mesbooks Chapter 574 "Sharing the Loot"
Chapter 574 "Sharing the Loot"
On February 4, the heavy doors of Livadia Palace were closed, blocking out the slightly salty and cold wind blowing from the Black Sea.
Inside the palace, the fireplace was burning brightly.
Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War was in sight, but in this former summer palace of the Tsar, a new "spoils division meeting" that would determine the post-war world order had just begun.
Zhang Chi was not invited into the core meeting room.
Sitting at the huge round table covered with a green tweed tablecloth are the "Big Three" representing the most powerful forces on the planet.
Luo Da, the commander of the White Eagle, sat in a wheelchair. Although he looked obviously sick, his eyes were still sharp.
The iron uncle of the Mao Bear, holding his iconic pipe, with a rock-hard will beneath his heavy marshal uniform;
John's Prime Minister never puts down his cigar, and the shrewdness of an old-fashioned imperialist is written all over his face.
Marshal Zhukov's army was now only 40 miles away from Berlin. The territorial division of Europe, the fate of Hans, and even the blueprint of the post-war world order would all be fiercely bargained here.
In essence, this is a naked division of interests among the great powers.
President Luo's idealistic blueprint - the "principle of consensus among major powers" and the still-infant United Nations (UN) - were superficial consensus, but the undercurrent beneath the table was a reshuffle of the spheres of influence of all parties.
Zhang Chi stood on the corridor on the second floor of the palace. Through the tall floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs soldiers wearing thick coats and armed with live ammunition patrolling in the snow outside.
Colonel Kozlov stood not far behind him like a shadow.
"The big powers share the spoils..." Zhang Chi muttered to himself, with the corners of his mouth raised.
He knew his position clearly. The United States of Southeast Asia, a newly emerged yet powerful force, was not yet strong enough to sit directly at the main table.
But being able to stand here and become the "special guest" of this top chess game is itself a silent declaration and a huge success.
He had nothing to do at the giants' meeting on the first day, but he was not idle either.
The Russian side sent Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Vyshinsky to hold formal talks with him in a side hall.
The talks covered a wide range of topics, including the establishment of formal diplomatic relations, the establishment of embassies, a post-war trade agreement between Southeast Asia and Russia, especially industrial equipment and technical experts urgently needed by Southeast Asia, and strategic materials such as rubber, tin ore, and sugar needed by Russia, as well as a rather sensitive issue - the possible joint development of oil fields in northern Persia.
Vyshinsky, who played an important role in the Great Purge, wore gold-rimmed glasses. His eyes were sharp behind the lenses and he spoke slowly, but each word seemed to be precisely weighed:
"Mr. Zhang Chi, we have noticed your rapid development in Southeast Asia. The Chinese people have a natural sympathy for all forces that resist fascist aggression and strive for national liberation. We are willing to establish equal bilateral relations with an independent, sovereign, anti-imperialist and anti-colonial United States of Southeast Asia."
Zhang Chi responded appropriately with a smile:
"Mr. Deputy Foreign Minister, the United States of Southeast Asia thanks the people of Russia for their sympathy and support. We also cherish our independence and are willing to develop friendly relations with all countries that uphold the principle of peaceful coexistence. We are open to trade. The rich natural resources of Southeast Asia and the strong industrial base of Russia can fully complement each other."
Vyshinsky changed the subject, probingly: "Of course, the basis for equal cooperation is non-interference in each other's internal affairs. We have noticed some...dissenting voices in Southeast Asia. Our country has always respected the right of people of all countries to choose their own path of development."
This statement seems neutral, but it actually contains hidden meaning, suggesting that the Russian bear has the ability to influence certain forces within Southeast Asia.
Zhang Chi sneered in his heart, but remained calm on the surface, and directly pointed out the core:
"Mr. Deputy Foreign Minister is absolutely right. Nanyang is pursuing national unity and stable development. We are willing to engage in trade and technological exchanges on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win results, including some technologies that we believe we can share but you do not have.
But I must be clear on one point: Southeast Asia will never become a frontier in any major power confrontation, whether a cold war or a hot war. We desire regional peace and development. As long as the Russian government does not publicly deny the legitimacy of the Southeast Asian regime and does not explicitly fund armed forces targeting it, everything else is negotiable.
His words were powerful and clearly drew a red line.
As for the future, Zhang Chi’s requirement is very simple. Nanyang must not become the front line of confrontation between the East and the West like Annan and Korea during the Cold War before he traveled through time.
Vyshinsky narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. Zhang Chi's directness and toughness were somewhat beyond his expectations.
So confident? As Ivanov said, this Nanyang founding father saw clearly the current Russian bear's weakness!
He was silent for a few seconds, as if weighing the pros and cons.
Uncle Steel's strategic focus is indeed in Europe and East Asia. Except for the red group that already has a foundation in northern Annan, the left-wing forces in other parts of Southeast Asia are indeed chips that can be discarded.
Using these chips in exchange for trade cooperation with Southeast Asia, especially the "special" technologies and stable supply of raw materials that the Russian Bear did not have, was a good deal for the Russian Bear, which was in ruins after the war.
"Mr. Zhang Chi speaks quickly." Vyshinsky smiled a formal smile. "Of course, our government respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Southeast Asian States. We welcome a stable and prosperous Southeast Asia. Regarding the principles you mentioned...
I believe we can reach a consensus based on candid communication. We can have the expert team discuss the specific technical catalogue and trade list in detail later."
The atmosphere of the talks changed from initial exploration to pragmatic.
Both sides understood each other's bottom line and needs. The subsequent discussion revolved around the specific scope of technology transfer. Zhang Chi deliberately threw out some "useless" technology that was at the early Cold War level but slightly better than Russia's civilian technology, the price of raw material procurement, and the initial intention of cooperation on the Persian oil field.
On the Persian issue, the Russians were happy to see Nanyang squeeze out the Johns, because Nanyang was obviously easier to talk to than the stubborn and confrontational Prime Minister Qiu.
Zhang Chi emphasized that they could discuss the profit sharing in detail, but the sovereignty of the oil fields must be guaranteed to belong to Persia. This would make it easier for him to manipulate the oil fields in the future.
When discussing the technology transfer list, Vyshinsky pointed to a technology for a "highly effective and low-toxic malaria prevention and treatment drug (improved version of quinine)" and asked with a hint of doubt:
"Mr. Zhang Chi, your country seems to have made considerable achievements in the prevention and treatment of tropical diseases. This technology... doesn't seem to be traditional?"
Zhang Chi remained calm. This was a new technology brought by the system, but of course he couldn't say it directly, so he made up a story in a serious manner:
"Mr. Deputy Foreign Minister, the jungles of Southeast Asia are dense and infested with mosquitoes. Our soldiers and workers operate in harsh environments, requiring extremely high health requirements. Therefore, we have invested heavily in tropical medicine research and development. It can be considered... 'survival technology' for our unique national conditions. After all, a healthy workforce is the foundation of development, isn't it?"
Vyshinsky nodded thoughtfully, as if accepting this statement.
At the end of the talks, the two sides signed a preliminary memorandum.
Vyshinsky stood up and shook hands:
"Mr. Zhang Chi, you are a pragmatic and visionary leader. Congratulations on the tremendous military progress your army has made on the island of Sumatra, eliminating the Japanese fascists entrenched there. Looking forward, I hope our cooperation will have a bright future."
Sure enough, the Russians had good intelligence. Operation Thunderbolt was launched only two days ago, and the landing of one Marine Division, two Infantry Divisions, one Armored Division, and one Parachute Brigade had just captured the city of Palembang (later renamed Old Port), the port, and the surrounding oil fields, and the Russians knew about it.
However, from what I hear, Russia has at least expressed an "uncertain opposition" to the Nanyang invasion and occupation of Sumatra, which is very good.
Zhang Chi responded with a smile: "I look forward to it too, Mr. Vice Foreign Minister. Peace and development are our common goals."
Walking out of the side hall, Zhang Chi breathed a sigh of relief. He had passed the first level.
The previous founding ceremony was a deterrent using force to tell the Russian bear that the South Seas were not to be messed with.
Now, we are using some controllable technologies and raw materials to stabilize the Russian bear, gaining valuable strategic buffer space for Southeast Asia and avoiding premature involvement in the vortex of great power confrontation. This deal is worth it!