Chapter 195: Reception
Hearing this, Tsuda Shizue suddenly looked at Gu Yansheng, frowning and asking: “No growth at all?”
“To be precise, there’s even a slight decline, not much, but it has indeed declined.”
Tsuda Shizue fell silent, staring at Gu Yansheng, paused, and said: “This really surprises me. Mr. Hase spoke very highly of your ability to me. I originally thought Director Gu would give me a surprise, but now this surprise has turned into a shock. Do you have any explanation?”
“I have an explanation.” Gu Yansheng paused briefly, “West Shanghai’s industry is mainly casinos, opium dens, brothels, and a portion of textile transportation industry.
In the face of Shanghai’s economy collapsing some time ago, West Shanghai residents’ consumption capacity has shown a downward trend, which has affected the tax revenue of pure consumption venues like casinos and opium dens.
The textile industry’s shipment peak is in winter, that is, November, December, and January. Our experiment time just avoided the peak. Cotton yarn price has already fallen from the high with the warming weather, becoming cheaper day by day, and it’s hard to sell.
Therefore, tax revenue from these textile industry factories is bound to decline.
The other industries have ups and downs in taxation due to seasonal adjustments, with little difference.
Additionally, with Chongqing elements continuously creating friction in Shanghai, burning down warehouses during this time, under the boost of these objective factors, West Shanghai’s overall tax revenue has indeed declined somewhat.”
“Don’t these factors you mentioned exist for others?” Tsuda Shizue rebuked: “If you can’t solve difficulties, why send you to West Shanghai?”
“Your Excellency Tsuda, please let me finish.” Gu Yansheng said unhurriedly, “What I just analyzed for you is West Shanghai’s industry structure, which is also a comprehensive investigation I did during my tenure in West Shanghai. To achieve sustained growth in West Shanghai’s economy, the footing should also be these industries I just mentioned.
After Director Wang and I completed the investigation work, we visited a large number of concession merchants and successfully persuaded several major businessmen to open factories in West Shanghai, expected to be no less than nine.
Among them, three cotton mills, two flour mills, and repair shops, etc.
As everyone knows, the demand for cotton yarn is actually very large, but now due to wartime, poor circulation of goods has led to supply exceeding demand for cotton yarn.
Once the circulation problem is solved and cotton yarn can circulate to all Japanese occupied areas, the tax revenue brought will multiply.
With more factories in West Shanghai, good efficiency, citizens’ income increases, local consumption is driven, transportation, casinos, opium dens, brothels, all these consumptions will be driven, all tax revenues will improve.
So, Your Excellency Tsuda, I don’t think I failed. Director Wang and I have worked very hard. Our achievements are not obvious now, but the merits will last for a thousand years.”
It was well-reasoned, Tsuda Shizue was no longer angry, just frowned and asked, “Then according to what you said, you brought in so many factories, why didn’t tax revenue increase? Is it because the new ones haven’t started production yet?”
“Not entirely.” Gu Yansheng shook his head, “Factories are not the key, the conditions for them to start production are the key. Whether it’s cotton yarn needed by cotton mills or wheat needed by flour mills, this year’s new listings all need to wait until summer, and now it’s only April.
I don’t know if Your Excellency Tsuda knows that Central China’s supplies allocation was already done last year, so these new factories have no work to do at all.
So it’s impossible for there to be tax revenue.
When today’s new goods are listed, as long as we get the share, these factories’ tax revenue will enter a burst period from autumn, and because of Central China supplies control factors, what they receive is the inventory needed for the whole year, so subsequent tax revenue will be very stable.
Except for seasonal products like cotton yarn, by summer, prices will definitely drop, and driven tax revenue will also decline.”
Merchants have suggested to me, hoping I ask you for some conveniences, because water route controls are many, can you issue some notes for them to conveniently ship cotton yarn at high prices to those Japanese occupied area merchants, let them take it out to sell.
This way they sell more in winter, at high prices, so our tax revenue also increases. I think it makes sense.
Moreover, we can increase cotton planting a bit to meet Japanese occupied area demand. Here cotton becomes cheaper, costs come down, if Central China’s cotton yarn can sell to other areas, this tax revenue is ours.
Also, hope to allocate more share for wheat acquisition inventory to them, to ensure they have profit.
Honestly, Shanghai’s business is indeed hard to do now. If you ask other areas, I believe they will all give the same answer, that it’s very hard to recruit factories.
If we approve more inventory for these West Shanghai merchants, form good reputation driving effect, then Shanghai’s business is likely to usher in a big burst.
The vision is very good, and explained very clearly, one can see at a glance that as long as following Gu Yansheng’s path, West Shanghai going this way, next tax revenue will actually have a burst period.
Tsuda Shizue was convinced, no longer considering losing temper, considering approving notes for Gu Yansheng.
Thinking, she said: “I can provide them with water route customs declaration documents, I can promote cotton planting, increase production areas, sell to North China, this idea is good.
I can meet their requests, Mr. Gu’s ideas are also good, can turn West Shanghai into an economic demonstration area.”
Gu Yansheng nodded, “Thank you, Your Excellency Tsuda. If so, by the end of this year, the whole year’s tax revenue, we should have a good number.”
“Good, please sit, hard work.”
“Should be.” Gu Yansheng sat down.
Wang Rusong completely relaxed, clasped fists to Gu Yansheng, admiring, turned a black face into a smiling face.
“Next, you?”
While Gu Yansheng was speaking, people came in one after another, Tsuda Shizue questioned without stopping.
Gu Yansheng listened, the completed data were all good.
Not too strange, just taxing even vegetable buying, squeezing to death, always squeeze out more oil, but sustainability forget it.
When it was Luo Junqiang’s turn, Luo Junqiang chose to say the investigation was not completed.
“Pudong is too big, seven days really not enough, please Your Excellency Tsuda forgive, give us some more time, we will complete the investigation as soon as possible.”
This is to delay until Minister Zhou comes, let Minister Zhou decide, quite clever approach.
Tsuda Shizue cursed him a couple times and let it go.
After all, overall completion was good.
Putting away the ledger, standing up: “It seems everyone’s ability meets my requirements, I have expectations for you, three months later, hope you raise another two levels on existing data, I look forward to your achievements, meeting adjourned.”
The falsifying director’s face changed instantly, “Your Excellency Tsuda, two percent too much? Our current thirty percent is already very reluctant.”
Tsuda Shizue said strangely: “Economy out of decline channel, getting better and better, isn’t that natural? Twenty percent? Not much?”
Stumped speechless.
As soon as Tsuda Shizue left, someone sat down and cursed, “Damn, still let people live?”
Wang Rusong secretly chuckled, good thing their submitted data worst, then completing it won’t be easy?
“Brother Gu, brilliant.” After adjournment, Wang Rusong flattered, “Good we hid data, otherwise submitting this, how to survive next few months?”
Gu Yansheng smiled faintly, “Tsuda side impossible not to raise target, they doing this, if bottom three months can’t pass, you continue playing, I won’t let West Shanghai have issues.”
Wang Rusong’s smile surfaced, this is choice greater than effort, at that time worst West Shanghai, who thought he could indulge in debauchery night after night.
Extended another three months of drunken revelry.
“Brother Gu, thanks.”
“No need to be polite.”
Two days later, Gu Yansheng received a call from Hase Jinagawa, asking him to go to the consulate.
Upon arrival, Hase Jinagawa said: “Warship arriving port soon, expected half hour or so, come with me to receive, heard from Mr. Tsuda you did well in West Shanghai, this time Greater East Asia Ministry review of you, he has deepest impression of you.”
Unexpected Tsuda outwardly cold inwardly warm, even specially praised to Hase.
Gu Yansheng smiled slightly: “I just did what I could, others’ methods I somewhat look down on.”
Gu Yansheng didn’t mind filing a little report with Hase Jinagawa to show closeness, “Drain the pond to catch all the fish although shows results short-term, long-term bad for Shanghai’s economy recovery.”
Hase Jinagawa frowned, “They actually for good-looking numbers, so reckless?”
“Also due to too much pressure, thirty percent growth, hard to see effect short-term, my side same, and next three months another twenty percent.” Gu Yansheng shook head, “I’m afraid going this way Shanghai has more trouble.”
Gu Yansheng wholeheartedly considering for Japan, simply exhausting all efforts.
Hase Jinagawa frowned thinking, “This matter I’ll find chance to tell Tsuda, let’s go, talk while walking.”
“Ah, wait a bit.” Gu Yansheng thought of something, “Actually can call China Daily people, China Daily not open yet, but Hanoi people coming to Shanghai also historic moment, completely can record.”
“Okay, you call them.”
“Got it.”
Gu Yansheng called, had Ma Shiqi bring newspaper company people at fastest speed.
Twenty minutes later, Hongkou’s Huishan Wharf.
Gu Yansheng saw Fu Xiao’an.
“Mayor Fu, you’re here too?” Gu Yansheng greeted.
Fu Xiao’an smiled, “I thought it should be Ling Xianwen coming, looks like Director Gu now at consulate has gone a step further.”
“What? Stirring trouble?” Gu Yansheng joked.
“How possible?”
“Coming.”
Japanese Army’s warship docking, figures on ship already clearly visible.
Gu Yansheng and main group all went up to welcome.
China Daily’s reporters clicking photos, Japanese prepared quite a few tricks.
