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Wuxing

Wuxing (color)

We’re behind everything you do.

Rating AAA #6
World Headquarters Hong Kong Free Enterprise Enclave
President/CEO Sharon Chiang-Wu
Chairman of the Board Sharon Chiang-Wu
Corporate Status Public
Major Shareholders Wu Lung-Wei (24%)

Fu Peng (12%)
Sharon Chiang-Wu (11%)
James Harper-Smythe (8%)
Malaysian Independent Bank (8%)

Wuxing Skytower from Shadowrun Sourcebook, Corporate Guide

Wuxing, Incorporated, headquartered in Hong Kong, is one of the Big Ten AAA Megacorporations, and it is the largest Hong Kong/Chinese megacorporation. In the Sixth World it is one of the least threatening megacorps, publicly and in the shadows as it's agenda and programs rank low on the threat scale. It has risen rapidly among the ranks of the AAA-rated megacorps, going from the 10th largest to presently the 6th largest.

Though not as prominent as its rivals, in various ways, they have a longer reach than the any of the other megacorps. It's a megacorp with a reputation of being financial wizards, and are known for their uncanny insight when it comes to the stock market. They are among the biggest insurers in both the Americas and Asia. Wuxing also ranks among the largest shipping companies.[1]

Overview[]

Wuxing, Inc is the only AAA-rated Chinese megacorporation. It is one of the newest members of the Corporate Court (along with Novatech and Cross Applied Technologies) and a founding member of the Pacific Prosperity Group. It is most heavily involved in finance, shipping, and consumer goods and services, but like most megacorporations, it has investments in other areas. They are well known for their unique magical research, focusing on Spirits of the Elements and Wujen.

Wuxing owns a big chunk of the Pacific Rim. Its influence with the Pacific Prosperity Group gives it power and influence out of proportion to its relatively small size, and it is starting to make waves in the Sixth World. It's a conservative and quiet corporation, which is the stealthiest of the AAA-rated megacorps. It's employees are deeply immersed in Chinese culture, even those who have never been to Asia.

The megacorporation has long standing ties to several Triads, and has recently expanded its ties to the Red Dragon Triad and its master, the Great Dragon Lung. Said alliance comes in the form of the production and trafficking of BTL chips and in the case of the Red Dragons, helping each other expand around the world.

Vital Statistics[]

  • Corporate Language: English, Chinese
  • Corporate Court Justice: Li Feng

Public Reputation[]

Wuxing has managed to keep most of the dark things they do quiet, unlike other megacorps and therefore they have a pretty bland reputation on the street. They have neither a bad rap or a good one, which is how Wuxing likes it.[2]

History[]

Origin[]

Wuxing Inc. began as a simple importing/exporting business in mainland China. It was the brainchild of Wu Kuan-Lei. The company exported Communist Chinese goods through Hong Kong to the rest of the Pacific Rim, and imported foreign goods into Communist China. Some of these goods were banned by the government, but with the great risk came great reward.

In this case, reward came in the form of patronage by a family of ex-Bristish aristocrats named the Harper-Smyths. The Harper-Smyths had long been a fixture in Hong Kong, dating almost as far back as the Japanese occupation in 1941. With the Harper-Smythes largesse Wu Kuan-Lei was able to snatch up other importing/exporting businesses. Including such notable rivals as Minh-Pao Imports, Swift Wind Deliveries, and Cartwright Cartage and Freight Inc. Wuxing then underwent a massive reconfiguration to incorporate their newest assets, and at the end of it became what we would recognize as an “A” corporation.

Then in 1997 the end of British Hong Kong came, and with it came the re-assimilation of the city. The standard of living at that time in Hong Kong was unsurpassed in the rest of China. At first the government appeared hesitant to mess with the city’s success. Everyone knew this to be a fiction, and that before long the Communist government would turn Hong Kong into just another Chinese sprawl.

Wu spoke out against the Chinese government and was a vocal proponent of a free and independent Hong Kong. He rallied business owners and financiers to his cause. But also supplied more… material assets to the cause. Namely smuggling arms, ammunition, military expertise, and such to the burgeoning Free Enterprise Zone.

He wasn’t a saint though, and also used this time to purchase up other operations at rock bottom prices. Thus growing the Wuxing empire.

Hong Kong couldn't stand on her own two legs at that time. So Wu, through his aristocratic friends the Harper-Smythes, called in a legion of British diplomats to buy them some more time as well as encouraging British owned businesses to fight against the Chinese encroachment. Surprisingly enough, this bid to stall worked amazingly well. From beginning to end, China only maintained their tenuous grasp on Hong Kong for eight short years.

In 2015 the Communist government gave up the ghost. The megacorporations and international opinion were against them, their own people (the citizens of Hong Kong) were willing to fight and die in the streets for their independence. And it was just too much of a hassle to try and clear out… So the Hong Kong Free Enterprise Zone was born. Wu, being one of the masterminds behind the Zone’s new-found independence became an international star almost overnight.

Hong Kong[]

It was then that Wu decided to set up Wuxing’s corporate headquarters. He met with the area's finest geomancers and came up with a location in Aberdeen Hong Kong. This remote and desolate region doesn't appear to be the best spot for Wuxing’s Skytower, but the dragon lines that converge there are supposed to be a great boon to the corporation.

With Hong Kong liberated from China, Wu set his eyes on a larger goal. He saw around him the rise of the Japancorps and realized that they would eventually expand their influence into mainland Asia. And he didn’t like that thought one bit. So he began making inroads into major and minor corporations throughout the region, hoping to build a conglomerate capable of fending off Japan’s inevitable stranglehold of the region.

Unfortunately, the Crash of '29 put those dreams on hold. Wuxing was large enough and diversified enough to weather the storm. But several of his allies were not. He used the economic turmoil to his advantage though, and purchased several of those failed allies and brought them under Wuxing’s corporate umbrella. In a time when most other corporations were struggling for dear life, Wuxing managed to grow, if even just slightly.

In ‘39 , Wu passed away peacefully in his sleep at the ripe old age of 71. He left the position of CEO and his shares in Wuxing to his son Wu Lung-Wei. Wu Lung-Wei was dedicated to his father’s vision of an Asia able to withstand the Japancorps and vowed to make his father’s dream come true.

For the next seventeen years, the younger Wu attempted to re-establish contact with his fathers old allies. Some hadn’t been able to weather the Crash of ‘29, others had chosen a quiet retirement, some were unwilling to listen to this nonsense for a second time, and so on. It seemed that everywhere he turned allies were drying up.

It wasn’t all bad news though. Continuing his father’s propensity for diversification the younger Wu was able to turn Wuxing into an extraterritorial corporation in just six short years. But Wuxing’s rapid rise to prominence had infuriated some old enemies. In this case the Japanacorps and the Canton Confederation.

Conflict[]

The Canton Confederation had been looking for a way to profit off of the turnover of Hong Kong way back in 2015. Wu’s father had quickly put an end to that dream though. With the Free Enterprise Zone being established the Confederation was left to sit on their hands and plot for another attempt at a large prize.

The Japanacorps, for their part, were angered that a megacorporation had been formed in their very backyard. They were also furious at the Elder Wu’s plan of a corporate alliance against them. Even though the plan hadn’t gotten going quite yet, they realized just how big a threat that would be if given the chance.

Both were looking for ways to take their revenge, but the Canton Confederation acted first with the granting of extraterritoriality to Wuxing. They immediately seized all of Wuxing’s properties, froze their assets, and leveled trumped up charges of corporate malpractice. The Japanacorps secretly provided the Canton Confederation with corporate and military “advisors” to assist in the attack against the enemy from Hong Kong.

Wuxing was quick to file for an adjudication with the Corporate Court. And that left the Japancorps in quite the pickle. Either they could back up the Confederation and set a precedent for governments to seize extraterritorial corporate assets and hurt Wuxing. Or they could save Wuxing from the Confederation and protect their own extraterritorial status.

In the end, greed won out. Before long the Japancorp “advisors” were recalled and the Confederation was faced with the combined might of the Corporate Court. They were able to hold out for three months before collapsing from within. And once the dust had settled they afforded Wuxing all due courtesy as a megacorp.

Dunkelzahn[]

This, however, brought a temporary end to Wuxing’s rapid diversification. The megacorporation seemed to stall, and it wasn’t until four years later in 2057 when the ball started rolling again. This time thanks to President Dunkelzahn from the UCAS. More specifically the Great Dragon’s Will. Wuxing Inc. was granted either directly or indirectly three bequests from the Will.

The first was 200 million nuyen to be spent at the CEO of Wuxing’s discretion. This money was funneled into their magical R&D group at the younger Wu’s behest. This money helped them make giant strides in their magical goods and services. It’s also believed that it was used to help research the second bequest…

Which was the Jade Dragon of Wind and Fire. This jade statue of three fish leaping into the air is definitely a focus of some sort though few know the exact details. It is widely believed to be used by Wuxing to focus and magnify the dragon lines of the area through geomantic magic.

The third and final bequest was the Third Coin of Luck, the Fertility Coin. This was given to Sharon Chang-Wu, wife of Wu Lang-Wai. This Coin is said to bring growth and fertility to all things. It could help explain the growth of Wuxing and the birth of the Wu’s quintuplets in ‘61.

MegaCorporation[]

Within a year of the bequests Wuxing went from a small AA to a spot in the Big Ten. Wuxing had turned into King Midas. Every acquisition turned to gold, and their profits soared. And the younger Wu wasn’t going to let a golden opportunity pass. He gathered a new group of small to medium sized corporations and one megacorporation (Yamatetsu) in the area and formed the Pacific Prosperity Group (PPG) with the express purpose to oppose Japanacorp influence.

Then the Crash 2.0 occured. Several of the smaller companies couldn’t manage to stay afloat during those troubling times. They looked to Wuxing for guidance, and found themselves quickly bought out by the larger corp or by their “ally” Yamatetsu (now named Evo). Wuxing managed to gain the most out of this profiteering and picked up the Malaysian Independent Bank (MIB) which quickly became the backbone of the PPG.

This upset the smaller corporations and even Evo. While each corp had equal representation in the PPG, everyone was worried that Wuxing would be able to exude undue influence over companies who did business with the MIB. Evo started pulling away from its ally and the megacorporate bloc was split down the middle.

Evo struck out against Shiawase and this fueled controversy inside the PPG. No single bloc could shut down Evo’s actions, not even the Wuxing backed delegations. Wuxing had to gain a foothold to control the fate of the PPG so they made a deal with Aztechnology. Despite years of obstructing Aztechnology’s inclusion in the group, Wuxing finally relented and allowed them to join. This has caused even further fracturing with the PPG and has pushed Wuxing farther away from the group which it had formed.[3]

Business Activities[]

Finance[]

The rise and expansion of Wuxing was built on it's financial division. It provides virtually any type of financial service possible. Wuxing or one of it's subsidiaries is involved in almost everything, financially speaking. The division was badly hurt by the Crash Virus of 2029 and then again by the Matrix Crash 2.0. In the aftermath of the first Crash, Wuxing changed tactics and it has become the leader in sabotaging or stalling a company's business long enough to execute a takeover by buying it's shares cheaply at which point the problems the company was experiencing disappear.[4]

Shipping[]

Logistics and shipping has always been a stronghold of Wuxing. For a long time they had a near monopoly on shipping in the Pacific. Raw materials from the South Pacific were taken to manufacturing facilities on mainland China, which were then exported. Operations were badly disrupted by the exploding volcanoes around the Ring of Fire in the Year of the Comet, which was not helped by Crash 2.0 following soon afterwards. The Danish shipping corp (Maersk has recently been waging a shadow war against Wuxing in the South Pacific. In retaliation, Wuxing has waged it's own shadow war against Maersk in the seas near East Africa.[5]

Consumer Goods[]

Prior to Crash 2.0, Wuxing was a big player in the consumer goods market in East Asia in which they sold everything from clothes to electronic goods to vehicles. Once they acquired the smaller corporations left vulnerable by the crash, the consumer goods division has been experiencing steady growth. Now they have near total dominance of the markets in East Asia and the South Pacific. Wuxing is now aggressively expanding into North America's West Coast, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East where they have been steadily making gains at the expense of Saeder-Krupp.[6]

Magical Services[]

Wuxing is a major player in the magical goods market. They focus on quality over quantity, letting their competitors mass produce cheap goods and have also specialized in eastern magic for customers outside of the West. It's a highly profitable business that is growing. They also provide a wide variety of magical services and their geomancers are as good as the best out there and are highly sought.[7]

Medical Services[]

The corporation owns a large number of medical companies which provide medical services and products, ranging from cyberware to magical healing. Wuxing runs a highly rated armed medical response service, whose teams have a higher-than-average number of Awakened members and market that fact to the Awakened community. Recently have been expanding into Eastern Europe, where they are gaining market share against Saeder-Krupp.[8]

Human Resources[]

Employees[]

When it comes to their employees, Wuxing guides every citizen within the corporation to the position that fits them in the corporate hierarchy, based on their strengths and weaknesses. The corporation takes into account Chinese philosophy and mysticism in such considerations, such as where the subject stands to the forces that flow around them (earth, fire, air, and water).[2]

Awakened[]

Wuxing, Inc being a Chinese megacorp is influenced by Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. All of which have embraced magic and its reintegration into Chinese society.[9] Within the corporation magicians are popular, though Wuxing favors the Eastern wujen and mages over shamans and more esoteric types.[10]

Metahumans[]

Wuxing, Inc is a very meta-friendly business, for a megacorp. They hire all metatypes, though the trolls and orks don't usually end up as executives. Dwarves and elves are found in all levels, but high-level execs are usually human. Orks and trolls for the most part end up either in security or where their size and strength is an asset.[11] Due to the expansion that Wuxing is undergoing, troll and ork executives are growing in power. They are finding new opportunities for advancement within the megacorporation.[2]

Infected[]

Wuxing, Inc is an Infected-friendly megacorp, one of the few in the world. If you use magic or surgery to appear passably human they are cool with you. If not, then your required to stay in areas built specifically for your kind. Which are as well-maintained and clean as corporate housing usually are. They also offer good employment for the Infected in magical R&D and tests. You get hazard pay for participating in the lethal tests, though said pay is not big.[12]

Paramilitary Assets[]

Wuxing Security[]

Unlike most mega-corporations, Wuxing does not have a freestanding army. They use regular corporate security (Wuxing Security), to protect their assets. In addition they have an elite division which handles security at the ports and on their maritime assets, the Maritime Security Division (MDS).[13][14][15]

Like all mega-corps, they hire shadowrunners when needed and they try to build strong, lasting relationships with the favored shadowrunners. For jobs that are too sensitive, important, or dirty to delegate to shadowrunners they use their in-house black ops unit, Dà Dì Xiāo (Earth and Heaven).[13]

Shadowrunners[]

Wuxing is the cheapest when it comes to payment among the AAA-megacorps, but will smuggle shadowrunners anywhere they want after the job and will provide them with support and/or backup via their affiliated Triads. During the initial meeting, two "Mr. Johnsons" will be sent by Wuxing, at least one of which will be Awakened. Whom will use magic on the shadowrunners, the Analyze Truth spell.[16]

Major Subsidiaries[]

Finance[]

  • Wuxing Financial Services
  • Prosperity Development Corporation
  • Albion Mutual Funds
  • Fidelity Mutual Insurance Corporation
  • Malaysian Independent Bank

Heavy Industry[]

Shipping[]

  • Wuxing Worldwide Shipping
  • Swift Wind Deliveries
  • Minh-Pao Exports
  • Cartwright Cartage and Freight Inc.

Automotive[]

  • ESSY Motors

Consumer Goods and Services[]

  • Jam-Bo Games
  • Eastern Electronics
  • Lotus Multimedia
    • Four Winds Press [17]
  • Tiger Trideo and Simsense
  • Soba Foods
  • Saito Studios

External Relations[]

Corporations[]

Wuxing, Inc., is allied with Evo and many other corporations through the Pacific Prosperity Group. It is mainly opposed by the Japanese megacorporations due to their proximity on the Pacific Rim, but by and large, Wuxing tends to tread lightly when it comes to dealing with other megacorporations. Recently it convinced the Pacific Prosperity Group to let Aztechnology join the alliance, though some members walked out. Wuxing's actions hurt it's relationship with Evo, but it in exchange they ended up with a far more powerful ally and business partner, which greatly strengthened the PPG.[18]

Recently the Danish Maersk corporation has begun a shadow war against Wuxing in the South Pacific. In retaliation, Wuxing has hit back at Maersk in the waters off East Africa. They have equipped and armed the pirates in those seas whom have inflicted significant losses on shipping. The pirates even had powerful magical support, which they did not have before. Wuxing, then suppressed the piracy by using a regional security corporation that it controlled (Suez Securities Consulting).[19]

Nations[]

For all intents and purposes, Wuxing (and the Triads) control the nation-state of the Canton Confederation.[20][21] It is disputing ownership of the natural resources of the South China Sea with both Vietnam and the Shiawese Corporation, and using its mining fleets and the Cantonese navy to gradually take control.[22] . Recently Wuxing has been supplying the various rival Chinese successor states with regular shipments of weapons.[23]

Triad Affiliates[]

Yellow Lotus Alliance[]

Wuxing, Inc has connections to several Triads which it supports and whom support it in turn. Originally it was allied with the Yellow Lotus of Hong Kong which had a worldwide reach. After its near annihilation by the Red Dragons, the Wuxing established an alliance with its successor in Hong Kong, the Ten Thousand Lions (built from the surviving remnants of the Yellow Lotus). Down in Australia, Wuxing had a relationship with the the Green Gang, a major criminal power on that continent.

Red Dragon Partnership[]

Sometime recently a change occurred in Wuxing, Inc. The megacorp is no longer in opposition against the Great Dragon Lung or the Red Dragon Association. They are now allies, working together to help advance each other's interests. Wuxing, Inc consulted with the dragon Lung whom directed them to go to the Red Dragons who assisted Wuxing, Inc in its successful takeover of the AA-rated Prometheus Engineering by hiring shadowrunners and a small army of mercenaries.[24][25] Wuxing, Inc in 2077-2078 helped the Red Dragons expand their criminal operations in the Allied German States.[26] The Red Dragons in turn have been lending their small army of mercenaries, the 58th Battle Brigade to help provide security on Wuxing ships.[27]

External Links[]

Discrepancies[]

  • Wu Kuan-Lei is spelled Wu Kuan-Lai in Blood in the Boardroom and Portfolio of a Dragon: Dunkelzahn's Secrets.
  • Wu Lung-Wei is spelled Wu Lung-Wai in Blood in the Boardroom and Portfolio of a Dragon: Dunkelzahn's Secrets.
  • In Portfolio of a Dragon: Dunkelzahn's Secrets, Sharon Chiang-Wu receives the Third Coin of Luck. It is listed as the Second Coin of Luck in Corporate Download, p. 106.

References[]

  1. ?The Neo-Anarchist Streetpedia p.122-123
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 o79981650The Complete Trog p.78
  3. o58300297Corporate Guide p.186-187
  4. o11008252Market Panic p.196
  5. o11008252Market Panic p.197-198
  6. o11008252Market Panic p.199-200
  7. o11008252Market Panic p.201
  8. o11008252Market Panic p.201-202
  9. o70096438Shadows of Asia p.207-208
  10. o79645619Corporate Download p.108
  11. o79645619Corporate Download p.108
  12. ?Dark Terrors p.140
  13. 13.0 13.1 o58300297Corporate Guide p.187
  14. Street Lethal p.109-110
  15. Street Lethal p.126
  16. o02196230Run Faster p.206
  17. o79645619Corporate Download p. 105
  18. o58300297Corporate Guide p.186-187
  19. o11008252Market Panic p.198
  20. o70096438Shadows of Asia p.26
  21. o34954845Sixth World Almanac p.116-117
  22. o70096438Shadows of Asia p.28
  23. o11008252Market Panic p.199
  24. o01399750Battle of Manhattan p.3-4
  25. o01399750Battle of Manhattan p.36-40
  26. Blutige Geschafte (German version of Bloody Business by Pegasus Games)
  27. Street Lethal p.109

Index[]






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