Chapter 474: Brave Words

Chapter 474: Chapter 474: Brave Words

After the meeting began, the heads of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Ministry of Science and Technology read the approval documents. These two departments would be the laboratory’s supervising authorities. The University of Traditional Chinese Medicine would be its affiliated institution, with several of the university’s affiliated hospitals and Yandu Medical serving as partner institutions.

There were quite a few collaborating units, including the pharmaceutical company under Yang Xiaofei’s name, as well as companies belonging to Luo Yuqing and Li Fuzhen.

Unlike other national-level laboratories, the traditional medicine laboratory led by Wang Chenning also had its own directly-affiliated pharmaceutical R&D company.

Wang Chenning himself held fifty percent of the company’s shares, with the state holding the other fifty percent. For the time being, there were no other individual shareholders.

Aside from this detail about the directly-affiliated R&D company, people like Luo Yuqing and Yang Xiaofei were already aware of the other arrangements.

Luo Yuqing and Yang Xiaofei were both quite surprised that Wang Chenning had cooked up a plan like this with the government without telling them beforehand.

’That guy, he’s actually holding out on us!’ This was Luo Yuqing’s first thought. She was a little indignant. "This is too much!"

Yang Xiaofei, however, didn’t see it that way. ’She felt that Wang Chenning hadn’t done this of his own volition, but had been forced to agree to it.’

’She wasn’t worried. She believed that as long as the two of them maintained a good relationship, there would certainly be plenty of commercial development opportunities to be had from Wang Chenning.’

After several leaders gave their speeches, Wang Chenning took the stage to give his address.

He briefly described the laboratory’s scale and general situation, as well as its R&D focus.

He told the audience that the main R&D focus of the laboratory he was leading would be research into drugs needed to treat difficult and complex diseases, such as AIDS, tumors, hematological disorders, diabetes, and immune system diseases. In addition to these, they would also develop highly effective drugs for common illnesses and newly emerging diseases.

He told the public, in front of everyone present and the media’s cameras, that he could guarantee the drugs he developed would have excellent therapeutic effects. To ensure their high efficacy, he would be extremely strict about the quality of the raw materials.

After successful development, when the drugs went into mass production, quality would be just as strictly guaranteed.

The number of new drugs that could be commercially produced each year would be no less than ten.

After speaking about the R&D focus, he moved on to the laboratory’s future plans and development goals.

In the future, the laboratory would serve as a research institution for his disciples and students. He hoped that through this function, he could cultivate even more renowned medical experts.

"We will strive for our research achievements to win a major national award every year!" Wang Chenning declared his grand ambitions to the silent hall. "We will strive to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine within five years, and within ten years, establish Huaxia’s own medical prize, with an influence equal to, or even greater than, the Nobel Prize!"

Wang Chenning’s words hit the audience like a bombshell, leaving them stunned for a long moment.

The first to react was Lin Anning. She was the first to clap, and immediately, the entire hall erupted in thunderous applause.

After a speech that lasted over an hour, Wang Chenning bowed to the entire audience in thanks and returned to his seat.

The venue once again broke out in fervent applause. Many people rose to their feet, and the clapping continued for over a minute before subsiding.

Afterward, Lu Yuanshan, representing the university, announced the list of the laboratory’s management personnel.

As expected, Wang Chenning was appointed the head of the laboratory, with benefits equivalent to a vice-president’s. Lu Yuanshan himself would serve as the lab’s deputy director but would not be involved in specific management, only handling coordination. Another vice-president from the university was also appointed as a deputy director and would participate in the lab’s management.

On Wang Chenning’s recommendation, Wu Jingyi was appointed the laboratory’s external liaison and director’s secretary. She, along with Chang Qingfeng, Zhang Manxin, and Lin Qingyan, would be responsible for daily affairs and personnel management. A group of nationally renowned experts in traditional medicine were hired as consultants for the laboratory.

Once all the documents had been read, the head from the Ministry of Science and Technology announced the official establishment of the "Xingning Laboratory," the national-level traditional medicine laboratory led by Wang Chenning.

Amid thunderous applause, the inaugural meeting for the laboratory’s official establishment drew to a close.

After the meeting, the relevant personnel were interviewed by the media.

Zhao Xiao’an, as the head of the interview team from the central television station, posed a few questions to the interviewees.

Zhao Xiao’an’s questions were very direct. She asked the leaders of the relevant departments how much funding would be invested annually by the state after the laboratory’s establishment.

The official in charge replied, "The initial investment capital is fifty million. From the second year onward, the scale of investment will be determined by the laboratory’s needs and the scale of its research achievements."

This investment scale wasn’t small, but it wasn’t particularly large either, so no one had a strong reaction to the news.

Finally, it was Wang Chenning’s turn to be interviewed.

Zhao Xiao’an brought up the issue of state investment again.

But Wang Chenning’s answer was different: "We only need the initial investment capital to get the laboratory started. From the second year on, our lab will be responsible for its own subsequent R&D and operational funding. In the future, if the laboratory is corporatized, we will also pay all applicable taxes in accordance with the law!"

Wang Chenning’s words shocked everyone.

Zhao Xiao’an was quite pleased with Wang Chenning’s answer. ’The man I like is always so extraordinary!’

Then, she asked another question: "During the meeting just now, you said you would win a major national award every year, strive to win a Nobel Prize within five years, and establish a Huaxia Medical Prize with your own funding within ten. We’d like to know, is this just a bold proclamation, or is it confidence?"

"Perhaps it won’t even take that long!" Wang Chenning said, smiling at Zhao Xiao’an. "I expect to win the Nobel Prize and establish the Huaxia Medical Prize to rival it before I turn thirty. In other words, I hope to accomplish both goals within three to four years!"