Vicious dogs in Hong Kong, entrepreneurs practicing evil cultivation

Chapter 110 Forcing Foreign Dogs to Exchange Land

All is ready except for the opportunity.

The construction land can accommodate three stories and requires at least 25 acres of land, 1562 household rights, which is equivalent to HK$468 million.

The land is designated for animal feed, but it cannot be used for building construction. At least 330 acres are needed, which would require 6875 household rights, or HK$2062 million.

The 660-700 acres needed for manure disposal don't need to be purchased. The New Territories are full of farmland, and cow manure is a slow-release fertilizer. If properly handled, it can even be a source of income.

1.2 caucus rights have been purchased, and in addition to the 8437 caucus rights that must be used, 355 acres of construction land and feed land can be exchanged.

There are still 3563 land parcels totaling 171 acres, or 748 million square feet of building area, available for commercial development.

Originally, after a series of procedures, all that was needed was approval from the Environmental Protection Department, but the process was stalled by the Environmental Protection Department, preventing the land exchange from taking place.

Left with no other option, Chen Guanjiang called Henry Keswick to explain his predicament and seek a solution.

After listening to Chen Guanjiang's complaints, Henry Keswick felt his head buzzing.

This mad dog, so insane, not only exploited loopholes in the system, but now that he can't exploit them anymore, he's asking for help.

Henry Keswick, thinking it was another extortion attempt, gritted his teeth and said, "The land, I'll buy it for you! The factory buildings, I'll build them for you! The rates and rents, I'll pay you!"

"Just tell me, can you buy cattle? Speak! Not HK$1700 million, just HK$1600 million, answer me! (Looking at my eres. Tell me.)"

"Henry, don't get agitated, the HK$1700 million remains unchanged..."

Chen Guanjiang hadn't expected to excite a Scotsman to the point of making grammatical errors, and quickly explained, "I don't need you to raise the land, I don't need to pay wages, but I absolutely need the land rights to be exchanged... I want the land!"

“…………”

After a lengthy explanation, Henry Keswick finally believed that Chen Guanjiang's initial decision to raise cattle was truly for the sake of the land.

First, December 1st of last year.

The Hong Kong government has officially promulgated the "New Territories Small House Policy," which allows male indigenous residents aged 18 or above whose paternal lineage originates from recognized villages in the New Territories in 1898 to apply for the construction of exempted houses.

Because it was a right exclusive to males, it was called "male rights".

Furthermore, Ding Quan both prohibited and permitted buying and selling, thus creating the root of the conflict.

To be precise, men in the New Territories have the right to build exempt houses through application, but the houses themselves are real estate and can be bought and sold after they are built.

Simply put, regardless of whether it's built with stone, brick, or wood, it's still real estate. Even if it's just a grave mound with a curtain hanging over it, it's still real estate, and real estate can be bought and sold.

By engaging in this futile act, Chan Kwun-kong purchased 1.2 land rights in various villages in the New Territories, a practice known as "land grabbing."

Since the land rights purchased by Chan Kwun-kong are scattered across 624 recognized villages in the New Territories and cannot be concentrated in one place in Wong Tsing Wai to build a cattle farm, a "Type B Letter of Exchange for Land Certificate" was used on both.

The so-called "Type B land exchange certificate" refers to the Hong Kong government's use of "land exchange certificates" instead of cash compensation in the late 50s due to the need for large-scale flood control and land redevelopment in the New Territories caused by frequent torrential rains.

Holders can exchange land in the New Territories proportionally based on the certificate area and have priority rights.

And then, a bizarre scene unfolded!

Chen Guanjiang first "impersonated" the so-called Dingquan (a type of land use right), and then "flyed" the Dingquan by exchanging land certificates through a type B official letter.

The series of actions left Henry Keswick speechless. The two systems were simply outrageous, no wonder the Environment Department rejected them outright.

However… Henry Keswick knew!

That's because Chen Guanjiang chose the wrong person, and the people below him, afraid of trouble, naturally wouldn't replace him.

The higher the rank, especially British officials, the more likely they are to grant favors, as this concerns Hong Kong's land system.

Hong Kong was a beautiful accident…

After Lao Xu banned smoking in March 1839, the two sides clashed briefly in November of the same year at the Battle of Chuanbiyang.

In February 1840, the two sides formally declared war, and England appointed Elliot as Commander-in-Chief and Plenipotentiary. The First Silent War broke out in June of the same year.

While fighting, negotiations continued. In November 1840, Elliot had to return to his country due to illness, handing over command to his cousin and deputy, Elliot.

This cousin, a younger brother, was tricked into signing the Treaty of Chuen Bi in 1841, which led to the occupation of Hong Kong Island and his appointment as the supreme commander.

The English also misled him, and Elliot was persuaded to station troops on the south bank, in what is now Stanley, and to auction off land to raise funds for the army.

As a result, the British capital that had tricked him into stationing troops in Stanley actually bought 33 plots of land on the north bank with 75-year usage rights, which is now Victoria Harbour.

Stanley is a great place!

Because it had long been a hiding place for pirates, it was called "Zeizhu" in the Hakka dialect, which gradually evolved into Stanley.

As they lived there, malaria struck, and miasma became rampant in the south. A number of marines died from the disease, while others returned home due to illness.

As they lived there, the flood season arrived, and two typhoons swept through, blowing the entire camp away. The marines then lived in the woods.

As they lived there, pirates came one after another, one group after another. Just when one group was wiped out, another group would arrive.

Elliot's marines didn't die many in the war, but they were almost all wiped out in this godforsaken place, Stanley.

Meanwhile, the British capital that followed Elliot was building the beautiful Victoria Harbour and enjoying the stunning scenery.

When the news reached back in Britain, members of parliament were furious. One side called Hong Kong a "barren land," while the other called it a "dog-in-the-mud place."

Queen Victoria personally described Elliot as "a man who completely disregards orders and strives for the shortest possible term."

Ultimately, England appointed Pottinger as its first governor of Hong Kong and urgently recalled Elliot to England. England also refused to recognize all 33 plots of land in Victoria Harbour that had been auctioned.

He then reorganized his army and resumed fighting. In August 1841, he led his troops across the Yangtze River basin and arrived in Nanjing in August 1842, ending the first war as a victorious nation.

In June 1843, the Treaty of Chuanbi was replaced by the Treaty of Nanjing. In July of the same year, the Regulations for Trade at the Five Ports were signed, and in October of the same year, the Supplementary Agreement for Trade at the Five Ports was signed.

Of the five treaty ports, Shanghai was the most dazzling!

Bounded by the Yangtze River to the north and the East China Sea to the east, it serves as an efficient link between inland waterway shipping and long-distance maritime transport, a location with unparalleled geographical advantages that are hard to find elsewhere, like Shanghai.

As a result, British capital flocked to Shanghai, even though Shanghai was only a leased city for them.

So Hong Kong was completely dumbfounded. How could it play the game if it had neither talent nor capital?

Furthermore, the Qing army on Kowloon Island, just across the strait, built forts with their gleaming cannons pointed at Victoria Harbour, firing shots from time to time to scare away merchant ships. How could development be possible under such circumstances?

In order to attract capital to develop Hong Kong, the government decided to implement the "Millennium Land Title" in 1849, which is a land contract with a term of up to 999 years.

The Second Silent War began in 1860, and England seized the Kowloon Peninsula, maintaining the "millennial land lease" for 999 years, yet it still attracted little capital attention.

Until 1898, the New Territories were forcibly leased, forming the current layout of Hong Kong. From that moment on, the land system underwent a tremendous change.

First, the 999-year "millennial land lease" was terminated, but the "millennial land leases" that had already been sold were recognized.

The leases of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories all reverted to the 75-year land use term. However, the leases of the New Territories expired in 99, and the leases of the New Territories could be renewed for 24 years after the 75-year term expired.

According to legal principles, the lease renewal means that today, 75 years later, which is 1973, the lease renewal for 24 years would be exactly the deadline in 97.

Time flies, and things have changed. Hong Kong has developed extremely rapidly. England is unwilling to lose this Pearl of the Orient, so the "New Territories Small House Policy" was a calculated move.

The land use right for the houses built by Ding Quan is 75 years, which exceeds the 24-year limit.

If the land is reclaimed before the deadline, will the remaining 51-year land use right be recognized? Will the male indigenous residents of the New Territories who are 18 years of age or older be granted the right of descent?

If they don't acknowledge it or give it to them, these men will harbor resentment, which could either lead to disaster or grow into the seeds of a comeback.

If you reluctantly accept it and give it up, what's the point of taking it back? Without management, the most profitable land revenue is just pure money. England has always been ingenious in its landmine-laying practices.

and so!

The land use rights for land in the New Territories through the Tai Ting and Fei Ting agreements are for 75 years, while the land use rights for land purchased in the New Territories are only for 24 years.

Buying land is cheap; agricultural land in Wangjingwei is only HK$300 per acre, and the total of 355 acres of construction and feed land costs only HK$10.

The annual rate value of 3% is only a little over HK$3000, which is a drop in the ocean.

But the question is... is the land purchased and the farm built to raise dairy cows?

Raising dairy cows is a way to get into agriculture and animal husbandry, and incidentally, to gain experience in the construction industry as a supervisor. I wouldn't feel bad even if all 2000+ dairy cows died.

Because the 75-year land price for the right of the land can not only cover all losses but also make a huge profit.

Buy a piece of land, the lease expires in 24 years, and after that you pack up and get out, isn't that just turning into a dairy farm?

If it really is about raising dairy cows!

Isn't the "grazing model" in Australia, New Zealand, and South America good? It has low land costs, low feed costs, and low labor costs.

Isn't the "intensive farming model" in North America, Europe, and Inner Mongolia good? It involves high input, high output, high yield per unit, high milk production, and high profits.

Why insist on raising dairy cows in the Hong Kong New Territories, where labor costs are high, domestic demand is low, feed costs are high, land is scarce, costs are high, and output is low?

The grazing model saves money by utilizing land, thus minimizing costs.

The stall feeding model relies on cattle to generate income and prioritizes efficiency.

It neither saves money nor makes money; wouldn't that be turning back the clock?

After understanding Chen Guanjiang's business model, Henry Keswick gritted his teeth and asked, "I'll help you exchange your land rights, then I'll fly you to Wangjingwei, and then you can immediately buy cattle. Can you do that?"

"Replacement complete, transaction processed immediately!"

Holding the phone handle, Chan Kwun-kong solemnly promised, "I swear by the iron gate of the mansion in Kowloon Tong, if you lie to me, you'll be struck by a ghost! A Hong Konger doesn't lie to foreigners."

“…………”

Henry Keswick thought for a long time before he understood what it meant. The mad dog was saying that the doorbell was malfunctioning because of a ghost, but it was actually implying that the people lurking in the upscale villa were foreigners.

"I won't listen to your swears. You can eat raw vegetables if you keep talking nonsense."

Henry Keswick said viciously, "Short selling, finding people, land swapping—I've helped you three times already. If you dare to lie to me again after this land swap..."

"Kill me!"

"Um!"

“…………”

Henry Keswick hung up the phone immediately after receiving the reply. He didn't want to talk to Chen Guanjiang for a second longer than he wanted to sell cattle. After hanging up, he called the Department of Environment and invited Lu Bingxin to dinner.

Land finance, separation of powers.

The Public Works Department is responsible for auctioning land, the Environmental Department is responsible for selling the land and making the decision, and the Department of Justice is responsible for follow-up and handling disputes after the sale.

This type of Dingquan housing construction first involved "agricultural to commercial" conversion;

Then the site was converted into a building site, and then it was converted from commercial to agricultural.

The nature of the land is constantly changing, like his grandmother playing cat's cradle. Just hearing about it makes one dizzy, let alone the people actually doing the work. It's definitely impossible to get anywhere without going to Lu Bingxin, the director of the Environmental Protection Department.

From agriculture to commerce, and from commerce to agriculture;

Land speculation in housing has turned into housing speculation in land.

After calming down, Henry Keswick reflected on his method of playing jump rope, which resembled his grandmother's, and couldn't help but marvel at it as genius.

The purpose of trading time for space is to hoard land.

The New Territories is an agricultural region, and the birth rate in agricultural areas is much higher than in industrial areas. After the implementation of the small house policy in the New Territories, the population of the New Territories will experience a surge.

As the population increases and land becomes increasingly scarce, prices will rise accordingly. Land prices will experience an unprecedented boom in 18 years, at which point the profits from demolishing sites and building new properties will be at their highest.

Therefore, rather than leaving it vacant for 18 years or letting it weather and deteriorate after it's built, it's better to build a cattle farm, level the land, and wait for the right opportunity.

Of course, all of this is on the premise that Donghui will acknowledge the debt after the deadline; otherwise, Chen Guanjiang will lose everything.

Henry Keswick sighed after realizing the connection. Even if he understood how Chen Guanjiang used HK$6000 million to gamble on a huge profit, he wouldn't dare to gamble with him.

Because it was British-owned, and the New Territories were only leased, if British capital acquired the land by means of a lease that had already expired, then Tung University would have no chance of acknowledging the debt after the deadline.

In contrast, Hong Kong Island and Kowloon are separated, and the two sides have always argued about Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Almost all of the British consortium's investments and real estate are located in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

The New Territories are destined to be repaid, and Hong Kong Island and Kowloon are not safe either.

Therefore, Jardine Matheson's two wings, Hongkong Land and Wharf Holdings, are located on either side of the most prosperous Victoria Harbour, one in the north and one in the south, collecting rent and generating cash to continuously provide the Jardine Matheson consortium with funds for transferring assets overseas.

Therefore, this poker table is destined not to belong to British capital, but only to Chinese capital that sees through everything and dares to take a big gamble.

Chen Guanjiang is just the beginning. More and more Chinese investors will see through this and will be willing to invest heavily in this high-stakes gamble. Isn't this exactly what England wants to see?

Whether it's the University of Tokyo or the Chinese-funded institution, one of them will inevitably suffer losses, leaving behind a major problem without lifting a finger.

Throughout Eurasia, from the Korean Peninsula to the two Germanys, the Anglo-Saxons were the masters of digging minefields and planting bombs, leaving Chinese capital caught in the middle with no choice but to participate in this high-stakes gamble.

Because Chinese capital is also capital, and capital must acquire surplus value to achieve self-renewal. Capital that does not pursue growth is destined to be eliminated by the market.

Just as the tides of time lift some people high while slamming others down, everyone struggles and drifts along in these tides...