Chapter 258 Sinopec (2)

These government procurements often play the role of a kind of weather vane. The next step is the political tendency of the government of the Republic of China! Since the European War, the United States has made a lot of money through the war, but this does not mean that China is not important. The current boss of the world is the United Kingdom, and the purpose of the United States pulling in China is not only to balance Japan, but also to have a deep national strategic consideration.

Let's put it this way, American money was important to the Republic of China, but as the expeditionary force played a spirit in Europe and played the name of a Parisian savior, everything changed.

China is economically backward, backward in science and technology, and backward in every way. But this is a populous country, and as long as there is enough military equipment, the Chinese are not bad at all on the battlefield. The Anglo-French alliance in this time and space suffered an even more disastrous military defeat in France. Under such a premise, the French government did not hesitate to ask China to increase the size of the expeditionary force in order to win the war. The British government was a little better, but France had failed, and Britain had a hard time holding on. Under such a premise, China's military low position has been highlighted.

At present, the British and French ministers are urgently consulting with the Chinese side on the matter of increasing the expeditionary force of 30 to 50 infantry divisions. At this time, Fang Jianxiong, the iconic figure of the squadron, went to the south to make a tour, which was originally a good thing in the eyes of the United States, which means that the Chinese are likely to have little interest in increasing troops. However, as the trend of government procurement in the Republic of China has changed, it is difficult to predict in what direction the relationship between China and the United States will develop.

Raines urgently reported the news back home. President Wilson, who is seeking re-election, is quite sensitive to this news. Ryans was immediately asked to figure out in the shortest possible time why the Chinese government had changed its attitude.

Ryans received the telegram and immediately launched an investigation, and soon he was laughing and crying to find out that the change had been triggered by two seemingly unimportant events. The first thing was that the progress of the petrochemical refinery joint venture between Mobil and the Chinese side was too slow, and the second thing was that the Chinese side demanded that the United States provide optical technology for no transfer, and then turned to a joint venture to build an optical instrument factory, but the American side refused. If it's normal business dealings, it's not a big deal. But it's terrible. These two cooperation requirements are the cooperation projects that Fang Jianxiong, chairman of the Military Commission of the Republic of China Government, is most concerned about.

It is said that after Fang Jianxiong was rejected one after another, he was furious! The news is out. Directly guide the above actions of the bureaucrats of the Republic of China government. It is said that the Chinese government is an official-based ideology, and now it seems that this is indeed the case.

Worse news is still to come, Raines learned from Mobil in China that the procurement plan of the private side in the second half of the year is being adjusted, and is in contact with the British side to negotiate oil procurement in the second half of the year.

In fact, Fang Jianxiong has a misunderstanding, believing that the current US Mobil Corporation is still an oil giant, so he has adopted more drastic measures to show his toughness. As everyone knows, in 1911, Presidents Sidoo and Roosevelt poisoned Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company, in May 1911. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Standard Oil is dissolved. It was split into thirty-eight small companies in one go. The so-called Mobil in China is actually not the Mobil of the past, but the Chinese recognize the brand, and the Americans have no intention of changing it. To be precise, it is now cooperating with the Chinese side. It was later the American ExxonMobil Oil Company.

In fact, it is not difficult at all to get opportunities for petrochemical cooperation from the United States during this period. But Fang Jianxiong didn't know that at the same time, the petrochemical industry was too important for China's future development, so Fang Dashuai was angry.

Ryles felt that Fang Jianxiong was making a big fuss. But he did not dare to neglect this incident in the slightest. The results of the U.S. government's own investigation were immediately reported. The U.S. government also finds it incomprehensible that Exxon is not cooperative, just change it.

Regardless of whether we understand it or not, the US Government does not dare to have a contemptuous attitude during this sensitive period. After all, now that China has sent troops to Europe, it is completely free from relying solely on the United States. What is certain is that as long as the Chinese government promises to send a million troops, they will get what they want from Britain and France.

President Wilson, who has always followed the progress of the war in Europe, is naturally well aware of the recent trend on the battlefield in France. The Battle of the Somme reached a period of recuperation, and both sides were gasping for a bigger fight. Judging by the results of the previous period, the Battle of the Somme was undoubtedly unsuccessful, and the Germans held the line while inflicting heavy casualties on the British and French troops.

On the contrary, in early May, the Chinese Expeditionary Force, with the cooperation of the French Second Army, launched a fierce counterattack against the German army. and successfully recovered Ravouf, Saint-Meneourd and other places. At the same time, the Russian army launched a new round of offensive on the Eastern Front, and the German army, which was fighting on two fronts, was forced to retreat backwards, relying on the fortress of Verdun to withstand the onslaught of the Sino-French coalition forces.

It was also an offensive, the attack effect of the squadron was far stronger than that of the French army, and in just half a month, the German army was forced to retreat to Verdun, which can be said to be a brilliant victory. It is precisely because of this that the French government is more eager to increase China's troops, and at the same time hopes to strengthen military cooperation with China. The blind can't see that the squadron often seems to have more ways to deal with the strong defenses of the German army. According to U.S. intelligence in France, the squadron had many methods and were very effective in dealing with trench warfare.

Wilson was re-elected on the slogan of staying away from the war, and the pretext for the United States to enter the war was made stupidly by the Germans themselves. The United States, albeit reluctantly, eventually entered the war.

President Wilson must curb the possibility of a massive military build-up in China, never giving up on the United States, which is vying for world dominance, and will not lightly give up China, a difficult market and potential ally.

Isn't it a petrochemical refinery? Give it to him! What could be more important than being re-elected? The most important thing is not to let the opponent take advantage of this problem and attack. It can be said that Wilson was careful during this sensitive period.

Raines quickly received the latest instructions from the U.S. government, and then took the train south to Wuhan, chasing after Fang Dashuai's footsteps.

Fang Jianxiong's trip to Sichuan, the first stop is naturally Chongqing. In that year, the army was sent to Chongqing, and Chongqing and Sichuan were cut for a certain time, and this kind of cutting is still preserved today. Chongqing is in a special position in Sichuan. After actually grasping the power of the Republic of China, Fang Jianxiong consciously strengthened this cutting.

When the Jingqing docked at Chaotianmen Wharf, it was raining heavily in Chongqing. Fang Jianxiong stood on the deck, beside Yang Yongtai holding an umbrella. Qi Erzhu went home directly from Wuhan, and now the strongest bodyguard by his side is Shangguan Xue. The woman was naturally not suitable to stand by Fushuai's side at this time, so she was replaced by Yang Yongtai.

Fang Jianxiong had a thoughtful expression at this time, Yang Yongtai saw it clearly, glanced at the crowd waiting in the rain on the dock, and said in a low voice: "Fushuai, such a heavy rain, why bother?" ”

Fang Jianxiong sighed slightly: "The world is like this, don't care about him." That's right, Changqing. There's something you need to explain. This time in Chongqing, the safety of the Yangtze River waterway is highlighted. Shoals like the mounds must be removed. ”

Yang Yongtai agreed: "I remember." But I was muttering in my heart, Fu Shuai's thinking is very jumpy and elusive. I thought he was dissatisfied with the crowd of people on the pier, but he was thinking about the Yangtze River waterway. It seems that in the future, you should be more careful when speaking in front of Fu Shuai. Yang Yongtai is self-conceited and has high ambitions. But when he came to Fang Jianxiong's side, he always felt that his thinking couldn't keep up with the tone of Fu Shuai. Fang Jianxiong was often talking about the East at this time, and the next second he turned to a topic thousands of miles away, which made Yang Yongtai feel unfathomable. Coupled with Fang Dashuai's legendary experience, Yang Yongtai, who was much older, did not dare to hold up in front of Fang Jianxiong.

Waiting at the wharf were all important military and political officials from Sichuan, led by Governor Hu Jingyi and Commander of the Chengdu Military Region Zhang Shaozeng. The strength of the Chengdu Military Region is relatively weak compared with other military regions, and it has garrisons in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces under its jurisdiction, with a total of nine divisions of type B. Among them, there is one division in Guizhou, two divisions in Yunnan, and six divisions in Sichuan. How to control the army in Sichuan, Fang Jianxiong's method is to change the defense. After the reorganization of the troops in Yunnan, they went to Hunan, and the three divisions of Hunan went to Yunnan and Guizhou respectively. Originally, there were five divisions in Sichuan, all of which were transferred out of Sichuan, and six divisions were transferred from Hubei, Anhui, and Guangxi to change guards.

After completing the change of defense, the expeditionary force sent troops to Europe, and Fang Jianxiong couldn't take care of Sichuan for a while, and now he set foot in Sichuan after it came to an end, and the purpose was naturally to strengthen the control of Sichuan. How to strengthen the control of Sichuan, Fang Jianxiong has a general spectrum in his heart, first of all, the control of the army, this is basically completed. The second is to separate the eastern part of Sichuan, headed by Chongqing, and separate it as an administrative region. In addition, Xikang should also be divided as a separate administrative region, so that the scope of Sichuan Province's jurisdiction will be greatly reduced. I believe that Hu Jingyi, the wall grass, can feel the meaning. In general, Hu Jingyi, who gave up the army, was still very cooperative. However, this person has a criminal record, and Fang Jianxiong is really not at ease. It's Yin Changheng, Fang Jianxiong still appreciates it. In particular, he once led his troops to quell the rebellion and stabilized western Sichuan.

There is another very nasty problem that Fang Jianxiong has not touched, that is, West and Tibet. Since the end of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, Britain has been seeking control of Tibet, and for the time being, the issue of Tibet has become very strict.

Fang Jianxiong's visit to Sichuan this time also has such a purpose, that is, to take the opportunity of the European war to solve the problems of the West and Tibet once and for all. After the problem here is solved, the next step is the Mongolian problem, and of course, in terms of timing, there is a better time to solve the Mongolian problem.

After Fang Jianxiong actually took power, these problems have not been touched, and he is waiting for the most suitable opportunity. Imperialism does not have a good thing, Fang Jianxiong is very clear about this.