"Old Tang, if you really want to change careers, you can consider going to our development zone."

"What can I do over there?"

"With your years of experience at the docks, your understanding of the operations, and knowing so many shipping companies, you can do anything in our development zone!"

Tang Wentai was genuinely interested and smiled, "Be more specific."

"If you want to enter politics, you could transfer to our Management Committee. While others start as clerks, a talent like you could at least become the Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau as soon as you arrive. If you want to join a corporation, you could join the Linghai Port Group. Once the port is built and operational, a Vice President in charge of business is assured for you."

Han Yu smiled, then continued, "If you want to start your own company, you could completely set up a company for cargo agency or customs declaration, for example. We can offer you preferential policies."

Tang Wentai has made quite a bit of money over the years.

Now Tang Wentai has higher aspirations. He hesitated a moment, then somewhat awkwardly said, "If I wanted to start a company, I would have done so by now. Even if I decided to start a business, I wouldn't go to the Linghai Development Zone. The overall environment and business opportunities are better at Kunshan, Shuzhou, and Zhangjia Port."

"Do you want to enter government service?"

"If there's a chance, I'd like to experience it."

"There's a chance right now. We in Linghai are currently introducing talents. Old Tang, I'm not joking with you; if you're willing to come to our development zone, you really could end up being the Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau."

"I know about the Investment Promotion Bureau, it's not an administrative department but a public institution. And you're talking about the Investment Promotion Bureau of the development zone, not the Linghai City Investment Promotion Bureau."

When Han Yu said that as long as he was willing to work in the development zone, he could become the Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, he wasn't just boasting. This is because the Investment Promotion Bureau in the development zone had at least thirty Deputy Directors, and there would be even more in the future.

However, most of these Deputy Directors held the position in a part-time capacity, and there were only two full-time Deputy Directors.

To facilitate investment promotion, anyone who goes out would at least hold the title of Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, or at the very least, Director of Investment Promotion.

Old Tang looked down on the position of Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, making Han Yu realize that he wanted to be an official in the formal sense, which was not something he could casually promise. He could only brush it off with a laugh. But he did take it seriously because the development zone indeed needed talented individuals like Tang Wentai.

Having returned to Sanhe, Han Yu reported to Vice Mayor Shen and Director Miao about the situation at the border inspection station and took the opportunity to mention Tang Wentai.

"He was assigned to China Foreign Trade right after graduation due to his proficiency in English, landing the best job among our classmates. Nine years in ship agency, nine years at the docks, he's more familiar with Port Supervision, Customs, Border Inspection, Health Inspection, and Commercial Inspection than I am and has a large client resource base!"

"Does he know foreign shipowners?"

"That's exactly what he does: all the procedures for foreign ships entering and exiting the port, loading and unloading cargo, he runs it all for the shipowners."

Since Linghai Port is being built, it's impossible not to know how a port operates.

Vice Mayor Shen was fully aware of what a ship agency does and knew that China Foreign Trade was a leader in its field. He was very interested in the person Han Yu described and smiled as he asked, "As foreign-related work is what ship agencies do, his salary must be quite high. Is he willing to work in our development zone?"

Director Miao agreed and chimed in, "Exactly, everyone wants talents like that, but the question is whether he is willing to come."

"I chatted with him this afternoon; he might be content with the money he's made and is willing to enter party and government work."

"Really?"

"Truly. He actually is willing. I jokingly said that he could be the Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau if he came to our development zone, but he wasn't interested in that because the Investment Promotion Bureau isn't an administrative department but a public institution."

Vice Mayor Shen was amused and followed up, "Is he a party member?"

"He's a party member. His company is a central enterprise with a party organization."

"What about his educational background?"

"He has the same educational background as I do, but he also took self-study exams in international trade and has already obtained a self-study exam bachelor's degree in international trade."

Vice Mayor Shen pondered, "With central enterprise work experience, ability, client resources, party membership, and a bachelor's degree, this should be easy to handle."

If we could attract this talent, in the short term, he could assist Salted Fish in dealing with departments like Customs, Border Inspection, and Health Inspection. Once the shipbuilding and repair enterprises along the coastline complete their upgrades and renovations, he could help pull in shipping, especially foreign ship repair business.

In the long term, as the construction of Linghai Port nears completion, he could help attract maritime business to Linghai Port and even participate in port operations.

Director Miao grew more and more convinced that they should give it a try, smiling at Deputy Mayor Shen as he asked, "How about Deputy Director of the Office of Party and Government Affairs, concurrently serving as Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau?"

After weighing it for a moment, Deputy Mayor Shen looked up and said, "Since we are talking about talent recruitment, we cannot be stingy. Besides, this Tang Wentai indeed has the ability, and I estimate the position of Deputy Director of the Office of Party and Government Affairs would not appeal to him. Salted Fish, give him a call to see if he's busy. If not, please ask him to come over. Director Miao and I will have a talk with him first."

"He's off today, he should have time."

"Contact him quickly."

"Alright."

If Tang Wentai really comes to work in the development zone, it could save me a lot of trouble.

Han Yu was very willing to help facilitate this, dialing the phone in front of the two leaders.

Tang Wentai didn't expect Han Yu to actually help by finding leaders to speak for him; upon learning that the Standing Committee Vice Mayor of Linghai wanted to meet with him, he promptly drove the old Nissan sedan provided by his company to Sanhe.

As leaders were talking to an old classmate, it wouldn't be appropriate for Han Yu to sit and listen. But he couldn't just leave his old classmate hanging either, so he had to wait downstairs.

Unexpectedly, this wait lasted more than two hours.

By the time his old classmate came downstairs with Deputy Mayor Shen and Director Miao, it had already gotten dark.

"Salted Fish, let's go, we're going to the Garden Restaurant for a meal to welcome your old classmate."

"Now he's an old classmate, but it won't be long before he's a colleague."

"Mayor Shen, Director Miao, are you saying..."

Turning around, Deputy Mayor Shen firmly shook Tang Wentai's hand, laughing heartily, "Comrade Wen Tao is willing to forgo a high salary to work with us in the development zone and develop Linghai's economy together, so we must give him a warm welcome."

Tang Wentai, flattered by the attention, quickly said, "I appreciate Mayor Shen's trust. Once transferred over, I will do my utmost to contribute to the development zone's construction."

"You will definitely be fine, we have confidence in you."

"Indeed."

A thousand soldiers are easy to obtain, but a great general is hard to find.

Director Miao was even happier than Deputy Mayor Shen, teasingly said, "Salted Fish, when it comes to sailing and shipbuilding, you're the expert. But in terms of investment attraction and port operations, Wen Tao is stronger than you."

Han Yu was equally happy, quickly responding, "That's for sure. Although we both studied Water Transport Management, Wen Tao has always been doing business, spending a full nine years at the docks. When it comes to negotiating business, ten of me can't match one Wen Tao."

"Each of you has your own strengths."

Deputy Mayor Shen was in high spirits, laughing heartily as he rubbed his hands together, urging everyone to hurry to the restaurant for the meal.

Tang Wentai had many ideas about how Linghai Port should develop in the future, and Deputy Mayor Shen was very interested too, continuing their discussion even after entering the private dining room.

Sanhe only had this one decent restaurant without a menu, where raw and cooked dishes were all displayed in the kitchen.

During a lull as he accompanied Director Miao to choose the dishes, Han Yu couldn't help but ask, "Director Miao, Wen Tao agreed so readily, what plans do you have for him after his transfer?"

"Deputy Director of the Management Committee and Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, tentatively a Deputy Director-level appointment."

"Ah..."

"What's with that 'ah'? To use Secretary Ye's words, you can't catch a wolf without giving up a child."

"Secretary Ye knows about this too?"

"Since this involves the appointment of a section-level official, of course, we had to report and consult with Secretary Ye." Director Miao looked around and then turned back with a smile, teasingly asking, "You've been working hard for nearly nine years, established so many merits, but all you got is a Deputy Director position. Your old classmate becomes one as soon as he arrives, aren't you jealous?"

Han Yu said with a smile, "To be honest, I do feel a bit imbalanced inside. But this is a good thing. If we want to develop our port economy, we indeed need people like Wen Tao."

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