Chapter 492 New Trade Agreement

Although he was very unwilling to do so, Thomas did not get any bargains on the docking station project along the coast of Indochina. After all, he still couldn't get Tao Donglai to make concessions on behalf of Haihan. And Tao Donglai's bottom line was also very clear.

If the Portuguese want to dock, they can only build it within the scope of the Haihan Concession, and the ownership and governance rights belong to Haihan. Portugal can only enjoy the treatment of docking ships locally for supplies as a user.

If this kind of agreement, which is no different from losing power and humiliating the country, is returned to Macau, Thomas estimates that the council will immediately consider whether the position of the diplomatic envoy should be replaced by someone else. Publicly and privately, Thomas cannot accept such a result. If he cannot

Tao Dong came here to ask for some benefits that are beneficial to himself, and he would never give up.

"Mr. Tao, we have always given you the most timely and friendly response to your request for help. This time, at your request, we have brought dozens of experienced soldiers to Sanya. We hope they can

Contribute to the growth of the Haihan Militia. But for our goodwill, you don't seem to have a corresponding return. I have to say that this is really disappointing." Thomas shrugged exaggeratedly.

He said: "I think the cooperative relationship between us should be about helping each other, not tearing each other down. Are you right, Mr. Tao?"

Tao Donglai was well prepared for this. He nodded and said: "We will certainly keep the help you have provided us in mind. Well, on behalf of Haihan, I will give in!"

Tao Donglai opened the drawer of his desk and took out a document and handed it to Thomas: "This is the bilateral trade plan we have drafted for this year. Mr. Thomas might as well take a look at it first."

Thomas took it and opened it with some confusion. It was a document written in Portuguese, and he had no difficulty in reading it. After reading it carefully for a while, Thomas' eyes lit up.

Compared with the trade agreement of the previous year, this newly drafted document contains a large number of new trade contents. It not only increases the trade volume of porcelain, silk, and handicrafts, but also the Portuguese have always wanted to buy things that they cannot buy.

There are many things that appear in this document. For example, the 12-pound Haihan army cannon, several special spices in limited supply, and the Haihan telescope that can look into the distance. If you take out any of them, they will definitely become the best on the market.

It was a hot commodity, and this time the Haihan people actually prepared more than twenty new trading items, which made Thomas wonder if Tao Donglai had taken the wrong medicine.

Not only that, the new agreement will also open the under-construction Hong Kong and Changhua ports to Portuguese merchant ships, and the four southern Annan ports under planning will also open their doors to them - but I don’t know what these four ports are.

It will only be completed and put into use when the time comes, and it is still at the stage of being a castle in the air.

The content on the first few pages was almost all good news, which finally made Thomas's gloomy mood improve. However, based on his understanding of the Haihan people, he believed that the Haihan people would not be stupid enough to formulate such a unilateral treaty.

Portugal has a favorable trade agreement, so he did not rush to express his attitude, but patiently continued to read on.

When he turned to the last two pages, Thomas finally saw the benefits that the Haihan people wanted to obtain - opening the seaport of Malacca for Haihan ships to dock, allowing Haihan ships to supply and trade locally, and go to the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Malacca.

In addition, Haihan also hopes that Portuguese businessmen can hire a group of educated craftsmen from European countries, without limiting the industry, as long as they have a good skill.

Thomas doesn't have any worries about hiring people. Portugal has even provided mercenaries to Haihan. What's the problem with hiring some craftsmen? Look at the occupations listed by Haihan. There is nothing particularly sensitive. Thomas

He put it aside and began to think about another condition proposed by the Haihan people.

From the previous conversation, Thomas has already felt the determination of the Haihan people to try to go south from the sea. It is almost inevitable that they will enter the southern seas in the future, and the docking point of the Haihan sailing ship in the southern seas will inevitably be Portugal.

A port under human control.

But Thomas always felt that something was wrong. The Haihan people had always liked to find places to build ports on their own, so why did they actively ask to use Portugal's port this time? Their ships frequently entered and exited the Pearl River Estuary, and they never mentioned using Macao as a port of call.

ah?

"So, is Mr. Thomas satisfied with the new agreement we proposed?" Before Thomas could figure out the matter, Tao Donglai had already begun to ask for his opinion.

"As for the newly added transaction content, I am very happy to see it." Thomas recovered his thoughts and replied: "I am very happy that the Executive Committee can add these goods to the transaction list. This will definitely help increase our trade scale.

and the scope of cooperation. I think the Macau Council will also be happy to see this situation."

"So, does Mr. Thomas have any opinions on our request for port use?" Tao Donglai continued to ask.

In fact, this is the focus of the entire new trade agreement. Adding new transaction content is something that has been decided long ago. Most of these commodities already have updated products, or their production capacity has been increased, and they can start now.

Supplying the Western market. The executive committee is mainly concerned with the southward expansion of the maritime control zone.

After assisting Annan to complete domestic unification, Haihan has become Annan's protector, and Haihan also has unimpeded power to pass along Annan's coastline. However, Indochina is only a springboard in the eyes of the Executive Committee.

The destination he leads to is the Indian Ocean access channel further south. If Haihan wants to form a maritime monopoly in the Far East, controlling the chokepoint in the south is the goal that must be achieved.

Just like controlling the Pearl River Estuary to control Guangdong shipping, the Executive Committee hopes to control the only way for maritime exchanges between the Eastern and Western world by controlling the passage in and out of the Indian Ocean. How much actual benefits can it bring to Haihan after this goal is achieved?

It is not something that can be calculated clearly in terms of gold and silver at the moment, so the Executive Committee will always spare no effort to invest in the development of the navy and shipping.

Now that the South China Sea is in peace, the Executive Committee believes that the time has come to go south to establish a stronghold in the Malacca area, so it has added relevant content to the new trade agreement with Portugal.

In order to prevent the Portuguese from being dissatisfied with the relevant requirements, the Executive Committee embellished the content of this agreement and added many contents that seemed quite attractive to Portuguese businessmen - after all, the management of the Macau Council has absolute

Most of them are businessmen, and this very intuitive benefit should be more attractive to them.

Thomas hesitated for a long time before saying: "The jurisdiction of the port in the Malacca area, or the area you are used to calling Malacca, is not entirely in the hands of the Macau Council. Administratively, that place belongs to Goa.

The jurisdiction of the Governor is within the jurisdiction of the Governor, so the agreement you signed with the Macao Council may not be recognized by the local managers. I am not shirking responsibility, but I just hope that you can recognize the problems that may arise."

"That place is about the same distance from Goa as it is from Macau. In fact, we don't care which jurisdiction the place belongs to. We just need a guarantee of reasonable and legal access to the local port, and the Macau Council can guarantee our actions."

Tao Donglai explained patiently: "This is a piece of cake for the council, and it will not cause any harm. Mr. Thomas, please remember one thing, our ships entering the Indian Ocean will be affected by this."

It’s not your country’s merchant ships, but your competitors, the Spanish and the Dutch, whose merchants will feel the pressure, which is actually a good thing for you.”

Is this a good thing? Thomas was a little undecided when he heard what Tao Donglai said. With the Haihan people's advantages in navigation, any sea area they enter will have a certain impact on other maritime forces in the relevant area. However,

Specifically speaking, in this area, the Portuguese should be relatively least affected. After all, they still have a trading partnership with Haihan and have many common interests.

Thomas did not think about it for a long time this time before he replied: "As for your opinions, I will write to the board of directors and let the board of directors make a decision.

"That's fair." Tao Donglai stood up and extended his hand to Thomas: "I hope we can continue to maintain a happy cooperative relationship in the new year!"

When Thomas returned to Sanya Port from Fort Victory, he happened to see the huge warship turning around in Sanya Port again. Many workers on the dock on the shore put down their work and shouted loudly to the ship.

The warships waved greetings, which was completely different from the scene Thomas saw in the Ming Dynasty when people were hiding from the army. These people were not afraid of the powerful force of the Haihan Militia, because they knew for sure that every soldier in this army came from their side.

The purpose of this army is to protect the Executive Committee and the people under its rule, rather than to protect a superior imperial power like the Ming Dynasty army. Thomas believes that this difference is the main reason why the Haihan Militia enjoys local popular support.

reason.

After Thomas returned to his residence, he stayed up late that night and drafted a letter to the Macau Council. Early the next morning, Thomas, with red eyes, asked his entourage to send the letter sealed with fire paint to the dock, where the Portuguese merchant ship would return to Macau that day.

Put this letter into the hands of the Board of Directors.

Twenty days later, a reply letter from Macau was delivered to Thomas. After discussion, the Macau Council agreed in principle to the content of the new trade agreement proposed by Haihan, except for the trading volume and payment of several of the in-demand commodities.

In addition to proposing modifications in the way, he did not raise any objection to Haihan's request to use the Malacca port. This was actually within Thomas's expectation - the people on the board of directors are all money-minded guys, and they value

It must be the attractive benefits offered by the Haihan people. As for what kind of impact the Haihan people's ship will have on the local area after it arrives in Malacca, no one cares about this.

On the same day that Thomas received the Macau Council, Yu Xiaobao took a cargo ship from Hong Kong and returned to Victory Port after a long absence. He had received the admission notice personally signed by the Executive Committee and was about to attend a multi-department joint program at Victory Fort.

Study in the advanced training class for young cadres.

As soon as Yu Xiaobao got off the boat, he found a familiar face among the crowd on the pier.

"Fu Li!" Yu Xiaobao looked at Fu Li in a police uniform and could hardly believe that this former Li boy had now become a cadre of the Police Department. Compared with the last time they met, Fu Li was obviously a little smaller.

Childish, more capable, and a lot taller, he seems to have surpassed Yu Xiaobao, who was originally taller.

Fu Li grabbed Yu Xiaobao's shoulders and said with a smile: "Let me wait! I thought you wouldn't be able to arrive today!"

"You knew I was coming back today?" Yu Xiaobao asked in surprise.

"After the boat you took set off, your father sent a telegram back to the Trusteeship Committee, informing me to pick you up here." Fu Li picked up Yu Xiaobao's luggage and said, "Let's go, let me take you to see

Look at your new home!"

Yu Dashan was one of the first naturalized citizens to buy welfare housing in Shengli Port. The area he purchased at that time has now been nicknamed the "cadre community" by the local people. Almost all people living there live in it.

They are all naturalized civilian cadres, which is almost equivalent to a status symbol. However, Xiaobao has not come back during this period, so this is indeed the first time for him to see his new home.

"This place is only half a mile away from Victory Fort Railway Station. It is very convenient for commuting to and from work. There is a police station next to the police department, which is very safe. You see, from here, it is also very close to Victory Port Business District, where you can do business and so on.

It's very convenient." Fu Li kept introducing the surrounding environment to Yu Xiaobao along the way.

"It's been so long since I've been back, it's completely different!" Yu Xiaobao looked at the surrounding environment and sighed: "The Guangzhou I saw two years ago is still the same now, but the last time I came back I saw

The Port of Victory was completely different from the place it is now!"

"Not only has the environment changed, but there are also more and more people!" Fu Li also sighed: "When you went to Guangzhou, there were only two or three thousand people here. Now there are more people settled here than in Yacheng. Qiongzhou Island

This is the most densely populated area in the south."

Yu Xiaobao didn't have much impression of welfare housing. The place he lived in Guangzhou was larger than this welfare house, and the living facilities were quite complete. He also had a group of people under him who were always ready for orders. It was much better than this deserted empty house.

The house is much better.
Chapter completed!