Chapter 95

"Today, I will take the minutes myself."

In the meeting room of the headquarters of AVIC, the general manager's first words upon entering were to dismiss the staff responsible for taking minutes, then he coldly looked at the senior officials present.

And his second sentence was straightforward: "This is the F-14 procurement contract from the General Logistics Department. Everyone, take a look."

The general manager personally opened the file and handed the contract to the people below, allowing them to pass it around.

His unusual actions created a tense atmosphere, making everyone cautious. The contract in their hands seemed not to be a thin piece of paper but a forging hammer of a ten-thousand-ton hydraulic press.

After carefully reading the contract, everyone present couldn't help but draw a sharp breath!

"General Manager, the contract is not signed by the General Logistics Department but by Hu Wenhai personally?"

"That doesn't make sense. How can such a big deal be left to an individual?"

"The General Logistics Department must be crazy. This will let Hu Wenhai manipulate things as he pleases!"

"Exactly, where is the dignity of a state agency? How can they agree to such a transaction method!"

Those who saw the contract were indignant, showing their disappointment and frustration, almost wishing to eat the contract.

However, none of them dared to even crease a corner of the contract, for at this moment, the contract was like a time bomb. The hot stove in their hands, though scorching, could ignite them if overturned.

"General Manager, since the F-14 is not purchased from Grumman in the U.S. but is a transaction between the Air Force and Hu Wenhai, why don't we just return the contract?"

This was a pragmatic suggestion. If they couldn't get the meat, they might as well retreat and avoid getting dirty.

"Yes, there are no clear regulations on whether transactions between Chinese individuals and the Chinese military abroad count as imports. I think we should let the General Logistics Department continue to handle this contract."

"Agreed, the F-14 procurement is a major matter. It's inappropriate for us to get involved!"

Those who rush for profit often retreat quickly when there's no profit, understanding the essence of rapid advancement and swift retreat.

Since no one on the Chinese side except Hu Wenhai could touch the dollars in the entire transaction, it would be unwise to get involved in the F-14 procurement!

It was 1985, and the Soviet Union's Backfire bombers were a constant threat to the capital! So the F-14 entering China was a major national task that could not afford any mistakes!

The underlying message was that they couldn't get the meat, but the responsibility was enormous.

Who would be foolish enough to take on such a task at this moment? National defense was the responsibility of the military, so they should be the ones to worry about it.

Tap, tap, tap, tap—

The general manager's fingers tapped the table as he looked at the people below with a blank expression and asked, "Oh, does anyone have other opinions?"

"General Manager, I have a question! If we just return the contract, does that mean AVIC acknowledges this method of operation? In the future, any unit could import foreign aircraft by finding a front man. What's the point of AVIC then?"

"Hmm, that's a good point..."

"But if we keep the contract and problems arise during execution, we will be responsible! This is the F-14, a national project! The key figure, Hu Wenhai, is completely out of our control. Who knows what might happen!"

"What, does he dare to cause trouble for the country in such a matter?"

"He doesn't need to cause trouble. Just delaying the delivery date a bit would be enough to get us in trouble!"

The atmosphere in the meeting room gradually became heavy. The biggest problem for AVIC was their unfamiliarity with Hu Wenhai. They had not participated in the entire F-14 procurement negotiation process and had no idea what was going on behind the scenes.

If it were AVIC's own business, a deal worth over a billion dollars, let alone the F-14 procurement, who wouldn't try to get some benefits for themselves!

But on the surface, Hu Wenhai had almost agreed to use the official exchange rate to complete the transaction, giving up billions of yuan in profit. Was that possible?

None of those present believed it. If AVIC took over the deal, could they secure the resources the military needed to meet Hu Wenhai's demands? Could they even trust each other? The risks were too high!

No one could guarantee that the entire transaction would proceed smoothly if AVIC took over the contract.

"I think we should return it."

"Yes, stability is always the right choice."

"What about the opening the General Logistics Department has made with Hu Wenhai?"

With this question, the meeting room fell silent. AVIC was the company responsible for the import and export of aircraft, essentially a monopoly.

Returning the contract would be like tearing a hole in the monopoly.

Not returning it meant taking on a huge responsibility. Returning it meant losing a huge benefit.

AVIC was in a difficult position.

"Alright, let me say a few words." The general manager finally ended his expressionless mode and gave his opinion.

"The key issue here is not something else, but the fact that Hu Wenhai is currently uncontrollable. Since both returning and keeping the contract have problems, why don't we think further and focus on Hu Wenhai?"

"What do you mean, General Manager?"

"My meaning is clear from the beginning. The distribution of the ten billion dollars should be handled by AVIC! We need to control Hu Wenhai or get the patent for Viagra. This will make the situation more manageable."

Whoa—

As soon as the general manager spoke, the room erupted into chaos.

The senior official who had gone to Old Kong to gather information immediately objected: "This won't work! The higher-ups have explicitly instructed us not to touch Hu Wenhai!"

"Yes, Hu Wenhai has made significant contributions to the country. How can we do this?"

"Hu Wenhai is untouchable; he's on the list! It's said that once the F-14 officially enters the country, the top leader will inscribe a message!"

"General Manager, please think carefully!"

The general manager coldly looked at those who opposed him and suddenly sighed, "Everyone, if we don't do this, are we going to entrust the responsibility of aircraft procurement to an 18-year-old child?"

"This is irresponsible, it's a crime!"

The general manager spoke earnestly, with tears in his eyes. If it weren't for the fact that all those present were AVIC's top executives, one might have thought he was deeply concerned about the country and the people.

But on the other hand, on one side was the loss of monopoly power and the marginalization of their status, and on the other side was the huge benefit of ten billion dollars and the great merit of ensuring the F-14 procurement.

If it weren't for the higher-ups' instructions not to touch Hu Wenhai, this decision would have been easy.

"I oppose it. The higher-ups' instructions cannot be changed, and Hu Wenhai must not be touched!"

"Yes, we must still have a conscience and not do something that would hurt people's feelings!"

"I think it's fine. We are doing this for the country. Such a large amount of money and power in the hands of an individual is not a way to protect Comrade Hu!"

"Yes, the General Manager is thinking about Hu Wenhai's well-being. He doesn't have the ability to take on such a huge responsibility, and it's for the sake of national security!"

"No, I oppose it!"

"I support it!"

"Oppose, oppose!"

"If you oppose it, then come up with a solution!"

"Not touching Hu Wenhai is the bottom line, set by the higher-ups!"

"The higher-ups may not always be right. We are the ones who truly control the situation!"

...

"Enough!" The general manager slapped the table, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces.

The meeting room gradually quieted down. He said coldly, "It's normal for comrades to have different opinions, but as the general manager of AVIC, I hope you can reserve your opinions and at least not take any inappropriate actions for now. We will proceed in two steps: first, seek the understanding of the higher-ups, and second, quickly solidify the situation!"

"For those who have different opinions, my requirement is simple. For the sake of AVIC, I ask you to remain silent for now. Once we deal with Hu Wenhai, if the higher-ups blame us, it will be my problem. With the record of today's meeting, you will not be held responsible."

"Does anyone have any other questions?"

Seeing that the general manager was determined to do this, everyone in the room fell silent, the meeting room was dead quiet.

The general manager nodded in satisfaction, "Alright, the meeting is adjourned!"

As the general manager of AVIC, he saw the situation clearly. From the moment he learned that Hu Wenhai had signed the contract with Grumman, he never considered giving up.

Ten billion dollars was a huge benefit. Even if the higher-ups were protecting Hu Wenhai, there were more people in the country watching him. As long as he took the first step, others would step in to share the blame. The key was that someone had to take the first step.

Today, the VIP channel at the Capital International Airport was locked down again. Ordinary passengers curiously gazed at the row of luxury cars parked at the airport entrance, privately speculating about which foreign dignitary had such influence.

In a Hongqi car flying the Chinese flag, Hu Wenhai was sitting in the back seat, pretending to nap.

"Mr. Hu, I didn't expect the Iraqis to return so quickly!" The interpreter, Zhang, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned around and asked excitedly, "If the Iraqis really agree to our proposal, the country will surely make a lot of money, right?"

"Oh, probably." Hu Wenhai opened his eyes, looked at his watch, and nodded, "It's about time. Let's get out and see if Mr. Ahmed has arrived."

"Mr. Hu! Mr. Hu!" Zhang jumped out of the car, still pressing, "Just tell me, how much money will the country make if this deal goes through?"

Hu Wenhai looked him up and down, thought for a moment, and nodded calmly, "I estimate that if the Iraqis accept the 7 billion dollar offer, we will make about 5 billion dollars."