"Are you serious?"

After hearing what Yan Huaili said, Ye Chen paused to ponder and hesitated before asking.

"Go ahead, say whatever you want. Speak freely," Yan Huaili replied.

"Uh..."

Ye Chen was briefly stunned, suddenly tempted to test Yan Huaili's reaction.

"Alright then, I'll take a shot in the dark!"

"In my view, Jiangzhou will, in no less than 15 years and no more than 25 years, rank among the top three cities in the world in terms of comprehensive urban strength!" Ye Chen stated solemnly.

Little did he know, his words would freeze Yan Huaili's expression instantly.

Even Zhang Xingguo and Zhang Jingshan were visibly shaken, their faces twitching uncontrollably.

"Fifteen years at least? Twenty-five years at most? Jiangzhou making it to the global top three city rankings?"

If this had been said online, it would undoubtedly attract comments like, "What on earth have you been drinking?"

Domestically, Beijing, as the political center, and Shanghai, as the financial hub, hold unshakable positions in the nation's macro-strategic development. This is why people refer to "Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangzhou" in that order.

By this ranking, even in a rotational scenario, Jiangzhou wouldn't be next in line.

Moreover, even within the 15-year or 30-year national plans, no one has dared to dream of such a quantum leap forward.

Based on this, Ye Chen's words were nothing short of lunacy.

"Do you understand what it means for Jiangzhou to make it into the global top three?" After recovering from his astonishment, Yan Huaili questioned him.

"It means that China would stand at the pinnacle of the world. It means surpassing traditional powerhouses like the UK and the US by far. It signifies that the great national rejuvenation has reached a level where the entire world bows in submission!" Ye Chen replied with conviction.

"And you believe this can be achieved in as little as 15 or as many as 25 years?" Yan Huaili pressed.

"Let's look back at modern history. From a country in ruins and abject poverty, where people traded children to survive, to today's prosperity, stability, and strength—did anyone, 40 years ago, dare imagine the peace and wealth we now enjoy? Starting from scratch, with nothing to rely on, the nation forged the thriving society we see today. Isn't that even more incredible by comparison?"

The more Ye Chen spoke, the more impassioned he became.

Yan Huaili, however, found himself momentarily speechless.

He felt as though Ye Chen was twisting concepts, but he couldn't find the words to refute him.

"I don't deny what you said. The progress of the past decades is indeed unprecedented and extraordinary in world history. But applying that past momentum to the future—do you really think that's appropriate?" Yan Huaili asked.

"Secretary Yan, you've misunderstood me. I'm not trying to extrapolate the past into the future. What I mean is, this nation and its people have always been capable of creating miracles. On this sacred land beneath our feet, nothing is impossible!" Ye Chen explained.

Yan Huaili froze, then chuckled bitterly, as though realizing the discussion had veered off track.

"Let's get back on topic. Aren't we straying a bit far? The point was for you to analyze Jiangzhou's future!"

"Not at all, Secretary Yan. This is entirely relevant, because Jiangzhou's future is tied to the nation's future. Beijing serves as the political center, and Shanghai as the financial hub. Compared to these two, Jiangzhou is undoubtedly the most versatile city, and it's a critical economic stronghold for the country. With decades of reform and opening-up experience, coupled with its proximity to Hong Kong, Jiangzhou has become a direct gateway to the international stage. As one of the nation's most advanced regions, there's no doubt that Jiangzhou will be a focal point of national attention moving forward!"

Ye Chen spoke with a calm and authoritative tone.

Armed with knowledge of the next 60 years, Ye Chen sounded as though he were delivering a summary of an undeniable reality.

"Go on," Yan Huaili said gravely.

"Under such circumstances, barring any unexpected changes, the national resource scale will likely tilt heavily toward Jiangzhou, seeking a true path to breakthrough," Ye Chen asserted.

"And in your opinion, what path should Jiangzhou take next?" Yan Huaili asked.

"Technology!" Ye Chen answered without hesitation.

"Technology?" Yan Huaili's eyes widened.

"Yes. The era of industrialization transitioning to informatization has run its course, and now informatization itself has reached a critical peak. What lies ahead is a transitional period—from informatization to a new era of technologization. Over the past few years, whether in industrialization or informatization, we've been in a relatively lagging position. Although we've gradually caught up in the post-informatization era, we still lack any substantial advantages."

Ye Chen paused briefly before continuing, "The issues I can foresee, the state's strategic planners undoubtedly anticipated long ago. In fact, preparations for this technologization era likely began as soon as informatization dawned. Decades of silent effort and groundwork have been laying the foundation to take the lead in opening the curtain on this new technological epoch and staying at the forefront of the global stage."

"The full arrival of the technologization era is not far off. Its prelude is about to be unveiled, likely by our nation. Once this happens, Jiangzhou will undoubtedly take center stage. Unlike Beijing's political focus or Shanghai's financial specialization, Jiangzhou's versatility means it can act without constraint, diving headfirst into innovation."

"As this revolutionary technologization era unfolds, and with national resources and policies backing it, countless ambitious capitalists and top-tier scientific talents will flock to Jiangzhou. With one hand holding state resources, one foot planted at the cutting edge of the times, and ambitious domestic capital and high-caliber talent propelling it forward, Jiangzhou will leave other international metropolises in the dust."

"Fifteen years is often a watershed moment in the dawn of a new era. For Jiangzhou, standing at the forefront of this transformation, it might not even need to wait for that milestone before surpassing its peers globally. Imagine that scene—although Jiangzhou might not become a political center or financial hub, its leadership in technologization alone would make its rise to the top three global cities highly plausible!"

Though Ye Chen's lengthy argument was one-sided, it hit every critical point.

As the municipal party secretary of Jiangzhou, Yan Huaili couldn't be entirely ignorant of national macro-strategic plans. He wouldn't have reached his current position otherwise.

On the contrary, as Ye Chen pointed out, the era of technologization was indeed approaching swiftly.

Just last month, Yan Huaili accompanied the provincial party secretary to Beijing to discuss this very matter.

Although the state hadn't explicitly projected how many years it would take to enter the global city rankings, the underlying intent was clear: Jiangzhou was to become a major focal point for economic and technological advancement.

Yet now, Ye Chen's words seemed to prophetically confirm everything.

For a moment, Yan Huaili found the young man before him astonishingly formidable.

Compared to the praise of the senior secretary, Ye Chen's performance far exceeded expectations.

But before Yan Huaili could respond, Ye Chen continued.

"But there's a catch."

"What catch?" Yan Huaili instinctively asked.