Nan Ming Sun Never Sets

Chapter 117 Trading in Guangzhou

Under the influence of Bai Mingxiu, Ming Dynasty politics has actually leapt towards modernization at a rapid pace.In the feudal era, China’s political power did not have any economic and industrial policies. Although some talents were born, their understanding of the national economy, trade, and industry is still at a relatively early stage.

Bai Mingxiu, who came from later generations, naturally knows that the transformation from a feudal agricultural society to a capitalist industrial society is extremely difficult and requires the active guidance of the government.Therefore, the rule of doing nothing in the past dynasties began to turn to the aggressive economic policy of Nanming.

At the court level, the "Economy, Industry and Trade Development Committee" under the cabinet of the Council of Liberal Affairs, referred to as the Economic Development Committee.The Economic Development Council is still in its infancy stage, and the director of the Economic Development Council is still co-authored by Bai Mingxiu himself.The Economic and Development Council is mainly responsible for economic operation mediation, industrial policy, trade policy, fiscal and financial policy, etc., as well as related system reform and economic strategy.

The first-level and second-level administrative divisions such as provinces and governments have their own economic and trade development bureaus. At this stage, the Economic and Trade Development Bureau of Guangzhou Prefecture basically has operational functions.

Davidston couldn't understand it at all when he got the manual that he regarded as a "miracle book".Under the influence of strong mercantilism in Europe in this era, all countries are eager to buy less and sell more. At the same time, many countries also conduct monopoly trade. Goods can only be transported by British ships to the mainland of the United Kingdom or its colonies, and cannot be transported by third parties or sold directly to other countries.

But in Ming Dynasty, this was not the case at all. The Chinese even directly set up a government department, which was responsible for facilitating businessmen from other countries to come to their country for trade, and even provided all kinds of help and explanations.They even welcome funds from other countries to come to China to set up handcraft workshops or factories, but they need to apply for a franchise business license, and this license has to be renewed every year.

"If Chinese craftsmen can be hired to set up ceramic workshops or tea-making workshops in Guangdong, wouldn't they be able to supply goods directly to England?" Davidston was very excited, but he soon discovered that the scale of employment was limited. Moreover, it must fully comply with the laws of Nanming. At the same time, the wages of workers and employees must have a minimum standard, which cannot be like ordinary colonial labor, which is almost free of money.

Davidston soon realized that under the governance of the Chinese crown prince he had met, Ming would soon become a place where business was encouraged and the business environment was superior.Moreover, China is a land of wealth and wealth, with silk, porcelain, tea and a series of commodities that all countries in the world are eager for.

China has been steadily exporting a huge amount of commodities to the world. Although the volume of foreign trade is actually only a drop in the bucket compared to the consumption in the internal market, all countries feel that the quality is cheap and even fearful.For example, on the galleon route exclusively operated by the Spanish royal family from Manila to Alpurco, the Spanish authorities are afraid that cheap and high-quality Chinese goods will seize the Spanish market, and have always limited the value of the goods shipped, but the Manila authorities have been trying to increase the quantity of Chinese goods. , in exchange for higher profits.

At the moment in the seventeenth century, the British had not yet completely defeated the Netherlands at sea, and they were still emerging maritime powers compared to time-honored colonial empires such as Spain and Portugal.The British East India Company worked very hard to expand its network in the East. As long as Chinese goods were shipped back to London, they would gain a lot of benefits.

Through the intermediary of officials from the Economic and Trade Development Bureau, Davidston found a trading company for foreign trade.As a traditional commercial capital, Guangzhou has extremely developed commerce and already has many dental shops.After Bai Mingxiu took charge of Guangdong, he not only ordered the Economic and Trade Development Bureau to supervise the formation of commercial guilds in various industries, but also promulgated a series of regulations to regulate the behavior of trade middlemen such as dental firms.Of course, he would not give up on starting an import and export trading company. Davidston came to find an import and export trading company with an official background.

The name of this company is Guanglide Import and Export Trading Company. The name is very old-fashioned, but the form is very trendy and modern.Guanglide Company is the first mixed-ownership company in Ming Dynasty, with 55% of the official shares, and the remaining 45% is owned by more than a dozen local dental firms in Guangzhou and other big businessmen.From the perspective of corporate structure, this company is a typical joint-stock company structure of later generations, breaking away from the structure of an ordinary family business, with professional management and a board of directors.In the board of directors, there are representatives of official shares and representatives of various investment families, and major decisions are discussed and voted on.Among the management, in fact, most of them are managers sent by various companies. The general manager of the company is called Chen Xingfu, and he is a quite capable businessman.

The Chen family was born in Hakka, three generations of merchants, the ancestors even engaged in smuggling trade with Europeans, and later turned into a foreign merchant dental firm.After the Qing army entered Guangzhou, the Chen family suffered a great blow, and Shang Kexi plundered a lot of wealth from the Chen family's tooth shop. The Chen family could only barely maintain it these years.

After Bai Mingxiu led the Ming army to occupy Guangzhou, he promulgated various policies favorable to trade. As the leader of the Chen family, Chen Xingfu saw the opportunity and actively responded to the call of the Guangzhou Economic and Trade Development Bureau and the Imperial State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. .Even, in order to become the general manager of Guanglide, Chen Xingfu did not hesitate to hand over the Chen family business to his cousin to take care of it, so as to disregard the relationship with the family business.

Although Nanming's open trade policy does not engage in monopoly, all Chinese businessmen understand the truth that they rely on the government to do things well.Chen Xingfu read the various regulations of Guanglide and the reports from the Economic and Trade Development Bureau and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and he was keenly aware of the power of these things, so he has the right to experience working here.

Davidston saw Chen Xingfu, a Chinese man of medium build with short hair. Like many government officials, he also wore new-style attire and looked quite elegant and capable.

With the help of the interpreter, the two exchanged a few pleasantries, and Chen Xingfu said: "Your Excellency Davidston, we, Guanglide, are supported by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. We are a trading company dominated by official shares, and we can serve Chinese and foreign import and export traders. Provide purchasing, warehousing and financial services.”

Chen Xingfu also learned a lot of new words during this period, almost every item contained a lot of knowledge, and Chen Xingfu could even see that each item represented a strong business opportunity.

"Your Majesty Davidston, please provide the goods and quantities that your East India Company needs to purchase. We will give you a quotation first. If you agree, we will sign a contract with our company. Our company can also be responsible for customs clearance in Guangzhou. , tax issues. If necessary, we can also contact the shipping company to ship directly to Madras or even London.”

　January reward list: Thanks to [Liuguang 1 Years], [Eight Treasures Salted Fish], [Book Friends 30], [Night Flowers at Lushan Mountain Temple], [Road to Destiny], [Jin Ming Jin], [Y, Yin Ni Juechen], [ivanyu], [Wang Juchang], [I am Jingren], [SHAJIA], [Book Friends 160401124419744], [Koumen Shiro], [I am very happy when I spray beauty powder and daily miscellaneous], [Moonlight Under the Love], [Focus on the Lamp], [Reaper Never Changes the Bullet], [Michiko]

　　
　
(End of this chapter)