海外头条总编审 王 在 军 （中国）
海外头条副编审 Wendy温迪（英国）
海 外 头 条总 编 火 凤 凰 （海外）
图片选自百度
与贵人擦肩而过
文/龚如仲（美国）
回忆一下我从商多年的经历，总的感觉是：自己的头脑不算太笨，工作尚算认真，人脉还算可以，事业也算昌顺。试想当初，自己从一个小小的业务员干起，四年后就被轻工总公司提升为副处长，主管着年出口量过亿美元的商品。后来我又被公司派往美国，“总裁”着两个海外大公司的进出口业务。过了不久，我还成了享受“外交官一等秘书”待遇的正处长。然而，当我后来大有希望在职位上“更上一层楼”时，我自己把这道“升迁之门”嘎然关闭了，因为就在那个时候，我经历了人生的又一次跳槽，从轻工总公司调到了另一家专业大公司，并在纽约“世界贸易中心”为该公司开始了新的创业。
回想我这一生，尤其是在我从商的生涯中，曾得到过几位贵人的提携。他们给过我良机，让我成为声名赫赫的高官，或是变为腰缠万贯的富豪，然而生性愚鲁的我，却一次又一次地与这些贵人擦肩而过。
写到这里，您可能会好奇了，问道：“你这一生到底有多少回和贵人插肩而过啊”？那好吧，我就先从我决定调离国际广播电台英语部的那一天说起。
（一）
由于住房问题，我不得不向电台当局交出了辞呈。又因为大学里学的是商务英语，所以我决定在商界混口饭吃。
辞职报告递上去后，英语部和国际台领导、甚至广播事业局局长张香山先生分别找我谈话，他们都劝我收回辞呈，让我“放眼未来，继续为广播事业效力”。身为高官的香山先生甚至语重心长地对我说：“好好干，因为你出身好，业务也不错，我舍不得放弃你这样又红又专的人才。几年后等我们退休了，说不定你就坐上我的位置”。这一番鼓励自然让我受宠若惊。可是一回到现实中，面对父亲愁苦的脸，看到一家人挤在小屋中的窘况，我又不得不硬起心肠、婉拒了领导们的一再挽留，毅然绝然地调离电台，因为对我而言，房子才是第一位的。
对我而言，婉拒了中央广播事业局局长张香山先生对我的挽留，这可能是我生平头一回与贵人插肩而过。我曾经设想过：如果不是因为住房问题而调离广播电台，我自然会继续在国际电台英语部效力。凭我当时的政治条件和播音水准，几年之后，我肯定能混出个好前程。
（二）
由一老友牵线，第一个让我去面试的单位是一家赫赫有名的大企业、即荣毅仁先生创办的“中国国际信托投资有限公司”（简称“中信”）。中信在当时成立不久，还没有自己独立的办公楼，只在北京崇文门饭店里租了几个房间权作办公场所。我按约好时间抵达崇文门饭店后，中信的人事处长会见了我。问明我的来意后，人事处长随即请出一位六十岁左右的老先生与我见面。这位儒雅的老先生自称是荣先生的首席英文翻译。之后由他分别对我进行了英语笔试和口语的考量。
几天后那位人事处长就打电话通知我，说我口笔试成绩优异，中信决定聘用我了，并让我尽快办妥调动事宜。听到此信我自然心中高兴。然而，当我在电话中问他中信可否解决我的住房问题时， 人事处长告诉我说，“住房一事，暂时无法解决，因为中信刚刚起步”。不过他劝我不因为房子而因小失大，因为荣先生的翻译年事已高，即将退休。当荣先生得知我英文不错，且又懂上海话（荣先生出身江南，上海话与苏南音差别不大），他很是高兴。荣先生希望我能尽快上任来当他的翻译。说句心里话，这个工作是极有吸引力的。因为我知道，当荣老板的翻译对我的前程肯定大有好处。然而，我实在无法接受公司不能提供我住房的现实，所以我最终不得不谢绝了荣先生的厚意。
这当然是我第二次与贵人（而且是如此高级别的贵人）插肩而过了。
（三）
告别了中信集团，我把目标锁定了外贸部。经妻找熟人搭桥，外贸部属下的中国轻工业品进出口总公司向我伸出了友谊之手。未经英语面试，只是与轻工老总作了一番交谈，我就顺利地被该公司录用了。而且轻工老总为我开出的条件是：一去上班，马上会给我一套至少有两室一厅的住房。
正当我忙着办理调离手续并准备到轻工总公司报到时，突然接到了一个电话。打电话的是我的大学学长老邹，他当时官拜外贸部部长郑拓彬先生的大秘书。老邹在电话中通知我，让我到部里找他，有事相告。
于是，第二天我如约来到外贸部。老邹见到我之后就开门见山地对我说：“你从电台调到轻工总公司的事，郑部长也知道了。听说你是英语播音员，英文很不错，况且你又懂新闻业务，所以郑部长决定让你来部里工作，不要去轻工了”。 听罢老邹的话语，我着实吃了一惊。我真的没想到，一个小小老百姓的我，调动一事竟然还惊动了大部长？我当即问老邹：“第一，让我到部里干啥工作？第二，部里给我住房否“？老邹回答说：“郑部长希望你来部里先熟悉环境和业务，然后打算培养你成为外贸部新闻发言人”。关于住房问题，他说他得回去向郑部长另行汇报。
我敏锐的意识到：这是一个极好的机会，因为“外贸部新闻发言人”的工作是前途无量的，是个人人垂涎而求之不得的官场肥缺。但回到家中后，我又反复思考了很久：倘若到部里工作，真能当上“外贸部新闻发言人”，我将来有升迁良机，更何况部里财力雄厚，解决我的住房并非难事。然而我往回头想：“自己为房子问题已经奔波了许久，轻工总公司对我如此仗义，我不能辜负人家对我的一片真心。既然我已答应轻工并为其效劳，而人家也遵守诺言、以房相许，我可不能‘这山望着那山高’”啊。于是我还是决定到轻工总公司报到（这儿顺便说一个事实，我在调离电台前，台里已经打算提升我为副处级的副主任了，这就意味着我很快便会有个一官半职。然而轻工总公司只是解决我的住房问题，绝无官职相许。这就意味着，到轻工总公司之后，我必须从一个普通外贸业务员干起。至于将来能不能“当官“，那就要看我自己的努力和造化了）。于是，我给老邹打了个电话，告诉他我依然决定去轻工总公司工作。
老邹听后十分不解。他一边说他会向部长报告我的决定，一边以老学长的名义骂我是个“不识抬举的年轻人”！老邹事后当然向郑部长汇报了我的决定，据说郑部长听后只是微微一笑，对老邹说道：“不来部里也罢，反正他是到了外贸系统嘛”。就这样，我这个不知天高地厚的跳槽人第三次与贵人插肩而过。
（四）
到了轻工总公司之后，我生平所遇到的另一位贵人就是我的顶头上司李浩然处长。
我在李处长手下干得风生水起，李处长对我也是欣赏有加。但迫于当时轻工总公司处级以上干部年龄偏大、而我在他们眼里还“太年轻”，所以李处长几次向总公司领导推荐我当副处长，都未成功。总公司领导回答李处长道：“此人四十岁还不到，当个副处长太年轻了，过一两年再提吧”。
后来李处长由于个人原因调离了轻工总公司，到中国丝绸产品进出口总公司当了副总经理（提升了一级），但他和我依然保持着密切联系。不知道多少回了，每当我到丝绸总公司去看望他时，他总是劝我舍弃轻工总公司当业务员的差事，到他那儿当个副处长，但都被我婉言谢绝了。
后来他登上外贸部“贸易管理局”局长宝座后（我当时已经是副处长了），他又一次向我伸出相助之手。我记得有一回我去部里办事，顺便去看望他。已经是李大局长的他就指着我坐着的沙发对我说道：“你不要小看了这张人造革沙发，不知道有多少省长、直辖市市长及自治区一把手就是坐在这个沙发上，想从我手里求得重要商品或物资的进出口配额和许可证呢”。他接着又对我说道：“你干脆从轻工总公司调过来吧，我先让你当我手下最重要的一个处的正处长，两到三年后就提你为副局长。等我调离或退休后，你就坐我的位置”。贵人突然赐予的良机让我一时不知所措。但思来想去，我总感到就这样舍弃曾给我解决住房问题的轻工总公司有点“太不够意思”，于是我生平第四次与贵人擦肩而过。
（五）
不久之后，我又到部里办事，这次是找另一个局的局长周先生。
这位周先生就是曾任中国外汇管理局局长，后任中国人民银行行长的周小川先生（他现在已退休，但仍然位居高位，是博鳌亚洲论坛副理事长，中方首席代表）。当时周局长与我素不相识，我到他办公室时，他正在接电话。等到他接完电话、问清我的来意、又看了看我所带的公函和介绍信后， 他就让我小坐片刻，等他处理完事情后再和我说话。因为他当时公务繁忙，而且他发现我的事情并不是很急。于是让我坐在沙发上静候着。
但是等了很长时间后，我发现周局长仍然伏案疾书，并无马上与我谈话的意思。百无聊赖之际，我突然发现他的办公桌上有一本《红旗》杂志。于是我拿起杂志，开始了漫无目的地浏览。突然间，一篇署名是戴园晨的文章吸引了我，文章的内容是关于中国经济国策的。因为戴园晨先生不仅是当时与苏星、于光远等经济学家齐名的大学者（中国最为著名的宏观经济学家），而且还是我的姨姐夫。我一边看文章，一边不经意地嘟囔了一句：“还有戴园晨写的文章”？想不到周局长一听此言，立即放下笔，问我是否认识戴先生？我当然如实相告。一听戴先生是我的亲戚，周先生立即放下工作，对我说道：“戴先生是我读博士时的导师，他可是中国宏观经济学方面的权威啊”。就这样，是姐夫戴园晨拉近了我与这位周局长的距离。接下来的气氛当然是和谐而友好的，周局长不仅认真听完了我的报告和诉求、答应尽力解决问题，而且还真诚地对我说：“今后有事，可到部里来找我”。
我其实是又一次遇上了贵人。如果我那时多点心机、趁热打铁，利用一步步与周局长亲近机会，那么今后在仕途上大展宏图也不是不可能的事。然而自从那次办完事、告别周局长后，我就再也没有找过他。如今想想，这也可以算是我又一次与贵人失之交臂吧。
（六）
我第六次与贵人相遇，是在我被轻工总公司派到美国、管理该公司的海外企业之后。当时由于工作需要，我每年都得前往香港，亲自洽谈有关原材料的采购事宜。
有一件事我必须提及：我当时在香港有一位老朋友名叫陈象尧。陈先生曾经是我的客户，也是香港某劳动保护用品公司的大老板。说起这位陈先生，他在业内可是赫赫有名，而且此人口碑极佳。由于陈先生公司实力雄厚，且经营作风正派，因此当年被选作有权经营中国某劳保用品的香港“八大家”之一。由于国内生产商向香港销售这项产品时必须持有出口许可证，而我正是掌控此项出口许可证发放的决策人。于是，我便自然成了工厂和这八大家港商争相巴结和讨好的对象。
但几年打交道下来，我感到陈先生是这八大家中最为安分敬业，是一个待人诚恳的生意人。所以等到彼此间再无生意上的瓜葛后，陈先生和我便成了好朋友。每当我去香港，只要陈先生事先知道，他就一定会到机场亲自迎接我，然后由他开车送我到事先为我订妥的宾馆（通过陈先生公司的“协议价”订房，价钱便宜很多）。更令人难忘的是，他每次都会派人在我的房间里摆上一大束鲜花，以表示对我这位老友的敬意，陈先生的这份真情着实让我感动。久而久之，随着了解的进一步加深，彼此间的友情就更加真挚了。
有一回我又访香港，陈先生送我进酒店房间后没有马上离去，反而坐下来，说是有要事相商。双方坐定后，陈先生诚恳地对我说，近来他的身体不佳，而公司业务发展很快，自己颇有力不从心之感。他建议我脱离国家公司来香港帮他打理公司生意。条件是：起步年薪一百万港币，分红另算，给我的职务是公司总经理（他是董事长）。要知道那是二十世纪九十年代初，一百万港币对我而言简直是个天文数字，何况公司盈利后尚有丰厚的红利入帐，要不了多久，我就有可能成为“百万富翁”了。然而，身为国家干部的我，在当时的条件下是无法接受他的好意的。如今想来，那是老天爷安排给我成为“富豪”的契机，但这机会也被我错失了。更为不幸的是，两年之后，陈先生就因肝癌与世长辞，享年仅五十八岁。就这样，香港失去了一位商界英才，而我则失去了一位难得的挚友。
（七）
第七次相遇贵人是在美国，我当时在美国主管着两家中国海外企业。因业务上的需要，我所主管的公司在信贷额度及融资上与中国银行纽约分行联系甚多，且双方合作良好，尤其是身为行长的王先生及其夫人与我私交甚笃。每年圣诞节来临之际，王行长、王太太都会率领手下有关部门的经理和主管们到我公司所在的康州斯坦福市与我公司同仁举行派对（PARTY），共度佳节。派对总是在当地那家最好的五星级酒店里举行。派对过后，王行长的部下就下榻在那家我专门为他们安排的五星级酒店里。而作为好友的王行长及其太太往往选择住进我公寓的主卧。而我呐，当然就只好到客房里去将就一夜了。
相处日久，王先生、王太太和我的朋友关系更加密切。后来王先生获得高升良机，应中国光大银行之邀，去任光大集团副总，主管香港业务。临行前，王行长专门约我见面，并提出让我离开商界，去香港在他手下任高管，说是“职务颇高，薪俸甚丰”。然而我考虑到自己不懂金融，岂敢借王行长之提携去当“南郭先生”？于是我婉言相拒了他的好意。
王行长在香港干得不错。没过多久，他被中国政府高层看中，破格被提拔为中国银行总行董事长兼行长，一时风光无限（后来他又被调到中国建设银行当董事长兼行长）。后因他公务繁忙，我便失去了与他的联系。但如今想来，这位贵人已经给过我升官发财的机会，然而不知不觉中，我又一次与贵人擦肩而过。
（本文选自拙作【岁月如重---兼谈华国锋】第五章“从商之路”）
Chapter 19 Brushing Past the VIPs
Posted by Ralph Gong
Whenever I recalled what I had achieved in my long time business career, my general feeling was that even though I could not be regarded as a smart or tycoon successful businessman, still I am proud to consider myself a competent international businessman. First of all, I was blessed with trade wisdom in handling all kinds of businesses. Secondly, as high-level business manager, I was always able to fulfill my job duties in a satisfactory manner. Thirdly, the business relationships among my colleagues, the business counter-parts and myself were rewarded excellent. In a word, my business career was fairly smooth, and the work results were fruitful.
In addition to what I mentioned above, I must tell you that I started my business career from scratch, and no one gave me any guidance or help when I was a beginner. As a matter of fact, before I got involved in foreign trade, I was already an experienced English interpreter and a promising newsman. I was about to be promoted to a higher position as Deputy Department Director by Radio Beijing authorities. But it was due to the housing problem that I took the transfer from Radio Beijing to China National Light Industrial Products Imp. & Exp. Corp. (Chinalight in short), where I was assigned to work as an ordinary business coordinator, and started as a general staff member.
But after a few years’ business practice, what I performed was recognized by the Company authorities. As a result, I was first promoted to be theDeputy Division Chief, and then the President of two big overseas companies under Chinalight. Situated in Stamford, Connecticut , USA. Those two companies handled various kinds of businesses, and their trade volumes were more than two hundred million US Dollars. The yearly profit was considerable.
But it was just at the moment when my position could be raised up even higher that I closed “the door of promotion” myself. The reason was that I got transferred again from Chinalight to Sinochem(China National Chemical Products Imp. & Export Corp., the largest national foreign trade corporation under the Ministry of Foreign Trade). Sinochem Head Office allowed me to continue to work in the United States, and my new position was the president of a joint venture company between Sinochem and LiefInternational, Inc., the largest trading company in Australia. The USA joint-venture company was situated at the World Trade Center, New York, USA.
I must say that no matter whether I worked in Chinaor in USA, I had quite a few golden opportunities of being helped by some VIPs. Those VIPs could easily make me a high-ranking official or a rich and powerful businessman. But I was so dull-witted that I just simply brushed past VIPs one after another.
(1)
The first VIP I encountered was Mr. Zhang, Xiangshan, the Director of the Central Broadcasting Bureau of the People’s Republic of China. Mr. Zhang’s position was equivalent to a Vice Cabinet Minister, and he was the Number One Leader controlling the subordinate organizations of the Central Broadcasting Station, the Central TV Station and Radio Beijing (the only foreign languages broadcasting organization in China). I still remember that Mr. Zhang personally met with me one day after he heard the news that I had decided to leave Radio Beijing and try to find a new job. During the meeting, Mr. Zhang sincerely persuaded me not to leave, and he even gave me a hint that if I would work hard and continue to display my capability, my future in the broadcasting industry would be very bright. He said to me that no matter how high his position was, he would become old and retire one day. Should that day arrive, he would need a successor. In his eyes, I could be one of his successor candidates.
Upon hearing what this VIP said to me, I really felt that I was over-flattered. But I politely rejected his suggestion on my continuing to work at Radio Beijing. The reason was that even Mr. Zhang, as the Supreme Leader of China’s Central Broadcasting Bureau, was not able to solve my housing problem, I felt more hopeless. I firmly believed that my housing problem could not be solved no matter how hard I were to work at Radio Beijing. By rejecting face-to-face what Mr. Zhang suggested to me, I knew very well that it was the first time in my life to brush past a real VIP.
(2)
After hearing the fact that I had decided to leave Radio Beijing and try to find a new job, a friend of mine suggested me to go to China International Trust & Investment Corp. (CITIC in short) to try my luck. As per the arrangement by the Human Resources Department of CITIC, I went to CITIC office for an interview. After the Head of the Human Resources Department finished his interview with me, he had an additional request by telling me to undergo two English tests, one was in oral, and the other one was in writing. Fortunately, I passed both tests with flying color. A few days later, the Head of the CITIC’s Human Resources called me and said firmly over phone that they wanted to hire me as the English interpreter of Mr. Rong Yiren who was the Chairman and CEO of CITIC because they thought that my English was an excellent fit.
When I heard this piece of good news, I really felt excited because I did know what it would mean to me if I could really work under Mr. Rong directly. But at the same time, I knew clearly that my most urgent need was to solve my housing problem. Unfortunately, CITIC could not afford to provide me with any house or apartment because the Company was established not long ago, and the CITIC did not even have their own office building yet. They were just temporarily renting a few hotel rooms for their office usage. Facing such a realistic situation, I had to reject Mr. Rong’s kind suggestion of letting me become his English interpreter.
To be honest with you, in my heart, I really felt very sorry to have lost such a good opportunity. You can just imagine that Mr. Rong Yiren was not only the Chairman and CEO of CITIC, but also the Vice-Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, a very high-ranking state leader. If I would work for him, my future could be very bright. And it would be most likely for me to become a high-ranking business executive at CITIC after a certain period of working there. But I brushed past this VIP. That was the second time for me to lose a good opportunity.
(3)
The third opportunity came after I succeeded in getting transfer from Radio Beijing to Chinalight.
I still remember on the very first day of my work atChinalight, a high-ranking official, whose name was Zhou Yuner, suddenly called me. For your information, Mr. Zhou was not only the Secretary of Mr. Zheng Tuobin, Minister of Foreign Trade Ministry, but also my schoolmate. He and I all graduated from Peking Institute of Foreign Trade (it was later renamed as University of International Business and Economics), but he was three yearssenior than me. And we did know each other as schoolfellows.
I was surprised when I heard his voice because I did not know why he, a high-ranking Ministry official, would call me personally. Mr. Zhou told me over phone that he was to make an appointment with me and suggested that I should go to visit him as soon as possible. Before the phone conversation was finished, he said to me again that he was about to discuss a very important matter with me.
As per what he requested, I went to the Ministry to see Mr. Zhou the following day. After I got to the Ministry and told the security guard whom I was and whom I wished to see, the guard called Mr. Zhou immediately and informed him of my arrival. A few minutes later, Mr. Zhou came to the gate and invited me to go in. I followed him to a meeting room.
After he and I were seated, he started the conversation with me at once. He said that Minister Zheng wished that I would give up the chance of working for Chinalight, and instead, I should go to the Ministry for a new job. As for what kind of new job that would be, he clearly told me that my new position was the Ministry’s Spokesman to be. And then he asked me if I would agree or not. If I had no objection, it would be very easy for the Ministry to get me transferred from Chinalight to the Ministry because Chinalight was only a subordinate company under the Ministry’s direct jurisdiction.
After hearing what Mr. Zhou said to me, I really did not know what to say. Realizing that I kept silence without saying “yes” or “no”, Mr. Zhou continued to state that Minister Zheng deemed it necessary for the Ministry to have an official Spokesman, and the Minister thought that I could be the perfect person to fill in the position. He continued to say that Minister Zheng thought there were three reasons why I could be a qualified Spokesman.
Reason One, as an English broadcaster, I had already accumulated for five years of working experience at Radio Beijing. And I must know mass media work very well.
Reason Two, an official Foreign Ministry Spokesman must master fluent and standard English because he or she would face foreign correspondents very frequently whenever news conferences would be held. The Minister thought that I was qualified to this requirement because I used to be an English interpreter providing four years of service to Mr. Bu Ke, the Head of the Chinese Working Team in Assisting the Construction of the Tanzania-Zambian Railway in Africa (for your information, Mr. Bu was also a Vice-Minister of China’s Railways Ministry). My English must be good enough.
Reason Three, I graduated from Peking Institute of Foreign Trade, and I must have good knowledge of foreign trade affairs. “In a word, the Minister felt that you could be a qualified Spokesman after being trained for a short period of time at the Ministry”, Mr. Zhou seriously stated as a complement.
I was overjoyed upon hearing what Mr. Zhou said to me. I even felt rather proud of myself because I did not expect that a small potato like me could draw the attention from Minster Zheng, a very high-ranking official in China. But very soon, I calmed down because I suddenly thought of my housing problem which was of the priority on my list. So, I asked Mr. Zhou if my house problem could be smoothly solved immediately after my starting to work for the Ministry. Without any hesitation, Mr. Zhou gave me a reply of “Yes”. He even proudly declared that the Minister had the capability of providing me a 3-bedroom apartment after I got the transfer.
In order to take this serious matter a more careful and thoughtful consideration, I asked Mr. Zhou to give me a little bit more time to think this matter over. But I told Mr. Zhou that I would give him a confirmed reply very soon. Mr. Zhou accepted my request and then we said good-bye to each other.
After I got back home, I pondered this matter again and again. Finally I decided to continue to stay at Chinalight without being transferred to the Ministry. The reason was very simple: Chinalight treated me nicely and they already promised to give me a 3-bedroom apartment, enabling me to solve my housing problem completely. I said to myself: I must not change my mind the moment I see something new. Neither should I be devoid of gratitude!
After my final decision was made, I called Mr. Zhou next day, and told him about it. Mr. Zhou felt quite upset upon hearing my decision. He even scolded me by saying: “You are the young man who really does not appreciate what is good to you!” But before the phone conversation was ending, he changed his attitude and politely said to me that he would report this to the Minister.
I was told later that after Minister Zheng came to know my final decision, he was neither surprised, nor disappointed. He just simply smiled and then said to his secretary Mr. Zhou: “So long as this young man still works at one of the Ministry’s subordinate companies, it would be ok because he is not out of our foreign trade industry.”
But things were entirely different to me because I lost a golden opportunity of obtaining a very promising job position – the Foreign Trade Ministry’s Spokesman. This kind of opportunity is something which only comes by luck, not by searching for it!
(4)
After I started to work for Export Division NO. 2 under Chinalight, an extraordinary VIP came into my life. This VIP was Mr. Li Haoran, Division Chief of Export Division NO. 2, my direct superior as well as my good friend.
I still remember that in the third year of my working for Chinalight, Mr. Li got transferred from Chinalight to another big national company, which was called China National Silk Products Imp. & Exp. Corp. (Chinasilk in short). The reason of his transfer was that Chinasilk gave him the promotion from a Division Chief to the Vice-President of ChinasilkHead Office (Mr. Li could not be promoted if he would continue to work for Chinalight. Please read Chapter 16 untitled “An ‘Outlier’ in Official Circles” for details).
As Mr. Li’s old subordinate and a good friend, I went to Chinasilk to visit him from time to time. When I met him at his office and we began to talk, he always suggested me to say good-bye to Chinalight and come to Chinasilk for a fresh start. He was sure that he had the power and right to give me a better future: I would be promoted from an ordinary staff member to a Deputy Division Chief. I appreciated Mr. Li’s kindness, but I declined his suggestion because I knew that I was a person who would always show my sincere gratitude to the one who helped me when I needed. Since Chinalight was treating me very well, there would be no reason for getting transferred to Chinasilk. As far as my promotion was concerned, I did believe that as long as I continue to work hard and perform well at Chinalight, sooner or later I would definitely be promoted (two years later, I became the Deputy Chief of Export Division NO. 2).
It was due to Mr. Li’s outstanding work performances, two more years later, he was transferred to China Foreign Trade Ministry and appointed as the Director of Foreign Trade Administration Bureau, becoming a very powerful and decisive leading official at the Ministry. For your information, Foreign Trade Administration Bureau controlled the whole nation’s export and import products licenses and quotas. Without Mr. Li’s signature for the approval of export or import licenses issuing, no provincial or city leveled companies or manufacturers could get quotas for importing or exporting some restricted products. Even though he had already become a “big” VIP, he still took me, his old subordinate, as his personal and close friend.
One day, I went to the Ministry for a business meeting. After the meeting was over, I stepped into Mr. Li’s office for a special visit. Since Mr. Li and I had been old friends for years, we could talk freely and casually. Pointing at the sofa which I was sitting at, Mr. Li proudly said to me: “Don’t look down upon this PVC sofa in front of you, dear Gong. I must tell you that I really do not remember how many VIPs, who were titled as high as Provincial Governors or big City Mayors, had sat at this sofa and imploring me to issue them licenses for obtaining export or import quota”. Realizing that I was listening to him intently, he smiled satisfactorily, and then told me a few interesting stories on how some governors and mayors negotiated with him for getting licenses. Listening to what Mr. Li was saying to me, I couldn’t help admiring him a lot. And I did show my respect to him from the bottom of my heart.
Before that long conversation was over, Mr. Li suddenly asked me if I would be interested in working for his Bureau? Seeing I looked confused and did not say anything, he further stated to me: “Please come tomy Bureau to start your new and bright future. I will firstly give you a position of the Division Chief of the most important Division under this Bureau. Two years later, you will be promoted to be the Deputy Director, whose ranking will be immediately under me. When my retirement time arrives, I will definitely recommend you to the Minister as my replacementfor the position of the Director”!
I could not believe my ears after hearing what he mentioned to me. I knew very well this was a brilliant and ideal blueprint Mr. Li had drawn for me! It was obvious that my old boss was going to give me a golden chance of my becoming a high-ranking and powerful official at the Foreign Trade Ministry. I thanked Mr. Li sincerely and asked him to allow me to think of this matter over and then I would give hima reply. He agreed, and then I said good-bye to him.
After I went back home, I thought of this matter again and again. And finally I said “No” to Mr. Li because I knew that I should not leave Chinalight, who was so kind to my family and me. Just after I began to work for Chinalight, they did provide me with a 3-bedroom apartment and solved my housing issue completely. I was not supposed to “betray” Chinalight.
Another golden chance was lost!
(5)
A few months later, I went to the Foreign Trade Ministry again for business. This time, I was going to visit another high-ranking official whose name was Zhou Xiaochuan, the Director of another Bureau under the Ministry. While mentioning of Mr. Zhou Xiaochuan, I must tell you that he was a very famous figure in the Chinese official circles. After a few years’ stay at the Foreign Trade Ministry, he was appointed by the Chinese Government as the Director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. A few years later, he became the President and Chairman of the People’s Bank of China (China’s Central Bank). And now he is the Vice-Chairman of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA in short).
Mr. Zhou did not know me when I first visited him at his office. When I stepped into his office, he was just in the middle of a phone conversation with someone. After the phone talk was over, he turned to me and asked me for the reason of visiting. I immediately presented him an official letter of introduction, which stated clearly the purpose of my visit. After having a quick reading of the letter, he invited me to sit down at the chair in front of him. And then he said to me that he would not be able to talk to me until one urgent and important document was drafted. Since Mr. Zhou’s ranking was much higher than mine, I could say nothing but followed his instruction.
Where I waited for him for quite a long time, but he was still burying himself in document drafting. It seemed to me that he was not ready to start the conversation with me any time soon. A long time waiting made me feel rather bored, so I tried to see if there were any books or magazines around because reading could definitely help me kill the waiting time.
There was indeed a magazine which was named “Red Flag” sitting at a corner of Mr. Zhou’s huge desk. For your information, the magazine “Red Flag” was an influential reading material for most of the high-ranking officials in China. I picked up the magazine and began to have a quick browsing. When I opened the Magazine and turned it over to a certain page, an article entitled “My Viewpoints on China’s Macroeconomic Development” attracted me. It was just at the moment of my starting to read it when I suddenly found that the writer’s name was Dai Yuanchen. I must tell you that Mr. Dai was one of the most famous economists in China. In the 1970s and 1980s, Mr. Dai was even regarded as the most authoritative economist in China’s macroeconomics research. Further more, Mr. Dai was my cousin because his mother-in-law was my mother’s younger sister. As it was beyond my expectation, I involuntarily mumbled out a sentence of “there is also an article written by Dai Yuanchen”?
Mr. Zhou Xiaochun heard what I mumbled and immediately stopped his writing. He raised up his head, asking me: “You know Mr. Dai Yuanchen?” I nodded my head and told him the relations between him and me. After Mr. Zhou came to know that Mr. Dai was my cousin, he gave up his important document drafting and began to talk to me. He told me that Mr. Dai was his Ph.D. Supervisor when he studied at the Chinese Academy of Social Science. It might be due to the fact that I was his teacher’s relative that Mr. Zhou treated me courteously, and the conversation between him and me went well. He not only listened to me intently, but also promised to meet all the requirements which were raised up by my Company. When the meeting was over, Mr. Zhou shook my hands, saying: “From now on, you can come to see me at any time if you wish. If you or your company have or has any difficulties, please just come to tell me. I will try my best to help you”.
Obviously, a new golden opportunity was knocking at my door. If I wished, I could purposefully strengthen my personal relations with Mr. Zhou. With his help and guidance, I could even have a much better future in my business career. But in reality, since I met with Mr. Zhou that time, I had no more contact with him at all. I know that this was my fifth time to brush past a VIP.
(6)
In March of 1987, Chinalight authorities sent me to USA to work as the President of its overseas company. And this company’s line of products wereleather wallets and purses, and our production basis was in the mainland China. In order to purchase better-quality accessories such as zippers, hyaline membrane and glue, I had to travel from New York to Hong Kong frequently because the Hong Kongmarket could always provide less expensive but good quality products. Besides this accessories purchasing, I also wanted to visit my old friend Chen Xiangyao, owner of a large and influential labor safety products company in Hong Kong.
Mr. Chen used to be my business customer when I worked as the Deputy Division Chief of Chinalight’sExport Division NO. 2. At that time, I was in charge of the whole nation’s leather working gloves export. You should not belittle this product of leather working gloves. As a matter of fact, this was a “key” product among all the related light industrial products which were managed by Chinalight. At least in our Export Division NO. 2, the product of leather working gloves played an extremely important role. Our annual export value of leather working gloves was over one hundred million US Dollars. And the leather working gloves were mainly exported to those developed countries or regions of the United States, Japan and Europe.
In order to manage product export well and control the product quality, export licenses were required. And I was the person who had the authority to issuelicenses to the branch companies concerned nationwide. Since Hong Kong was the most important transit seaport, and there were too many buyers of this product. And therefore our Export Division NO.2 strictly selected eight large and important labor safety products companies as our fixed customers. Through out Hong Kong, only those eight companies were allowed to buy the leather working gloves from mainland China and then distribute the goods to the rest of the world. Of course, by doing so, they could earn a reasonable price difference profit. And Mr. Chen’s company was one of those big “Eight Leather Working Glove Buyers” in Hong Kong.
After a few years’ cooperation with those Eight Hong Kong Buyers, I had finally found that Mr. Chen’s company was the best. Many facts proved that Mr. Chen was a businessman with honesty and integrity. And he and his company conducted business with the Chinese suppliers concerned in a fair and reasonable way. Most importantly, Mr. Chen was very cooperative whenever my Division needed his assistance or help. Even though he knew clearly that I was the decisive person in China’s leather working glove export business, he never purposefully tried to be close with me. Neither he used any special means to make me feel happy so that he could win my trust. Mr. Chen’s outstanding work performance and business devotion had won him a good reputation both in Hong Kong and the mainland of China.
When I was the Deputy Division Chief who was in charge of the Chinese working gloves business, I never gave Mr. Chen any special treatment or favor even though he and I were very friendly with each other whenever we met either in Hong Kong or China. I had not visited him and his company quite often until I left Chinalight Head Office and became the President of Chinalight’s overseas branch company in USA.
In order to purchase the good quality accessories for our leather goods, I started to cooperate with Mr. Chen’s company. After several business transactions were done, I felt that the prices quoted by Mr. Chen were always the most reasonable (for your information, I not only bought accessories from Chen’s company, but also from another good Hong Kong supplier). Gradually, Mr. Chen became my personal friend.
Whenever I planed to visit Hong Kong and Mr. Chen was pre-noticed, he always personally met with me at Hong Kong Airport. And then he would drive me to the hotel. One thing must be mentioned here was that each time, Mr. Chen booked the hotel room for me in advance, and then he insisted on knowing the number of the room I would lodge at. While driving his car to the airport to pick me up, Mr. Chen would call his office manager and tell him to buy a large bunch of flowers. After the flowers were purchased, the manager must get to my hotel room and put the flowers into a vase. And then the vase would be placed on the table. As soon as I stepped into my hotel room and saw the beautiful flowers, I would feel very happy and comfortable. It showed Mr. Chen’s special respect to me. With time passing by, Mr. Chen finally became my intimate friend in Hong Kong.
One time I visited Hong Kong again. After Mr. Chen sent me to the hotel room, he did not leave the room at once as what you usually did. (For your information, he usually would accompany me to the hotel and then told me to have a short rest first. Then he would leave the hotel. When evening came, he would come to my hotel again, inviting me to dinner). But this time, things were different. Instead, he did not leave my hotel room. He told me that he would have something important to discuss with me. By nodding my head, I expressed my readiness to listen to him.
After he and I were seated, Mr. Chen told me that recently he did not feel well physically, but the company business was developing rapidly. Since he felt very tired from time to time, he could not do as much work as he usually did. In order to let the company continue to develop healthily, he sincerely suggested that I could leave Chinalight and get to Hong Kong to join his company. The prerequisites of my joining his company were the following:
One, I would be his company’s CEO while he would still be the Chairman of the Board of Directors, as well as the owner.
Two, my first year’s starting salary would be one million HK Dollars plus a rather attractive bonus every year.
Three, as the company’s CEO, I would be responsible for the company’s overall work while Mr. Chen, the Chairman, would concentrate on taking care of his health. If necessary, he would be hospitalized.
You cannot imagine that in China’s early 1990s, the amount of one hundred million Hong Kong Dollars was really an enormous figure! With this big amount of money as my annual income, I would easily become a millionaire in a few years. Besides, I could get extra but big bonus money as well. It seemed to me that my future would be very bright if I would accept his proposal and move to Hong Kong to start my new business career.
But I had to face the reality at that time: I was a government official, and the company I served was one of China’s largest national foreign trade enterprises. That real situation would not allow me to leave the government organization and join a Hong Kong private company. I opted to decline what Mr. Chen offered. As a result, I lost my life’s best opportunity of becoming a rich and powerful man!
Unfortunately, Mr. Chen died of liver cancer two years later. He was only 58 years old when he passed away. It was a great pity that Hong Kong lost a business elite and I lost a bosom friend!
(7)
Last but not least time I brushed past a VIP was when I worked in the USA, being the President of two large and strong overseas branch companies under Chinalight.
Since the two companies I served in the United Stateswere backed by Chinalight, an influential national enterprise with powerful financial strength, I could easily win the trust from Bank of China, New YorkBranch. But from my side, I had to try my best to establish good business relations with this bank because we did need their financial support in our business transactions. Every year, the two companies, which were headed by me, handled over two hundred million US Dollars businesses in both import and export deals. The Bank of China, New York Brach always helped us in terms of finance and credit.
After a certain period excellent business cooperation, Mr. Wang, President of Bank of China’s New YorkBranch, became my personal friend, and our relations were very close.
Every year when Christmas was to arrive, Mr. Wang and his wife (she was also my good friend) would take their subordinates, such as the Vice-President and some Department Managers, to Stamford, Connecticut, where my company was located, to spend the holiday together with my office people. On Christmas eve, we always held a big party at a five-star hotel close to our office building. It was a wonderful time for both the Bank people and my company staff members to enjoy the holiday together. After the party was over, Mr. Wang and his followers would spend the night at that five-star hotel, and my company would sponsor. And they would not leave Stamford for New York until the following afternoon. Year after year, it was like this. Gradually, the relations between Mr. Wang and me had been further enhanced.
Two years later, Mr. Wang got transferred from Bank of China to China Everbright Bank. To give him a promotion, China Everbright Bank appointed him as the Vice-President of Everbright Bank Head Office, as well as the President of their Hong Kong Branch.
When he was about to leave New York for Hong Kong, he purposefully called me and let me come to New York for a meeting. After I got to his office and started conversation, he sincerely invited me to go to Hong Kong together with him. He promised that he would give me a very high position at EverbrightHong Kong Bank. And my salary would be rather attractive.
After hearing what Mr. Wang suggested, I really appreciated him for his good offer. But I declined Mr. Wang’s kindness. The reason was very simple: I majored on international business at the university and foreign trade work was my bread and butter. As far as the banking and financing businesses were concerned, I had no knowledge at all. I was not supposed to fill a post without real qualifications.
Again, I brushed past a VIP!
(END)
About the Author:
Ruzhong Gong (Ralph Gong), born in Shanghai, China, now living in the USA.
Graduated From the English Department of Universityof International Business and Economics, Beijing, China
Before retirement, President of an USA overseas company under China National Light Industrial Products Imp. & Exp. Corp.; President of a joint-venture company in USA, jointly owned by Australia’s Lief Group Company and China National Chemical Products Imp. & Exp. Corp.; President of an American Brach Corp. under China National Foreign Trade Bases Corp.; Chief Representative in Beijing Office under Trade Am, an American Carpets Wholesale Company.
Author of 6 books, including “My Life—Family, Career & VIPs”, “How to Do Business in Mainland of China”, “My Leisure Time”, “My Leisure Time—Poems & Articles” , “Poems and Essays from Leisure Chamber” and “Flowers By My Side”.
Member of the Chinese Poetry Society (CPS), Free Lance Writer for Austrian Sinopress, and Senior Consultant for Taiwan Caiwei Publishing House.
龚如仲：生于上海，中国对外经济贸易大学英语系毕业，毕业后奔赴非洲任铁道部援建坦赞铁路工作组总部英语翻译，中国国际广播电台英语部英语播音员、记者，外贸部中国轻工业品进出口总公司出口二处业务员、副处长，外贸部轻工业品进出口总公司驻美国公司总裁（处长）。
有关作品：
自2012年至2016年，台湾采薇出版社出版自传【岁月如重】（该书已被香港中文大学图书馆、美国纽约市立图书馆和澳大利亚国家图书馆作为自传体作品正式收藏），【东西南北中国人---细谈如何在大陆做生意】，【悠然时光】和【悠然时光---如仲诗语】。
2018年4月，中国国际广播出版社出版【悠然斋诗文选】
2018年9月，中国国际广播出版社出版【花儿在身边开放】
2019年4月，台湾采薇出版社出版英文书【My Life—Family, Career & VIPs】
作者现为中华诗词学会会员、中国经典文学网特约作家、台湾采薇出版社资深顾问、奥地利英文网Sinopress特聘专栏作家、北美北斗星文学社副社长、副总编辑。
