236: Chapter 236 None of them can be weighed

Director Xu gave a light cough, took out the prepared script, and began to read it verbatim.

Stripping away the formulaic platitudes, the core meaning was very clear.

When Dafeng Factory underwent restructuring, it obtained the right to use the land for free for five years through the "retained allocation" method.

After the five-year period expired, Dafeng Factory did not voluntarily pay the land transfer fees or land rent.

At the same time, the Land Bureau had not actively collected the corresponding funds during these five years.

Not long ago, this plot of land was rezoned from industrial to commercial use, causing the land valuation to increase more than tenfold; the entity that obtains the land use rights for Dafeng Factory must pay at least 900 million in land transfer fees and corresponding taxes.

The entire statement only presented facts without drawing any conclusions, nor did it mention the recovery of land transfer fees or Dafeng Factory's back payment of land rent.

After finishing, Director Xu looked at Secretary Li Dakang and Zhao Yang and asked, "Secretary Li, Chief Prosecutor Zhao, I have finished explaining the specific situation. Is there anything else for me to do?"

Zhao Yang smiled, "Thank you for your hard work, I have nothing else here. What about you, Secretary Li?"

Secretary Li Dakang immediately understood and said, "Director Xu, you go ahead and get busy. Thank you for your hard work."

Director Xu immediately left behind the relevant photocopied Materials and rose to leave his seat. This was a strategically planned retreat.

Secretary Li Dakang looked at the stack of Materials, his lips curling slightly—this was the key to resolving the Dafeng Factory equity dispute. With this, the Jingzhou City government would have much more leverage.

He tapped on the table and said, "Perhaps everyone is not very familiar with land transfer fees, so I will explain it here. This money is an important part of fiscal revenue. According to central government regulations, it is mainly used for land acquisition and demolition compensation, as well as our urban construction, such as road construction, greening, subway construction, and the construction of low-rent and public housing. It is an important source of funding for our city's development. I can now state the position on behalf of the Jingzhou City government: regardless of the outcome of the dispute between Shanshui Group and Dafeng Factory, we hope that the party obtaining the land use rights will pay the land transfer fees and related taxes in full and on time."

Once these words were spoken, the expressions of both Shanshui Group and the Dafeng Factory workers became somewhat awkward. With this matter brought out into the open, the difficulty for them to monopolize this money suddenly increased—because the channels they were counting on could not be brought into the light.

Over on his side, Zheng Shengli kept winking at Zhang Baobao, lowering his voice to say, "Stop broadcasting! It's boring, stop broadcasting!"

Zhang Baobao shook her head, "No, I want to record Chief Prosecutor Zhao."

Zheng Shengli frowned and said, "Look at what they are saying in the livestream chat? Why are you still broadcasting?"

At this moment, the comments in the livestream chat had already shown a clear change.

"Is Dafeng Factory really that wild? They've been behind on rent for over a decade?"

"Why hasn't the government gone to collect it? Is someone backing Dafeng Factory?"

"If Shanshui Group gets Dafeng Factory, do they have to pay the billion too?"

"For sure! Didn't Secretary Li say everyone has to pay? Otherwise, where would the money to build the subway come from?"

"Then here is the question: if the shareholders of Dafeng Factory get their equity back, do they pay this money?"

"Pay my ass, they're almost bankrupt, where would they get the money?"

"Then why do they want the equity back? Do they have the money to develop it themselves?"

"How would I know? Go ask the village chief!"

"New tea is on the market, gentlemen who understand, private message me..."

Zhang Baobao thought for a moment and said, "Look at our livestream, have we ever had this many people? Stop broadcasting at a time like this? Do you have something wrong with your brain?"

Zheng Shengli pointed at the stage, "But... but..."

"But what but." Zhang Baobao interrupted him, "Chief Prosecutor Zhao said that media professionals need to have professional ethics. Look at that constipated expression of yours? Do you want to go get plastic surgery? Just get it done like Chief Prosecutor Zhao's."

Zheng Shengli was so angry he rolled his eyes, "Baobao, you've changed!"

Zhang Baobao "tsked," "I am a consistent good girl; I have always only liked handsome men."

Unlike the liveliness in the livestream, after Director Xu left, the atmosphere at the round table cooled down somewhat. The land transfer fee of over 900 million, even at forty-nine percent, was something the shareholding workers simply could not afford; although Shanshui Group could afford it, they would be left with half a life after paying it.

Both sides had their own plans for this matter, but once it was brought into the open, neither dared to express their stance easily—once they expressed a stance, they would have to be weighed, and once weighed, the burden would be far more than just a thousand catties.

Seeing the scene cool down, Zhao Yang smiled slightly and said, "Now everyone has been introduced to the situation regarding the Dafeng Factory equity dispute, and the basic facts are clear. The Land Bureau has also provided a detailed explanation of the nature of the Dafeng Factory land. The demands of all parties are clear, and Secretary Li has just stated the government's position—to resolve the issue within the legal framework, and the party that ultimately obtains the equity must fulfill its legal obligations and pay the land transfer fees and related taxes in full. Does anyone have anything else to say?"

Captain Wang Wenxuan heard about having to pay money, he was immediately unconvinced. Just as he was about to speak, Zheng Xipo immediately held him down and whispered, "Let's go back and discuss it with Old Chen again. If our rent could be exempted back then, this time it should also be exemptible. We must believe that Old Chen will make the decision for us."

Captain Wang Wenxuan gritted his teeth, swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, and muttered resentfully, "I don't have money, but you can take my life."

President Gao Xiaoqin looked at Prosecutor Zhao with a wronged expression, "Prosecutor Zhao, the money our Shanshui Group lent to Dafeng Factory has already gone down the drain, and we even paid extra for the workers' resettlement. Do you still want us to pay this money?"

Zhao Yang smiled, "President Gao, is this your Shanshui Group's first real estate project? Which real estate company in the country doesn't pay land transfer fees? Actually, you can rest assured; as long as the legal dispute over that plot of land is settled and the land is in your hands, even after paying the land transfer fees, you will still make money after development."

President Gao Xiaoqin could only smile bitterly; she knew there was money to be made, but how much money would that actually be?

Secretary Li Dakang, however, was smiling quite happily. Originally, he thought the Dafeng Factory matter was very tricky, but after Zhao Yang straightened it out and laid everything out on the table, it didn't seem so difficult to handle after all. If the shareholding workers wanted to ask for an exorbitant price, they could be pressured by their arrears in land rent; if Shanshui Group dared to refuse to pay the one billion in land transfer fees, there would be even more ways to deal with them. It would be best if the land could be reclaimed and re-auctioned!

He patted District Mayor Sun Liancheng on the shoulder and whispered, "Did you see that? Learn from it."

District Mayor Sun Liancheng smiled bitterly, "Secretary Li, don't make things difficult for me. Chief Prosecutor Zhao is a double doctorate; what do I have to learn with?"

Secretary Li Dakang frowned, "You good-for-nothing. Prosecutor Zhao has already stuffed the pancake into your mouth; I don't need to teach you how to chew it, do I?"

District Mayor Sun Liancheng thought about it and said, "As long as we hold onto these two things—land rent and land transfer fees—our government will have the initiative. Don't worry, I will definitely resolve this matter as soon as possible!"

Secretary Li Dakang lowered his voice even further, leaned into his ear, and said, "Don't be in a hurry to resolve it! It would be best if you could get both sides to give up this plot of land. If you succeed, I will increase your responsibilities."

District Mayor Sun Liancheng was stunned, "Secretary Li, Dafeng Factory is the core plot of the guangming peak project; aren't you afraid of delaying the development progress?"