"Reduce some of the pressure?"
"That's right. Shang Bin only has two prototype vehicles right now; mass production is still a long way off! We should make two prototypes too. It's all a face-saving project anyway—as long as neither side looks worse than the other."
Li Ye looked at Ma Zhaoxian in surprise, then laughed after a long while.
For a cadre like Ma Zhaoxian, who had clawed his way up from the bottom, how could he possibly not know how to put on a show?
It was just like Soviet Russia and the Lighthouse during the Cold War. Whatever high-tech equipment you had, I would immediately follow suit and "have" it too.
Never mind whether that possession was real or fake. First, you had to blow the horn loud enough.
After giving it some thought, Li Ye said firmly, "Kamaz's transmission and rear-drive components have already been replicated into prototypes and have entered comprehensive testing. We can begin vehicle installation tests ahead of schedule, but the engine won't work. We'll have to substitute imported ones for now."
Ma Zhaoxian immediately said, "Fine! If only the engine is imported from Soviet Russia, then our domestic production rate exceeds ninety percent. We can absolutely apply to The Department for an Outstanding Progress Award."
So that was how you calculated the domestic production rate?
"Uncle Ma, don't blow the horn too loudly just yet. Even if we use ready-made engines and quickly build prototypes, all kinds of tuning and testing will still be indispensable. Testing is a long process. We're still a long way from mass production."
"I understand, I understand. Technical matters must be handled rigorously."
Ma Zhaoxian nodded repeatedly, then suddenly asked, "Li Ye, what if we mass-produce while testing?"
Li Ye said, caught between laughter and tears, "Uncle Ma,