Beiyang reactionaries

"Yes."

Wang Jingwei nodded.

But immediately said: "Apart from these things, the Earl of Halifax, the British ambassador to the United States, secretly visited Minister Wang (Wang Zhengting)."

Halifax, British Foreign Secretary under Chamberlain.

Although he has been criticized for his appeasement policy, this person's diplomatic ability is still very good, and this person's background is also good.So after Churchill became the British Prime Minister, Halifax was sent to the United States as the British ambassador to the United States.Mainly responsible for negotiating with the United States and seeking support from the United States.

Originally, after Chamberlain stepped down, the British royal family hoped that Halifax would be the prime minister of the United Kingdom.

"whats the matter?"

"It's still a problem with the British and Indian troops. The Battle of Mandalay is not going well at present, and the British and Indian troops have suffered heavy losses. It is only a matter of time before Mandalay is withdrawn. Once Mandalay is lost, more than half of Myanmar will be occupied by Japan. So the British and Indian troops have suffered heavy losses. The Indian army needs to be repaired and continue to expand, and needs more arms. The UK hopes to sign a larger arms agreement with us, asking us to continue to support the British and Indian troops. In addition to the traditional arms supply, the UK also hopes that we will give the British The Indian army provided trucks, medicines, flour, canned meat, cigarettes, etc. Although Halifax is only the ambassador to the United States, he said that he can take full responsibility for this matter. And he was worried that the Japanese would know, so he secretly visited Minister Wang. "

Li Jishen answered the content of the negotiations between Wang Zhengting and Halifax.

Because this involves the arms trade, Li Jishen is in charge.Therefore, the content of Wang Zhengting's report will finally go to Li Jishen's side.

"Is there any money in Britain now?"

Duan Xun was very puzzled.

Before, the British and Indian troops had sold their assets in China for the sake of arms, and only then did they pay for the arms.In Britain now, money is used everywhere to support the British and Indian troops.

If it weren't for the "Lease Act" of the United States, even the British mainland would lack a large amount of arms supplies.Is the UK ready to continue selling their assets in China?After the last big sale of assets in China, the UK's largest asset in China is currently the assets of the British Swire Group in China.

Swire Group has huge assets in China because of its good relationship with the Chinese government.

"The UK is ready to sell their overseas assets."

"Which assets?"

The United Kingdom has been a world hegemon for many years and has a profound heritage.

Not to mention their colonies all over the world, the wealth they have accumulated overseas over the years is very considerable.Not to mention other invisible assets, the company stocks owned by British companies in various countries in the world alone are worth more than 100 billion U.S. dollars.Converted to gold, it is worth tens of thousands of tons.Not to mention other places, the assets owned by Britain in China easily exceeded US$10 billion at its peak.

With the outbreak of World War II, Britain has sold many overseas assets.

"The British government forcibly expropriated the stocks issued by American companies in the hands of its citizens, and promised to compensate the stock owners after the war. The value of this part of the stock is about 5 million U.S. dollars, but the United Kingdom is willing to transfer these stocks to us at a price of 3 million U.S. dollars. .In addition to this part of the stock, the UK is willing to take out 150 tons of gold from Canada to strengthen cooperation with my country."

"During the last European war, Britain already sold a large number of assets in the United States. I didn't expect them to have so many assets in the United States. Which companies' stocks are they?"

"The stocks of large companies such as Newport News Shipbuilding Company, Coca-Cola Company, and Hershey Chocolate Company have a total of 16 company stocks. In fact, the United Kingdom has sold about 8 million US dollars of stocks in the United States last year, and bought a lot of stocks from the United States. Less arms. This time, the situation in the Burmese campaign was unfavorable, and Britain was in a hurry, so it took such a move.”

The names of these companies, Field Xun, are just heard.

On the contrary, Coca-Cola Company is famous. Since World War II, it will be a company with amazing growth in the next six to seventy years.One of Buffett's most classic investments is buying Coca-Cola stock.

"You can talk."

After World War II, the U.S. economy boomed.

These British assets in the United States are very good assets.As the United States became the world's largest after World War II, and the U.S. economy developed rapidly after World War II, these assets will inevitably increase in value.American capital can invest in China, and China can also own assets in the United States.very normal thing.

"Tell the British that as long as they have money, they can sell whatever they want. Doesn't the UK have a lot of gold mines in South Africa? If the UK really has no money, it's the same to transfer these gold mines to us."

"Yes."

After reporting on Wang Zhengting's affairs in the United States, Li Jishen continued: "Chairman, after Cuikov returned to China, the Soviet Union promoted Nikolai Roshin, the former assistant military attache of the Soviet Union to China, as the Soviet military attache in China, and also served as the plenipotentiary representative of the Soviet Union in negotiating the import of materials. "

"It's a step up to the sky."

Duan Xun smiled.

Nikolai Roshin was originally only an assistant to the military attache stationed in China, that is, Chuikov's assistant.Unexpectedly, he became the military attache of the Soviet Union in China, and was also responsible for negotiating imported materials with China.He was even appointed as a plenipotentiary, which means reuse.

"Yes. I heard that the last time Molotov came to our country to negotiate, this Luo Shen performed very well, and Molotov remembered it. Molotov originally planned to let Luo Shen be the ambassador to China. Representative Luo Shen The Soviet Union once again made a request to our country to purchase a batch of materials."

"Buy a batch of supplies?"

"Yes. This time the Soviet Union wants to buy a batch of locomotives and carriages from our country. The number of locomotives has reached 1200, and 3 carriages are needed. There are also 2000 medium tanks and 8000 trucks. In addition to gold, the Soviet Union is willing to use Baikal Mortgage of lumber around the lake."

"That's a good thing."

Sure enough, there are more and more wars, and there are more and more businesses in China.As the saying goes, people can't get rich without windfall, and horses can't get fat without night grass.War creates wealth most rapidly.But Duan Xun quickly frowned and said, "It won't work if it goes on like this."

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"It won't work like this. Ren Chao (Li Jishen) was always responsible for these things before, but this is not a long-term solution. There are more and more things in this area. You can't be the vice chairman of the Supreme Committee to deal with these things every day. "

Duan Xun shook his head.

In 1940, more and more countries participated in the war, and the scale became larger and larger. Therefore, China exported more and more arms and military supplies.Even the current export volume of China's military supplies has exceeded the export volume of normal commercial trade.However, this kind of military supplies and arms trading is not a normal business after all, and some public opinion must be scrupled.So it's not an open sale, and even if everyone knows it, it has to be covered up, so Li Jishen has always been in charge of it personally.

But Li Jishen is the vice chairman of the Supreme Council after all.

Normal work is already busy.When the export of these arms and military supplies is not very large, Li Jishen has no problem handling them.But now there are more and more materials being exported, there are more and more various negotiations, and the diplomatic situation is becoming more and more complicated.If Li Jishen was allowed to continue to deal with it, Li Jishen would be exhausted to death.After all, Li Jishen is not superhuman.

"Chairman, I think we should set up a material committee to deal with these matters."

"Materials Committee?"

Duan Xun nodded.

Li Jishen's suggestion is good.With such a department, Li Jishen can get out of his busy work and deal with other issues.So Duan Xun asked: "How do you think the materials committee should be formed?"

"The material committee is not a simple commercial trade, it is related to various departments. Therefore, I think the material committee should be established jointly by the military committee, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Foreign Trade Bureau. It also needs the protection of the police department and the security department. "

"Makes sense."

Duan Xun turned his head and asked directly: "Vice Chairman Dai, who do you think is suitable to be in charge of the materials committee?"

"Lu Zuofu."

Dai Kan answered without the slightest hesitation.

But Duan Xun shook his head and said, "Deputy Director Song (Song Hanzhang) of the Economic and Development Committee will retire next year and take up the position of director of the Finance Committee. Lu Zuofu will succeed Deputy Director Song and serve as the deputy director of the Economic and Development Committee. As long as the Material Committee is established , It is impossible to revoke before the end of the war, Lu Zuofu is not suitable."

Lu Zuofu is indeed suitable for this position.

Born as a businessman, after defecting to Duan Xun, he became a young cadre whom Duan Xun admired very much.After being appreciated by Duan Xun, he began to make a fortune in the political world rapidly.Served as the director of Wanxian Special Zone, the mayor of Chongqing, the governor of Yunnan, and was promoted to the Foreign Trade Bureau. The 47-year-old Lu Zuofu is Duan Xun's favorite candidate for future prime minister.If Lu Zuofu was not only five years younger than Duan Xun, Lu Zuofu would definitely become Duan Xun's successor.

Song Hanzhang is 69 years old this year and will be 70 next year.

In the current cabinet, Zhang Lan and Zhang Lan are the oldest, and they are both planning to retire next year.After Song Hanzhang resigns from his current position, he will serve as the director of the Financial Committee.The Financial Commission is not considered a government department, but an adviser to the cabinet and the Bank of China, helping the cabinet and the Bank of China to make suggestions in the financial field.The members of the Financial Committee are all figures who, like Song Hanzhang, have had great influence in China's finance.Song Hanzhang worked in a bank in his early years, later served as the minister of the Ministry of Commerce, and finally served as the deputy director of the Economic Development Commission. He has a deep understanding of China's finance and economy.Although he retired due to age, he can still shine in the Financial Committee and serve as a staff member for the cabinet and the Bank of China.After Song Hanzhang retired, Duan Xun wanted Lu Zuofu to take his place as deputy director of the Economic and Development Commission.So I immediately shook my head.

Dai Kan nodded, thought for a while and said, "Chen Guangfu is suitable."