Beiyang reactionaries

This is no small matter.

It is not an order for private merchant ships, but an order for the Japanese Navy, which involves many problems.Therefore, of course, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot make arbitrary decisions.In the past, such orders were discussed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed over to the Ministry of Commerce to continue negotiations, or let those shipyards negotiate with Japanese customers themselves.However, when it comes to orders for the navy and warships, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can only report to the higher authorities for decision.

Duan Xun looked at everyone and asked, "What do you think?"

"What do you think?"

"Prime Minister, should we be more cautious?"

Wang Yongjiang spoke.

Dao: "We have not signed the 'Triple Alliance Treaty'. Under the current situation, we can advance and retreat freely, and there are more options. But if we sell weapons and equipment to Japan, our relationship with Germany, Japan, and Italy will be closer Now, will we directly confront Britain and France? Prime Minister, I always believe that we should not directly conflict with Britain and France. Germany is not the opponent of Britain and France, and the final victor must be Britain and France.”

The strength of Britain and France is deeply imprinted in everyone's minds, including Wang Yongjiang.

In particular, Britain and France have a large number of colonies in the world. Once the mainland is hit, they can take part in the war with a large number of armed troops from the colonies.Britain and France in the First World War consumed Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire to death.Therefore, Britain and France, which have a large amount of manpower and material resources in the colonies, are definitely not comparable to Germany and Italy.

Wang Yongjiang thinks so.

Although China is very close to Germany, Italy, and Japan, it is only because of benefits.However, Wang Yongjiang always believes that under the circumstances of the war, China should wait and see for a while.Moreover, China's biggest enemy at present is the Soviet Union, and it should not make too many enemies.In particular, there should be no direct conflict with world hegemons like Britain and France.

"I don't think there's a problem at all."

Jiang Hongyu had a different meaning from Wang Yongjiang, saying: "We have carried out three five-year plans to rapidly expand our country's industrial output. Especially during the second five-year plan and the third five-year plan, Government investment has increased rapidly, including social investment. However, most of these funds are loans and national debt, resulting in a sharp rise in debt. However, the same increase in investment has caused China's industrial output to soar and the scale of industry to expand rapidly. The current situation in our country Yes, the industrial output has already far exceeded the domestic market's tolerance, and the industrial products produced can no longer be digested domestically. Now it is the government's strong suppression and distribution, so there are no major problems. But it will inevitably appear after a long time Big problem. Our country’s industrial products cannot be digested by ourselves, and too many problems have accumulated. The best way is to sell our industrial products to other countries and find new outlets for our industrial products. This time the war is very Well, a huge opportunity for our industry, a huge opportunity to take off."

"This is the economic level. Let's talk about the diplomatic level. Our country is a big country and does not need to be attached to any country or any military group. On the contrary, those countries in the war want to win us over. Therefore, we should do business when we do business, not in Too many other factors are added to the business, so that it will not be involved in more disputes."

Duan Xun didn't speak, but he was very much in favor of Jiang Hongyu in his heart.

China is no longer a weak and small country at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China.It is no longer an era when you need to look at the faces of the great powers.Today's China is a country with a population of 8 million, an army of nearly 400 million, nearly 8000 aircraft, and more than [-] tanks.Moreover, its industrial output is also the second largest industrial country in the world after the United States, and its industrial scale even exceeds the sum of Britain and France.

At this time, why bother to look at the faces of the great powers.

Now the military blocs headed by Britain and France, and the military blocs headed by Germany, Italy, and Japan are all trying to win over China.No one will fall out with China because of a little thing, and push China into the ranks of another military bloc.Their request is that China must never have a team.This is a very good time for China.

"Prime Minister Wang, what about the economy?"

Duan Xun asked Wang Yongjiang again.

Wang Yongjiang has always been against the military alliance with Germany, Italy and Japan.Of course, it is only a military alliance, but he supports other cooperation.Therefore, he said: "From an economic point of view, the arms trade has always been profitable. The goods exported by our country in recent years are mainly raw materials, and the profits are actually not high. In the current world trade system, industrial products are value-added It is very high, and it is a high-margin product. The raw materials we export are commodities with low added value, and the source of profit is far less than that of industrial products. Armaments are industrial products, and they are industrial products with relatively high profits. If our country can export arms, it will be of great benefit to our country economically. The military industry we focus on in the third five-year plan can just play a role.”

Politically, Wang Yongjiang opposed the alliance with Germany, Italy and Japan, and also opposed the direct sale of arms to them.But in the same way, Wang Yongjiang also admitted it.The arms trade is very profitable. If China can export arms, it will be of great benefit to the current Chinese economy.

The third five-year plan mainly relies on military orders because it focuses on the development of military industry.The military orders rely on the growth of military expenditures.But these military expenditures have seriously affected China's financial stability.If arms can be sold, the shortage of military expenditure will be greatly alleviated.

"And the ship business is even more so. The shipbuilding industry is related to the development of a lot of industries, and it is an industry-intensive industry. If we can export a large number of warships, it will improve our country's overall shipbuilding industry and improve the supporting enterprises of the shipbuilding industry. Very good thing."

Wang Yongjiang continued to speak.

The shipbuilding industry is not an ordinary industry, and involves many supporting industries.It can drive a large number of other industries in China to develop together.

"But I still think that selling arms to Japan is not very good for our country's diplomacy."

After talking about the benefits to the economy, Wang Yongjiang still insisted on his own views.After listening to Wang Yongjiang's suggestion, Duan Xun said to Dai Kan: "Prime Minister Dai, what do you think?"

"Prime Minister, our economy has persisted until now, isn't it just waiting for the outbreak of war to solve the hidden dangers that were buried before? Only by using the war to export more things can we be able to solve so many financial debts and solve our country's previous issuance of a large number of goods. Inflation caused by currency. Of course, only by taking advantage of this war can we solve the contradiction between insufficient domestic demand and astonishing industrial output. Our industrial output is already seriously oversupplied. If it cannot be sold, it will cause many Factories closed because there were no orders."

Dai Kan was very decisive.

China's economy is already full of problems and contradictions.If you can't take advantage of this war, you won't be able to solve the domestic economic problems at all.China has issued so many national debts and borrowed so much money in the past few years. If it cannot be digested during the war, its own finances will collapse.

The bigger problem is China's industrial overcapacity, which the domestic market simply cannot digest.In the past, it was relying on the development of military industry and relying on military orders to stimulate industrial development.But this is not the way after all.

"As for other issues, I don't think it is a problem. Our country does not need to only provide arms to Japan. As long as it is a country that is willing to pay, our country should not refuse the supply of arms. Look at how the United States accumulated money during the last war. Funding. After the war, the United States became the world’s largest creditor country, and the European powers owed the United States a large amount of money. Originally, Britain and France owned a large number of assets in the United States, and they were all important assets that controlled the lifeline of the American economy. But the war ended After that, those assets were mortgaged to the United States and became the assets of the United States. What is the reason? The reason is that the United States sold a lot of things during the war, including selling arms, and became an arms dealer. I think this war is the same for our country It’s a good opportunity, so why bother looking forward and backward. As long as it is willing to pay, I don’t think our country should care who the other party is.”

"I agree with Premier Dai."

Yan Huiqing nodded.

Said: "Prime Minister, as long as there is a fight, there is nothing more important than interests. And as long as there is a fight, whether it is Britain, France, Germany, Italy or Japan, no one has the strength to threaten us, and no one dares to threaten us. .For both of them, what is needed is to win us over. So our country can completely decide whether to sell weapons to them. Even if we sell weapons to Germany, Italy and Japan, what can Britain and France do? Could it be that Britain and France will declare war on us for this reason? Is it true? If Britain and France really have the upper hand in the end, it will not be too late for us to adjust our foreign policy if they want to win. What's more, judging from the current situation, the strength of Germany, Italy and Japan is obviously greater than that of Britain and France. They are also more prepared than them. It is not certain who will win."

"Ah."

Except for Wang Yongjiang's hesitation and Liang Huankui's refusal to express his opinion, the attitudes of the others were relatively consistent.They all think that business can be done.So Duan Xun nodded, and finally concluded: "Do business when it's time to do business, don't worry too much about it. Business is business, not mixed with other things. In order to be able to do business smoothly, I think we should introduce some temporary wartime laws. No matter who the opponent is, when importing weapons, equipment and military materials from China, the payment must be settled in cash. Our country is not responsible for the delivery of these weapons, equipment and military materials. Buyers can transport them by themselves or hire our country’s shipping companies to transport them. Formulate We can learn from the 'Neutrality Act' enacted by the United States. Premier Yan, you are in charge of this matter."

"Yes."

Yan Huiqing accepted the order.

Duan Xun has already begun preparations for the next cabinet reshuffle.The retirement of Wang Yongjiang and Liang Huankui is a certainty, and Duan Xun wants to find a successor for Wang Yongjiang.At present, Yan Huiqing is the most suitable candidate from any aspect.

Therefore, some important tasks were handed over to Yan Huiqing.

"Premier Wang and Prime Minister Liang, now is the time to slowly mobilize. All shipyards across the country, regardless of their size, must conduct detailed statistics. Some small shipyards and ship repair yards should be merged. The revocation of the revocation. Concentrate the country's shipbuilding capabilities and accept orders from the government."

Going to war.

The nation's industry will slowly begin to shift to a wartime system.If the orders of the Japanese Navy are met only by relying on the army's shipyards, then the Chinese Navy's own orders cannot be completed.So now all shipyards across the country are mobilizing.

"Yes."

"Come on, can we take so many orders?"

The prime minister's office meeting only decided whether to accept the order for warships.But being able to accept the order and having the strength to accept the order are different issues.So soon Duan Xun held another meeting to see if China has the strength to take these orders.Don't accept the order at that time, and other problems will arise.

The first batch of orders from Japan is not a lot, but it is not a lot.

3艘3000吨的驱逐舰，5艘1200吨的护航驱逐舰，2艘11600吨的运输舰，2艘7100吨的运输舰，4艘3000吨的运输舰，8艘1700吨的运输舰。总吨位近8万吨。

And this is only Japan's first tentative order.

If China accepts and can satisfactorily meet their requirements, Japan will inevitably continue to place orders.Because Tanaka Yoshiichi has accepted Minai Mitsumasa's suggestion.At present, the tonnage of Japanese naval warships is less than that of the United States. In order to deter the United States, Yoshiichi Tanaka is preparing to vigorously develop the Japanese navy.

According to the ideas of Yoshiichi Tanaka and Mitsumasa Minai, Japan should increase the tonnage of its navy to at least 150 million tons within two years, surpassing the total tonnage of the US Navy.If this is to be the case, Japan needs to build warships of more than 40 tons within two years.

This is no simple matter.

That's why Tanaka Yiyi accepted Takahashi Shiqing's suggestion.Let China build a large number of destroyers, frigates, and transport ships for Japan.So as the war progressed, such orders were bound to continue.

"can."

Because warships were involved, Han Linchun, the head of the equipment department, was present in person.

Han Linchun answered in the affirmative.

But after answering, Han Linchun said: "Prime Minister, our shipyards have been developing rapidly over the years. As long as there is funds, there is no problem in providing these ships. But our military shipyards have their own plans, and currently accept A large number of orders from the navy. If we suddenly change the plan and complete these orders first, it will definitely affect the pace of our navy's construction."

"How much can you complete without affecting Navy orders?"