Chapter 48: An Industrial Crisis?

"Can the bio-chips of the Zerg be decrypted?" Qin Peng inquired.

"There is no way at present. Our research equipment is lagging behind, making it impossible to accurately detect the genetic information," Song Jinghong said. "I have contacted quite a few biological research institutes and enterprises abroad, and they all expressed that they are powerless as the relevant equipment is strictly prohibited from being sold."

"We still have to rely on our own research and development," Kong Qing said. "I have already instructed my team to tackle the related technologies."

Qin Peng also stated, "We have already established a special 'Xuanwu Unit' within the military specifically to deal with the Zerg. We are now in urgent need of Zerg information so that we can make the relevant preparations for war."

Song Jinghong replied, "We will share the information in a timely manner."

He Xingzhou also responded, "Once there is a breakthrough in the research regarding the Zerg, our team will report it immediately."

...

The successful road test of the electromagnetic levitation vehicle was still fermenting. Domestic media were naturally celebrating in various ways, and relevant enterprises were actively seeking cooperation.

Within just a few days, the number of corporate inquiries received by He Xingzhou's team had exceeded five thousand! Many of them came from overseas, including those Fortune 500 giant enterprises!

As for them, the team uniformly used excuses, choosing to cooperate exclusively with domestic enterprises, and even then, only after undergoing strict audits.

In Maple Leaf Country, Magna International Group, the world's third-largest automotive supplier.

Following the road test of He Xingzhou's electromagnetic levitation vehicle, the China region president, Roz, was urgently recalled to the headquarters by senior management and instructed to explain the situation.

In the conference room, a group of top executives sat upright, listening to Roz's account.

"I had already warned about this in my previous report!" Roz emphasized. "The results of this road test have also proved that they have already mastered an automotive technology far ahead of ours, including magnetic levitation motors, metal-air batteries, unmanned driving, and wireless power transmission!"

"Why wasn't there any wind of this from the beginning?" Group Chairman Broad asked angrily.

Roz glanced at another senior president, Chaber, and said, "Perhaps everyone just overlooked it."

Chaber kept his head down and remained silent. When Roz reported to him a few days ago, he had still thought it was merely a conceptual video. Who could have imagined that the other party actually managed to build it!

He simply could not comprehend why it had happened so quickly!

Now, this blame was destined to fall squarely on his shoulders! Filled with endless regret, he wished he had paid more attention from the start; otherwise, he wouldn't be facing such a scathing tongue-lashing from the chairman right now!

The other presidents also remained silent, prompting Roz to say, "As you all know, given the creative and industrial manufacturing capabilities of the Chinese people, within three years, their related products will be sold all over the world! By then, our market will suffer severe compression!"

"It is no exaggeration to say that we have ushered in the most dangerous moment for our group! We must come up with countermeasures!"

A senior executive remarked, "Even if they have this technology, they may not necessarily be able to manufacture it. The relevant parts and components still rely on imports of products from us and other countries. We only need to choke off the critical components, and we can still make a huge profit!"

"We don't have the final say on that; we have to unite with manufacturers from Island Country and Germany!"

"I must make a few phone calls myself!" Chairman Broad said solemnly, preparing to contact the automotive industry associations of Germany, Island Country, and America to jointly discuss the matter.

...

"Once China begins large-scale manufacturing of electromagnetic levitation vehicles, half of the products in our automotive industry will be phased out!" At the Island Country Automobile Industry Association, several key figures were holding a meeting.

"Our representatives have confirmed the authenticity of the relevant technology. For them to carry out commercial operations is a foregone conclusion," said Toyo Takeo, president of Toyota Motor.

"None of our companies have mastered this related technology. Once electromagnetic levitation vehicles are fully promoted, it will bring a devastating blow to Island Country's automotive industry!" said a representative from the Mitsubishi Group.

"Our company has received news that some Chinese automotive enterprises have already obtained authorization from He Xingzhou's team and are about to begin the research and development of related models!" remarked the representative from Mazda as well.

"Gentlemen, we have encountered an industrial crisis!" Association President Nomura Kengo concluded. "All members within the association should present a united front against the outside."

"I have also just received news from automobile associations of other countries. We must nip the rising momentum of China's electromagnetic levitation vehicles in the bud!"

"At the very least, we must delay their development to buy time for us to catch up!"

In the technology industry, whoever masters core technology masters the source of wealth! In their view, the successful road test of the electromagnetic levitation vehicle posed a threat a hundred times more serious than the massive sales of a single Chinese vehicle model or the rise of a single Chinese automotive enterprise!

...

In Germany, the matter had already alarmed the highest levels.

The Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce, and even members of the supreme parliament personally traveled to relevant enterprises to understand the situation.

The automotive industry was one of their pillar industries!

Every year, one-third of the world's automobiles came from their country's automotive enterprises and related component suppliers, and seventy percent of high-end cars originated from their brands. The GDP of the automotive industry alone exceeded that of nearly a hundred countries combined!

Following meetings among various related groups, the German Association of the Automotive Industry convened an emergency meeting. Over 600 related enterprises within the association were all notified to dispatch representatives to attend the emergency meeting and discuss the matter of electromagnetic levitation vehicles.

"Gentlemen, everyone has read the relevant materials. I do not need to elaborate further on the severity of the matter. Let us all share our thoughts on how we should respond to this industrial crisis," Association President Wagner swept his gaze across the venue.

There were over a hundred attendees in person, while several hundred other companies unable to arrive on time participated via online video conferencing.

Surrounding the podium in the inner circle were representatives of well-known automotive enterprises and related suppliers, such as Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and BMW, as well as giant suppliers like Bosch, Continental, and ZF.

At this moment, they were all frowning in deep thought. If this matter were not handled properly, they would lose their position as the leaders of the world's automotive industry and be replaced by China's automotive industry!

"According to intelligence data, mass commercialization of their technology is no longer a problem. The relevant departments in China have leaked word that they seem to be planning a related initiative," spoken Koch, a member of the supreme parliament sitting beside Association President Wagner.

"We believe that we should immediately voice our stance through the Western alliance, imposing comprehensive restrictions in terms of raw materials, parts and components, related standards, and technological patents!"

"At the same time, all automotive enterprises should simultaneously follow up with electromagnetic levitation vehicle technology, seizing market dominance before China's electromagnetic levitation vehicle industry is fully deployed!"

The parliamentarian spoke eloquently, growing more and more excited as if victory was already in his grasp!

However, the representatives of several major groups were nursing bitter smiles in their hearts. He spoke as if restrictions hadn't already been tried! Over the years, they had constantly placed restrictions on China's related industries and technologies. This tactic had been beaten to death, and the other party would definitely be on guard against it.

Most crucially, the core technology of these electromagnetic levitation vehicles seemed to be entirely independently developed by them, bearing no relation whatsoever to German enterprises. With what were they going to restrict them? Empty rhetoric?