"You're canceling the cooperation framework previously agreed upon for the COMAC C919 project?"
Charles Borden repeated the words in disbelief. "You no longer need our LEAP-X engine as the integrated propulsion system?"
He had originally thought this was merely a routine negotiation from Great Xia to press for progress on the LEAP-X project.
How could he have imagined that Xu Qianren would simply flip the table and announce: Cooperation canceled. I'm not playing with you anymore!
What kind of negotiation was this? Charles Borden felt it was more like a verdict.
If he returned to CFM Company headquarters with this result, he would be sentenced on the spot to "life imprisonment," cast into cold storage and never used again.
"Yes, you can understand it that way." Xu Qianren replied calmly, as if nothing had happened.
"Xu, I can guarantee you this." A trace of resolve flashed through Charles Borden's eyes. "Our CFM Company will develop the LEAP-X engine as quickly as possible, as long as we continue our cooperation and sign the contract as planned."
He had assumed that Great Xia Commercial Aircraft was using the classic negotiation tactic of extreme pressure. They would not haggle at all; if CFM Company refused to speed up development, Commercial Aircraft would simply cancel the partnership.
Charles Borden had to admit that he could not withstand this move!
Nothing could go wrong with the COMAC C919 project. Headquarters attached enormous importance to it, and as a regional director, he could not shoulder the blame.
However.
Xu Qianren decisively shook his head in response to his little trick. "Mr. Borden, you need to understand that this is not a discussion."
"It is a notification. The cooperation is canceled."
How could he not know what Charles Borden was thinking?
Even if Commercial Aircraft agreed to continue the partnership, would CFM Company really speed things up?
This was only a verbal promise. Even if they truly signed a contract, so what? Would they really honor it?
What a joke. Expecting a bunch of pirate-born barbarians to keep their word?
When Western society talked about credibility now, it was only because it held the upper hand. Once it fell into a disadvantageous position, so-called credibility would become no more than a scrap of paper to them.
Capital had only interests, never credibility.
Xu Qianren personally, as well as all of Great Xia, had learned that lesson more than once over the past several decades.
"Who approached you for cooperation? Why are you suddenly canceling it?" Charles Borden's face darkened.
"Did they offer your Commercial Aircraft better terms? We at CFM can offer the same. We are the number one company in commercial aviation engines."
One name after another flashed through his mind: Eagle Sauce's Pratt & Whitney, IAE International Aero Engines, and Great Britain's Rolls-Royce. (It used to be the same company as Rolls-Royce, which was why their logos were both RR.)
As for the remaining EA Engine Alliance companies, Borden felt that was unlikely.
After all, GE General Electric not only held 50% of EA Engine Alliance, but also 50% of CFM Company.
"Mr. Borden, it isn't any of those."
Xu Qianren remained unruffled. "This time, Great Xia will develop its own Integrated Propulsion Engine system and build a 100% domestically produced civil airliner."
He did not conceal it. How many aviation engine giants around the world were watching Great Xia Commercial Aircraft's C919 project? Even if they wanted to hide it, they could not. If they chose none of the companies, self-development was the only possibility.
"Commercial Aircraft is developing its own engine system? And independently designing and building a 100% domestically produced civil airliner?" Charles Borden's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
"Xu, the difficulty involved is not as simple as you imagine. I think you should reconsider the terms of cooperation."
His tone carried not only shock, but also intense mockery and doubt.
He was just short of saying, "What makes you people of Great Xia think you can independently build a 100% domestically produced civil airliner?"
After all, the vast majority of the world's true aero-engine giants were inseparable from GE General Electric and Pratt & Whitney. The engines of aircraft including the F-22, F-35, and B-2 all came from General Electric or Pratt & Whitney.
In his view, even Great Xia's most advanced J-10 fighters still used the old Russians' AL-31FN engines. What made them think they could develop commercial aero-engines with even higher requirements?
A faint smile appeared on Xu Qianren's face. "That is not something your CFM Company needs to worry about."
"Then I'll wait for the day your Great Xia Commercial Aircraft successfully conducts the C919's test flight." Charles Borden narrowed his eyes at Xu Qianren. He even said this sentence in his awkward Chinese.
"I hope you won't keep me waiting too long. Let's go!" He grabbed the interpreter and a meeting recorder traveling with him, then slammed the door as he left.
A Great Xia Commercial Aircraft company that had been established for less than two years actually wanted to build a 100% domestically produced civil airliner.
Where did they get that confidence? How could they possibly make such a decision?
Since becoming a global giant in commercial aviation engines, CFM International Engine had never encountered anything so outrageous.
"Then we'll wait and see." Xu Qianren watched his retreating figure.
Once Great Xia Commercial Aircraft solved the most difficult boss, the ultra-large civil airliner, wouldn't all other small and medium-sized civil airliners be easy to handle?
By then, not only engine companies like CFM, but even Boeing and Airbus would see their market shares collapse step by step.
With Great Xia's absolute price advantage, he believed that the vast majority of airlines in the world would have zero resistance.
Would they still be able to sit still then? Even Eagle Sauce might have to step in.
Several hours later.
Across the ocean, in the employee dormitories of LLNL Laboratory.
Although it was already late at night in Great Xia, California, which was fifteen hours behind Great Xia's time zone, had only just reached eight in the morning.
After washing up, Lu Ze wiped the droplets from his face.
He glanced at the information screen projected over his eye.
[Achievement Points: 8500.] [System Space inventory:.] [Copies: 1.] (Refreshes every Monday.)
A smile curled across his lips. "It's finally my favorite Monday again. The copy count has refreshed."
He was only a little short of ten thousand Achievement Points. If he copied another high-tech item this week, he would be able to perform a Blue Draw.
"Eight more copies, and I can unlock the Purple Draw." Lu Ze muttered.
He guessed that once he unlocked a higher-tier draw, the System would gain more functions as well.
"Lucy told me yesterday that the next batch of weapons and equipment won't enter storage for another two or three weeks."
Lu Ze frowned as he continuously considered the best option. "I'll go take a look at the maintenance center first and see if there's anything worth copying."
He felt that the treasure trove known as the maintenance center still deserved more digging.
As for the laboratory's top-tier technological items, he still had no good way to get access to them.
Although Lu Ze already had an initial plan for appearing mediocre enough that LLNL Laboratory would lower its guard around him, allowing him to access some higher-level technological items as soon as possible, he also had to prevent himself from becoming too deeply involved.
After all, if he joined one of Eagle Sauce's core projects, did Lu Ze still intend to return home?
If he wanted to go home then, he would probably be found the next day with eight bullets in his back at home, while Eagle Sauce declared that he had died accidentally from pneumonia.
Lu Ze checked the time. It was exactly eight in the morning. "I'll grab breakfast at the cafeteria first. Can't miss it."
"I need to bring Lucy along. Eating outside is way too expensive."
This was free capitalist fleece. If he and Lucy ate even a little less, that would not be earning less—it would be a blood loss.
That money would all be turned into weapons and bullets fired at Third World countries around the globe. If he did not eat more, how could Lu Ze avenge their humiliation?
He had to eat as though taking revenge, fiercely striking at Eagle Sauce's arrogant swagger.
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