The Ministry of Commerce has close ties with OPEC, and Xu Zhenbo sent a letter to the OPEC representative office in China, proposing that he hopes to hold an informal meeting.A few days later, two OPEC negotiators flew from Vienna to Beijing, and Xu Zhenbo quickly informed Feng that he had come to contact the two officials.

“This is Mr. Bradman, OPEC’s special representative, Mr. Graham, Mr. Bradman’s deputy.This is Mr. Feng Xiaochen, General Manager of China Equipment Industries Corporation.”

In the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce, Xu Zhenbo personally served as the master of ceremonies and introduced Feng Xiaochen and OPEC officials to each other.Feng Xiaochen shook hands with Bradman and Graeme, and the guests each sat down, and the talks officially began.

"Mr. Xu, Mr. Feng, we have been invited by your side to participate in an informal meeting, we would like to know, what do you want to negotiate with us?"Bradman asked as he opened the door.

Xu Zhenbo gestured to Feng Xiaochen, Feng Xiaochen coughed lightly and began to speak: "Dear Mr. Bradman, Mr. Graeme, it is a pleasure to meet with you in Beijing."This time, the two came to China because we noticed that in the past six months, OPEC has adopted a policy of reducing production and price increases, resulting in an increase of 50% in international crude oil prices at the end of 2003.And we understand that OPEC's production-limiting policy will continue to be implemented, and there is a trend of further escalation in international oil prices, and we are seriously concerned about this."

"We're very sorry for that."Bradman said, “It’s also a last resort for OPEC to take steps to reduce crude oil production.In recent years, several OPEC members in the Middle East have developed serious security risks and political threats.In order to avoid the impact of the international crude oil market because of the political turmoil in an oil-producing country, we have to adopt a policy of production reduction in advance so that the international community can adapt to the impact of the reduction.”

This explanation is pure nonsense, and Bradman did not expect the Chinese to believe such an explanation.All he has to do is provide an explanation.The real reason for OPEC's production limit is that all countries understand it, and Feng Xiaochen and Xu Zhenbo also understand.Bradman didn’t have to say much about this tacit thing, he believed that Feng Xiaochen could know what he really meant.

Feng Xiaochen smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Bradman, you should know China's attitude towards international affairs, and we have never interfered in other countries' internal affairs, so the political turmoil in North Africa and other countries has nothing to do with our country."“OPEC’s concerns, which we can very well understand, are very unfair to let a neutral country like China suffer from the loss of higher oil prices.”

"We deeply apologize for that."Bradman nodded his head slightly, and gave Feng Xiaochen an answer.

Feng Zhichen raised his eyebrows and asked, “Why, Mr. Bradman thinks it’s okay to apologize?”

"Yes, as I said, we had to do it."

“We don’t care how international oil prices change.But we have had a tacit understanding with OPEC before.The three refineries we have just put into operation have adopted the design for dealing with high-sulphur crude oil in accordance with the requirements of OPEC member Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi side has also promised to provide us with a stable supply of crude oil.But because of OPEC's production-limiting policy, Saudi Arabia can not guarantee our crude oil supply now, which is not a default?"

“I think that should be a force majeure clause in the agreement between China and Saudi Arabia, right?”

“This is true for the agreement between the two countries.But this force majeure is artificially set by OPEC, and cannot be changed by manpower.We hope that when OPEC sets the crude oil production quota, it will specifically list the exception to China, allowing Saudi Arabia and other countries to provide China with sufficient crude oil supply in accordance with previous agreements.”

"I'm afraid it won't be possible."Bradman responded coldly.China is an important market for OPEC, which is why Bradman is willing to condescending to China to negotiate with Feng.But Feng Xiaochen's request is beyond OPEC's bottom line, Bradman will naturally not agree.

In fact, when the Chinese side requested the talks, the issue has already been discussed within OPEC.The rise in international oil prices undoubtedly has the greatest impact on China, which is very clear to all OPEC members.Then China's official invitation to OPEC to come to the talks, certainly want OPEC to give some price concessions.After consultation, everyone said that they could not comply with China's request in this regard, because this is a matter involving the income of OPEC members.

Of course, the premise is that China has no means to bring OPEC down.If the United States makes the same request, OPEC, even if it is not willing to accept it, at least think about how to respond, and dare not refuse so resolutely.

“Mr. Bradman, China is a big oil consumer and will become the world’s largest oil importer in a few years.OPEC is the largest oil export organization, and there should be more consensus between the two sides to avoid large fluctuations in oil prices and oil supply.I hope Mr. Bradman understands that fluctuations in oil prices will not only affect China's economic development, but also the economic stability of OPEC countries."

“I take Mr. Feng’s words as a good-natured reminder that we will take this into account when formulating future policies.”Bradman answered in a vernacular, he said so politely, but the subtext is cold, that is, he does not care about the reminder or threat of Feng Zhichen, I have oil in my hand, who is afraid of in this world?

Feng said: "We hope that OPEC can take this into account now, so as not to cause some unnecessary misunderstanding between the two sides, resulting in the common loss of both sides."

"Yes?"I don't see what OPEC will lose.”Bradman said arrogantly.

Feng Xiaochen nodded and said, “If that’s the case, then we can only let the facts speak.”We will give OPEC a week to think, and within a week, OPEC can re-negotiate with us at any time.After a week, we will have to take some action, and if it causes some unnecessary distress to OPEC, please understand Mr. Bradman.”

“What are you going to do?”Graeme couldn’t help but ask.He did not think that the threat of Feng Xiaochen was a bluff, and he invited them over, just to say that some of the things were completely impracticable, such a thing was unlikely to happen to a senior official.The action Feng Xiaochen said may not be as powerful as he said, but he will certainly take some kind of action, there is no doubt about it.As for whether this action will have an impact on OPEC, Graeme thinks it is better to ask first.

Feng Zhichen shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Graeme, we are not in a position to disclose our intentions at this time."We just want to inform OPEC that if OPEC can start from the overall situation of cooperation between the two sides and make commitments to us on crude oil supply and oil prices, then we can consider suspending these actions.On the contrary, we have no choice but to do so.”

"Thank you for your frankness."Graeme was not lost, people just holding their efforts to sell the gate, he can also pin Feng Zhichen's neck to let him say?

The two OPEC representatives left, and Feng Xiaochen smiled and threw Xu Zhenbo out of the Ministry of Commerce building.Looking at them as far away, Xu Zhenbo asked with amne: "Feng General, why don't you stab the coal-to-oil thing directly to them?"Now that we’ve mastered the technology, just tell them and they’ll feel threatened and willing to negotiate with us.You're going to be dumb with them now, and they're not going to bow down in ten or nine."

Feng Zhichen shrugged his shoulders and said, “All I want is that they don’t bow their heads down.”If they don’t bow down, I have reason to let the NDRC start the construction of the coal-to-oil project.If they keep their heads down and the NDRC doesn’t have a head, won’t the project be put on hold?”

“No, not?”Xu Zhenbo looked at Feng Zhichen and said with dissatisfaction: "Director Han let you negotiate, but you are thinking about breaking things up, so that you can start the coal-to-oil project and meet the wishes of your equipment company."“Isn’t that a man, too?”

Feng Xiaochen said: "Director Han also supported me.Whether OPEC can comply with our demands or not, coal-to-oil projects must be launched, which is a matter of our country's long-term energy security.”

“If so, what are you talking about with OPEC?”Once your project starts, there will be no point in the negotiations with OPEC.”

“Who says it doesn’t make sense?They see our strength, and naturally they bow down to us, and we hope to keep the price of crude oil down."

“But if they cut the price, will your coal-to-oil project still be built?”

“Of course it has to be built.”Feng Xiaochen said bluntly, "We invested so much money in the early stage, it is difficult to get out of the technology, why not build it?"

“So what’s the significance of OPEC’s head down?”

“They can exchange our promise that it will not spread the technology outward, or at least slow down.”

“Oh,” he said, “snap.Have you ever seen a rascal, not like Feng Xiaochen, is this to drive OPEC officials crazy rhythm?

Fortunately, this is my teammate, not my enemy, otherwise...

Xu Zhenbo silently ordered a pillar of incense for Feng Xiaochen's opponents, praying that they would not die too ugly.