"What deep-seated issues?"
Chen Feng asked, feeling a bit dizzy.
As far as he recalled, once the top leader of Jiangcheng City agreed, the taxation and customs powers of Mingshan City would be reclaimed. How could there be any deep-seated issues to resolve?
"The special tax code for local taxation, and the special customs code! These two things are like area codes for phone numbers and postal codes. Different independent administrative regions have different special local tax codes and special customs codes."
Cheng Liren said with a serious expression.
Chen Feng suddenly understood.
At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
It seemed he had underestimated the political arena.
The political arena looked simple, but in reality, it was full of intricate connections.
Even those within the political arena, if they lacked experience, would still not understand many of these intricacies!
"Elder Cheng, thank you for the reminder."
Chen Feng said gratefully.
Cheng Liren was indeed a veteran of the political arena, far more thorough than him in handling details.
"No need for thanks. However, to be honest, there's no need to cause this trouble."
Cheng Liren said calmly, advising him.
"Elder Cheng, what do you mean by that?"
Chen Feng was taken aback.
"Chen Feng, your talent in the political arena is very strong, I don't deny that. But your experience is still insufficient. Applying for a special number for Mingshan City is basically impossible in the political arena. Even if it were possible, it would take decades for approval. After more than ten years, you definitely wouldn't be in Mingshan City anymore, so why do useless work?"
Cheng Liren advised Chen Feng.
"Elder Cheng, what you say is very reasonable. My political experience is indeed not very sufficient. Could you tell me why special numbers are so difficult to approve in China's political arena?"
Chen Feng asked curiously.
"Chen Feng, you are not just anyone; you are my future son-in-law, so I won't hide anything from you. China's political arena has always emphasized power balance. If local areas merge or split arbitrarily, and new special administrative region numbers are easily applied for, it means that power between regions, and between regions and the central government, can easily become unbalanced. Once unbalanced, it becomes difficult for the central government to control the local areas. Therefore, the central government is extremely strict with the approval of special numbers. For example, postal codes, which seem simple, cannot be changed just like that. Perhaps you still don't quite understand, so let me give you a few more examples. When Chongqing became a municipality directly under the central government, Sichuan Province was absolutely against it. The reason was simple: Chongqing's economy was too strong, and if it were separated, Sichuan Province would suffer significant economic losses, so Sichuan Province naturally disagreed with it becoming a municipality directly under the central government. At the same time, to prevent Sichuan Province from becoming too dominant and threatening the central government's high-level management, the central government resolutely decided to make Chongqing a municipality directly under the central government. Later, the two sides deadlocked for several years over Chongqing's special number issue, and finally, the central government won and reassigned a special number to Chongqing. In this way, Sichuan Province lost Chongqing. Another example, many netizens online suggest merging Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shanghai to create a super-province. Little do they know that these three provinces were once a single province. To prevent this province from becoming too powerful and affecting the central government, the central government resolutely divided it and then assigned three different special codes. Once a special code is generated, it signifies an established fact. Therefore, special codes are related to power balance and hold a high status in China's political arena. You are talking about applying for Mingshan City's special local tax code and special customs code, is that possible?"
Cheng Liren explained in detail.
"Elder Cheng, I truly didn't know these inside stories before. Now that you've explained it, I understand. The political arena is like the martial world, and the martial world has its own ways. Live and learn."
Chen Feng said sincerely.
"Chen Feng, you are a smart person, and you should understand after what I've said. Special codes are important bargaining chips for maintaining balance in the political arena, something people at our level should not touch. Mingshan City's development is currently acceptable; there's no need to rush."
Cheng Liren said earnestly.
"Elder Cheng, you are right. The art of political balance, especially between regions and between regions and the central government, is truly not something people at our level can meddle with. However, I still want to try for Mingshan City's special code. First, I am a native of Mingshan City, and Mingshan City has such a great development opportunity now; I cannot just watch it slip away. Second, Mingshan City is different from other developed county-level cities that might take decades to develop to the point where the central government considers issuing new special codes. Mingshan City has immense development potential, and the central government doesn't need to wait that long. In short, I want to try."
Chen Feng said with a determined expression.
"Since that's the case, then you go to the provincial capital. Special codes for county-level cities can be decided by the provincial capital. Special codes for prefecture-level cities, municipalities directly under the central government, and provinces can only be decided by the capital."
Cheng Liren explained.
"Understood, Elder Cheng. Thank you again for your guidance."
After expressing his thanks, Chen Feng immediately went to the provincial capital to find Miao Qifeng.
Miao Qifeng was the top leader of the provincial capital, and finding him to solve Mingshan City's special code issue should not be a problem.
"Chen Feng, why did you suddenly think about Mingshan City's special code issue?"
Miao Qifeng asked with curiosity.
Special codes were usually issues considered by high-level officials in China's political arena. Why was Chen Feng considering it?
"Elder Miao, the three of us have major plans for our return to Mingshan City. However, as a county-level city, Mingshan City does not have its own special code, which seriously affects our grand plan. Therefore, I have come to the provincial capital to ask you to resolve the special code issue."
Chen Feng replied truthfully.
"Tell me, what special plans do you have?"
Miao Qifeng asked with interest.
"We want to develop Mingshan City from a county-level city into a prefecture-level city."
Chen Feng said with a determined expression.
"Chen Feng, did I hear you correctly? You actually want to develop a county-level city into a prefecture-level city. Do you think that's possible? Do you know how big the gap is between a county-level city and a prefecture-level city?"
Miao Qifeng asked with a look of disbelief.
"Elder Miao, in recent years, it has been very rare for county-level cities in China to develop into prefecture-level cities. This is because the gap between the two is too large. Moreover, Mingshan City was only a town before; the gap between a town and a prefecture-level city is even more unfathomable."
Chen Feng replied truthfully.
"Chen Feng, see, you're not foolish. Since you're not foolish, let's not discuss Mingshan City's special town matter. To be honest, Mingshan City is developing quite well now; there's no need to think so much."
Miao Qifeng advised Chen Feng.
"Elder Miao, you might have misunderstood my meaning. When I say there's a big gap between a county-level city and a prefecture-level city, I am being factual. In the political arena, to accomplish great things, one must be factual. However, by stating facts, I am not suggesting that the task is too difficult and should not be undertaken. My intention is that if there are difficulties, then we need to forge ahead with even greater determination."
Chen Feng responded to Miao Qifeng.
"You yourself said the difficulties are immense. How should it be done? Think about it, in China, has there ever been a precedent for a small town developing into a prefecture-level city? No!"
Miao Qifeng said seriously.
"Elder Miao, you are mistaken. It's not that there isn't any, but that it's rare. There are still some."
Chen Feng said with a smile.
"How could that be possible? A small town developing into a prefecture-level city is like someone who only scores a few points in mathematics suddenly scoring into Tsinghua or Peking University. Is that possible?"
Cheng Liren refuted.
"Shenzhen City in Guangdong Province is a typical example. In fact, Shenzhen's initial conditions were not as good as Mingshan City's. Shenzhen started as a fishing village, and through development, it has rapidly become an international metropolis with a population of tens of millions. Mingshan City, after all, was an economically developed town back then."
Chen Feng retorted word for word.
"Chen Feng, you are being argumentative here. How can Mingshan City be compared to Shenzhen City?"
Miao Qifeng said, feeling dizzy.
"They are all Chinese cities, so why can't they be compared?"
Chen Feng retorted.
"Chen Feng, think carefully. Who advocated for Shenzhen's pilot development back then? And who is advocating for Mingshan City's development now? One is an unprecedented great leader in China, and the other is a driver for a deputy town mayor. Can they be compared?"
Miao Qifeng said with a meaningful tone.