mesbooks Chapter 621 The Vikings Are Coming
Chapter 621 The Vikings Are Coming
The Nanyang Expeditionary Force made rapid progress in the Ryukyu Islands.
The second group of troops, mainly natives, also boarded the transport ship to Ryukyu.
At this moment, an important meeting is taking place in Nanyang.
On one side is the emerging leader of the United States of Nanyang, Zhang Chi, and his diplomatic, economic and trade officials.
On the other side was Mr. Gunnar Hagrof, the special envoy from the Kingdom of Sweden, a senior diplomat and industrialist representative who came from afar.
Mr. Hargrove is about fifty years old, tall and thin, with meticulously combed gray hair. He wears a well-tailored dark suit and has a Nordic style of subtle elegance and shrewdness in his demeanor.
The country he represented, Sweden, was famous for its policy of armed neutrality throughout the world war.
However, Zhang Chi is well aware that this so-called neutrality is not without bias.
Sweden's high-quality iron ore, ball bearings, and precision industrial parts were continuously imported into the Third Reich through various channels, injecting indispensable blood into its war machine.
It can be said that this Viking country carries a bit of original sin.
Of course, the Allies would not launch a liquidation against Sweden.
At this moment, the war is nearing its end and the smoke of war in Europe has not yet completely dissipated, but wise minds have already begun to plan the post-war landscape.
Sweden's visionary Prime Minister Per Albin had already foreseen that with the arrival of peace, long-suppressed civilian demand would see a surge, and the global economy would inevitably recover and prosper.
The prices of oil, which is the lifeblood of industry, rubber, which is indispensable to the automotive industry, and tin ore, which is widely used in the electronics and tinplating industries, are bound to rise.
Coincidentally, this new and hot land of Nanyang, with its unique resource endowment - rich oil reserves, vast rubber plantations, and high-quality tin mines - became a supplier of raw materials of great strategic value in the eyes of Prime Minister Albin.
One of the core purposes of Special Envoy Hagrove's visit was to secure the supply of rubber, tin ore and oil for the next five to ten years at relatively favorable long-term agreement prices for Sweden's future industrial development.
After the greetings, both parties took their seats as host and guest.
Special Envoy Hagrove first expressed the Kingdom of Sweden's congratulations on the establishment of the United States of Southeast Asia and his appreciation for the leadership of General Zhang Chi in a tactful and elegant manner.
Zhang Chi expressed his admiration for Sweden's long industrial history and outstanding scientific and technological achievements.
The atmosphere is harmonious and friendly.
Soon, the topic turned to economic cooperation.
Special Envoy Hargrove skillfully introduced the topic of post-war economic recovery and took the opportunity to propose the idea of a long-term supply agreement for bulk raw materials.
“…Your Excellency, our country firmly believes that the advent of peace will usher in a new era of development.
The Swedish industrial sector is willing to establish a solid, mutually beneficial long-term partnership with resource-rich emerging countries like Southeast Asia.
Especially in the fields of rubber, tin and oil, we hope to reach a forward-looking framework agreement with your country..."
He spoke sincerely and did not directly lower the price, but the implication in his words was very clear.
They hoped to take advantage of the opportunity when Nanyang was just established and urgently needed to open up the international market and gain recognition to reach a long-term agreement at a relatively "friendly" price.
Under normal circumstances, emerging countries would probably be ecstatic and eager to make a deal when faced with an olive branch extended by a European industrial power like Sweden.
But Zhang Chi is no ordinary leader.
As a time traveler, he is well aware of the strategic value of the resources in his hands, and is even more aware of the changes in global supply and demand relations after the war.
Under the unique system of the United States of Southeast Asia, as the president, he has extremely high say and influence on the export and pricing of strategic bulk materials such as oil, rubber, and tin.
He did not directly respond to the price question, but smiled slightly and changed the subject:
"Special Envoy Hargrove, Sweden's industrial achievements have attracted worldwide attention, especially your country's strength in precision manufacturing and military technology, which is truly admirable."
He said as if he knew everything:
“SAAB’s fighter jet designs are unique;
Kockums' submarine construction technology is world-class;
Bofors' anti-aircraft guns and naval guns are of outstanding performance and are renowned worldwide.
Even your country’s tank designs incorporate unique Nordic wisdom, even for army equipment.”
A hint of surprise flashed in Special Envoy Hargrove's eyes. He didn't expect that this young leader far away in Southeast Asia had such a detailed and in-depth understanding of Sweden's industry, especially its military industry.
Zhang Chi sneered inwardly. As a military fan in later life, he had seen many videos and articles on the Internet about Sweden, a small but sophisticated industrial power.
Even during the Cold War, the Swedes were quite advanced in tanks and jet fighters.
In his War Thunder system, the Swedish technology tree includes excellent fourth-generation light fighters such as the JAS-39 Gripen fighter and land combat vehicles such as the CV9040 infantry fighting vehicle, which are popular in Europe.
That's right, he was attracted by the Swedes' industrial strength.
He deliberately leaned forward slightly, showing great interest and said:
"Nanyang is rich in resources, but its industrial base, especially heavy industry and precision manufacturing, is still in its infancy. We are eager to learn and cooperate, rather than simply sell raw materials."
Then, Zhang Chi proposed a plan that surprised Hargrove:
"I believe that our cooperation can take a deeper and more three-dimensional approach.
That is, industrial projects and technological cooperation in exchange for a stable supply of raw materials.”
“Specifically, Nanyang is willing to provide Sweden with a long-term and stable supply of rubber, oil, and tin ore needed by your country at preferential prices.
At the same time, we also hope that Sweden can export relevant industrial technologies and finished products to us, and even jointly invest in some projects.”
Zhang Chi paused, and seeing that Hagroft seemed quite interested, he added a seemingly mundane but crucial point:
"Of course, in addition to these strategic materials, Nanyang's agricultural products, such as coconuts, corn, and tropical fruits, are of excellent quality and abundant in production. We also hope that they can find a place in the Swedish and even Nordic markets."
Zhang Chi specifically emphasized agricultural products, and it was not a casual mention.
Nanyang has a large agricultural population, good weather and improved agricultural technology, resulting in bumper harvests year after year, leading to signs of oversupply of some agricultural products.
If the international market cannot be opened in time, it will inevitably lead to "low grain prices hurting farmers", dampen enthusiasm for agricultural production, and even affect social stability.
Including agricultural products in a package of cooperation agreements is an important means of utilizing the needs of industrial countries and feeding back to their own agriculture.
The "industry for resources" model proposed by Zhang Chi exceeded his initial expectations.
This requires Sweden to export some industrial projects that may involve sensitive technologies.
But he quickly weighed the pros and cons.
The market potential of Southeast Asia, the extreme importance of a stable supply of raw materials to Sweden's post-war economy, and the preferential price promises made by the other party...
Moreover, for Sweden, exporting some relatively mature rather than cutting-edge technologies in exchange for long-term stable strategic resources is not unacceptable, and may even be a good deal.
As for agricultural products, although their added value is not as high as that of industrial products, opening up new import channels and enriching the Swedish market are also in line with national interests.
"Your Excellency the President's proposal... is very constructive," Special Envoy Hargrove responded cautiously. "I believe our country's industrial sector will be very interested in this model of in-depth cooperation. We can have in-depth discussions on specific technological areas and joint projects."
The atmosphere of the talks became more heated.
Then, the topic inevitably turned to the larger international situation.
Special Envoy Hargrove mentioned the preparatory meeting for the UN's founding conference to be held in San Francisco and subtly expressed his concerns about the future situation in Europe.
"Despite Sweden's commitment to a policy of permanent neutrality," Special Envoy Hargrove said frankly.
"But we must be realistic and see that the end of the war is not the end of the contradictions. Certain...huge, ideologically divergent forces are redrawing the borders of Europe."