Qi Tongwei: Sign-in relationship started during student days

Chapter 1079 Deputy Ministerial Level

The following morning, a commercial airliner landed at Hanjiang Airport.

Qi Tongwei got off the plane with bloodshot eyes.

As soon as he got off the plane, someone came up to greet him and guided Qi Tongwei to a private car.

On the way, Qi Tongwei turned on his phone and called Xu Lian to inquire about the situation.

Xu Lian said that Secretary Yu and the workers waited all night.

Qi Tongwei was extremely anxious. "I'll be there in three hours. Make sure everyone has a hot meal first, and then we'll deal with this issue face-to-face with the workers."

Xu Lian said that arrangements had been made, and several kinds of food had been prepared, including porridge, noodles, and steamed buns. Preparations began at four in the morning.

Qi Tongwei hummed in agreement and then hung up the phone.

The secretary turned around and told Qi Tongwei to take a short rest.

Qi Tongwei waved his hand, "I can't sleep." He then said to the driver, "Driver, please drive faster, don't worry about comfort."

The driver exclaimed "Oh!" and sped up.

Gazing at the scenery outside the car, Qi Tongwei fell into deep thought.

Undeniably, he was a powerful figure in the calculations of power.

But a powerful person will eventually become a slave to power.

He had a premonition about this, a premonition that conflict would arise among the workers.

To avoid this conflict, he pushed the issue away and even went to Europe and America at a critical moment in the reform.

However, things did not turn out the way he wanted. At the crucial moment, the workers recognized his worth and regarded him as someone they could rely on.

What was he thinking? How could he have treated these workers who trusted and relied on him as an inescapable problem?

Power can truly cloud a person's judgment, causing them to lose their way and become completely disoriented, leaving them with nothing but scheming and calculation.

They calculated and schemed, weighing all the pros and cons, and calculating the ups and downs of officialdom, but they overlooked the most basic human nature and the sense of responsibility of a Party member and cadre.

The car accelerated again, and the sunlight outside the window made his eyes sting. He suddenly felt that the higher he climbed, the emptier his heart became, until only the weight of his official hat remained.

Before he could figure it out, the car had already driven into the municipal party committee square.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, a sharp-eyed worker recognized the face inside the car window.

"It's Mayor Qi!"

"Mayor Qi is here!"

The shout was like a pebble thrown into boiling water, instantly creating ripples. Thousands of workers responded to the sound and surged toward the truck like a tide.

This time, Qi Tongwei didn't dodge, nor did he have the driver lock the car doors and wait for security personnel to arrive. He simply opened the car door and walked confidently into the crowd.

Seeing this, several police officers on duty quickly stepped forward to form a human wall in front of him, but Qi Tongwei raised his hand to stop them.

"Don't stop me." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable force. "I'm a cadre of the people, why should I be afraid of the people?"

On the steps, Xu Lian's heart was in his throat. He hurriedly shouted to Song Licheng, the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission and the director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, "Old Song! Don't just stand there, get your men up there and protect Mayor Qi!"

Song Licheng was so nervous that sweat beaded on his forehead. He took out his walkie-talkie and was about to give the order when Yu Huabei raised his hand to interrupt him: "I don't think we need to."

Yu Huabei pointed to the square, his tone calm and measured, "Look."

Looking in the direction he pointed, the workers surging forward showed no sign of aggression. Several elderly workers with gray hair were the first to push to the front, trembling as they extended their hands. Qi Tongwei shook each of their hands, and when their palms touched, they were covered in rough calluses and burning hot.

Then, the workers spontaneously surrounded him and walked towards the steps of the municipal party committee building, their steps steady and orderly.

Qi Tongwei walked among the crowd, seemingly like a drop of water merging into a river, truly standing with these workers who faced the molten steel with their backs to the sky and spent their entire lives guarding the steel rolling furnace.

As they walked up the steps, Qi Tongwei first extended his hand to Yu Huabei, his voice hoarse with apology: "Secretary Yu, we have failed in our duty."

Yu Huabei squeezed his hand tightly, patted his arm, and said with relief, "Don't say anything about admitting your mistakes. The workers and I waited for you all night. Now, say a few words to everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone handed him a megaphone.

Qi Tongwei took the loudspeaker, turned around, and looked at the dense crowd in the square.

The commotion seemed to be suppressed by an invisible hand, and it fell silent instantly.

Tens of thousands of eyes fell on him, filled with anticipation, anxiety, doubts hidden all night, and a glimmer of hope that he hadn't had time to conceal.

Qi Tongwei raised the megaphone, his hoarse, penetrating voice, hoarse from a sleepless night, echoing across the empty square: "Fellow workers, fellow workers! I, Qi Tongwei, am late!"

After saying this, he bowed deeply to the crowd, his back curving in a solemn arc.

In an instant, thunderous applause erupted in the square, making everyone's eardrums vibrate.

Qi Tongwei raised his hand to suppress the applause, and it gradually subsided.

“I already know why you've come here today.”

The restructuring of Hansteel failed to deliver compensation and resettlement plans, which is a dereliction of duty on our part!

I'm back today to make a statement to everyone; I'll only say two things.

"First, the original restructuring plan of Hansteel is to be immediately suspended and re-examined! The compensation will be paid in full to everyone according to the highest standard stipulated by law!"

Anyone who dares to use underhanded tactics inside will be severely punished!

"Secondly, the city will immediately connect with the Beishan Industrial Park to give priority to arranging employment for all laid-off workers!"

This statement did not receive much approval, and the applause was sparse.

Qi Tongwei paused, his gaze sweeping over the weathered faces, his voice deepening, "I know that some people have stayed with Han Steel their whole lives and are unwilling to leave."

But everyone knew in their hearts that Hansteel's equipment was old and its burdens were too heavy. Stubbornly continuing wouldn't save the factory; it would drag tens of thousands of workers into a quagmire!

"A tree dies when transplanted, but a person thrives! The industrial park in Beishan has already been built, with new materials plants and machinery processing plants. What we lack are experienced masters like you who understand technology and are willing to endure hardship!" Qi Tongwei's voice suddenly rose, carrying an inspiring force. "Your experience is a burden at Hansteel, but it's a treasure at Beishan! As long as you're willing to take this step, I dare not say that everyone will become rich and powerful, but I guarantee that life will definitely be better than it is now!"

I implore you to give Beishan time, to give me time, and to give yourselves time. Trust Beishan, trust me, and trust yourselves tomorrow!

After he finished speaking, the square remained silent for a full three seconds.

Immediately following, thunderous applause erupted. Some people couldn't help but cry out, while others clenched their fists, waving their hands forcefully towards the steps and shouting, "Mayor Qi!"

Qi Tongwei's eyes reddened. He put down the loudspeaker, walked down the steps, and went back into the crowd, shaking hands with each worker. The rough palms and calloused fingertips rubbed against his palms, stirring up a mix of emotions in his heart.

At 10 a.m., the crowd began to slowly disperse.

Some people tidied up the plastic sheet that had been laid on the ground the night before, while others carried still-warm lunchboxes, their footsteps very light.

No one made a sound or crowded around, as if afraid to disturb this hard-won peace.

Before long, the huge municipal party committee square was empty, with only a few withered yellow leaves swirling in the wind.

Qi Tongwei stood on the steps, watching the last worker's figure disappear around the street corner, and remained motionless for a long time.

Xu Lian walked over and handed him a glass of water: "Mayor Qi, Secretary Yu has already gone to the conference room and is waiting for you to start the meeting."

Qi Tongwei took the water glass and said with emotion, "Xu Lian, have you noticed that what ordinary people actually want is never much? Just a sense of security and something to look forward to."

We can use any means necessary, but we must never try to take advantage of the people. Otherwise, they might support us, but they can also turn against us.

Xu Lian seemed to be deep in thought.

……

In the spring of 2001, the reform entered an accelerated phase.

Hansteel divested non-core assets, introduced advanced steelmaking technology and management teams, and shut down five of its nine blast furnaces.

Meanwhile, an employee stock ownership plan was implemented, and the veteran employees finally smiled as they held their share certificates.

In October of the same year, based on his outstanding performance in the reform of state-owned enterprises, Qi Tongwei was nominated as an alternate member at the conference and was successfully elected, taking a key step in his political career.

In February of the following year, Beishan City received a major boost to its development—with the approval of the State Council, Beishan was officially upgraded to a sub-provincial city.

The news sent shockwaves through Beishan's officialdom, as the city's Party Secretary, Xia Guanglei, benefited from the city's upgrade and smoothly entered the provincial Party Committee Standing Committee.

It's worth mentioning that Xia Guanglei only received a few minor criticisms regarding the workers' issues, while Ma Da took the lion's share of the blame and was transferred to Hangang as the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission. Going from deputy secretary of the municipal party committee to secretary of the discipline inspection commission of a state-owned enterprise at the provincial level is considered a demotion.

All Qi Tongwei could say was, "It's good to have a good father."

Otherwise, given the huge impact caused last time, it would be a relief if he wasn't dismissed.

Qi Tongwei's outstanding contributions in areas such as reform and urban construction led to a corresponding adjustment in his rank, making him a vice-ministerial level mayor.

In March 2002, Hansteel completed a strategic restructuring with Beisteel, a leading steel company in the province, and established "Hanbei Steel Group". The following month, it went public.

On its first day of trading, the stock price opened high and continued to rise, then surged all the way up amid market hype, with its market value soaring to 80 billion.

The billions of yuan raised from the stock market flowed into Hanbei Steel Group like fresh water – new blast furnaces rose from the ground, intelligent production lines were put into operation, and a new materials research and development center was established. Hanbei Steel completely broke free from the shackles of the old state-owned enterprise and became a benchmark enterprise in the province's steel industry.

In April 2002, on the very day that Hansteel's new blast furnace spewed out its first batch of molten iron, Qi Tongwei officially stepped down as mayor of Beishan City.

Before leaving his post, he visited Hansteel for the last time, standing under the towering blast furnace and watching the fiery red molten steel flow out.

He also personally inscribed the second piece of calligraphy in his official career: "Reform is the way out for enterprises and the way out for cities."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Huaxia Hanjiang Provincial Committee.

In the warm spring sunshine, a black sedan with a Beishan license plate drove into the provincial party committee compound. As soon as it came to a stop, Secretary Yu, the first secretary of the provincial party committee, quickly came forward and personally opened the car door.

"Director Yu, how could I dare?" Qi Tongwei said in surprise as he got out of the car.

Secretary Yu smiled appropriately, half-jokingly and half-seriously saying, "It is my honor to open the door for the youngest provincial leader in Hanjiang."

Because of Pei Yihong, the two had a fairly good personal relationship, so a joke that wasn't too big or too small didn't seem out of place; on the contrary, it could bring them closer.

"Well done, Director Yu, when did you learn to flatter people like that?" Qi Tongwei said with a laugh.

"Isn't this a required course for secretaries?" Secretary Yu asked with a smile.

After saying that, they both laughed.

With a smile that didn't quite reach its mark, Secretary Yu said, "Secretary Pei is already waiting for you."

Qi Tongwei nodded and walked towards the provincial party committee building, with Secretary Yu following closely behind.

As they stepped onto the stairs, Secretary Yu casually asked, "Mayor Qi, why didn't you come in your Audi today?"

Qi Tongwei smiled faintly and said, "That's not my Audi, it's the property of the people of Beishan. Now that I'm the mayor, I should return it."

A look of admiration flashed in Secretary Yu's eyes. A person's character is reflected in small things and details.

Amidst respectful greetings from "Mayor Qi" and "Secretary Yu," the two arrived at Pei Yihong's office.

Secretary Yu didn't make Qi Tongwei wait for the report. He pushed open the door, let Qi Tongwei in, and then closed the door.

Qi Tongwei straightened his clothes and walked into the inner room with practiced ease, but his steps were unconsciously lighter.

Passing through the connecting door, Qi Tongwei saw Pei Yihong engrossed in reviewing documents. Pei Yihong was oblivious to Qi Tongwei's arrival and continued writing something on the documents.

The midday spring sunlight slanted in through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the dark red, solemn wooden floor and elongating Pei Yihong's figure.

Qi Tongwei didn't say anything, but stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping over the four walls as he looked around.

Nothing seemed to have changed here. The green plant in the corner was still that vigorous cycad, its leaves glossy and exuding an air of authority.

The desk was still the same large mahogany table, but it seemed to have gained a bit more weight compared to four years ago.

His gaze fell on the guest sofa by the window, and in a daze, he saw himself four years ago.

That year, on a sunny day like this, he came from Handong, sat on this sofa, and confidently engaged in a lively discussion with Pei Yihong and Zhao Anbang.

Four years.

No, to be precise, it should be three years and nine months, more than 1,300 days and nights.

In the blink of an eye, it all seems like a dream, as if it were yesterday.

He had been to Pei Yihong's office many times, but never before had he felt such a pang of emotion as he did today.

That's normal. Back then, he was just an acting mayor at the deputy provincial level, but now he has become an alternate member of the CPPCC and a deputy provincial-level cadre under the management of the central government. It's normal for his mentality to be a little different.

Turning his gaze back to the desk, Qi Tongwei met Pei Yihong's eyes. Pei Yihong's deep eyes held a mixture of scrutiny, satisfaction, and an indescribable feeling.

Qi Tongwei suppressed his sighs and put on a smile, "Secretary Pei."