Chapter 360 Melbourne Sunny

After more than an hour of bargaining and negotiation of trade details, the contract was finally negotiated.

Iron ore: US$52.20/ton, importing 100,000 tons per month, totaling US$5.22 million. (tax included)

Bauxite: 80 US dollars / ton, import 200,000 tons per month, a total of 16 million US dollars.

The total transaction amount is 21.22 million US dollars, and it will be shipped from Darwin Port to Anga Island Port on the 1st of each month for a period of five years.

Although Anga Island does not have a deep-water port for the time being, Jiang Chen has already invested in the construction, and it is expected that two berths will be completed before the 1st of next month. Anga Island has a relatively high population base and is far away from the other eight islands. It is very suitable for transformation into an industrial island mainly engaged in manufacturing. Therefore, a deep-water port with moderate throughput is still necessary.

In the afternoon, he signed a large order for the company with a monthly revenue of more than 10 million US dollars, and Oliver was naturally beaming with joy. After negotiating the contract, Jiang Chen didn't leave immediately, but chatted with him about the mining industry.

Oliver knew all about Jiang Chen's questions. He also told Jiang Chen about the sluggish iron ore trading volume in 2016 and the low price of rare earths. In fact, these information can be obtained with a little research on the Internet, so there is no secret at all.

"May I have the liberty to ask? As far as I know, your company's main business is in the Internet field. Why do you need to acquire a large amount of iron ore?" Oliver asked.

"Does your company still pay attention to the use of the buyer's minerals?" Jiang Chen joked.

"I'm just curious. Of course, if it's inconvenient, forget it. This question doesn't affect our cooperation." Seeing that Jiang Chen didn't intend to answer, Oliver smiled and apologized for his abruptness.

"I'm really sorry, this question is a commercial secret, I can't answer you... In order to express my apology, please allow me to invite you to dinner." Jiang Chen said.

"Haha, I'm very happy, I know there is a very good restaurant in Melbourne, how about being my car..." Oliver readily accepted Jiang Chen's invitation.

It happened to be time to get off work. The two left the company. A Brazilian style kebab restaurant near Melbourne.

From the outside, this barbecue restaurant is no different from the snacks on Huaguo Street. In the semi-open storefront, the owner, who is obviously not Brazilian, is grilling burnt yellow meat slices on the charcoal stove, seducing the passing tourists with the greasy aroma.

Sitting at the bar-like table. It didn't take long for the plate to be brought in front of the two of them.

Two bottles of cold beer,

Four plates of barbecue. Jiang Chen was so addicted to eating.

"Is the outlook for the mining industry dire right now?"

"It's not bad, but I'm afraid it will get worse." Speaking of work, Oliver sighed.

"Because of the economic situation?" Jiang Chen asked casually.

"In a nutshell, it's the economy. The root cause is demand." Oliver took a sip of beer and breathed a sigh of relief. It was like vomiting out the troubles accumulated in his chest.

"Can you be more specific?" Jiang Chen asked with a smile while holding the kebab.

He still has a lot of interest in mining.

"For example. You need about 30 tons of steel to build a 5,000-square-meter building. But once the house is built, the potential demand for steel will be reduced by 30 tons. Not just houses, but everything from cars to screws. Products are all. Then the steel mills cut production, and the mining farms also cut production. This is how the economy is ruined." As he said, Oliver smiled.

Although Jiang Chen didn't understand what was so interesting about it.

"Is it okay to tell me these things?"

"No problem. It's off-duty time now." Oliver waved his hand and said conceitedly, "Besides, even if the company wants to lay off employees, it won't be my turn."

"In other words, the general trend of iron ore prices is downward?"

"That's right, in 2008, it could reach US$2.1 per ton. Now, US$0.95 is not bad."

"According to what you say, the mining industry is hopeless." Jiang Chen laughed.

"Not necessarily, unless there is a technological breakthrough." Oliver shook the glass of beer.

"Technological breakthrough?" Jiang Chen frowned slightly.

"That's right, unless there's a huge technological change, like everybody throws away the cars they use today. Just like everybody threw away the hand-spinning machine in 1765, or the steam engine in 1885... ...It's getting too far. Hey, speaking of it, I really envy you."

"There are many people who envy me."

"I'm not talking about money, but your industry. Don't you think the IT industry is the most prone to technological breakthroughs?" Oliver said with a smile as he wiped a skewer of barbecued meat.

"It's also the industry that is most likely to go bankrupt," Jiang Chen teased.

Oliver froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. Infected by the laughter, Jiang Chen couldn't help laughing too.

Seeing the two people who seemed to be in a panic, passers-by on the street looked sideways.

 …

When Jiang Chen returned to the hotel drunk, it was already ten o'clock in the evening. The foreigner was unexpectedly talkative and funny. Jiang Chen and him went from the customs of Australia to the grilled fish in their hometown of Hucheng. In short, the conversation was speculative, and the two chatted until late at night while eating barbecue and drinking beer.

When leaving, Jiang Chen and Oliver exchanged business cards, and then said goodbye.

Seeing Jiang Chen reeking of alcohol appearing at the door, Aisha hurried forward and helped him to the toilet, took off his clothes, and wiped off his sweat with a hot towel.

"Why did you drink so much?" Aisha whispered in Jiang Chen's ear.

"I met an interesting person." Jiang Chen hiccupped, chuckled, and then leaned against Aisha's small breasts that were about to bloom.

Aisha's fair skin was instantly stained red, and just as she was about to help Jiang Chen up, there was a snoring sound from the bathroom...

 …

The hangover was uncomfortable, but with Jiang Chen's metabolic rate, it was uncomfortable when he woke up the next day, and he recovered after a short while.

Due to the unexpectedly smooth signing of the contract, the next day, which was originally scheduled to be very busy, was actually idle.

Now that everything is done, according to the agreement with Aisha before coming here, Jiang Chen took her for a stroll around Melbourne.

Take photos in front of landmark buildings, and shop in shopping malls...

I have to say that shopping with women is really tiring, but when seeing Aisha's happy and pretty face, Jiang Chen really felt that the exhaustion in his whole body was healed.

In a word, it's worth it.

The last stop of the itinerary was St. Patrick's Cathedral. Although it seemed a bit weird to take a pagan to look at this religious building, but from Aisha's appreciation of the magnificent cross relief, Jiang Chen was also quite emotional.

Not all beliefs are bigoted.

Not all bigotry is unforgivable, either.

In today's highly secularized world, even an outright atheist can hold the hand of a believer and admire the brilliance of art in front of a pagan church.

Seven hundred years ago, the Crusaders and XXX were bloody streams for the ownership of the Holy Land. Seventy years ago, the United States and the Soviet Union lowered the iron curtain for ideology.

However, looking back now, it seems that nothing is unforgivable or unacceptable.

Just like the ingenious workmanship of Suzhou gardens and the colorful windows of Notre Dame de Paris, the world should have far more shapes and colors than people think.

If one day, the footprints of human beings expand to the frontiers of the solar system, and on that day, looking back at today's "geographical conflicts" and "ideological contradictions", I don't know if it will be ridiculous.

I just don't know what to worry about civilization by then...

...is the direction of evolution? or something else.

Just as Jiang Chen was feeling emotional, Aisha gently tugged on his cuff.

After recovering from the emotion, Jiang Chen looked at her with a pleasing expression, and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"I want to go in and have a look... is that okay?"

"certainly."

Putting all emotions behind him, Jiang Chen took Aisha's little hand in a gentlemanly manner.

The two walked towards the interior of St. Patrick's Cathedral together. (To be continued.) Enable new URL