Beiyang reactionaries

651

"How's the situation in Beijing?"

Molotov's train did not come directly to Beijing, but stopped in Ulaanbatov for a while.Because Pan Youxin, the Soviet ambassador to China, greeted Molotov with Cuikov, the Soviet military attache in China, and Nikolai Roshin, the assistant military attache.

Of course, it was said to welcome Molotov, but it was actually an exchange of views between the two sides.

Although the telegrams between the two parties have not been interrupted, telegrams and face-to-face talks are completely different concepts.Many things cannot be said in telegrams and must be discussed face to face.After Pan Youxin and the others came up, Molotov did not have the slightest courtesy, because there was no time for politeness.

The Soviet-German war broke out for more than a month, and the situation in the Soviet Union was very bad.

There were heavy losses on several fronts.

The greater the losses in the Soviet-German war, the more the Soviet Union needed to stabilize China, and China became more and more important.This led Molotov to only allow success and not fail this time.Once it fails this time, it will definitely be a disaster for the Soviet Union if China and Germany join hands.

"The atmosphere is very weird."

Pan Youxin said with a serious face: "Recently, the German ambassador, the Japanese ambassador, and the Italian ambassador have met with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wei Chenzuo again and again. A few days ago, Wang Jingwei, the vice chairman of the Chinese Supreme Council, met and talked with the German ambassador for an hour and a half. We don’t know exactly what we talked about. But two days ago, China and Germany signed a large business cooperation contract.”

"What is it?"

"China purchased 10 sets of various machine tools from Germany."

"One hundred thousand units?"

"Yes."

Molotov and Blyukher looked at each other.

The machine tool is known as the "mother of industry", because the development of the machinery industry is inseparable from the machine tool, and the machinery industry is the core of the industry.Although there are many machine tools, it does not necessarily mean that the industry is powerful.However, countries with strong industries must have a large number of machine tools.

Especially Molotov learned more.

The industrial development speed of the Soviet Union in recent years has also been very fast. At present, the total number of machine tools owned by the Soviet Union is more than 60.Now China has ordered 10 machine tools from Germany at once.

As a foreign affairs commissioner, Molotov knew that since the Great Depression, China has imported machine tools on a large scale from Germany, the United States, and Japan.The largest import of machine tools is also an agreement between China and Germany.

That was two years ago.

In 1937, a large goods exchange agreement was signed between China and Germany.At that time, Germany was preparing for war, so it imported a large amount of war preparation materials from China, and then hoarded them to prepare for the war.What China wanted at the time was machine tools, and ordered 5 machine tools at one time.

This time it was even more powerful, signing a contract to order 10 machine tools at one time.

"You have been in China for many years, how much is China's own machine tool production?"

Molotov thought for a moment, then asked Pan Youxin.

Pan Youxin immediately said: "These data are disclosed by the Ministry of Industry of China. Of course, we cannot guarantee whether the data of the Ministry of Industry of China are accurate. However, the comprehensive analysis of intelligence obtained from our various channels, the data released by the Ministry of Industry of China It should not be a big problem, and there will not be too much error. According to the data released by the Ministry of Industry of China at the beginning of this year, China’s machine tool production in 1939 was 7.8 units. According to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce of China at the beginning of the year, China imported The number of machine tools in China is 1939. We have also done analysis on the number of machine tools in China. The last time China announced the number of machine tools, the data released was in 6.3. At that time, the number of machine tools in China was 1933. In that year, China's machine tool production was 17.2 units, and machine tool imports were 2.7 units. After that, China's Ministry of Industry will announce the production of machine tools every year, and the Ministry of Commerce will announce the amount of machine tool imports every year, but it has not announced the number of machine tools. After our calculations, By 2.2, the number of machine tools in China should be around 1939. And this is a relatively conservative figure. There are still many machine tool factories with relatively low output and relatively small scale in China. There are also some small enterprises that will import a small amount It is difficult for machine tools to appear in the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce. Therefore, the real data should be higher than this number."

Pan Youxin has served as an ambassador in China for these years, and he is not just for nothing.

In this era, or any era, those embassies, in addition to dealing with diplomatic issues, are gathering intelligence.Just like the Soviet embassy in China, half of the staff are engaged in intelligence work.

Pan Youxin, as the ambassador to China, has a lot of important data about China's industry at his fingertips.

"65 units, such a high number of machine tools, China still imports so many machine tools."

Molotov frowned.

China's machinery industry was originally far inferior to that of the Soviet Union.Not only in technology, but also in scale, it is several levels behind the Soviet Union.After all, Russia was also an industrial country back then. Even if it was a poor industrial country, it was much stronger than China.

But China is rising too fast.

The number of machine tools in China is already so high that it is on par with the Soviet Union.Moreover, under the circumstances of such a scale, such a large amount of machine tool import contract was signed with Germany.

"It means that within two years, the number of machine tools in China can exceed 90, or even reach 100 million."

"Yes."

"What is sold here in China?"

"It has not been announced. But it is also conceivable that it is estimated to be important resources such as tungsten ore, antimony ore, manganese ore, and tin ore, as well as natural rubber, tung oil, and pig bristles. Judging from the Sino-German trade situation in recent years In addition to these resources, there are flour, soybeans, and raw silk. At present, the British navy has blocked the Atlantic passage, so the main supplies of Germany and Italy come from China."

"damn it."

Bluher next to him couldn't help but patted the table.

He said indignantly: "Half of the Nazi bombs in Germany were supported by China. China should also bear the sins of German fascism."

"Comrade Blyuchel, you just have to think about this kind of thinking, and don't say it."

Molotov was also angry.

But not as angry as Blueher.As the Soviet foreign commissar, Molotov has seen too many intrigues.Not to mention anything else, two years ago, the Soviet Union and Germany divided Poland, and the Soviet Union attacked Finland, which was not a glorious thing.

This is the case between countries in this world.

Where there is any justice, there is nothing clean.The diplomacy of any country is to serve its own interests.

"I know."

"Is there anything else that needs attention?"

"When I left Beijing, Wang Jingwei, the vice chairman of China's Supreme Council, agreed to meet with the Japanese ambassador to China. It seemed that they were going to discuss the Asian Alliance meeting in September, and that the Japanese navy would cooperate with China to build an escort aircraft carrier."

"Can Wang Jingwei represent Duan Xun?"

Molotov has information on Chinese politicians.

I also have some understanding of the political situation in China.But after all, I am far away in Moscow, and all I have are dead materials, so it is impossible to know everything.For many things, it is still necessary to listen to the opinions of Pan Youxin, the ambassador to China for many years, face to face.Pan Youxin immediately said: "Since China established the Supreme Council, China's political and military power has been in the hands of Duan Xun, chairman of the Supreme Council. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the department directly responsible for Duan Xun. The strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be Duan Xun He personally made the decision. Wang Jingwei is the vice-chairman of the Supreme Committee. It is impossible for such a political figure to meet with the Japanese ambassador and the German ambassador to discuss some important matters without Duan Xun’s consent. Therefore, Wang Jingwei’s meeting with the German ambassador, the German ambassador The meeting with the Japanese ambassador should be what Duan Xun meant."

"What does this mean in China?"

Molotov was lost in thought.

After thinking for a while, he still asked: "You said that while Duan Xun agreed to my invitation to visit, he was also negotiating with Germany and Japan. Did he not only want to use my country to get benefits from Germany and Japan, but also wanted to use Japan and Germany to gain benefits?" Give us a slap in the face?"

"Comrade Molotov, I think so too. Since the news that Comrade Molotov is coming to Beijing has circulated in diplomatic circles, the German and Japanese ambassadors have met with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs more frequently. China wants to use the We came to put pressure on Germany and Japan. But equally, they also want to use Germany and Japan to put pressure on us."

Those present were all aggrieved.

Very bad mood.

Because China is simply going too far, and this is all about trying to please both sides.Molotov also had a bad face at first, but gradually Molotov's face became calmer and calmer.Even Molotov was quick to laugh.

Several people were surprised.