Attracting investment is like playing "Landlord"; the factors that influence investment attraction are like the 54 cards in the deck—they seem to change constantly, but in reality, there are patterns to follow.

01. Don’t force the role of Landlord if your hand is weak

Understand the game’s trajectory; strategize and deploy wisely

As the ancients said, “Those who recognize the times are the true heroes.” When playing Landlord, you must be someone who recognizes the times; never blindly bid to be the Landlord, as this is bound to result in more losses than wins. Similarly, in investment promotion, some regions blindly attract projects, neglecting the foundation of their own economic development. They adopt a “desperate for any opportunity” or “accept all comers” approach to investment, which ultimately brings only temporary “prosperity.”

Therefore, we must clearly understand our own strengths, identify what attracts investors, and determine what types of projects to bring in. We need to clarify the transportation radius within the enterprise’s production process, the time and costs involved, and the supporting infrastructure required. More importantly, investment promotion must help enterprises reduce costs, as businesses prioritize comprehensive cost advantages.On one hand, there are explicit costs—the costs of production factors such as labor, water, electricity, and land; on the other hand, there are implicit costs—namely, policies and services. When attracting investment, we must thoroughly understand policies, grasp the mindset of enterprises, and formulate targeted, personalized investment promotion plans that “appeal to their interests.” Not only must policy commitments be implemented promptly, but we must also focus on improving government services to ensure enterprises receive more efficient and high-quality support.

02. Even with a trump card, victory isn’t guaranteed

Beyond every mountain lies another; beyond every building stands a taller one; among the strong, there are always those stronger still

Holding a “royal flush” is a common scenario in the card game “Landlord.” Yet even with such a strong hand, victory is not guaranteed. This is because if you’re reluctant to break up your “royal flush,” an opponent playing single cards can still defeat you. In investment promotion, local areas often possess their own strong “royal flush” advantages. So why do projects ultimately fail to materialize?

Take Samsung’s investment in China as an example. Initially, the company wavered between North China and Shenzhen. Goods shipped from Incheon International Airport in South Korea take only one hour to reach cities in North China, but three hours via Hong Kong to Shenzhen. North China had already secured the “royal flush” combination in terms of talent pool and transportation convenience, and the project seemed on the verge of being finalized.However, after the company’s calculations, while the North China city was reachable in one hour, there was only one flight per day, whereas Shenzhen had three. Logistics costs to Shenzhen would save millions of dollars annually, so naturally, Shenzhen was chosen in the end. This illustrates that in investment promotion, holding a “trump card” combination is far from enough; you must also possess two “twos”—whether in supporting infrastructure or industrial clustering—to make the project a reality.Frankly speaking, investment promoters often emphasize proximity to a location or favorable transportation conditions, but in reality, distance is not the primary factor; the key lies in the company’s logistics costs.

03. A Strong Hand Doesn’t Always Beat a Smooth Play

A solo performance rarely creates music; collective action conquers the world

In the card game "Landlords," the 7 and 9 are two crucial cards. The 7 determines whether cards lower than it can form a straight, while the 9 determines how long that straight can be. When your straight is long enough, you can play it in a single move.Business recruitment shares a similar principle: if a core enterprise is brought in, it is essential to ensure that all upstream raw materials, components, and supporting facilities are fully in place within two to three years. In short, the region’s upstream and downstream supply chain capabilities and the scale of its industrial clusters can undoubtedly serve as a key selling point to attract enterprises.

Chongqing’s recruitment of the electronics and information technology industry serves as a prime example. By attracting leading core enterprises such as HP and Foxconn, the city successfully drew other manufacturers to settle there within two years, thereby building a complete electronics and information technology industrial chain. This not only reduced logistics costs for enterprises but also enabled seamless integration between component manufacturers and the supply chain, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises to thrive within this ecosystem. Enterprises with genuine development potential and capabilities value upstream-downstream industrial synergy and cluster benefits. This is inevitably the trend and advanced form of development across all industries, and the principle that “the best get better and the strong remain strong” will become increasingly evident in regional economic competition and development.

04. The Turning Point in the Game Lies in Timing

Strike When the Time Is Right, or Opportunities Will Slip Away

The turning point in a card game may hinge on whether you dare to play a certain card. You may not hold the best hand, but by taking the initiative and precisely “positioning” yourself in the timing of your moves, you gain the upper hand. Investment promotion operates on similar turning points. Local leaders must maintain a holistic view, dare to “create opportunities out of nothing,” and be bold enough to “make a big deal out of small matters,” targeting key sectors to seize development opportunities.

When it comes to the display industry, BOE is a household name. Back then, Hefei—with its pioneering spirit—provided BOE with policy support in terms of site infrastructure, land prices, and energy supply, and secured the country’s first 6th-generation LCD panel production line. From that point on, with this line as the starting point, “China’s screens” have been “Made in Hefei.” From this perspective, attracting investment requires not only the “courage” to take bold action, but more importantly, the local government’s awareness of seizing opportunities, as well as its wisdom in industrial layout, strategic planning, and innovative models.

05. No Matter How Skilled You Are at Playing Cards, You Can’t Beat a Bomb

With All Advantages in Hand, Victory Is Assured

"I have a bomb, a royal bomb—only one card left!" In the card game "Landlords," the most dreaded scenario is having a hand full of bombs; in such cases, the outcome is virtually decided. Investment promotion is no different: when faced with a gap in capabilities, no amount of experience can make a difference. When news of a major project’s site selection breaks, regions compete fiercely, playing their own "trump cards"—such as funding, technology, and talent—and the outcome of this competition may determine a city’s future industrial trajectory and economic development.

Not long ago, when Xiaomi was selecting a site for its automotive plant, it was nothing short of a battle for the new energy vehicle market. To secure Xiaomi, cities like Wuhan, Hefei, and Beijing all extended olive branches, but in the end, the project settled in Beijing’s Yizhuang District.Compared to Wuhan and Hefei, Beijing dropped one “bombshell” after another. In addition to Yizhuang already hosting Xiaomi’s smart factory, Beijing’s talent pool is unmatched, and the city introduced the “Overall Implementation Plan for the Beijing Pilot Zone for Intelligent and Connected Vehicles,” providing a convenient and innovative environment for trial operations.This innovative model was also unparalleled in attracting investment at the time. Therefore, when a region combines numerous advantages to target a specific project, its competitive edge is self-evident. Advanced concepts, in particular, are an aspect that is easily overlooked; without the support of advanced concepts, it may not be possible to attract high-quality projects.

Conclusion

Attracting investment is akin to playing "Landlord"—one must strategize, think carefully before acting, seize opportunities to collaborate for development, leverage strengths while remaining vigilant even in times of stability, and only then can one deliver outstanding results.