"You're smart enough to know what I'm trying to say." Jin Zhenyu nodded, and suddenly asked a very critical question: "How can you guarantee that the Kokang Republican Army will ban drugs?"

Pang Jindong smiled slightly and asked rhetorically, "Why can't I guarantee it?"

In the face of Pang Jindong's rhetorical question, Jin Zhenyu was not annoyed, and expressed his doubts one by one: "First of all, the Kokang Republican Army has been smuggling drugs for decades, and when various drug trafficking gangs in the Golden Triangle were attacked one after another, they were the only ones who were safe and sound. I have every reason to doubt their resolve when other gangs declare that they are anti-narcotic, and secondly, the drug business over the years has given the Kokang IRA a taste of the benefits and formed a strong vested interest. If the decision is made to ban drugs, then how can these vested interests be appeased? Again, now is the time for the Kokang IRA to use the money, and I am afraid that they will be short-sighted. ”

Jin Zhenyu's doubts are very critical, but in the final analysis, it is actually one word "money".

Pang Jindong thought of the hundreds of millions of yuan in domestic aid, and suddenly realized that this kind of generosity was in fact spending money to buy stability, in exchange for the ban on domestic drugs, and to reduce the various criminal activities caused by it.

In the case of drugs, not only is it illegal to sell drugs, but it also extends to many criminal activities.

For example, once addicts cannot afford the huge cost of long-term drug use, they will inevitably take risks and raise drug funds through vicious crimes.

Over the years, drugs have de facto become a major destabilizing factor in domestic society, and the largest source of domestic drugs is the Golden Triangle.

Over the years, China has adopted many ways to solve the drug problem in the Golden Triangle, such as cracking down on drug production and trafficking across the border, or providing financial and technical support to local residents to change cash crops to replace the original opium poppy.

Pang Jindong even further suspected that one of the important factors in China's decision to support the Kokang Republican Army may be to control and change this poppy-blooming land.

In fact, China could have raised the issue of drugs at the beginning of the cooperation between the two sides, but at that time it pretended that there was no such thing and did not raise it until this moment.

Pang Jindong immediately felt that this was the wisdom of the political family, and in the beginning, the domestic anti-drug requirements would not have much influence.

Now that the cooperation between the two sides is getting closer and closer, and the Kokang Republican Army's dependence on the country is also increasing, it is clearly proposed at this time that the Kokang Republican Army will not agree.

Because he expected that drugs would become an obstacle between the two sides, Pang Jindong had already prepared the wording, and took them all out at this time: "I believe that General Jin can clearly realize that the Kokang Republican Army is different from other armed drug trafficking gangs, and those other gangs are in essence just some grass gangsters who occupy the mountains and are kings, and the wealth brought to them by the drug business is only for enjoyment." The Kokang Republican Army, on the other hand, has a clear political pursuit, and the drug business is only a means to help achieve the original goal. This essential difference is destined for the Kokang Republican Army to know how to make trade-offs. Since other gangs can resolutely fight drugs, let alone the Kokang Republican Army. ”

"But I fear that the Kokang Republican Army may put the cart before the horse, and use the wealth obtained in exchange for drugs as its own purpose, just like the Burmese Communist Party in the past. ”

Pang Jindong sighed: "The fundamental purpose of the Kokang Republican Army is to pursue the independence and freedom of the Kokang people, not to sell anything illusory. In other words, the goals of the Kokang Republican Army are very realistic and relatively easy to achieve. When I was in Changqing Mountain, I made it clear to senior military officials that we can accumulate wealth through drugs in the process of development, but when we truly establish a political power, we can no longer regard ourselves as drug dealers who will never be able to get on the table. ”

Jin Zhenyu nodded: "Well said." ”

"The general should be able to take into account that if the Kokang Republican Army has degenerated, this Kokang war will not be able to break out. ”

Pang Jindong actually knows very well in his heart that how to ban drugs will be a problem that the Kokang Republican Army needs to face for a long time, and the difficulty is not low.

These guarantees and analyses given by Pang Jindong are strictly speaking, very abstract, because there is no pertinence at all, let alone concrete.

However, Jin Zhenyu is still very satisfied with Pang Jindong's attitude: "In the past, you could sell drugs when you were short of money, but now that you have so much money, you shouldn't do foolish things anymore." ”

"It's best if the general understands it. ”

What Pang Jindong didn't expect was that Jin Zhenyu wanted to blame more than that: "Our society has three dangers, which are eroding people's bodies and minds at the same time, and these three dangers are pornography, gambling and drugs." In addition to drugs, the Kokang region also has another one - gambling. ”

Pang Jindong frowned slightly, and said regretfully: "I'm sorry, general, I don't know about this situation. ”

There is one thing about the Kokang area that Pang Jindong has not known so far, that is, the Kokang area has now become the largest gambling city around country Z.

When it comes to the gambling cities around country Z, many people will think of Macau, but in fact, the scale of MD here is not inferior.

Due to the convenience of entry and exit, close ties with all aspects of the country, etc., there are some unique conditions here.

The problem of gambling emerged with the anti-drug in northern Myanmar, and after the various armed gangs lost the source of money generated by drugs, they naturally turned their attention to gambling, and casinos flourished.

Macau casinos have visitors from all over the world, and although the majority of them are from country Z, MD's casinos are almost all from country Z.

The typical mode of operation of a casino is that it is protected by local armed forces, the owner is usually a citizen of country Z or an overseas Chinese MD, the staff is a country Z, and all the tourists are also from country Z.

As the saying goes, "nine out of ten gambles", gambling is fundamentally not a fair game, if you can rely only on luck, then there is fairness at all.

But on the same day, if someone is unlucky, then there must be someone who is lucky, so on average, it is just a zero-sum game for the casino.

So, luck doesn't actually play much of a role in this, otherwise casinos around the world wouldn't be able to thrive like that.

In fact, there are no people who really make a fortune by gambling, but there are people who go bankrupt because of gambling.

It is precisely because casinos can generate huge profits that they promote the economic development of MD-related regions, and this development directly leads to the outflow of a large amount of wealth from country Z, and this loss also has a twin brother is corruption.

Jin Zhenyu looked at Pang Jindong's confused expression, sighed and said, "No wonder you don't know, because the Kokang Republican Army has not yet been involved in this." In general, there are three major gambling cities in MD around the Yunnan border, one is Lao Cai, the capital of the First Special Zone of Shan State, the second is Mongla, the capital of the Fourth Special Zone of Shan State, and the third is Mai Zayang, an economic development zone of the Second Special Zone of Kachin State. Although it is impossible to calculate how much money flows to these places every year, it is certainly in the form of '100 million'. A considerable number of those who participate in gambling are party and government leading cadres, responsible persons of enterprises and institutions, and state public officials, and the corruption problems arising from this are quite alarming. ”

Jin Zhenyu's introduction has made the severity of the problem very clear, which made Pang Jindong gasp: "We will ban gambling like drugs!"

"In order to solve this problem, we have thought of many ways and coordinated the actions of various departments, the power department has stopped the power supply to overseas casinos, the communications department has interrupted the communication business services of overseas casinos, and closed the broadband network services of overseas casinos, the financial system has interrupted the financial services of overseas casinos, and the tourism department has stopped the business of issuing certificates for outbound one-day tours...... However, although these results are remarkable, they can only be temporary, not only causing losses to various domestic industries, but also closing the country is not a long-term solution. Jin Zhenyu sighed and said meaningfully: "The best way is to control it from the inside." ”

"I understand what the general means. ”

"Some time ago, the Yunnan side negotiated with various armed forces in northern Myanmar, and the other side promised to cooperate with our actions, and many casinos played signs that 'prohibit civil servants from gambling'. Jin Zhenyu shook his head helplessly: "It's just that, on the one hand, it is impossible for the casino to verify the identity of each guest; on the other hand, they will never let go of the money and not make money, and they still have to carry out some operations in secret, which is the same as drug trafficking." In fact, they are willing to agree to our request on the surface, which is already very face-saving. ”

When Jin Zhenyu said this, Pang Jindong secretly felt lucky, because the greater the negative impact of northern Myanmar on the country, the more the domestic government needs to support a unified and strong regime in northern Myanmar.

Laojie and Mengla, among the three major casinos, are all under the actual control of the Kokang Republican Army, and they can fully meet Jin Zhenyu's requirements.

Pang Jindong immediately assured: "We will deal with this problem." ”

"Don't talk too much, it's not as simple as you think. The closure of casinos has left many people without a source of money, and it is possible that they may return to their old business of drug trafficking. ”

"The general can rest assured that the future Kokang government will be exactly what our country needs, but ......" Pang Jindong looked at Jin Zhenyu's expression, and said slowly in a tentative tone: "I must make one point in advance, that is, we will not follow the example of China in ideology and political system." ”

After Pang Jindong said this, he was very worried that Jin Zhenyu would be furious. However, if this sentence is not said in the front, it will inevitably lead to a rupture between the two sides in the future.

The corners of Jin Zhenyu's mouth twitched twice, but he quickly regained his composure: "I understand, you can only do this, otherwise not only will internal dissidents oppose it, but they will also be wary of Western countries, which do not want another country like us to appear in this world." Sighing, Jin Zhenyu said helplessly: "This is a helpless reality, but we must accept it, and put the interests of the nation first." ”

Pang Jindong breathed a sigh of relief: "It's best if the general can understand." ”

Jin Zhenyu returned to his seat, his sharp eyes fell on Pang Jindong, and he made a small summary: "The Kokang Republican Army must work hard to deal with all the problems, defeat the MD government, and ban drugs and gambling." Otherwise, the state can prop up the Kokang Republican Army, which can also be quickly brought down. ”

The meeting lasted only about an hour, but it was the third time that Jin Zhenyu had made a similar warning, which made Pang Jindong's heart feel very uncomfortable.

However, thinking about it calmly, Pang Jindong can also understand that General Jin Zhenyu has difficulties, and the risks he faces are far greater than his own.

Kim Jin-woo's support for the Kokang Republican Army under tremendous pressure is bound to offend the appeasement faction at the top, and the number of these people is bound to be quite large, and once a full-scale counterattack is launched, he will suffer a heavy price.

The only way to stop the appeasement faction from counterattacking is to prove the right policy towards the Kokang Republican Army, so it can be said that Kim Jin-woo is desperate at the moment.

Once the struggle of the Kokang Republican Army fails, Pang Jindong can continue to be the chairman of the Imperial Holding Group, and he will inevitably lose a qiē, including power and honor.

At that time, Kim Jin-woo will not only never be able to turn over, but may also become a negative example to remain in history.

In addition to Kim Jin-woo's personal honor, the AKA has important symbolic significance and will have an impact on the country's foreign and defense policy for at least one or two decades in the future.

A victory for the Kokang IRA would mean that the impact would be positive, while defeat would mean that the impact would be negative.

Pang Jindong suddenly felt that the burden on his shoulders was much heavier: "General, I believe that we can be honest with each other in a military style, so I don't want to make any empty guarantees, I just hope that the general will have the patience to look at our table." ”

"Good. Jin Zhenyu nodded and sighed again, as if he had aged a lot.

Originally, this conversation could have ended here, but Pang Jindong suddenly remembered something.

This matter should not have been raised to Jin Zhenyu, but in the absence of any other way, Pang Jindong could only say it: "General, I want to ask about a private matter." ”

"What private matter?" Jin Zhenyu's brows suddenly twisted, and his tone became a little surprised, very strange that there would be any private matters to talk about between himself and Pang Jindong: "Is it your private matter, or mine?"

"It's not all...... Pang Jindong smiled to himself and replied, "I want to know how Lingling is doing." ”

"Oh, you're asking Lingling......" Hearing Pang Jindong's question, Jin Zhenyu's tone was very flat: "Since you two are good friends, why don't you know yet?"

Jin Zhenyu's words made Pang Jindong feel very embarrassed, but he had to say: "I called her several times, but the phone was always turned off!"

"Why don't you call home?"