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At this time, three people walked out of the big villa, and Bush Jr. immediately led Wei Xiong forward: "Please allow me to accept my family. ”

The woman who looks like she is in her thirties is Bush's wife, Laura.

Among the two old men, the graceful-looking old woman is none other than tomorrow's birthday boy, Barbara Bush, the wife of the current president of the United States.

Wei Xiong stood in front of the old woman.

He bowed slightly to the old man with Western etiquette: "Dear Mrs. Bush, allow me to extend my deepest greetings to you. ”

For this woman, who was later called the 'grandmother of America', Wei Xiong has great respect.

It is said that behind every successful man there is a woman who pays silently for it, and Barbara Bush is undoubtedly such a woman.

With her support, not only did her husband become the president of the United States, but her son also became the president of the United States.

This is unique in American history.

Barbara Bush nodded with a smile and said, "Sure enough, an excellent young man, you are very welcome to Texas." ”

"This is my birthday present to you. ”

Wei Xiong turned around and took a small gift box from Chen Mengyao's hand and handed it to the old woman, although tomorrow was the other party's birthday.

But after so many years at the party, it is obviously inappropriate to send it when the time comes.

In fact, it is a birthday party held by the upper class like this, and the invited guests usually send someone to send gifts in advance.

"Thank you for the gift. ”

Barbara Bush reached out to take the gift, and she used both hands, which is a basic courtesy, and it shows who she is.

"That's as it should be. ”

After Barbara Bush, there is only one old man left, and he is the current President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush.

"Hello Mr. Bush, congratulations on becoming the 41st President of the United States. ”

The two shook hands, and the elder Bush smiled and said, "I'm sorry that I didn't invite you to my inauguration because of some concerns." ”

"It's nothing, George has already told me. ”

Wei Xiong shrugged his shoulders and said indifferently: "Actually, I also think that at what time, it may not be appropriate for me to appear there. ”

"Hehe, please inside. ”

After entering the villa, Wei Xiong first sat in the living room with Bush Sr. and Bush Jr., and then went to the dining room to have lunch with the Bush family.

Obviously, in order to entertain him, the Bush family specially prepared a sumptuous lunch.

After lunch, Bush Sr. went back to his study because he still had business to do, while Bush Jr. suggested that Wei Xiong go to rest and fall from jet lag.

But Wei Xiong refused.

With his physical fitness, there is no need for the so-called jet lag. Seeing this, Bush Jr. was not reluctant and took Wei Xiong to his study.

The two sat down on the couch, and after a while, a maid came in with two cups of coffee.

After the maid went out and the door of the study was closed again, Wei Xiong continued the topic just now: "I think the growth of international oil prices will still be the general trend. ”

"Although there will be twists and turns, the trend will not change. ”

"You think the same as me, the global industry is developing rapidly, especially the automotive industry, and the progress of developing countries. ”

"These are all fuels for the increase in oil prices. ”

Petroleum is known as the blood of industry, and since the end of the 19th century, when oil was applied to industry on a large scale, it has become the driving force for the progress of human civilization.

For 100 years, no energy source has been able to replace its position.

Although some developed countries are already looking for new energy sources, such as nuclear, solar, wind and even water for daily use.

However, these technologies are either immature or too expensive to be widely used.

So for the foreseeable decades to come.

No one can deny and cannot deny that oil and its analogy, natural gas, will continue to be the most important source of energy for mankind.

Because of this, it will be the norm for oil prices to remain at a high level.

Of course, for some economic or political reasons, the price of oil will decrease at some point, or even fall to the bottom out of control.

But it's all temporary.

There are many countries in the world that depend on oil for their livelihoods, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries.

Moreover, developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands are also major oil producers.

None of them can keep oil prices low for long, and even if governments wanted to, the domestic oil capitalists would not agree.

The Bush family, for example, owns its own oil company.

There are also many oil fields in Texas.

That's why the Bush family settled in Texas, because the Bush family didn't live in Texas a few decades ago.

When George W. Bush was two years old, the Bush family moved from Connecticut because of business needs.

It has been more than 40 years since I finally settled.

"Some time ago I had some geologists and studied the geology of the waters around the Falkland Islands, and the results were very good. ”

Wei Xiong brought the conversation to the point.

"Do you want to enter the oil industry?" Bush Jr. was slightly surprised, but it was only 'a little', and Wei Xiong had already invested in the oil industry.

For example, investments in Exxon and Mobil.

"Of course, I'm interested in all industries that have potential, especially strategic resources like oil, and I don't think there's any reason for me to let them go. ”

"Are you sure there's oil in the waters off the Falkland Islands?"

Bush Jr. did not dwell on the question of Weixiong's investment, but asked the key point, he had never heard of oil in the Falkland Islands.

"Of course, and it's not small. ”

Hearing this, Bush Jr.'s eyes suddenly lit up, and what could make Wei Xiong say 'not small' was definitely not ordinarily big, and this was a big discovery.

"What are you going to do?"

Since Wei Xiong said it in front of him, there must be an idea.

"I'm going to set up an oil company, I've already talked to Joseph about it, he's interested, are you interested?"

"Specifically?"

The Bush family originally had oil as its main industry, and if the Falkland Islands really contained a lot of oil, Bush Jr. would certainly be interested.

"I invested $2 billion, which is 70% of the shares. ”

Exxon invested $200 million, plus a 20 percent stake in providing all the technology needed for exploration and mining. The remaining 10% is given to you. ”

"You can estimate the amount of money you contribute. ”

"If oil is really discovered after exploration, then it is no problem, if not, then all your losses are mine. ”

"After all, I'm not 100% sure. ”

The first reason for coming to the United States this time is, of course, to attend the birthday party of Bush Jr.'s mother, Barbara, and secondly, to consolidate the relationship with the Bush family.

As far as personal relations are concerned, he and George W. Bush are not bad.

But it was far from being good enough to call him a brother, or at least much worse than the friendship he and Joseph had forged out of kindness.

However, even after Bush Jr. made achievements, he hoped to improve the relations between the two sides.

So he thought of business cooperation.

Of course, he did not ask the so-called experts to study the geology of the waters of the Falkland Islands, but he knew that there were rich oil resources in the area.

As long as actual exploration is carried out, oil fields can definitely be discovered.

Such a large piece of interest is enough to tie him and Bush Jr. tightly together, so that the 'friendship' between them will be solid.

In addition, he had another purpose in cooperating with George W. Bush.

That is, the Falkland Islands are too sensitive, and without a strong political force to support it, he really doesn't dare to dig for oil anywhere.

The Falkland Islands are also known as the Malvinas Islands.

is an archipelago located on the continental shelf of Patagonia in the South Atlantic Ocean. The main island is located about 500 kilometers east of the southern coast of Patagonia in South America.

The sea area around 52° south latitude,

The entire archipelago includes Soledar, Great Malvina and 776 smaller islands, with a total area of 12,200 square kilometers, making it the largest archipelago in South America.

The sovereignty of the archipelago has a long history of controversy.

The Dutch navigator Wild first discovered the Falkland Islands around 1600, but the Falkland Islands were uninhabited at the time.

In 1765, the French navigator Bougainville first established a settlement on East Falkland.

However, the first settlers were British.

In 1767, the Spaniards bought all the property rights to the settlement, and in 1770, they expelled all the British from the settlement.

After Britain threatened war, Spain made concessions.

Britain restored its settlement on West Falkland Island in 1771. Three years later, however, in 1774, the island was withdrawn for economic reasons.

But the claim to its sovereignty has not been abandoned.

The Spanish settlement on East Falkland (also known as Soledad Island) remained until 1811.

In 1816, Argentina declared formal independence from Spain, followed by a claim to the entire Falkland Islands in 1820.

In 1831, the U.S. warship USS Lexington destroyed Argentine settlements on East Falkland.

In retaliation for Argentina's illegal detention of three U.S. vessels hunting seals in the area, the U.S. took no further action.

In early 1833, the British expelled Argentine officials from the island without firing a single shot.

In 1841 the British appointed a civilian lieutenant governor to the island, and by 1885 a British community of about 1,800 people was self-sufficient.

Falkland became a British colony in 1892.

After the Second World War, the world set off a wave of colonial independence, and the question of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands was transferred to the United Nations.

In 1964, the United Nations Committee on Decolonization debated the question of the ownership of the archipelago.

Argentina was based on the papal edict of 1493 (on which Spain and Portugal divided the New World on their own).

and to inherit Spain,

The Falkland Islands were claimed on the grounds of their proximity to South America, the need to end their colonial status, and so on, to claim sovereignty over the entire Falkland Islands.

Britain, on the other hand, was described as its 'open, continuous, de facto possession, occupation and administration' of the islands since 1833.

and the determination to claim sovereignty over the Falkland Islands by applying the principle of self-determination recognized in the Charter of the United Nations to the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands.

The two countries have their own views and reasons.

In 1965, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution inviting Britain and Afghanistan to hold talks to find a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute.

This protracted discussion continued as late as February 1982.

Shortly thereafter, on 2 April 1982, the Argentine military junta occupied the Falkland Islands, and the Anglo-Argentine Falkland Islands War ensued.

Also known as the Falklands War.

The war lasted 10 weeks and ended with the surrender of Argentine troops to the British at Stanley, after which the British continued to garrison the island.

And the implementation of military zones and fishing reserves.

Despite the failure of the war to seize sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, the Argentine Government has not abandoned its claim to sovereignty.

In this case.

If the news of the discovery of oil fields in the waters off the Falkland Islands spreads, Argentina's reaction will be strong, and Britain alone may not be able to hold on.

But it's not the same with the addition of a U.S. government.

"The terms of cooperation you have proposed are so generous that I don't think I have any reason to refuse. Bush Jr. happily agreed after a little hesitation.

As a man who can be elected without a president, he can certainly guess why Wei Xiong did this.

That's how the world is.

Now that the Bush family has reached the pinnacle of political power in the United States, it is natural that all kinds of economic interests will come one after another. But it's all mutual.

While reaping economic benefits, the Bush family also needs the support of these big capitalists.

Especially big capitalists like Wei Xiong.

The political contributions that Wei Xiong made to Bush Sr. last year played a big role in the general election. In addition, it is purely private.

For this reason alone, he is also happy to make Wei Xiong a friend.

This is called charisma.

……

Barbara's birthday party was very lively, and almost all the members of the Bush family and side branches came, in addition to some good friends.

None of these 'friends' are simple.

Not big businessmen, just political elites, among which there are several senates. This makes the party more like a platform for the Bush family's social circle.

A communication platform in the name of birthdays.

After more than a year of mixing in Western high society, most of the elites in politics and business, Wei Xiong, who were present, knew each other, and some of them had good relationships.

Like Horace?? Robles, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

It was Wei Xiong who met at a party held by Joseph, a very ordinary American, who spoke with a humor peculiar to Westerners.

After knowing the defender Xiong learned that Horace?? Robles was an English-American.

But he was not born in England, but in Hong Kong, where his father was a high-ranking official sent by the British government after World War II.

He lived in Hong Kong for more than a decade before returning to the UK until secondary school.

Later, he went to the United States to study in college, and settled in the United States because he had an American girlfriend and found his career in the United States.

Because he spent his entire childhood in Hong Kong, he has a special affection for Hong Kong.

So I had a very good chat with Wei Xiong.

There is also a false alarm at the party when a servant accidentally bumps into Barbara while she is walking with a wine glass.

Suddenly lost her balance, and it happened that Wei Xiong was two or three meters away from her, and hurriedly reached out to hold it, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

You know, Barbara is in her sixties.

And there is no carpet on the floor, but tiles, and a glass in his hand, if he really falls down, it will not be a trivial matter.

The maid apologized to Barbara.

Barbara, who was scared, also kept thanking Wei Xiong.

After this false alarm, the party continued, and the maid was not punished, but judging by her expression, it is estimated that she was also frightened.

Wei Xiong spent two nights at the Bush family's estate.

On the third day, I took my leave early in the morning.

After leaving Houston, his next destination was New York, where he had only spoken to Joseph on the phone about the oil company.

Some details still need to be interviewed in person.

For example, what should be done when there is resistance at the government level, because diplomatic pressure from Argentina is predictable.

When you arrive in New York, you have a rough idea of what the oil company needs to be aware of.

Attended another meeting of the Board of Directors of Chase Manhattan Bank.

The atmosphere of the meeting was very harmonious, and the directors expressed their opinions, and they were completely working together to build a better company.

But that's clearly not the case.

According to Joseph after the meeting, since the Mellon family was given the position of vice president, it has gradually increased its penetration of Chase Manhattan management.

And this is clearly unacceptable to the Rockefellers.

As the financial center of the entire Rockefeller consortium, Chase Manhattan is far more important to the Rockefeller family than Citibank.

To put it bluntly, the Rockefellers would rather lose Citibank than give up Chase Manhattan.

Therefore, lower than the Mellon family's penetration, the Rockefeller family has always refused to give an inch, but this kind of competition is easy to cause the company to shake.

Although the vibration was small, it had some negative impact on the company's operation.

This is not good news for a bank.

The most intuitive response is that in the past two or three months, the stock price of Chase Manhattan has fluctuated greatly, which has affected investors' investment confidence.

It is worth mentioning that he did not stay in a hotel during his time in New York.

Instead, he lives in a luxury villa on the outskirts of Long Island, New York, which he had asked Joseph to help him find.

Although he only stays five or six times a year at most, it is necessary.

Because in the American high society, various gatherings such as drinking parties and dance parties are very common, and they are also the most important way for the upper class to expand their social circle.

In the past six months, he has often received such invitations.

But he can't always be just an invitee, but an organizer, which has a great effect on his status in the social circle.

As for the management of the villa, it was directly contracted to a housekeeping company in New York.

If there is any request, Wei Xiong only needs to call the housekeeping company directly, and the other party will immediately send someone to deal with his request.

For example, Wei Xiong wants to hold a dance party.

With just a phone call, a housekeeping company can have everything you need ready.