Spring Breeze 1991

Yao Yuan said, "Old Xia, the United Arab Emirates issued a global tender yesterday to develop the Sedan Shallow Sea Oilfield. I am going to go there to see if there is a chance to win this oilfield."

"Buy another oil field?" Xia Honghua asked in surprise.

Yao Yuan smiled and said, "Petroleum resources are non-renewable resources. Our country says it is rich in oil resources, but in fact its reserves rank outside the top ten in the world, and the oil quality is at the middle-low level. This year, my country has begun to import crude oil. The demand will be greater than many people imagine."

"If you have the opportunity to acquire more oil fields overseas, you can't miss it. It will become more and more difficult in the future."

After listening, Xia Honghua said, "You are very confident in the future economic development."

"Everyone should have confidence. In fact, judging from the development of the past ten years, as long as we unite and strive towards the same goal, the economic aggregate will rank second sooner or later. I dare not say when we will surpass the United States, but it will take 30 years. It is very possible to become the second in the first time." Yao Yuan said.

Xia Honghua smiled and shook his head, "It took half a century to complete, I think it is already a very fast speed. I also believe that sooner or later it will surpass the United States, but this is not a matter of our generation."

His views represent the views of many high-level intellectuals in this era. It is generally believed that China's economic aggregate can reach the second place in the world. It will be half a century later. As for when it will surpass the United States, everyone has not thought carefully about it. Think it takes 100 years.

This reflects the ambivalence of people in this era.

On the one hand, we are full of confidence in the country's future, but on the other hand, we are entangled in the time required to achieve this goal and the policy strategies that should be adopted.

Huaxia people never lack confidence, but sometimes they lack self-confidence.

The entire 90s was a period when Chinese people went from confusion to firmness. With China's accession to the WTO, the engine of China's economy has changed from a small thrust to a big thrust. It has started a 20-year journey, and it has been imprisoned in the second place in the world in terms of economic aggregate. .

Xia Honghua said, "Do you think we should organize three oil companies to participate in the bidding?"

"Of course I want you to participate."

Yao Yuan said with a smile, "But the hope is very slim, and it can only be regarded as a learning opportunity."

"Why do you say that?" Xia Honghua asked puzzled.

Yao Yuan said, "Do you know why Dongfang Petroleum was able to become the second largest shareholder of Azerbaijan State Oil Company?"

"You promised to aid in the construction of Azerbaijan's infrastructure. You said these things at the time. Li Yan and the others also helped you contact China Communications Construction, China State Construction and other construction companies." Xia Honghua said.

Yao Yuan said, "During the election campaign, no one favored Aliyev, and his situation at the time was indeed not ideal. The survey showed that the approval rate was below 10%. Aliyev didn't even have the money to hold campaign rallies."

"I gave him $5000 million."

Xia Honghua froze for a moment, then was startled, and looked at Yao Yuan in astonishment, "You...you..."

"Look, even you have such an expression, do you think the three oil companies can do this, even if they want to do it, can the money be approved? Obviously not. But this is the common practice of Western oil companies , they spend more than a billion dollars a year maintaining and building such relationships.”

Yao Yuan said, "For Occidental Petroleum Corporation, 5000 million US dollars is not too much. Any one of them can take it out, but how the money is spent and who it is spent on is the most important thing. They don't look at Ali Yev, I don’t even know who Aliyev is, I do the opposite, I am optimistic about what they are not optimistic about, and I have the final say on Dongfang Petroleum, the 5000 million US dollars is just a matter of words.”

"Then, if it fails, wouldn't the 5000 million dollars be lost for nothing?" Xia Honghua said in amazement.

Yao Yuan spread his hands, "Of course, the competition in the oil industry is often like a gamble, and it is a huge gamble. If it is a state-owned enterprise, if it loses 5000 million US dollars, the lightest punishment for the state-owned enterprise leader is dismissal? Tell me, who Dare to do this? I won’t say where the money came from.”

Xia Honghua understood, and nodded slowly, "According to what you said, it is probably most suitable for your private companies to come forward to bid for overseas oil fields, and there are not so many constraints."

"Looking at the current situation, yes." Yao Yuan nodded, "However, I still suggest organizing three state-owned oil companies to participate. This is a rare learning opportunity."

"Well, I'll report back to Mr. Li in detail." Xia Honghua nodded and asked another question, "Do you want to advance the Azerbaijan-Huaxia oil pipeline when you go out this time?"

Yao Yuan said, "There is also the Kazakhstan-Huaxia gas pipeline. It is not easy to go out. After the bid for the UAE's Sedan Oilfield is over, I will go through all the countries that these two projects pass through and try to form a basic framework. "

Xia Honghua nodded helplessly, and said, "I'll do my best here, but I really can't promise you. Transnational oil pipelines involve diplomacy, energy security, regional politics, etc., and are very troublesome."

"But it's also very simple." Yao Yuan said, "In the final analysis, it is just an oil pipeline, and in the final analysis it is an economic project. The current situation of these countries is the most suitable for us to discuss this matter."

The implication is to remind Xia Honghua to look at it from a different angle and treat it as a purely economic cooperation project.

Yao Yuan said, "If the oil pipeline in the direction of Azerbaijan is not approved by the state, I will change the direction to build it in Europe and sell the oil there."

"It's a good thing, it can earn foreign exchange." Xia Honghua said subconsciously.

After the words came out, Xia Honghua noticed Yao Yuan's serious face, and Xia Honghua realized that he had only seen the surface.

Yao Yuan said in a deep voice, "Old Xia, why are you sober and confused for a while? You just mentioned the issue of national energy security, and now you're in a daze again?"

Xia Honghua broke out in a cold sweat on his back, and nodded with a wry smile, "Yes, it was forced by the pressure of earning foreign exchange."

"Foreign exchange difficulties are only short-term, while energy security is long-term. This year, domestic oil production is already less than demand. From this year onwards, we will import oil from abroad, and the import volume will only increase. It will become more and more dependent. What if they suddenly don’t sell to us? Have you thought about this problem?” Yao Yuan asked very bluntly.

Xia Honghua nodded slowly, feeling remorseful, and patted her temples repeatedly.

Yao Yuan said in a deep voice, "After the completion of the Azerbaijan-Huaxia Oil Pipeline, we will have a stable oil input of at least 2000 million tons per year, which will increase to 3000 million tons in the long term, which can greatly ease the pressure on our energy security."

This is a great thing that benefits the country and the people. There are only advantages and no disadvantages. Xia Honghua knows it well.

"I understand, I will do my best."