the workers finished talking about their tricks, they started joking. Xu Zhao smiled: This is called "international practice", and people may have other people's considerations!But what you think is a good move.But when Xu Zhao took a look at the relevant regulations on foreign trade in the United States, he felt a little troubled: the standard for imported "colored fabrics" in the United States clearly stated that the distance between "colored" and colorless should not be less than ten centimeters, that is, if your fabric When there is no color other than white in the length of ten centimeters, it is considered white cloth and must have quota indicators before it can be traded.

It seems that the Americans are not stupid, and they seem to have long been prepared to guard against others playing tricks on them. "Then let's add a red line at 9.98 centimeters. Doesn't this meet the requirements?" Dao is one foot taller, and Xu Zhao is one foot taller. All right, Xiao Xu, the factory director, is young and has a smart mind!The workers praised Xu Zhao, the "temporary factory director". After such a year, the tourist hat factory, which was suffering from losses in the past, has not only recovered its vitality, but also flourished in business.What is even more surprising is that Xu Zhao, who was originally full of passion for politics, turned his back on his daily life. When the organization department was about to transfer him back to serve as the deputy director of the District Party Committee Office, he actually said: My greatest interest now is to be a down-to-earth Economic Front Be an industrialist.

What, you don't want to go back to the office?You are a reserve cadre that is the focus of training in the organization!The Minister of Organization personally came forward to talk to Xu Zhao. I am determined, please organize to give me a chance.Xu Zhao showed sincere eyes. Really think about it? Think it over. Well, in this case we support you!Now Suzhou's economy has taken off, but foreign trade is still a weak industry. I wish you a great career! thanks.I will never disappoint the training of the party organization.At that moment, Xu Zhao seemed to have returned to the moment when he faced the party flag when he was 19 years old when he joined the party at university... What did he say to the beloved party at that moment?He said a lot, but there are a few words that Xu Zhao has always kept in mind, that is: he is determined to fulfill the responsibility and mission of a Communist Party member for the prosperity of the country, and also wants to create wealth and happiness for his unit and the people around him !

A person who only has lofty ideals but can't do a good job in practical work cannot become a real pillar of society.After graduating from university, Xu Zhao specialized in economics, political science and philosophy while working. He obtained a master's degree and a doctorate degree. The stronger the theoretical foundation, the more meaningful it is for him to devote himself to practical work. The rapid development of China's reform and opening up makes us in it feel incredible.Today's foreign trade in Suzhou ranks among the best in the country, but in the early 1990s when Xu Zhao set foot here after graduating from university, the foreign trade here was still in its infancy.In the era of the planned economy, there were only five major foreign trade portals in the country: Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, Xiamen and Guangzhou. Inner port cities like Suzhou were only eligible for agency acquisitions, and there was no substantial independent foreign trade at all. Only in 1987 did Suzhou have the qualification for independent customs declaration, and there were only some merchants from Hong Kong and Taiwan.There were no foreign businessmen in foreign trade, and foreign trade people could not speak foreign languages. This was the basic situation of the foreign trade industry in mainland China at that time.

It was at this moment that Xu Zhao entered foreign trade.A young scholar who has been keen to be a "politician" since he was a child, what force has changed the direction of his life coordinates? "When I was doing business with Italy's Franco, I found a problem: for a silk electric spun shirt, the price given to them by the foreign trade unit in Shanghai was seven or eight dollars, equivalent to more than sixty yuan. Shanghai foreign trade transfers to us for only 20 yuan, and we have to thank the Shanghai people! Suzhou and Shanghai are only an hour away, but just because one knows what to do and the other does not know how to do it, there is a world of difference in benefits. Both How can there be a top scholar in Suzhou who is so poor in economic work? No, I have to win back this face for Suzhou scholars! Besides, Suzhou’s economy was booming at that time, but the level of foreign trade was so low. An ambition not to be left behind." Xu Zhao, who has achieved great success today, recalled the scene at that time.

"At that time, I was new to foreign trade, and I was particularly envious of Liu Mingming, the business manager of Shanghai Foreign Trade. He could speak fluent English, and there were no obstacles in negotiating business with foreign businessmen. For this reason, I made up my mind to learn foreign languages, and came to a 'bad supplement'... "Xu Zhao used the word "crazy to make up for" to describe his crazy determination to catch up to make up for his disadvantages in spoken foreign language—as long as it was a good tape or recording in English, he would buy it and listen to it; when he met a foreign tourist , he stepped forward to strike up a conversation... The result of "bad mending" is a miraculous effect. The "English proficiency" that Xu Zhao envied in the past, now looking back at Xu Zhao and foreign businessmen, they communicate like buddies who have been rolling with each other since childhood, and even show it Kind of jealous.

What Xu Zhao has to do now is to find a foreign trade unit that can display his ambition. An ironic reality left over from an ironic era: those who engage in foreign trade cannot see foreign businessmen, those who do foreign trade cannot speak foreign languages, and foreign trade units are a sweet and sweet department that has no way to enter.When Xu Zhao, who had made some ambitious preparations, walked into the gate of the Municipal Light Industrial Products Import and Export Company for the first time, he was told that he was "not professionally qualified" and was turned away.

Xu Zhao, who has never been rejected by any threshold since he was a child, tasted for the first time what is meant by "suffering" and "ignorance". "You must be able to do foreign trade well? Come on, let me hear—" "I am a party member, and I joined in the freshman year of university; I have experience in foreign trade, and the fact that the city's tourist hat factory turned a profit within a year can prove it; the more important point is that I think the reason why China's foreign trade is doing The main reason is that the quality of our foreign trade personnel still exists..."

The boss of Suzhou Minmetals Import and Export Corporation, Sha Jinxing, is known as the "Golden Star Eye" on the foreign trade front. Seeing this young man with a bookish face eloquently and to the point, he beamed with joy. Pat on the thigh: "Okay, young man, how about coming to work at my place tomorrow?" "Tomorrow?" This time it was Xu Zhao's turn to be dazed. "Yes, tomorrow!" Xu Zhao officially stepped into the door of foreign trade so easily and smoothly. At that time, the foreign trade units were all "state-owned" systems. Although many units had a company name, their work was no different from that of an agency.Go to work with a newspaper, a pot of tea, and no need to worry about whether there is an order. Anyway, when the work comes, you can do it leisurely. Xu Zhao went to work at Minmetals Import and Export Corporation and was assigned to the five departments of the company. "That's it?" Xu Zhao found that the kettle in the department office was empty for several days in a row, and no one else took the initiative to fill it next door except him. "Come, let's make some tea..." Xu Zhao carried the kettle and poured tea and water for colleagues who read newspapers and chatted day after day for more than two months. "Thank you, Old Xu!" "Old Xu worked hard!" Xu Zhao, who was originally the youngest, was honored as "Old Xu" by his favored colleagues only because he took the initiative to soak water for everyone. Ha ha.Hahaha...Xu Zhao laughed.The colleagues in the same room also laughed.Finally, Xu Zhao no longer carries the kettle alone forever. But Xu Zhao couldn't bear such mediocre work.What he longs for is an order—the "golden rice bowl" for foreign traders. After half a year, Xu Zhao, who wanted to make a difference, found that he didn't want to "a newspaper and a pot of tea" all day long, and the terrible orders would not fall from the sky!This is really killing it. "Old Xu, what's the matter with you? You have blisters in your mouth! Don't get too angry, are you tired..." One day, several colleagues looked at Xu Zhao, who was full of blisters and sores, and said with concern. "It's okay, it's okay." Xu Zhao said it's okay, but when he turned his head, a few crystals appeared in his eye sockets: How could he be tired!Sitting on the bench all day, rushing to the heart.This is called foreign trade?It is obvious that he is going to develop a lazy disease! The more anxious Xu Zhao became, the more confused he became. "Haha, brother, it seems that we have to call you 'Xiao Xu' instead!" Someone patted Xu Zhao on the shoulder. Xu Zhao smiled awkwardly: As long as everyone likes it, you can call it whatever you like. There are still chattering voices and the smell of steaming, filthy and choking smoke in the office... It seems that only the outdated fax machine in the next room is still working occasionally in the work of the entire fifth department-it's a pity that the receipts are one after another The inquiry letters were thrown into the waste basket in the corner as waste paper, and became "headless letters". Xu Zhao discovered this phenomenon, and from then on, he walked into the room where the fax machine was located... Suddenly one day, the office of the Fifth Department of the Minmetals Foreign Trade Company where Xu Zhao worked "exploded": "It's incredible! It's incredible! An order of 51,000 US dollars!" "Whose? Who does the business?" When colleagues passed around a credit application form sent from Hong Kong, Xu Zhao entered the door. He snatched it up, and his heart skipped a beat: "It's mine! It's me who contacted you! Haha... Really It's done!" "Big guy, how did you get such a big order?" Colleagues approached in surprise and envy and asked.Xu Zhao looks a little chubby, and everyone sometimes calls him "big guy". Only then did Xu Zhao give the bottom line to everyone: "Here, I just picked up a letter from the wastebasket in the fax room a few days ago, and then replied a letter to the client. I didn't expect that they really gave us the business. ..." I see!Since then, colleagues have changed their old habits, and turned their minds from reading newspapers and drinking tea to paying attention to possible business information on faxes.This is another topic.At this moment Xu Zhao became busy.He took the order and looked left and right, excited all night.This $51,000 order was his "first pot of gold" when he stepped into a foreign trade company. At that time, the annual export business volume of the entire Minmetals Foreign Trade Company was only a few million dollars.The business that Xu Zhao "picked up" was of course considered a "big deal". Since then, everyone in Minmetals, especially those who have been engaged in foreign trade for many years, knows that issuing credit orders for guest rooms is basically a reliable business.But if we really want to keep customers, there is still a long way to go.