196: Chapter 196 Lu Weibin, the Target

He looked at Wang Hua, his smile becoming meaningful.

"Manager Wang is a smart person, so I won't beat around the bush." He leaned forward, "Gionee has been in Indonesia for three years, and it hasn't been for nothing.

Channels, connections, and relationships—all of these were built through hard work.

If Transsion wants to enter, we can cooperate. For example, you provide the products, we provide the channels, and we split the profits fifty-fifty.

"That way, it's easier for everyone."

"Fifty-fifty?" Wang Hua laughed. Was the person opposite him a pig? "Manager Li, your abacus is calculating quite loudly."

"Don't be in a rush, Manager Wang. Listen to me." Li Ming leaned back. "I heard you approached Chen Group? How did that go?"

Li Ming had already put on an expression that suggested he had Wang Hua cornered, and then gestured animatedly as he said:

"Those are just some old fossils, the quintessential representatives of the local faction. They have never welcomed new things, but Gionee is different. We are actively seeking to work with your esteemed company. All terms are negotiable..."

Li Ming straightened his back again and poured a cup of tea for Wang Hua.

"Manager Wang, fifty-fifty might look like a loss for you, but think about how much trouble you save. No need to build your own channels, no need to deal with distributors, no need to handle industrial and commercial taxes. Just ship the goods and sit back to collect your share."

Wang Hua just looked at him like that, a look of disdain on his lips, remaining silent.

Li Ming picked up his wine glass, took a slow sip, and then sighed softly, finally revealing his true purpose.

"Of course, if Manager Shen behind you is unwilling to cooperate and has that kind of confidence, that's fine too. But there are some areas that require a bit of attention."

Wang Hua finally gave him a proper look, his attitude becoming more serious.

"For example, the distributors—we've been working with them for many years, so don't try to poach them. And pricing—don't start any price wars; it makes things difficult for everyone. Especially now that global memory prices have risen sharply, your costs are low, but... such a good excuse, and it's not like you're in the country where you can cut prices whenever you want. And for example..."

He put down his wine glass and stared at Wang Hua, wanting to see his reaction.

Price wars were Transsion's greatest advantage; how could the company not use them?

Of course, the income here is indeed higher, and the product configurations have also improved, so the pricing cannot be the same as in Africa.

Watching Wang Hua, who looked as steady as a mountain and occasionally nodded, Li Ming spoke again:

"Also, some officials are friends of Gionee. If Manager Wang wants to take shortcuts, it's best to say hello first. Otherwise, if you step on a landmine, it will be ugly for everyone."

The private room was quiet for a few seconds.

Wang Hua picked up a piece of sea cucumber and chewed it slowly.

Find officials? Take shortcuts? No! It should be them rushing to beg Transsion.

If someone maliciously looks for trouble, Transsion's security team is definitely not just for show; it's not their first time seeing blood in Africa.

"I've noted what Manager Li said." Wang Hua nodded. "Come, eat. This sea cucumber is quite good."

Li Ming was stunned again, clearly not realizing that Wang Hua would be so calm.

Please! This was a feast of Hongmen; he was here to give a warning, to teach a lesson...

The other party just didn't take him seriously at all.

Even domestically, Gionee's market share was higher than Transsion's, and relying on connections in the country, their boss, Lu Weibin, could still hold them in high regard.

But this was abroad... He glanced at the bodyguards outside the door and subconsciously swallowed in fear; they really had that kind of strength.

But this is a society ruled by law; could they have other cards up their sleeves?

Li Ming asked tentatively: "Manager Wang... did you understand what I meant?"

"I understood." Wang Hua added a piece of food to his plate and looked at him with a smile. "Manager Li means that the waters in Southeast Asia are muddy, so Transsion should be careful and not step on Gionee's turf. Right?"

"Right, no, not right. That's not what I meant." Li Ming said urgently. He felt like the protagonist of this Hongmen feast had changed.

He was clearly the one giving the other party a show of force, so how did it turn into him bearing the pressure?

"I mean, we are all Chinese manufacturers; why are we fighting price wars abroad? Isn't that just benefitting these outsiders?"

"Fine, I've noted that." Wang Hua picked up his teacup. "Manager Li, thank you for your concern. I'll toast you with tea instead of wine."

Li Ming looked at him, his expression flickering.

Is this person stupid? He had said all that, so why was he acting like it was nothing?

But Wang Hua was definitely not stupid.

He was just thinking about other issues...

Lu Weibin.

The current domestic marketing general manager of Gionee mobile phones, known in the industry as Manager Lu, was a ruthless character.

He used to work at Oppo, was later poached by the manager, and single-handedly managed the national channels for Gionee mobile phones.

Gionee being able to make it in Southeast Asia certainly couldn't have happened without Lu Weibin's support behind the scenes.

But he knew that being a marketing director was definitely not Lu Weibin's limit.

He would definitely become an important figure for Gionee mobile phones.

Meanwhile, at Transsion headquarters.

Shen Fei had already asked the HR department to organize Lu Weibin's information.

Shen Fei also recalled that at the end of 2011, there was an internal management adjustment, and Lu Weibin was promoted to CEO. But later, as Gionee mobile phones began to decline, Lu Weibin would join a company he once looked down upon.

That company was called Dami Company.

Lei Jun's Dami Company had released the Mi 1 Phone early, with sales already reaching over 2 million units and a Series A valuation of 750 million USD, and it was riding high on momentum.

But Shen Fei knew that Lei Jun definitely had a thorn in his side right now: the honor play priced at 1999 yuan and the Enjoy series priced at 799 yuan were both weighing on his mind.

Once the capital chain was secured, he would definitely make a phone to compete with the Enjoy series.

This series would be called the Redmi series. By then, after Lei Jun's promotion, even if Huawei was the first to release it, in the hearts of Mi Fans, there would only be Lei Jun.

And Lu Weibin would be a key figure in the Redmi project.

At this moment, he looked at the file and thought about the message Wang Hua had sent in the morning.

The president of Gionee mobile phones in Southeast Asia actually dared to threaten him.

Just a light counterattack, poaching the brain behind him would be enough.

Intercepting Lei Jun, while letting off some steam, this idea seemed quite interesting.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia.

Wang Hua's Hongmen feast was about over. He refused Li Ming's invitation to see him out and chose to leave on his own.

But just as he was leaving, he looked back:

"Manager Li, I have a question I'd like to ask."

"Manager Wang, please go ahead."

"You've been in Indonesia for so many years and know quite a few people. I heard that there are people in the Indonesian industrial and commercial department and the police who specifically target Chinese companies. Do you know these people, Manager Li?"

Li Ming's smile instantly stiffened. How did they know about his subsequent measures? Could it be that there was a mole in his team?

Transsion wouldn't have infiltrated that deeply, would they?

"Manager Wang, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing much." Wang Hua smiled. "Just asking. After all, Transsion just arrived, and some things need to be investigated in advance. In case we get targeted one day, it's good to know who to look for."

After leaving, Wang Hua took out his phone and sent a text message to Wang Kai:

"Investigate the person behind Li Ming, quickly. Focus on his relationship with the Indonesian industrial and commercial department, as well as the police."

PS: Thank you all for the good reviews. The plot regarding scientific research will be added later, once this story arc ends.

If you have any other ideas, feel free to suggest them.

Finally, asking for good reviews again!