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-width: 100%;}Chapter 268 Reverse Colonization with Taiping Rebellion Characteristics (Please vote, please order)
Prince Wu's Mansion, Britain - the scene of friendly consultations between diplomatic representatives of the Taiping Rebellion.
Luo Yaoguo: "Mr. Wen, our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is different from the Qing Yao. We are willing to trade and interact with all foreign countries on the principle of equality and reciprocity. However, any treaty that unilaterally pays benefits to us is unacceptable, and it is also unacceptable.
It cannot be maintained in the long term. The "Treaty of Nanjing" is such an unsustainable treaty in which China pays unilateral benefits."
Wenxian: "Your Highness King Wu, we in Britain are different from the Manchus. We have no ambitions for China's territory. What we pursue in the Far East are only trade interests, and China is a huge market with a vast territory.
With a large population, if the market can be opened to the UK, it will definitely bring huge benefits to both of us."
Luo Yaoguo: "Mr. Wen, you must understand the fact that although China has a vast territory and a large population, its vast territory is not rich in gold and silver that can be used as international hard currency. A large number of people have already arrived in China.
The upper limit of what can be carried. In fact, China can cultivate
There is not as much land for cultivation as there is in India. This is because China has few plains and too many mountains, plateaus and deserts, and the Northeast has not been developed due to the Qing Dynasty's embargo policy. So the market that you British expect is several times that of India.
It doesn’t exist. China has a large population but lacks the ability to pay.”
Wenxian: "Your Highness King Wu, China has a huge amount of silver, with a total of three to four billion taels. How can you say that China has no ability to pay?"
Luo Yaoguo: "Although there is a large amount of silver circulating in China, it is accumulated from hundreds of years of participation in international trade, not produced in China. The outflow of millions of silver every year will inevitably cause a decline in China's domestic currency.
Severe austerity and an increasingly depressed economy. In addition, apart from China, which major country in the world is now implementing the silver standard? It seems that there is not one? Your UK has been on the gold standard for a long time. In fact, the value of silver is not imported from China
Rather, it is financed by China’s exports
It is supported. The greater China's surplus, the more stable the value of silver. The greater China's deficit, the lower the value of silver. At present, more than a dozen taels of silver can be exchanged for one tael of gold. If China's silver flows out in large quantities, then
Maybe it will be more than a hundred taels in the future
Silver is exchanged for one tael of gold. If Britain wants to export more goods to China, the best way is to restore the gold and silver composite standard and increase the value of silver! Instead of dumping large amounts of harmful opium into China, which will only
China is falling into extreme poverty more rapidly."
Wen Xian: "China may be able to produce more high-value crops, such as cotton."
Luo Yaoguo: "If China wants to exchange enough cheap cash crops for Indian opium or British industrial products, it will inevitably reduce the production of food rations, which will mean that a large number of people will starve to death! And once such a situation occurs, No regime can maintain its rule. Not even the Qing Yao, nor the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom."
Wen Xian: "Maybe what China needs is good governance and necessary reforms. Britain has rich experience in this area and can provide advice and help to the Taiping Rebellion."
Luo Yaoguo: "What China needs is not gentle reforms, but a violent revolution! But the idea of ​​opening up the Chinese market and obtaining huge trade surpluses for a long time is completely unrealistic. This cannot be done through China's internal reforms. For example, the reforms implemented by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in accordance with the "Chinese Land Acre System" will not create the market you want at all, because when the land is divided equally, the agricultural products that could have been sold and used to buy opium and British industrial products will not be able to create the market you want. It became food for the poor. The changes caused by the Taiping Rebellion could actually provide more people."
Wen Xian: "Your view may be right, but the British side does not think so. They will still actively seek partners with whom they can cooperate. If you cannot let them see the possibility of cooperation, they will look for others."
Luo Yaoguo: "Then let them look for it. Their efforts are bound to fail."
In Nanjing, in Prince Wu's Mansion, negotiations are still going on.
Luo Yaoguo was still hiding in the shadows, while Wenxian and Witoma got a desk and two chairs near the entrance of the lobby, where they could sit facing Luo Yaoguo. Witoma also spread out a notebook , serving as a translator and recording at the same time.
Hong Xuanjiao, Wang Yan, and Chen Chengrong were sitting on both sides of the lobby, with desks and chairs belonging to them. The three of them took turns serving as Luo Yaoguo's Hakka translator.
In addition, several clerks from Prince Wu's Mansion also set up tables and chairs on both sides of the lobby and were writing furiously, recording the contents of the negotiations between the two parties intact.
Although the negotiations were conducted in a friendly atmosphere, they inevitably reached a deadlock. It was not that Bonham and Wetoma wanted any benefits, but that they had to find a way to deal with London.
When faced with increasingly serious social conflicts at home, the men in the London Assembly like to shift the conflicts outward, especially to a country as big, weak and seemingly fat as China.
After the First Opium War tore off the Chinese empire, they became more and more vocal. They were very dissatisfied with the decline in Britain's surplus from China in recent years, and they were all gearing up to further open up China. Market gate.
If Bonham brings them a treaty of "equality", the British minister plenipotentiary will have to be criticized as a British traitor!
Bonham's backer, Viscount Palmerston, was also a well-known foreign hardliner. He was responsible for invading China, dismantling the Vienna System and starting a war with Russia.
In addition, "opium houses" such as Jardine Matheson & Co. and Poshun & Co. also spread a lot of pounds in the House of Commons, so the hard-liners in the House of Commons who are anti-China are very vocal. As for those who are friendly to China, there are almost none.
"Your Highness King Wu," Wen Xian said with a frown, "the efforts that you think are doomed to failure can actually win short-term political dividends for some people. And most of the time, they will not bear the consequences of failure, but the people of the future! And We now need to reach an agreement that is acceptable to London, even if it is impossible to fulfill."
What he said was so obvious that Witoma didn't even know whether to translate it.
"Thomas, translate as I said. We need political achievements, and Viscount Palmerston also needs political achievements."
Of course Luo Yaoguo listened to what he said word for word.
As for Wenxian's difficulties and the position of the British Parliament, he had long expected it. Otherwise, he would not have hired Luo Xueyan to act as a buffer in Shanghai.
If we want the gentlemen of the British Parliament to vote seriously, the magic power of this "devil" is still not enough, at least not enough now. If we can "transform" the gold mines and Kimberley diamond mines in South Africa, there may be some hope.
At this time, Wenxian's words had changed into Hakka.
Luo Yaoguo did not intend to continue arguing with Wenxian, but came up with a plan he had planned long ago to fool both parties.
Luo Yaoguo: "Minister Wen, diplomatic negotiations are usually quite lengthy. It is simply unrealistic to achieve the final result through one or several negotiations. You arrived in Tianjing this time and met with me, the person responsible for the Western Affairs of the Kingdom of Heaven. Military advisors, if we can reach a temporary agreement, we can make breakthroughs in some aspects, and maintain contact on aspects that the two sides cannot agree on for the time being, this will be a huge achievement!"
Wen Xian: "So, in what areas can we make breakthroughs?"
Luo Yaoguo: "First, establish consulates in each other's country. The United Kingdom can set up a consulate in the location of my royal palace, which is currently Kunshan and will be Suzhou in the future. The Taiping Rebellion hopes to set up a consulate in Singapore, the capital of the Straits Settlements, to protect Chinese expatriates and merchants in Southeast Asia. legitimate rights and interests.”
Wen Xian: "There is no problem with this. Diplomatic agencies should be mutually established."
Luo Yaoguo: "Second, the two sides signed an agreement on free trade and labor export. British merchants and all goods except opium can freely enter and exit Suzhou, Songjiang and Taicang under the control of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Correspondingly, all goods within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's jurisdiction Laborers and merchants can also freely enter and exit the Straits Settlements. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needs to ensure the property and personal safety of British merchants in the areas controlled by Suzhou, Taicang, and Songjiang. The British side should also protect the property and personal safety of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom workers and merchants in the Straits Settlements. Mr. Wen, if your Straits Settlements want to develop, you must introduce a large number of Chinese workers. I think this will be beneficial to you, right?"
Wen Xian: "It should be acceptable to London."
Luo Yaoguo: "Third, the two sides signed an agreement to protect missionaries. British missionaries can freely preach and open churches in Suzhou, Taicang, and Songjiang areas controlled by the Wu Palace, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will provide corresponding protection. And the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom worships God.
Missionaries can also preach and open churches in the Straits Settlements, and the British side should also provide corresponding protection. Is Mr. Wen's clause acceptable to London?"
Wen Xian frowned, always feeling that this "angel" was digging a hole for himself! But this rule is indeed very fair! Why can the Anglican Church preach in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but the Chinese God Worshipers can't preach in the Straits Settlements?
Preach?
"Yes!" He nodded, "I think London can accept it, but what about the Treaty of Nanjing?"
Luo Yaoguo: "We can discuss it slowly. When I open the Westernization Military Advisor's Office in Suzhou, we will discuss it in detail."
Chapter completed!