Chapter 795 Pacific Railroad
Song Tangtang was specifically there to implement Fang Minghua's ideas.
In Director Sun's office at the service center, Song Tangtang told Fang Minghua's idea, and Director Sun, who was over fifty years old, suddenly became excited.
"Okay, that's great. To be honest, we are now worried about the issue of international students returning to China!"
With that said, Director Sun took out a notebook from the drawer and read through it.
"Mr. Song, did you know? Last year, in 1997, there were a total of 7,017 international students across the country. How many of them eventually returned to China? 1,001, only 14%! Especially in the world's top universities like Harvard, Massachusetts, and Cambridge, there are almost no People are willing to come back!”
"These are all talents that the country urgently needs. Although our country tries its best to provide benefits and benefits to international students, the country is still poor after all and cannot compare with developed countries in Europe and the United States. Comrade Minghua's donation is a timely gift!"
"You're welcome. My husband is writing books, especially when he earns some manuscript fees abroad. He should use some of them to solve problems for the country. After all, he is also a party member." Song Tangtang smiled reservedly.
"Comrade Minghua is indeed a good cadre of the country." Director Sun sighed.
In the end, the two agreed to select the top 30 universities according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 1997. After excluding the domestic school Yan Da, there were still 29 places, and the University of London, ranked 31st, was added. .
"Mr. Song, wait a minute. I will help you check the total number of returned overseas students from these universities in 1997, so that you and Comrade Minghua can have an approximate number of rewarded students." Director Sun opened the 386 computer placed on his desk. , began to investigate.
After a while, he looked up at Song Tangtang sitting on the sofa and said: "Last year, there were a total of 19 returned overseas students from these 30 universities, including liberal arts, science and economics."
"Not many, I thought it would be at least fifty or sixty." Song Tangtang was a little surprised.
"Mr. Song, you don't know very well. It is very difficult to get into these top universities, and the international students who are admitted to these universities are not willing to come back. Of these 19 students, 18 are government-sponsored students, and only one is studying abroad at his own expense." Director Sun explained.
That’s it
Soon, Song Tangtang called Fang Minghua to tell Fang Minghua the information.
"Less than 20? It's a bit less. I had the same idea as you. I thought there were at least fifty or sixty, right? In this way, we might as well expand the scope of awards to the top fifty in the world. At least fifty or sixty will be awarded every year. Only students can do that.”
Fang Minghua smiled.
"Wow, that's such a big statement. Fifty or sixty students, that's 20 million yuan a year!" Song Tangtang snorted on the phone.
"Twenty million? It's not much. Wait until next year when I withdraw all the funds from the stock market, and you'll see, hehe."
Of course, there are still many things that need to be completed to establish a fund to support overseas students returning to China to start their own businesses, but Fang Minghua doesn't want to worry about it.
He knew Song Tangtang would handle it well.
On July 13, Fang Minghua embarked on a journey to Baltimore, Maryland to attend the Hugo Awards Ceremony.
Demi, president of Ashleypress Publishing House, and Nick and other staff from the marketing and operations department have already gone to Baltimore.
According to the scheduled plan, once "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" wins the award, a series of activities will be held, including meetings between the author and readers, book signings, etc. The three leading actors of the Harry Potter movies will also be specially invited. Come to help.
The second Harry Potter movie has been completed and has moved into post-production. There are no actors for the time being, so this is an opportunity.
Baltimore is on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It spans the entire North American continent from San Francisco. There is no direct flight from San Francisco to Baltimore. You must either go east to Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, and then take a flight to Baltimore, or first take a flight to New York and then Then transfer to Baltimore City.
Fang Minghua decided to go to Salt Lake City first, but instead of taking a plane, he chose to take a train.
Anyway, he is not in a hurry. He likes traveling by train very much, both in China and in the United States.
Railroads once played an important role in American life, taming the Wild West, fueling the Gold Rush, and becoming the backbone of the Industrial Revolution. Today, the United States still has the longest railroad network in the world, the most famous of which is the Pacific Railroad.
This was the first railway across the North American continent and was rated by the British BBC as one of the seven industrial wonders of the world since the Industrial Revolution. It is more than 3,000 kilometers long and crosses the entire North American continent. It is the first transcontinental railway in the world, and one of its sections is from San Francisco to Salt Lake City.
At about ten o'clock in the morning, Fang Minghua took the subway to Union Station with his travel bag, boarded the California Zephyr, and started his journey.
In the United States, the golden age of train travel is long gone. People now drive short distances and fly long distances, so there are fewer people on trains.
He bought a soft sleeper ticket.
Sleeping on the lower bunk, across from me was a young woman with blond hair and blue eyes and a boy of about 10 years old. It seemed that she was traveling with her child during the summer vacation.
The train slowly left the station and soon arrived at San Francisco Bay. The quiet water surface made people feel relaxed and happy. Fang Minghua was surprised to find that at the nearest time, the railroad track was only about 1 foot away from the sea water!
The whole train seems to be speeding over the sea!
The little boy opposite also noticed it, pointed out the window and shouted in surprise.
"Mom, look, the train is running on the sea!"
"Kim, be quiet! Don't talk too loud!" The young woman hurriedly stopped her son's yelling, but to no avail, she could only smile apologetically to Fang Minghua, who was sitting opposite.
Fang Minghua also smiled in return.
He can understand.
My two children are a little older than this little boy, and they are at the age where they are full of energy. It is very difficult for them to sit quietly for a while when traveling.
Gradually, the train entered the wetland. It was foggy outside the window and nothing could be seen clearly. The little boy's excitement gradually passed and he began to take out his comic book and read.
Fang Minghua looked at the scene outside, feeling sleepy gradually, and lay on the bed and became confused. I don't know how long it took, but in a daze, Fang Minghua was woken up by the little boy's voice again.
When he opened his eyes, he saw that the train had left the wetland, and the outside turned into a vast expanse of mountains. The train passed through tunnels from time to time, which reminded Fang Minghua of his own experience of crossing the Qinling Mountains from Xijing to the Tianhan area.
"Mom, how were you digging the cave? Did you use an excavator?" the little boy asked innocently.
"No, no, this railway is called the Pacific Railway. It was built more than 100 years ago. At that time, technology was not developed and excavators were not as advanced as they are now. Many places require manpower - the terrain here is steep and it is difficult to dig holes. "I heard that many people died while building this railway," the young woman told her son patiently.
"Ah? Will people die? Those people are so pitiful." The little boy showed sympathy on his face, and asked innocently: "What about their children? Will the country give them money?"
"Yes, because they are Americans too," the young woman replied.
"No, because they are not Americans, they are just Chinese workers."
Suddenly the man opposite spoke. The young woman was startled and looked up at the man with an oriental face.
It was Fang Minghua who spoke.
He couldn't bear it anymore.
Damn it, are you talking nonsense about even this most basic history? !
(End of chapter)