Chapter 352: The Progress of Glory Home Appliances
"Justice of the Peace?" Yang Wendong paused in surprise. "Isn't there an age restriction for that title?"
His assistant smiled. "According to British regulations, the title of Justice of the Peace is restricted to those between 18 and 65 years old. Younger or older applicants are ineligible. Normally, though, it's quite rare for young people to receive the honor—most recipients are in their 40s or older.
But Yang Sheng, your influence in Hong Kong has grown significantly, and your contributions during the drought—both to the government and the public—were considerable. That's why the government has nominated you for the position."
"I see," Yang Wendong nodded thoughtfully.
Historically, it was said that Ho Ching Kong became a Justice of the Peace in his 30s, which was already considered exceptionally young. Generally speaking, it was almost unheard of for someone under 30 to receive such an honor.
But given what Yang Wendong had accomplished—achievements that far surpassed those of most businessmen—it was natural for the colonial government to seek to win his favor with such a gesture.
The assistant added, "The Hong Kong Governor's Office also submitted an application to the British government to consider granting you a knighthood. But that's a much more serious matter on their side and also subject to age limits, so it's not feasible for now."
"No worries. Being named a Justice of the Peace is more than enough for the moment," Yang Wendong said with a smile. "If the knighthood has age restrictions, then we'll talk about it later."
The title of Justice of the Peace had its roots in Britain, where the small landmass and limited population made it impossible to staff all colonial positions with locals. In overseas territories, there was a need to delegate law enforcement and administrative responsibilities to prominent locals.
That included integrating local elites into the core administrative structure—like the police—and, similarly, appointing lawyers, respected elders, and business tycoons as Justices of the Peace.
Knighthood, on the other hand, was a prestigious title even among British citizens. It was something even the local colonial elite found hard to obtain.
The assistant continued, "According to the Governor's Office, the application will likely be reviewed and finalized sometime next year."
"Alright. No rush," Yang Wendong said indifferently.
The title not only carried prestige but also came with certain rights and responsibilities, including limited judicial oversight and public security functions—though those were largely symbolic by now. In modern times, it served more as a title of social standing and public influence.
There were a few legal privileges attached to the title, which made it even more appealing to many in the Chinese community. But in practice, those were seldom used.
"Understood. I'll keep in touch with the Governor's Office and notify you if there are any updates," the assistant said.
"Alright." Yang Wendong nodded.
Though it was only a nomination, he knew that with the Hong Kong government's endorsement, it was practically guaranteed. Even if the British side wanted to do their due diligence, it was just for show. Final approval rested with the royal family, but their decisions rarely contradicted local recommendations.
In this era, being a Justice of the Peace wasn't necessarily a groundbreaking accomplishment, but it could help tremendously in the business world.
That afternoon, at Glory Electronics' TV Factory in North Point
Yang Wendong, led by Wang Zhiqun, toured the production workshop. On the conveyor lines, television sets were gradually being assembled.
"Have the TVs all been tested?" Yang Wendong asked.
"Yes," Wang Zhiqun replied. "Internally, we've distributed about 1,200 sets to employees for free to use at home. We've also randomly selected 100 units for lab testing. So far, no issues."
"Good. The CRTs and major components are from original overseas manufacturers. Since we're only assembling, the risk of defects is low," Yang Wendong said with a smile.
Much like the early days of China's car industry, their TVs followed the CKD (completely knocked down) model—importing parts for local assembly. TV assembly was even simpler, making defects less likely.
"Exactly," Wang Zhiqun agreed. "But once we master assembly, we'll be better prepared to start producing our own components."
"Excellent." Yang Wendong asked, "How's the localization process going?"
"The outer casing, support brackets, wiring—those parts have already been localized," Wang Zhiqun said. "We're gradually replacing parts as planned. For components with higher technical requirements, no factories in Hong Kong can produce them yet. I'm planning to import the equipment and start making them ourselves."
"I support that. If there are no suppliers, we make our own," Yang Wendong affirmed.
Hong Kong, as a light industry hub, lacked the ecosystem for complex manufacturing. Long-term TV production here would require self-sufficiency. Just like BYD in his past life—when no one else could supply EV components, they built everything in-house, eventually mastering the full supply chain.
It wasn't the ideal way—but once you had full control, your costs dropped, and R&D became easier.
"Alright, I'll launch the plan immediately," Wang Zhiqun said with a smile. "Once it's drafted, I'll bring it to you for review."
"Do that. TV demand will explode in the future. We must be ready to export," Yang Wendong said.
Although he had no insider advantage in this field, history had shown that Samsung's first major profits came from black-and-white TVs, which helped them build up to full-scale consumer electronics and chip development.
Changxing's current capabilities were no worse than Samsung's at the time. If Samsung could do it, so could they. And in a decade or so, the electronics revolution would hit hard—an era where Yang Wendong's knowledge would give him overwhelming advantage.
"No problem. I've already contacted distributors in over a dozen Asian countries. As long as our quality and pricing are on point, sales won't be an issue," Wang Zhiqun said confidently.
"When will we launch in Hong Kong?" Yang Wendong asked.
"We're aiming for August," Wang Zhiqun said. "But based on market surveys, few people are willing to buy TVs right now. The core issue is the high cost of cable TV—annual fees are enough to buy half a TV.
And Changxing Media's free-to-air channel won't be live until next year. So, timing is tight."
"Then our initial focus should be on exports," Yang Wendong nodded. "Besides local distribution, prioritize Taiwan. It's close, and any issues can be resolved quickly."
"Understood. That's already the plan," Wang Zhiqun replied with a smile.
"Alright. Thanks for the hard work." Yang Wendong then asked, "What about the 100 magnetrons shipped from the U.S.? Have we built the microwave ovens?"
"Yes, we have," Wang Zhiqun pointed to a corner. "They're in the lab over there. Would you like to take a look?"
"Yes, let's go," Yang Wendong nodded.
They walked into the lab, where rows of white metal boxes sat on long tables. The boxes had numerous ventilation holes on the sides.
Yang Wendong examined a few and asked, "The U.S. only completed magnetron development two weeks ago. How did you finish the other components so quickly?"
The magnetron was the heart of a microwave. Without it, nothing could be built. Their original plan had been to wait until it was ready before designing the rest.
Wang Zhiqun laughed. "True, the magnetron was finalized only recently. But we already had its dimensions and mounting specs three months ago. So we designed everything else in advance. Once the magnetrons were delivered, we immediately assembled the full units."
"Smart move," Yang Wendong praised. He picked up a microwave—very heavy.
"Be careful, Yang Sheng," Wang Zhiqun said. "It weighs 22 kilograms."
"That's heavy," Yang Wendong remarked after setting it down.
In his past life, premium microwaves weighed 15 kg or more, with standard models just over 10 kg.
"Yes, but it's unavoidable. The magnetron and transformer are heavy. Plus, for safety, we needed good heat dissipation. That required a full metal casing.
Maybe in the future, magnetrons will be smaller and more efficient. Then we can reduce weight. But that'll take years of R&D," Wang Zhiqun said.
"I get it," Yang Wendong nodded. "The first version doesn't need to be perfect."
"Exactly," Wang Zhiqun agreed.
Yang Wendong looked again at the relatively empty casing. "Have you tested these units?"
"Yes. The U.S. tested magnetron lifespan and startup cycles—far exceeding a lifetime of normal household use. We're doing our own product testing too. So far, no machine has failed," Wang Zhiqun said.
"What about overheating during long summer use?" Yang Wendong asked.
"They shut down automatically," Wang Zhiqun explained. "Temperature sensors on the magnetron and transformer will halt operation if needed—works in winter too."
"The hardware seems solid. But what about the food? Are there safety risks?" Yang Wendong asked.
"There are," Wang Zhiqun admitted. "You can't microwave eggs, whole fruits, or anything in metal. All that's in the manual."
"Manuals aren't enough. Who even reads them?" Yang Wendong shook his head and pointed to the lower left corner on the top of the microwave. "Etch a warning label in metal and embed it here—someplace everyone sees while using it."
"Yes, we'll do that right away," Wang Zhiqun said quickly.
Yang Wendong added, "Even if it's not legally our fault, we still need to prevent problems. Some customers are impossible to reason with."
In his past life, it was common knowledge that sealed, watery foods couldn't go in a microwave. Eggs exploded. Grapes caught fire. There were even online stories of people going blind from microwaved egg explosions.
From both a legal and consumer safety standpoint, proper warnings were essential.
"Understood. That's my oversight," Wang Zhiqun said.
"No worries. Just remember—anything involving safety must be taken seriously," Yang Wendong said. "So, when are we launching the microwave?"
"Also around August," Wang Zhiqun replied. "Same as the TV."
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