Chapter 327: The Four Major Industries

"Haha, Mr. Bao, in the shipping industry, you've already ascended to the throne as the world's number one shipping magnate. It's about time you made your mark in other industries as well. Let me be the first to congratulate you on a prosperous future!" Xia Yu laughed heartily, offering his compliments.

Hearing this, Bao Yugang shook his head with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Mr. Xia, you're too good with words. I was feeling a bit uneasy before, but now, after hearing you, I'm almost floating."

"I never speak falsehoods; this is simply the truth. Among the vast Chinese community, who could possibly compare to you, the Shipping King?" Xia Yu responded sincerely.

"Let's not dwell on that. If you keep praising me, I'll really be walking on air." Bao Yugang waved his hand, smiling, to steer the conversation away, and Xia Yu also smiled without pressing further.

Bao Yugang's smile gradually faded as he filled Xia Yu's teacup. Xia Yu quickly expressed his thanks, then took a sip, quietly watching Bao Yugang, sensing that he had something important to discuss.

Sure enough, after a sip of tea, Bao Yugang sighed and, with a sincere expression, asked, "Mr. Xia, I have one more request tonight. I'd like to seek your advice on something."

"You're too kind, Mr. Bao. Please, go ahead!" Xia Yu responded courteously, sitting up straight, ready to listen.

"Then I'll speak frankly."

"The shipping market has reached its peak, and it's clearly a quagmire. I do want to withdraw, but I haven't yet decided which industry to venture into."

"And if we talk about understanding the Hong Kong and Southeast Asian markets, you're the top expert in Hong Kong. Your company has a professional economic research team, and your 'Economic Weekly' magazine offers deep insights and analyses of the market that are unmatched."

Hearing this, Xia Yu nodded confidently. This was one compliment he accepted with full confidence because it was the truth. In terms of business and economic research, no other company in Hong Kong was as professional as his. The data that his company had compiled and analyzed was invaluable.

Why was "Economic Weekly" so popular? Did people think it was just because of a few ranking lists? No! The real reason was the information and analyses conveyed through these rankings, as well as the articles that explored the current economic situation and the future economic and business environment.

Within the lines of these articles, even a single data point could hold immense value. It all depended on whether the reader could discover and utilize it to create wealth.

Bao Yugang continued, "So, Mr. Xia, could you give me some suggestions?"

Seeing Bao Yugang's earnest request, Xia Yu felt a warmth in his heart, sensing his sincerity. 

He naturally wouldn't refuse. After all, it was just a matter of speaking, and it would earn him a favor from Bao Yugang. Relationships are built on the exchange of favors, after all.

And even if Xia Yu didn't offer his advice, Bao Yugang would still likely enter the real estate industry. So, in this case, Xia Yu figured he might as well say as much as possible to deepen the favor.

Xia Yu nodded and pretended to ponder, while Bao Yugang and Wu Guangzheng sat quietly, waiting.

After a while, Xia Yu gathered his thoughts and sat up straight, making Bao Yugang and Wu Guangzheng focus intently on him.

"Based on our company's internal research data, the four industries that currently contribute the most to Hong Kong's GDP are manufacturing, real estate, finance, and trade logistics."

"Among these, manufacturing contributes over 31% to GDP, with a focus primarily on the textile and garment industries. These are the lifeblood of Hong Kong's economy and are unlikely to decline within the next decade."

"As for the real estate industry, it has also been growing rapidly in recent years, but the landscape is already set. Breaking into this industry and becoming a major player would be very difficult unless you acquire existing real estate giants."

"The financial industry has immense potential, supported by a strong manufacturing base. Its prospects are extraordinary... It won't decline for the next forty years. Mr. Bao, you already have two financial and investment companies under your wing, so you should have a clear sense of this."

"Finally, there's the trade logistics industry. Hong Kong's location is uniquely advantageous, backed by the mainland and serving as its window to the world. Whether in the Pacific or Indian Ocean regions, everything passes through Hong Kong... So, the trade logistics industry also has a bright future, and with your current strength in the shipping industry, you'd have a huge advantage if you ventured into this field."

"Other industries, while promising, might not be as suitable for you, Mr. Bao. The opportunities to make your mark would be smaller compared to these four major industries."

"Those are my thoughts, Mr. Bao. See if any of them are useful to you."

After speaking, Xia Yu took a deep breath and slowly sipped his tea.

Xia Yu's advice was solid and straightforward. When he was undercutting Jardine Air Cargo Terminal's business in the newspaper, the articles had highlighted the impact of the decline in Hong Kong's manufacturing sector on air freight, but that was a selective narrative, focusing on the negatives while downplaying the positives.

Although the manufacturing sector's share of GDP was decreasing, the decline was minor, and when combined with Hong Kong's economic growth rate, the sector's actual scale was increasing. However, the articles deliberately avoided this angle, instead focusing on the year-on-year decline in share to steer public opinion.

But when talking to Bao Yugang, Xia Yu laid out the facts honestly, fully revealing his sincerity.

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Xia!"

Bao Yugang first thanked Xia Yu and then began to ponder. He strongly agreed with Xia Yu's opinions.

In addition to his Universal Shipping Group, Bao Yugang also had two companies in the financial sector: Universal International Financial Ltd. and Lufeng International Investment Company, involved in securities and capital investment. However, these ventures weren't deeply entrenched, and their development was only moderate, primarily leveraging existing resources and advantages. They couldn't compare with highly specialized financial firms.

But finance is the lifeblood of society and commerce, and its importance is undeniable. Bao Yugang was certainly interested in this sector, but he lacked the specialized talent that Xia Yu had, making it difficult to fully develop and overcome the numerous challenges.

As for manufacturing, the industry was highly competitive, and while it was promising, entering the field meant facing significant competition. Bao Yugang wasn't keen on pursuing it, considering the difficulty of catching up with decades of accumulated experience from others.

That left two industries: real estate and trade logistics, both of which were excellent. However, for Bao Yugang, real estate would be a significant leap. As Xia Yu mentioned, the current real estate market landscape was already well-established, and it would be difficult to make a strong entry from scratch. He couldn't afford to wait that long.

The only way was through acquisition and mergers, but that would be challenging.

Trade logistics, on the other hand, was a broader industry that included Bao Yugang's current shipping business as a sub-industry. He was very familiar with the inner workings of this sector. Even other sub-industries like air freight, port operations, and inland transportation could be quickly understood, and he could leverage his existing strengths to transition smoothly and rapidly expand in the new areas.

"I was originally inclined towards real estate, but now it seems that trade logistics and finance are also quite promising!" Bao Yugang thought to himself after deliberating.

At the same time, his impression of Xia Yu greatly improved. Xia Yu's advice was indeed thoughtful and sincere, and Bao Yugang could genuinely feel this.