Vol 2 Chapter 369 The Stormy Peninsula·Continued

  Chapter 369 The peninsula in turmoil·Continued

  Seoul, Shilla Hotel.

   “So we came here on a special trip.”

   Mitsui Shouki smiled and said: “We heard that there is such a reception here in Hanguo. So I asked my friends here to come to your reception just to meet you…”

  Abel smiled, “Then you see it now. Mr. Mitsui, what do you want to see me?”

   “Sony is willing to cooperate with you, Mr. Smith.”

   Mitsui Suki continued to smile and said, “It doesn’t matter if it’s Sony Music or Sony Columbia.”

   “What kind of cooperation method is that?”

   “I don’t know Mr. Smith, are you interested in taking a stake in Sony Columbia?”

  Abel couldn’t help raising his eyebrows—a stake in Sony Columbia?

  He remembers Sony Columbia, which was basically Sony’s sole proprietorship.

  Sony holds more than 90% of the shares and completely controls the Hollywood giant.

  Even if it is open to own shares, Sony, which has supported for more than ten years, cannot let itself hold more shares than them.

   “Not very interested.” Abel said frankly:

   “I already have MGM and DreamWorks. One more Sony Columbia, but I can’t hold a controlling stake, it doesn’t help me much.”

   Mitsui Suki was obviously taken aback. He probably didn’t expect Abel to refuse so directly.

   Change to any other Hollywood mogul.

   Only when you have the opportunity to invest in any other giant, you will not hesitate too much.

  Even if you can’t hold a controlling stake, but you can get a certain amount of shares, you can hope to get an executive director position.

  After taking the position of executive director, he has certain power in this company.

  Even if you are excluded, your influence already exists.

   This is an irresistible temptation for many entertainment giants.

  If the other six major Hollywood companies are willing to invest in Sony.

  No matter how expensive the opening price is, Sony will consider it, and will most likely be willing to take a stake in the end.

   Mitsui Suki did not expect that Abel would refuse so simply.

He couldn’t help but said, “Why don’t you think about it again? If you take a stake in Sony Columbia Pictures, then you will have two film giants in Hollywood. This will be of great help to Smith Media’s influence in Hollywood .”

  Hollywood used to have the Big Eight.

   Later, there were only six remaining, and the rise of DreamWorks in the middle was once called the seventh largest.

  In this era when DreamWorks was acquired and became part of MGM.

  Hollywood has only six majors left, namely Disney, MGM, Paramount, Columbia, Universal, and Fox.

   Among them, Neon Panasonic once held a controlling stake in Universal Pictures.

  But Panasonic’s toughness is not as good as Sony’s. After a few years of losses, it can’t afford it, so it has to sell Universal.

  French Vivendi accepted it two years ago, and now Universal is called Vivendi Universal.

   And Columbia is Sony Columbia, controlled by Sony.

  These 6 companies, plus more than a dozen other medium-sized independent film companies, are similar to the size of DreamWorks Films.

   constitutes the backbone of Hollywood today.

  The only ones with independent distribution channels are the Hollywood Six.

  Other film companies, when distributing movies, either can only rely on the help of the Sixth Major, or they can only find channels by themselves.

   And when the Big Six of Hollywood face new challengers, they will generally squeeze out tacitly.

   It’s like DreamWorks once. At its most glorious time, no matter what it does, it will be sniped and hindered by the six major forces.

  When doing film distribution, the cost is more expensive than others…

   This is the tacit agreement of the vested interest groups that there is no need to publicly suppress the latecomers.

   Among the Big Six, Sony Columbia has always been disliked because of its particularity of Japanese capital.

  In parallel time and space, if it weren’t for the success of Parker’s movie.

  Sony can last a few more years, it is really hard to say. After all, no one’s money comes from strong winds, and one cannot just sit back and watch the black hole keep swallowing money.

  Now Sony Columbia Films’ Spider-Man has been snatched back by Abel.

  Sony found Columbia Pictures, and its hope of future profitability began to fade again.

  The Sony family has a big business and can afford to support the prodigal son of Columbia.

  But it’s not the way to keep it like this.

  No matter how rich and profitable Sony is, it cannot just sit back and watch Columbia suffer unlimited losses.

  After an internal evaluation game, Sony finally approached Abel.

   The one who came here was Suki Mitsui, a member of the Mitsui family.

   When it comes to the Mitsui family, that’s another story.

   “Sorry…” Facing the enthusiastic Mitsui Suki, Abel still refused with a smile:

   “I already have MGM. One more Columbia will not be of much use to me. On the contrary, it may make Smith Media even more feared by other giants in Hollywood.”

  Abel’s words are also true.

  Colombia has it, MGM has it all.

  Film library, distribution channels, brand power, and reputation in the industry.

   These things, the six giants of Hollywood, are basically the same.

  For another Hollywood Big Six, any other Hollywood Big Six film company, the only thing that is more attractive is the film library and copyright.

  Other things are often cumbersome.

   Especially in terms of distribution channels, many of the six major Hollywood film companies overlap and share with each other.

   Regardless of copyright, film library, and brand power.

  With a Hollywood Six, that is to have a real ticket to Hollywood.

   As for things like admission tickets, one ticket is enough.

  Because an admission ticket is enough for you to enter the inner domain that belongs to you.

   If you take another card, others will unite and squeeze you out.

   They will worry about themselves and become Abel’s next annexation target.

  That will make MGM in Hollywood, and the enemy will become more.

  The benefits have not increased much, so it can be said that the gains outweigh the losses.

   Seeing Abel decline again, Mitsui Suki wanted to say something more.

  Robbie Abbey has already interrupted with a smile at the right time:

   “The chat is over, right? Mr. Smith… This way please, there are a few gentlemen here who want to chat with you.”

  The envoys have said so, Mitsui Suki is not an idiot.

  Of course I know, this means that Abel will not talk to himself anymore.

  Looking at Robbie Abbey, he took Abel Smith with him, and turned around to chat with the envoys in South Korea from Huaxia, Neon, Qatar and other countries.

   Mitsui Suki could only sigh and stopped catching up.

  At this time, Toko Mitsui, who was by his side, whispered:

   “Father, it seems that he is really not interested. Just like the uncles at home said.”

   Mitsui Suki nodded, “Why don’t I know? But Columbia is in trouble now. This year’s 7 films, all counted, have a total loss of 1.58 million US dollars…”

  Toko Mitsui comforted his father: “This is the least loss in more than ten years. Isn’t it? This is a good result under your leadership, father.”

  The CEO of Sony Columbia is obviously called Howard Stringer, not Suki Mitsui.

  Toko Mitsui now says that Sony Columbia Pictures was able to reduce the loss to such a low level under the leadership of Suki Mitsui.

  This is because Suki Mitsui is the person within the Mitsui family who is mainly responsible for the entertainment sector and American affairs.

  Here we will talk about the promise Sony made to the Americans in order to acquire Columbia.

  In order to reduce as many obstacles from the Americans as possible in the acquisition of Colombia.

  Sony once promised the United States that even if Colombia is acquired, it will still be Colombia of the Americans.

  Sony will not arrange too many neon managers in Columbia.

  So now you can find out that although Columbia Films is now called Sony Columbia.

   But its president, chief executive officer, and those important management positions have always been Americans.

  Because of this, the imprint of neon people on Columbia movies is relatively light.

  But Sony is not a fool. After spending so much money, it only bought a naming right.

  The key is that after so many years of naming, Columbia movies have always been a scam.

   Losing money every year, Sony has been losing money.

   Over time, Neon people are not stupid.

  When the Americans were not so concerned, the neon people were gradually adding sand to Sony Columbia, allowing more neon people to enter Sony Columbia Pictures.

  Of course, the few on the head still dare not be replaced by neon people, such as the CEO.

  It is too obvious to do that, and it is easy to attract the attention of Americans.

  Neon Man’s approach is divided into two steps.

  The first step is to add sand to the middle layer of Sony Columbia. There are a large number of neon people and ghosts from Sony’s headquarters, who work in Sony Columbia Pictures.

  Secondly, a special advisor was placed on the CEO of Howard Stringer.

  This special advisor does not have any actual position in Sony Columbia.

  But Howard Stringer and other high-level executives want to be promoted and raised within Sony, and to pay more bonuses.

   Then you have to listen to the special counsel.

   Mitsui Suki is the newly appointed special advisor.

   is after Spider-Man was robbed.

  The new person in charge specially sent by Sony to replace the original consultant who did nothing.

   On the surface, Suki Mitsui has nothing to do with Sony Columbia.

  Secretly, Mitsui Suki is the invisible overlord of Sony Columbia, and even the North American division of Sony Music.

  As for why Suki Mitsui was able to become the Supreme Emperor, not someone else.

  The reason is also very simple. Who called his surname Mitsui, is he an important member of the Neon Mitsui chaebol family?

  Who called Sony from the past to the present, in fact, it has always been one of the important subsidiaries of the Mitsui consortium.

  In fact, Sony is not the only well-known company under the Mitsui consortium.

  There are more than 270 direct and collateral companies and their subsidiaries of the Mitsui Foundation.

  Toyota, Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic, etc., which are well known to Chinese people, are all owned by them.

  Like the Toyota family, the master of Toyota.

  The daughter of this family has always only married Mitsui. The son of this family has always been able to marry only Mitsui.

   After more than ten years, Toyota’s prince no longer married Mitsui, but got engaged to a theater actress.

   It even made news in Neon.

  Because Toyota did not marry Mitsui.

   Also married a theater actress, what kind of Cinderella plot…

   Then the Neon Man shut up as soon as he investigated.

   It turns out that the theater actress is not a Cinderella either.

  This theater actress lives in the Platinum District of Minato-ku, Tokyo. Those who can live in this kind of place are either rich or expensive.

  This theater actress has been studying in the academy where the neon royal family and chaebols gather since kindergarten. She and the neon princesses and chaebol ladies have been classmates since childhood.

  She is also a member of the Idemitsu family.

  And this family controls the second largest oil company in Neon, and is a proper oil princess.

  So in reality, there are obviously very few plots between the princess and the common boy, the prince and Cinderella.

  Even if there is, it often ends in tragedy.

   Standing next to Abel now, the pregnant Li Fuzhen is the best example.

  Even without Abel’s appearance, Li Fu’s real married life will still be full of fluff.

  In short, it can be understood that the Mitsui family is the Rockefeller or Morgan of neon. Or one of the two plus a Koch complete body.

   There are several such dickish chaebols and consortiums, and the most powerful ones are Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, and Fuji.

  Below these four, there are several other weaker ones.

   In addition to being a bit feudal, the land area is small and the influence is low.

  In other respects, the chaebols on the neon side are basically the same as the conglomerate families on the American side.

   Mitsui Suki and Mitsui Toko are important members of the Mitsui family.

   Mitsui Suki is also the person in charge of the entertainment business in North America for the Mitsui family.

  That’s why it wasn’t someone from Sony who came to Abel, but Suki Mitsui, who seemed to have nothing to do with Sony, but in fact was the emperor of Sony who came to Abel.

  Don’t mention the father and daughter who are negotiating quietly.

  Abel’s side, under the enthusiastic introduction of Robbie Abbot.

  He chatted with the envoys of the three countries in Korea.

   Among them is Mr. Wang, the Chinese envoy to Korea.

   “I am very optimistic about Huaxia.”

   When chatting with each other with a smile, “China has the largest population in the world, a vast land and output. There is also a social attitude of hard work and serious work. You will definitely develop, believe me.”

   In private, Mr. Wang, the envoy to South Korea, is the first time he has heard foreigners praise Huaxia so much.

  Although there are also in the media, but it is in the media. In private, Europe and the United States have never had a good attitude towards Huaxia.

   Especially such influential and high-status foreigners are so optimistic about Huaxia.

  Mr. Wang immediately interjected: “Mr. Smith, Huaxia also welcomes businessmen like you to invest. We will come up with the best attitude, even good policies, to welcome you!”

  With Abel on the American side, his influence is increasing day by day.

  The most important thing is that he became the nominal richest man in the world this year.

  All countries in the world have paid more attention to him.

   is in the middle of frantic investment promotion, and China is frantically attracting foreign capital.

   Naturally, it is impossible not to see the existence of this person.

  A lot of information about Abel Smith has even been placed on the stage of that.

  If you can lead this person to Huaxia and let him invest a lot of money in Huaxia…

  There is no doubt that whether it is from the perspective of the country or Mr. Wang himself.

   All can play a great positive role, the richest man in the world takes the lead in investing in Huaxia!

   Such news is exposed, no matter how you look at it, it is a great achievement!

  Mr. Wang is particularly positive.

  Abel said with a smile: “As early as last year, I have already started investing in China. Smith Capital (Huaxia) has invested more than a billion dollars in China.”

  Mr. Wang was taken aback for a moment, he really didn’t know about this matter.

  His main job is to be in charge of Han Guo, at most he will take care of Neon.

  He doesn’t know very clearly about domestic affairs.

  But Rabbit’s diplomats are all top-level smooth masters, and they smoothed over the matter with a chuckle.

  Abel also focused his attention on the Katar messenger next to him.

  The envoy had been talking to Abel just now, and at this moment he finally got the chance to be alone.

  The emissary named Ben Khalifa had a long conversation with Abel.

   But there is only one purpose in essence, and that is the Qatar Investment Authority, which wants to put a sum of money into Smith Capital.

   At this time, there was no so-called Qatar Investment Bureau.

   This institution will not officially appear until 2005.

   But its rudiment has already existed, in the late 1980s.

  The Amir family in Qatar has already begun to throw part of their investment abroad in order to make value-added profits

   With the fall of the red bear, the speed of globalization became more and more obvious later.

  The value of Qatar’s foreign investment is increasing, but it has not yet become a system.

   This is a sovereign wealth fund that started relatively late in the desert area.

   After all, sovereign wealth funds originated in desert regions.

  As early as 1953, Kutwe established the Kutwe Investment Committee, which is the earliest national sovereign fund in the world.

   At the end of 2001, we are about to enter 2002 now.

   A dozen sovereign wealth funds have emerged in desert regions.

  So many of the same kind have done this, and Qatar’s investment bureau is obviously already in the making.

  For countries in desert areas, sovereign wealth funds are often regarded as a necessary financial tool for the oil economy.

  The meaning of this emissary of Ben Khalifa is that Katar wants to hand over about 10 billion US dollars of funds to Smith Capital for operation.

  This kind of thing is for the vast majority of private equity funds, and even public funds.

   are all great things.

  Because the more investors, and the more funds raised.

  It also means that fund managers can get more benefits.

  When operating financially in the market, more funds can also make investment more comfortable and more flexible.

  Simply speaking, within a certain limit, the more people invest, the more people trust the better.

   But what disappointed Ben Khalifa was Abel who declined with a smile.

   “Smith Capital has never been short of investors.” Abel said with a smile:

  “In the United States, there are at least 1,000 billionaires who want to give me most of their wealth for investment. But I refused.”

   “Because not everyone can achieve an annualized rate of return of more than 100%.”

  Let’s put it this way, Buffett has been investing since 1958.

  By 2001, a total of 44 years, Buffett’s total rate of return was 430121.43%, an increase of 4301 times, accumulating 44 years, and the annualized rate of return was 21.5%.

  This lasting achievement has allowed Buffett to kill 99.9999999999% of the people in the world.

  Even the stock angel Peter Lynch can’t compare to him.

  Because Peter only lasted less than 20 years and retired later, not as long-lasting as Buffett.

   Because of this record, Buffett is known as the stock god.

   is a **** higher than angels.

  Although Abel hasn’t been around for a long time, it hasn’t even been two years.

  However, within two years, the profits he earned for investors and clients are much more than Buffett’s ten years.

  The rate of return is so exaggeratedly high, and there has not been a single loss so far.

  Too many people want to invest their money with Abel.

  Qatar, where Ben Khalifa is located, thinks so. Many sovereign wealth funds in other desert countries have also come to contact Smith Capital.

  Prince Walid, like Prince Walid, has approached Abel many times, implicitly representing the Kingdom of Tessa, and wants to invest in Abel, and wants to be Abel’s investor.

  But like this Ben Khalifa today, he was declined by Abel.

   It’s not that Abel thinks money is too hot, but that Abel now wants him to help make money and wants him to be a cash cow.

   Then there must be a premise, the premise is that the other party can bring other resources other than money to Abel.

   Just like he accepted shares from the Texas consortium, Buffett and others.

  Now Abel, what he wants is not simple money figures.

  What he wants is the influence behind these numbers that can bring more aspects.

  Abel replied to the envoy of Ben Khalifa just like he replied to Prince Walid.

   “Norwegian Petroleum Fund is the latest investor of Smith Capital.”

  He smiled and said:

   “After Smith Capital’s 7th private placement of 50 billion U.S. dollars, the eighth private placement was launched for the Norwegian Petroleum Fund alone. The private equity investor was only the Norwegian Petroleum Fund, and the raised amount was 15 billion U.S. dollars.”

   “If Qatar and other desert countries also want to be Smith Capital investors, they can only consider the same as the Norwegian Petroleum Fund.”

  As Abel became a shareholder of Statoil and Norway Hydro.

  Norwegian Petroleum Fund’s eighth fundraising investment event in Smith Capital took place at the end of September this year.

  As the eighth private placement initiated by Smith Capital, the Norwegian Petroleum Fund invested and subscribed for the full amount of 15 billion US dollars.

  Abel told Ben Khalifa this, he was telling him.

  Qatar or other desert countries also think the same.

   Then it can only be the same as Norway.

   Open up its stake in Petronas, making Abel one of its shareholders.

  Even if it is 1% or 2%, it can be discussed a little bit.

   But not without.

   Like if it is Qatar, it is Qatar National Petroleum Company.

  The company is responsible for its oil and gas industry activities at home and abroad, and acts on behalf of the government.

  In 1995, the company had oil and gas reserves of 480 million tons and 7.07 trillion cubic meters, respectively, and oil and gas production of 23.75 million tons and 13.5 billion cubic meters.

  In terms of output, especially in natural gas, it ranks second or third in the world all the year round.

   The top ones have always been Mao Xiong or Lang Yi.

  This company is also the lifeblood of Qatar.

  After Abel said this, Ben Khalifa really stopped mentioning this matter.

  For Katar, there is only one person in their country who has the right to talk to Abel about this.

   That is their supreme Amir.

  The envoys of Katar died down.

  Neon’s messenger smiled and invited Abel to visit Neon.

  Abel directly stated that he will go, but not recently.

   It may not be until next year, because he will return to the United States in two days.

   In the United States, Abel still has a lot to do.

  Including but not limited to Elizabeth’s Christmas Eve show, as well as major events in his life.

  With the help of Robbie Appleby, Abel got to know all kinds of personnel here wave after wave.

   In terms of neon, except for Mitsui Suki of the Mitsui Foundation.

  He also met Mitsubishi’s Iwasaki, who also had a person who came to this reception.

   It can be regarded as a few more strokes for Abel’s blank neon network, at least a few more people.

  The reception started at seven o’clock and lasted until after nine o’clock in the evening, and everyone left one after another.

  The chaebols on the Han country side were the last to leave.

  After the people had almost left, Abel called Li Zaixi and others into a small meeting room.

  With Li Fuzhen as a companion, Li Xinyu could have participated in it originally.

  But this little princess of the Samsung Group, who has always been a bit literary, is not interested in this kind of thing.

   Unlike Princess Li Fuzhen, this is what she likes the most.

   Li Xinyu did not come because of this.

  In the small meeting room.

   Li Zaixi and others looked at Abel and talked freely:

“Soros is now on Hong Kong Island. He originally wanted to attack Hong Kong Island. But on Hong Kong Island, because of China’s reasons, he was a little scrupulous. But Han Guo’s side is different. He attacked Han Guo , that’s nothing to worry about.”

   “Did he really just want to take a shot at the stock market?” Zheng Jiumeng couldn’t help asking in a low voice.

  The shadow of the famous tree of people, Soros has committed crimes for many years, people with relevant financial interests in small countries, who would not be afraid to mention him?

  Especially the victims of Soros, they hate him even more when they mention him.

  In the financial crisis of 1998.

  As the No. 1 chaebol in the Han Kingdom at that time, the Zheng family was the one that suffered the most.

   After the shock was over, the Zheng family fell into a fierce internal dispute.

  In the end, the Zheng family, the original No. 1 giant, was divided into three after the shock and infighting.

  In the case where the eldest son has long since passed away.

  The second son, Zheng Jiumeng, got the most profitable and most important subsidiary within the Xian Dai Auto Group.

  The sixth son Zheng Zhunmeng controls the current Dai Heavy Industry Group, which is the second most profitable and second most important company in the family.

  The fifth son, Zheng Xianmeng, inherited all the rest according to his father’s will.

   Logically speaking, Zheng Xianmengcai should be an important representative of the Xiandai chaebol.

  The reality is that the automobile and heavy industry, the most high-quality assets of Xiandai Group, have been independent.

  The other dozens of companies are big and big, but most of them are heavily in debt, and the group has to bear the burden of foreign investment.

  After his father passed away in March this year, the three sons were divided into Zheng.

   Zheng Xianmeng’s main line, on the contrary, is currently the weakest.

   It was Zheng Jiumeng who became stronger first.

   Got Zheng Zhunmeng from the Heavy Industry Group, and was mainly obsessed with his official career.

  Zheng Jiumeng, the second son of the Xiandai family, became the first representative of the chaebol family.

  When the interests of the entire chaebol family are at stake, Zheng Jiumeng will step in to help the Zheng family.

   This is why Zheng Jiumeng, in this small chaebol team, has always had the biggest voice.

  Because before this, their Zheng family was the number one chaebol in Han country.

   It’s just that the current Zheng family, hurt by the 98 financial crisis, and the family split again, are no longer as good as the Li family.

  In addition, Li Zaixi has two good daughters, so he is naturally the current leader of the chaebols.

  Even if Zheng Jiumeng is dissatisfied, unless he can re-conquer the conflict with the entire Zheng family.

   Otherwise, the No. 1 chaebol would no longer be the Zheng family.

   “No one can know what Soros thinks. Maybe even himself. Because many times, Soros will do some irrational things under the coercion of international hot money.”

  Abel is not in the mood to know about the gossip among Han Guo chaebols.

  Now he just wants to cut leeks and earn some pocket money for Li Fuzhen, and he doesn’t care about the rest.

   “What we have to do now is to continue to urge public opinion.”

  Abel stated: “By making the stock market hot in China, let Soros focus only on the stock market. If you are lucky…”

  Abel laughed and looked at the crowd, “Maybe we can earn some money from Soros in the stock market.”

   Hearing what he said, the chaebols glanced at each other, and they all saw the movement in each other’s eyes.

   It doesn’t matter whether you can earn Soros’s money or not.

   What matters is that if everyone does this, there is a high probability that they can make a lot of money.

  This “a sum” is at least tens of millions of dollars, and may even be more.

   This is very exciting for these high-end wage earners who are placed on the peninsula by the United States.

   “Let’s leave it at that.” Li Zaixi was the first to say, “I have no doubts.”

  Zheng Jiumeng also rushed to say: “I don’t have a problem anymore.”

  Several others said the same.

  It seems that in an instant, an invisible net for most of Han Guo’s … Han Guo stockholders covered the entire peninsula from Shilla Hotel.

  The financial crisis in 1998 is over, Han Guo leeks, who have cultivated for several years, also ushered in a sharp sickle…

   It’s the flu, A, either from the school or from me. Hey…

  (end of this chapter)