"How could you ask that?" The Italian Foreign Minister asked Chinese Foreign Minister Li Xin with a rather alarmed expression.

"My country would love to know the attitude of European countries towards the British Royal Navy." Li Xin replied bluntly.

The Italian Foreign Minister frowned, the question was easy to answer. The whole of Europe is worried about the growing Royal Navy, especially since new battleships of the Royal Navy have appeared in the Mediterranean Sea for more than a year. These large warships, huge guns, high speed and high maneuverability during the voyage put a lot of pressure on Italy. Is the underlying purpose of China's current questioning of this question to support Italy's confrontation with Britain?

After judging the current situation, the Italian foreign minister finally decided to take a conservative approach. The intentions of the Chinese are still unknown, and any answer will seem abrupt. The Italian Foreign Minister replied: "It is not my responsibility to do so, but if you really want to know the attitude of our Italy, I suggest that you visit our Italian Prime Minister." I believe he will give you a clear answer. ”

Italy's attitude is more reserved, while in some countries it is very straightforward. For example, the Spanish Foreign Minister's reply was full of anger, "Foreign Minister Li, do you want to know how we viewed China on the Luzon issue back then?" ”

Li Xin is actually really curious about this, China did take action against Luzon a long time ago, but it was the Luzon authorities who took the lead in provoking the dispute. If they had not taken action against the Chinese diaspora in Luzon, it would have been inconvenient for China to start a war against Luzon. It's just that this is not the time to discuss old accounts, Li Xin smiled and said, "Your Excellency, do you mean that you feel a lot of pressure?" ”

The Spanish foreign minister did not want to make too many protests against China, and Li Xin's words were simply nonsense in the eyes of the Spaniards. Ever since the British ceded Gibraltar in 1713, the Spaniards dreamed of retaking it. An increasingly powerful Royal Navy cruised around Gibraltar, using Gibraltar as a supply depot. This was a dagger against Spain's abdomen, which made Spain feel intense pain. But in the long run, Spain was no match for the British. In the short term, Spain was no match for Britain.

As long as the European and American countries with a little coastline were afraid of Britain, the British fleet could easily solve the navies of these countries and block the ports and shipping routes of these countries. The Royal Fleet has always been an important force in determining the fate of European countries. Li Xin also gradually understood why the British were able to pursue a policy of "continental equilibrium" in Europe. In the event of a dispute within a European country, Britain could join one side through alliance and cooperation, which meant that the European alliance with the British had an overwhelming naval advantage. This is enough to make the other person feel intimidated and even give in. The losing side was not yet capable of taking revenge on the British.

The more he learned about Britain, the more Li Xin admired. Britain can still stand after hundreds of years of being a-stirring stick, and there is indeed something to admire. This not only includes the diplomatic experience and ability accumulated by Britain, but also because it is still a real vajra pestle stirred in the big dung pit of Europe.

For more than a dozen countries participating in the meeting, even if it took an average of three or four days to get into relations with one country, it took nearly a month and a half for Li Xin to finish communicating with these countries. The meeting, which was supposed to last less than a few days, was far from the end of the victory. In the face of the world's last continent that has not yet been divided, the competition among countries is very fierce. However, everyone is considered a civilized person, and the person presiding over the meeting is Prime Minister Bismarck, so the content of the meeting is really interesting. What kind of Africa should be in the future has been established by one resolution after another.

The first is that the local governments in Africa need to protect the commercial interests of the colonizers in accordance with the law, and the second is that there needs to be a legal basis for the expansion of countries in Africa. If you look at these provisions alone, the future of Africa has a bright future. These are all the rules that the colonizers had to abide by to carve up Africa, and they are quite in line with the needs of this time.

After more than a month of quarrels, the high-sounding words have been said, and the rest has to be seen. What is the core point of the partition of Africa, all the participating countries know in their hearts, and that is the four words "effective occupation". The great powers debated how to make an occupation effective. Is a flag planted to be considered an effective occupation? Is there a garrison on the border to be considered an effective occupation? If there was a conflict between the two sides, would the colonial war turn into an all-out war between the two countries?

The representative of France openly threw out an issue, "Everyone knows that China has entered Madagascar. For Madagascar, China is a new visitor, and there are Christians in Madagascar, so I wonder what kind of explanation China has in this regard? ”

The delegates all looked to Chinese Foreign Minister Li Xin. China was the last of the participating countries to intervene in Europe, and the Chinese representative never made any special statement during the discussions. What impressed everyone was that the Chinese delegates were quite interested in what Europe thought of the United Kingdom. The delegates could probably understand the mood of France, which had lost the upper hand in the race for Madagascar.

Li Xin was not moved at all, he said slowly: "If the French side is concerned about this matter, I can tell you that Madagascar has been incorporated into China not long ago, and now it is the province of Madagascar in China. As a Chinese territory, Madagascar is no longer part of the discussion. ”

"What?" The eyes of the French delegates were already widened, and not only the French delegates but also the representatives of other countries present at the meeting also showed shocked expressions. This news is really shocking, when everyone is discussing how to carve up Africa, China has quietly made a large-scale action. Madagascar has a territory of more than half a million square kilometers, which is larger than the territory of Britain and France in Europe. In the blink of an eye, such a large island became Chinese territory, and although the participants discussed how to divide Africa, it was not surprising that China would eventually seize Madagascar if no one argued with China. But China is going too far now.

Of course, Li Xin knew the result of such an announcement, but there was nothing he could do about it. The central government has reached a resolution not to accept blacks as Chinese citizens. So China does not seek territory on the African continent, Madagascar is different, it has a much greater military significance than a local stronghold in Africa, which will be China's western gate in the Indian Ocean. It is also an important springboard for China to enter Africa. At this time, even if it is to pull hatred, China has no choice. If a resolution against Madagascar were to be made first, it would be detrimental to the political negotiations.

"We, the French government, firmly oppose China's unilateral action to change the situation!" The French representative immediately took the banner of tiger skin and tried to come up with a reason to collectively oppose China.

Without waiting for the representatives of other countries to express their opinions, Li Xin smiled and said: "Otherwise, let's take out the whole of Africa and make a plan that all the participating countries will share equally." If such a solution can be adopted, we in China will not mind taking Madagascar out. How about France and Belgium to set an example first? ”

"Haha!" "Poof!" "Huh!" Quite a few delegates, especially those countries that had clearly come to make soy sauce, burst out laughing. North Africa is the closest to Europe, and the largest colonial power in North Africa is France.

The French delegate saw that Chinese Foreign Minister Li Xin's response was quite targeted, and he did not intend to continue to play the drama of "righteous indignation". China's actions are merely a practical application of "effective occupation." It's just that China's response is so amazing that it actually turns Africans into Chinese.

The biggest difference between the colonies and the territory is not external, but internal. Unless it was a war, China could not openly invade the French colonies, which meant an invasion of France. The major difference is that the natives of the French colonies did not enjoy the political power and social services enjoyed by French citizens. China has turned Madagascar into a province of China, which means that the locals of Madagascar will henceforth be Chinese citizens, enjoying the same treatment as traditional Chinese citizens in East Asia. It is also the first time in the history of colonization for hundreds of years.

The British delegate, who had never spoken to the Chinese delegate, asked for the first time: "Is the same with the other areas occupied by China?" ”

Europe's number one power spoke, and the rest of the world shut up for the time being. The Ottoman Empire's face became very unpleasant, Madagascar was taken by China, and the Ottoman Empire had no opinion, but the other "regions" mentioned by the British were theoretically Ottoman territory. More precisely, a vassal state of Egypt, a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire. Egypt was now completely controlled by the British, only nominally subordinate to the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was even less able to exercise power and administration in the lands of Sudan. However, the hearts of the representatives of the Ottoman Empire were still very uncomfortable.

The Russian foreign minister originally came here to make soy sauce, and Russia, which was blocked by Britain even to the sea, had no ability to compete for Africa. And Africa is so far away that it costs money to occupy. With this money, it is better to increase the military spending for the war against the Ottoman Empire. He didn't speak, just watched calmly. Now this scene was seen by the Russian foreign minister, and he suddenly understood in his heart why the Chinese representatives did not oppose Russia's war against the Ottoman Empire. If the Ottomans were defeated, China would have every reason to gnaw on the Ottomans again. Let the Ottomans relinquish nominal control of places like Sudan. That's a lot of money.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Xin said calmly: "I must make it clear that the areas controlled by China and the territory of China are not the same thing. After Madagascar became a Chinese territory, it naturally applied Chinese laws and was not restricted by foreign treaties. But elsewhere on the African continent, China maintained the same position as this meeting. ”