Nan Ming Sun Never Sets

Chapter 444 The embryonic form of financial hegemony

Today's Singapore is just a city with a population of about 3 to [-]. Although it is considered a very conspicuous big city on the European level, such a city does not have the ability to accommodate more than [-] tourists at one time.Most of the passengers in the Global Fleet can only live on the ship. Some passengers of the Penglai Island even saw the most luxurious hotel in Singapore after disembarking, and returned to their luxurious suites on the ship angrily.

Zhao Jingtai was still a little embarrassed by this announcement, "I didn't expect that our development in Singapore is still not enough. In fact, during this period of time, we have built many very affordable residential buildings and rented them out to sailors and businessmen who came to Singapore. , Most of them are not very picky, we also plan to build a star hotel, but it seems that the action is still a bit slow.”

Bai Mingxiu had no choice but to comfort him, "The Global Fleet is just like this. If you build a luxury hotel, it may be idle for a long time and lose money."

Zhao Jingtai smiled and said: "That's not the case. As long as there is, we still have a way to make it make money."

When the two said this, Yu Jackie came over there.

"Director Yu, what's the matter?" Bai Mingxiu asked.

Yu Chenglong holds the title of Director of the Global Fleet Promotion Office, so he is Director Yu.

"I just met people from the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. They proposed to purchase a batch of our goods, and some European merchants joined our fleet to sail."

Zhao Jingtai shook his head and said: "When our merchant ships transport goods to Europe, we make the difference. If we sell it to them now, we will lose money."

After all, Bai Mingxiu is also experienced in economic and trade affairs, he said: "You can't say that, there is also a motive to transfer a batch of goods in Singapore. Due to market fluctuations, it is reasonable to sell some goods at a relatively reasonable price from the perspective of inventory management and trade risk balance.”

He went on to add: "But it is impossible to let them join the fleet. Our slowest boat can run at a speed of 15 knots. They are a bunch of old-fashioned full-sail ships. We can't accommodate them."

Yu Chenglong nodded: "I will convey to them what the commander said. As for whether our goods should be sold or not, it depends on what the owners want. So I am going to organize a meeting of the Economic and Trade Federation of the Global Fleet to discuss it."

Bai Mingxiu looked at Zhao Jingtai and asked, "What is this Singapore European Chamber of Commerce?"

"As the name suggests, it is a relatively closed commercial organization formed by a group of European businessmen in order to enhance their bargaining power in Singapore. It includes several companies with good strength, such as the British East India Company and the French Orient Company. etc. We are also taking advantage of their structure. Singapore has organized many spot bidding markets before. After our goods enter the port, the European Chamber of Commerce will directly let the European Chamber of Commerce organize bidding and take away the spot. In addition, the European Chamber of Commerce also has ambitions to set foot in Singapore. The financial business, now the main financial institutions in Singapore, including banks, insurance companies, and brokerages are our Daming companies, and they all see the huge profits, even exceeding trade, so the European Chamber of Commerce has repeatedly proposed to open in Singapore banks, and settle in their own currency.”

Bai Mingxiu listened to Zhao Jingtai's explanation and felt that Ming Dynasty had actually constructed a very modern economic system invisibly.As an important trade transit port, Singapore has a large number of financial businesses.Merchants from various countries conduct transactions here, not with large sums of cash.In another dimension, the Thirteen Banks in the Qing Dynasty are actually guaranteed by foreign banks, which means that foreign banks provide a financial service.The Ming Dynasty's Singapore was even more direct, requiring Huayang Business Travel to open current accounts directly in the Ming Dynasty's commercial banks and conduct transactions directly through checks and cashier's orders.And the bank will provide certain credit services according to the qualifications of customers.Even in these Daming commercial banks, they also carry out such business as consignment sale of Daming treasury bonds.

Although there are no Europeans who are so familiar with financial tricks like Bai Mingxiu and a large number of systematic financial talents, after seeing a lot of business done by Ming people, they can gradually realize that it is all business, and it is profiteering Business.

In the end, they found out that they had done business for half a day, and they gave Daming a lot of gold and silver, which were still stored in Daming's bank. In the end, they just left with Daming's goods, and the money after the sale was finally transferred back to Daming's bank. Just take the money and go to M2.The more prosperous Singapore is, the more profit Ming will make. It is impossible to say that Europeans are not jealous.

For many things, European countries have taken some prototypes. For example, the Netherlands has many modern financial innovations.With the knowledge gained from Singapore and their own speculations, the Europeans are going to imitate the financial institutions of Ming Dynasty and engage in some financial business when they return home. At the same time, they also hope to open their own banks in Singapore.

Bai Mingxiu was also very vigilant about this. He said to Zhao Jingtai: "Financial supervision is something at the level of the Legislative Council, and you, the Department of Propaganda and Consolation, can't decide on your own."

Zhao Jingtai said: "Yes, we definitely refused, but these Europeans still hope that we can convey their 'sincerity' to the Council of Parliament on their behalf, and try to buy shares in some of our financial institutions."

Yu Chenglong is also interested in this topic, saying: "Daming's primary and secondary financial institutions are all state-owned, it is impossible to have any private capital, let alone foreign capital, and financial institutions below the third level, do It’s just a side business, it’s hard to make money, Europeans probably don’t have much interest.”

As the commander of the navy, Bai Mingxiu said something from the position of the emperor: "Anyway, at least for the next 30 years, there is no possibility for Ming to let go of his strict financial control. Europeans should not think too much about it."

Zhao Jingtai sighed: "Of course, there is something bad about this. For example, the British are now planning to follow suit and set up a bank of England in Madras, forcing our merchant ships to use their settlement system and Financial system."

Bai Mingxiu smiled, took out a small notebook and wrote it down, and said: "Okay, I understand this matter, when we arrive in India and England later, we have to talk to them about it, our Daming Trading Company does business , just recognize the two, and recognize the qualified bank, and don’t care about anything else.”

(End of this chapter)