mesbooks Chapter 575 Meeting with Commander Luo in Person
Chapter 575 Meeting with Commander Luo in Person
That night, in Livadia Palace, in Commander Luo’s temporary study.
A fire roared in the fireplace, dispelling the chill of the Crimean winter night.
There were only two people in the study.
Zhang Chi sat in a comfortable armchair, looking at Commander Luo in the wheelchair.
The greatest and most controversial commander in the history of the White Eagles was wrapped in a thick blanket. His face looked extremely pale in the light of the fire, his eye sockets were sunken, and the veins on the back of his hand holding the armrest of the wheelchair were exposed.
The disease was ruthlessly eroding his body, but he still stubbornly straightened his back, with an almost paranoid fighting spirit burning in his eyes, like a tired but determined gladiator.
Zhang Chi sighed inwardly, thinking that this strong man might not have much time left.
Commander Luo in the wheelchair was also examining the young man in front of him.
Barely thirty years old and newly married, he was already the leader of tens of millions of people, controlling the richest and most strategically valuable land in Southeast Asia, and commanding an army that had made a great name for itself on the battlefields of Southeast Asia.
He broke the colonial order and built a whole new nation.
This is not simply luck, but a miracle created by amazing courage, skill and timing.
In the eyes of Commander Luo, Zhang Chi, like him, is essentially a "dictator" who holds absolute power and has the final say, but he is just wearing a different cloak.
"Mr. Zhang." Commander Luo's voice was a little hoarse, but he still had strength and carried his usual infectious charm. "I think this is just a private conversation between friends. Let's relax a little. There's no need for a translator, right? My Chinese is limited to 'hello' and 'have you eaten?' I hope your Angsa is good enough."
As the legal advisor to Chinatown tycoon Situ Meitang, General Luo's Chinese language skills are naturally not too bad.
However, since the other party requested it, Zhang Chi, who was blessed by the system, had no choice but to smile and say in fluent Ansa language: "As you wish, Mr. Grand Commander"
A flash of surprise flashed across Commander Luo's eyes, then turned into admiration: "Excellent! This saves us a lot of trouble."
"You're a great leader, and I'm a great leader too..." He adjusted his sitting position and wrapped the blanket tighter around him. "Well, let's get straight to the point. Zhang, what are your thoughts on the 'International Monetary Fund' (IMF) proposed at the Bretton Woods Conference? I heard you sent a very capable team to participate in the discussion."
Zhang Chi's mind was racing.
The temptation came.
President Luo saw clearly the original intention of establishing the IMF through the "God's perspective" of later generations.
To avoid repeating the mistakes of the Great Depression, the rigidity of the gold standard will lead to the prevalence of trade protectionism, which will only exacerbate the economic crisis.
Through adjustable fixed exchange rates (Bretton Woods system), monetary stability and economic policy autonomy were balanced, foreign exchange controls were eliminated, multilateral trade was promoted, and financial and technical assistance was used to help member countries (especially those severely affected by the war) recover and reduce the contagion of the crisis.
All of this seems beautiful, but at the same time, Commander Luo also has his own selfish motives. The core of his motives is to give White Eagle the greatest voice, making it the undisputed maker and leader of the post-war global economic rules.
But if Nanyang wants to develop rapidly, in addition to the revolutionary technology brought by the system, it also needs a large, even astronomical, injection of capital. Therefore, despite the drawbacks of joining the IMF, Nanyang must join.
"Mr. Franklin," Zhang Chi leaned forward slightly and spoke sincerely, "I believe the IMF's concept is a key pillar, perhaps even the cornerstone, of post-war world economic reconstruction. Before the war began, there were only 63 sovereign states in the world, and only three in the entire African continent."
"This is clearly abnormal and a relic of the colonial era. War destroys the old order, but it will also inevitably give rise to a new one. Old colonial empires like Gaul and John have been severely damaged, and the collapse of their colonial systems is a historical inevitability. In the next decade, the United Nations will likely have hundreds of member states."
He paused at the perfect moment, seeing the approval and a hint of satisfaction in the other person's eyes, and continued:
"And all of this, Mr. President, is largely the result of the new international order and anti-colonialism you advocated. These new nations are like toddlers. Some are well-endowed with resources, while others are extremely poor. Their self-sustaining capacities vary greatly.
If the IMF can truly function, it will be like an experienced doctor and generous donor, providing critical 'blood transfusions' and guidance when these countries are most vulnerable and in need of help, thus preventing them from sliding back into chaos or the arms of powerful forces due to economic collapse."
The smile on Commander Luo's face deepened. It was obvious that Zhang Chi's understanding of the IMF's positioning was highly consistent with his, and this flattery made him very comfortable.
After all, flattery never wears thin, especially when it comes from an equally strong young leader.
"Even in Southeast Asia." Zhang Chi changed the subject, his tone becoming pragmatic. "Although we have certain resources and industrial potential, post-war reconstruction, industrial upgrading, and improving people's livelihoods require massive, even astronomical, capital investment. Joining the IMF and international banks to access their potential financing channels and technical support is crucial for us."
Moreover, Mr. President, I firmly believe that only when the cake becomes bigger can everyone who shares the cake have enough to eat.
Nanyang aims to become a prosperous and stable regional economic engine.
When we develop ourselves, Nanyang is also very willing to help our neighboring smaller and less developed brothers through the IMF or other multilateral mechanisms and assume corresponding international responsibilities.
A prosperous Southeast Asia is in the interests of all, especially those of the White Eagles who are committed to global trade liberalization."
Commander Luo listened attentively, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest of his wheelchair.
He was impressed by Zhang Chi's honesty and foresight.
This young man clearly saw the importance of the IMF to emerging countries, and made no secret of the fact that Nanyang needed help. But what was even smarter was that he painted a beautiful prospect of "receiving help first, then helping others" and "making the cake bigger together", closely tying Nanyang's development to the global economic system dominated by the White Eagle.
This is much smarter and more pleasing than the pettiness of John and Gaul, or even the suspicion and resistance of the Russian bear.
"The trinity of stability, cooperation, and hegemony..." Commander Luo whispered, repeating a phrase Zhang Chi hadn't spoken explicitly but perfectly summed up his thoughts. A glint flashed in his eyes. "Zhang, you're very perceptive. The IMF's goal is precisely this: to repair chaos, promote cooperation, and lay the foundation for prosperity for all. Of course, this requires consensus and leadership from major economies."
He emphasized the word "leadership," referring to the White Eagle's central position.
"I am pleased to see that Nanyang, such an important emerging power, has such a constructive attitude towards this system. Your team's discussions on technical details were also very professional. White Eagle welcomes a responsible and development-oriented Nanyang to join the post-war international economic family."