The rise of great powers: starting from military industry

Of course, there is another obvious problem with the Mecca-Maiti high-speed rail project, which is the weak roadbed in the desert geological environment.

Since the sand layer in the dune area is basically wind-deposited sand, the dry density in the natural state is generally around 1.4g/cm3, the wet density is generally around 1.5g/cm3, and the natural moisture content is extremely low, between 1% and 5%. It is composed of single, uniform and fine particles. Its silt clay content is small, its permeability coefficient and specific surface area are large, its cohesion is weak, its looseness is strong, its water retention is poor, its water stability is strong, and it is difficult to directly bear weight. Not only will it cause difficulties in material transportation and large-scale machinery and equipment operations, most conventional methods of roadbed base reinforcement are not suitable for sand dune roadbed base treatment.

It can be said that Saudi Arabia’s plan to invest US$60 billion in the Mecca-Maiti high-speed rail project is so high because Saudi Arabia finds these problems difficult to solve, and based on Saudi labor costs and material prices, US$60 billion is only a meager amount. profit.

In fact, Saudi Arabia doesn’t have many options for high-speed rail.

Only Japan, Germany, France and China have mastered high-speed rail technology in the world. Even the United States has not mastered high-speed rail technology. The huge United States does not have high-speed rail.

Naturally, Saudi Arabia has not made any preparations. Saudi Arabia has specially formed a team to travel to Germany, France, Japan, and China to experience riding high-speed trains, and then make tentative inquiries.

In terms of experience, the Huaxia High-speed Railway is the strongest.

Moreover, the total mileage of China's high-speed railways is longer than the total mileage of high-speed railways in Germany, France, and Japan, with advanced and mature technology.

In terms of exploratory inquiries, Germany and France believe that the Mecca-Maiti high-speed rail requires US$120 billion, while Japan believes that it requires US$100 billion.

As for China, there is no objection to the US$60 billion offer.

When Liu Tao saw Prince Sultan taking the initiative to mention the Mecca-Maiti high-speed rail, a smile appeared on his face. He already knew in his heart that this high-speed rail project would undoubtedly fall on China.

That's not just the cost of 60 billion US dollars. Liu Tao also saw the purchase cost of high-speed rail trains, as well as the corresponding technical service fees, training fees, maintenance fees, etc. Although these costs do not earn much at one time, they are better in the long run. It is a business that can last for decades.

As for the problems that the project needs to solve, as long as there is a problem, there is a way to solve it.

You just need to take the time and put your mind to it and you can solve the problem.

However, Liu Tao is not only thinking about the Mecca-Maiti high-speed rail, but also the Riyadh subway in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia plans to build a subway and is currently planning a subway.

In this regard, it is naturally a piece of fat.

Not to mention too much, Riyadh alone needs 6 to 8 high-speed railways, and the total investment involved is at least tens of billions of dollars.

Liu Tao needs more projects to support Panshan Group.

There will be some construction in the mainland, but the total investment in the mainland is very tight, and the earnings are small. It is really hard-earned money, and it is far less profitable than participating in project construction overseas.

In terms of construction, Panshan Group is not all located in China, but walks on two legs, half of which is domestic and half of which is abroad.

Construction abroad is mainly in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the South Asian subcontinent.

As for Europe and the United States, Panshan Group rarely participates.

Because these projects in Europe and the United States are often created by interest groups, it is not easy to seize other people's territory.

Unless there is cooperation, Panshan Group works hard to build, earn some money, and give more profits to other interest groups.

But outside of Europe and the United States, it's different.

Even in poor countries, as long as they have valuable things and they really want to build, Panshan Group can cooperate with them.

It may not make money at the beginning, but other aspects of development will make money later.

In rich countries like Saudi Arabia, the profits from construction projects are huge.

Saudi Arabia feels that the US$60 billion Mecca-Maiti high-speed rail project is almost unprofitable, and even if it does make money, the profit will be very small. But for Panshan Group, the profit will be huge.

As for weapons, the trade volume will continue to decline, and it will be difficult to make large purchases like the previous decade or so. Liu Tao began to shift his attention to engineering construction, commodity trade and other aspects.

Arms trade and civilian trade must be grasped with both hands, and both hands must be strong.

Like engineering, no matter how hard it is, as long as you can make money, you can do it.

Even if you don't make money, as long as you can provide your employees with opportunities to make money, then it's not impossible to consider.

"His Majesty the King, His Royal Highness the Prince, and gentlemen, we agree to export high-end machine tools to you. If you need it, we can even provide you with five-axis processing machine tools." Liu Tao smiled and said, "As long as you need the production line, We can provide you with everything we have.”

"Including petrochemical equipment, there is no problem!"

King Fahd and others looked at each other and immediately saw the benefits.

Sure enough, cooperation in this area still depends on Panshan Group.

As long as you spend money, you can break open the door of Panshan Group, and Panshan Group will dare to sell as long as it has what it has.

In this closed-door meeting, everyone can say whatever they want without any inhibitions. If you want anything, just ask it directly. There will be no press conference, so there is no need for complicated matters.

Liu Tao seemed very magnanimous, even though he was not optimistic about Saudi Arabia's industrialization.

Because Saudi Arabia has no industrial base.

Saudi Arabia is essentially a country composed of a nomadic tribal alliance.

Before being supported by Britain and separated from the Ottoman Empire, the Bedouins were a group of nomads who had not yet entered the era of agricultural civilization.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ibn Saud, the leader of the Saudi family, established diplomatic relations with most of the Arabian Peninsula after more than 20 years of tribal conquest wars under the banner of Wahhabi Islam, and finally established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the Saudi family as the core of rule in 1932.

The establishment of the Saudi Arabian state has a huge impact on the Arabian Peninsula. Since ancient times, there has been a lack of practice in the form of "national organization" or "national regime" in the Arabian Peninsula.

Even if Saudi Arabia established a country, it was not a country in the modern sense, but a political system of religious and secular integration ruled by the Saudi Arabian family. In the decades since the founding of Saudi Arabia, no matter how the regimes of other Middle Eastern countries have changed or how the international situation has changed, Saudi Arabia has always maintained the traditional family-ruled political system and achieved the transition of royal power within the Saudi family in a stable political environment.

It's not that Saudi Arabia doesn't have internal conflicts, but because of the oil trade, the Saudi royal family has become richer and richer, and they use money to ease internal conflicts.

Especially in the past decade, the social welfare of Saudi citizens is very high. With high social welfare, life is not hard. No matter what conflicts there are, they are not particularly sharp life-and-death conflicts. They can be discussed and resolved.

In this case, how should Saudi Arabia industrialize?

Light industry is not good, and heavy industry is hopeless!

Saudis are willing to work in factories as workers! ?

Liu Tao doesn't believe it!