Chang Ruiqing sat in the reception room of the Guangdong Provincial Government, carefully and even with some curiosity at the most capable prime minister in the history of the British Empire, even though the British Empire had collapsed to a great extent because of the anti-Nazi policies he had pursued! Winston. Churchill arrived in Guangzhou on the newly opened Guangdong-Hong Kong Railway, and Chang Ruiqing and Wang Jingwei personally went to the Guangzhou Railway Station to hold a grand welcoming ceremony for him. And the British Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs still maintained the reserved and cold attitude characteristic of the English gentleman of this era. Chang Ruiqing welcomed him very warmly into the Guangdong Provincial Government at the foot of Guanyin Mountain.

The best tea was brought up by the staff of the provincial government, and the rich aroma of tea floated throughout the living room, but no one touched the teacups. Everyone's eyes were focused on Chang Ruiqing and Churchill, wondering what they could talk about. The first to break the silence was Chang Ruiqing: "Your Excellency the Minister has been running all the way, and it has been really hard. It is a great gesture of goodwill to my country that you have been able to travel from the other side of the globe to Asia to mediate our conflict with the Netherlands...... All of us in Japan have the greatest goodwill and gratitude for your coming. ”

Chang Ruiqing is still fluent in English as usual, and he has never regarded talking to foreign leaders in English as something that is detrimental to the national body. The key, in his view, is what does China have to gain from these negotiations? Instead of speaking a language, as long as it can defend national interests, even if it speaks Martian, what's the matter?

Churchill frowned and listened to Chang Ruiqing's polite words, nodded slightly, and habitually took two puffs of cigar - his addiction to smoking is probably world-class, and he didn't get lung cancer, and he still lived to be over ninety years old, which is really a great miracle! He said: "Mr. Chairman, China's current rise is probably the most exciting event of our time, right? Due to the factors of world wars, the old order of the original world has been broken, and the new order has not yet been established...... The British Empire looked forward to a China that would re-emerge as a world power and play an important role in rebuilding the new world order. The empire also wanted to be friends with China. to jointly maintain peace and prosperity in the Far East...... The British Empire was very understanding of China's idea that it now wanted to pursue the status and interests of the great powers. ”

Churchill's straightforward expression of his willingness to recognize China's status as a great power surprised all the Chinese officials present! At the same time, I also breathed a sigh of relief in my heart -- thank God, it seems that Chairman Chang Da's provocation has achieved very good results, and the world's number one power has agreed to treat China as a great power!

Chang Ruiqing smiled slightly. The concessions of the British Empire were expected by him. But I didn't expect it to be so simple. He nodded with satisfaction: "Your Excellency, since the British Empire is willing to recognize the status of the Republic of China as a great power, does that mean that in the British colonies in Nanyang, all discriminatory policies against Chinese nationals will be abolished?" ”

"Of course. Of course, Chinese citizens can be treated in a way that is commensurate with China's current national strength! Some of the previous policies that you considered to be discriminatory were actually just a reflection of China's international status in the past, not that the British Empire was discriminating against Chinese. Respect is not given by others, but earned by strength! ”

Chang Ruiqing nodded silently, this Churchill's words are quite true. The treatment that a country's citizens receive internationally. It is the embodiment of the strength of this country! Of course, there is also the status of this citizen at home, and if a fourth-class pariah who is discriminated against in his own country, he cannot expect to receive any respect abroad! For example, the black slaves in the United States before the Civil War, the Ah San of the British Empire now, and the ...... of the Celestial Empire in the future

Churchill took a puff of his cigarette and continued: "The current international situation is quite turbulent, and as the leader of the world, the British Empire is also facing many challenges. To do this, the empire needs a number of partners to share the responsibility of maintaining and building a new world order. In Europe. France, which has the strongest army in the world, is a partner of Great Britain. And in Asia, China, which is also a land power, has common interests with the British Empire! Mr. Chairman, don't you think so? ”

Become a partner of the UK!? Hearing such a mention, Chang Ruiqing was really a little surprised. But if I think about it carefully, I also think that there is such a possibility as zài. Although this boss empire is a bit cunning. And the national power has also weakened (relative to the status of the world hegemon), and only the last vestiges remain. But after all, she is still the leader of the world, and she also has the technology and capital that China needs to develop - although the British government is financially tight, the British capitalists have excess capital in their pockets. The UK's industrial technology is also at a level comparable to that of the United States and Germany.

In addition, the more crucial point is to save the world empire that is gradually lost. The British, presumably, are in a hurry to find friends in the world. Their industrial power is now significantly behind that of the United States, and in fact inferior to Germany, and may in the future be surpassed by the Soviet Union.

Therefore, they can only rely on the trick of balancing and containing to maintain the situation, unlike the United States, which is falling into isolationism, which can overwhelm the world with its powerful industrial strength -- uniting the United States is not particularly advantageous in Chang Ruiqing's view, not to mention that this isolationist country is unwilling to unite with China, and even if they do, who will this alliance oppose? Japan? The combination of the world's largest steel and the largest army probably scared the Japanese to death...... The Japanese emperor most likely threw his naval development program directly into the Pacific Ocean, and then pounced on it and licked the toes of the United States! Next, China and Japan will live in each other's hands on the East Asian continent.

Such a result is not what Chang Ruiqing wants. Therefore, after the rise of China, he deliberately distanced himself from the United States, and at the same time pursued a policy of conniving and encouraging Japan to move south and Soviet Russia to move westward. What he needs is to smash the Anglo-American order of world domination in the future, not to help the United States establish world hegemony at minimal cost! Therefore, it is not feasible to unite with the United States, but it is a very good option to unite with Britain for the time being.

Because Britain's balancing act will not be able to maintain world hegemony for too long. And the closer Britain's world hegemony comes to collapse, the more they need to woo or appease a "partner" like China. Similarly, the emerging powers (the United States, Germany, or the Soviet Union) that wanted to bring down Britain and seize world hegemony would do everything they could to poach China from the British camp...... This is the most favorable situation for China!

Thinking of this, Chang Ruiqing smiled slightly: "What does Mr. Minister mean, can China become a partner or ally of the United Kingdom?" ”

"Yes," Churchill's smile showed friendliness and sincerity. "The British Empire has always been very generous to its friends, and in Asia, China can have the same position as France in Europe! And the empire can also help China develop her industry and navy, and jointly develop China's rich natural resources...... As an important partner of the British Empire in Asia. China should have a strong navy, which can reach about 30% of the British naval strength. Britain is willing to help you train and equip your navy, and it can also provide you with the necessary shipbuilding technology, including the most advanced steam turbines and heavy oil boilers, and even invest directly in China's shipbuilding industry. In fact, the Yesson shipyard in Shanghai (British-owned) has a very large investment plan. Preparations are being made for the construction of a 30,000-ton slipway (enough to build a battleship with an unladen displacement of 40,000 tons). ”

The word old fox slipped through Chang Ruiqing's heart. Listening quietly to Churchill with a smile. He certainly knows what it means for China to have 30% of the British naval power! If in accordance with the provisions of the future Washington Naval Treaty, the tonnage of China's capital ships will be up to 150,000 tons! That's almost half the size of Japan! Of course, it will take many years for China to build such a navy, but as long as China and Britain announce such a plan or a naval cooperation treaty, Japan and the United States will probably not be able to sit still, right?

"Chairman. Promise him! Just when Chang Ruiqing was hesitating, Kong Xiangxi, who was attending the meeting with him as the minister of heavy industry, leaned over and whispered in his ear: "The steam turbine and heavy oil boiler technology alone is worthy of our alliance with the British...... This is a very important core technology for China's industrialization, and power plants use similar things, which are difficult to obtain. And uniting with Britain may also ease our current international isolation. ”

Chang Ruiqing glanced back at this guy, and he was a little tempted in his heart. In his previous life, if any, he was a student of history. He is a layman in industrial technology, and there are not many insiders in the current Chinese government! In contrast, Kong Xiangxi, who studied chemical engineering in the United States and worked as a comprador capitalist, is barely an expert in the field of heavy industry.

"Mr. Chancellor, to be honest, your mention is really a bit unexpected...... Although I am very much looking forward to the friendship of the British Empire, cooperation between the two countries is still a very complicated matter. Diplomatic personnel from both sides need to conduct a long-term and meticulous study, right? So......" His voice slowed down, as if he was talking while thinking.

“…… Therefore, today's meeting may only reach one intention, that is, China is willing to develop friendly relations with Britain and is willing to become a defender of the world order with the British Empire at its core. But that's just an intention. ”

It seems that it is only a matter of bargaining, Churchill thought quietly. The idea of "uniting China to break the isolation of the empire" has already won the approval of London, and now it is only an "intention"! There is still a lot of work to be done before the final realization. But as soon as Britain and China begin to negotiate cooperation or alliances, there will be a chain reaction, and the impasse facing Britain will be broken. Sooner or later, Japan and the United States will join in the reconstruction of the world order. In this way, Britain could turn its main attention back to Europe to deal with the potential threat of Soviet Russia.

……

Of course, the news that China and Britain are holding secret talks on cooperation has been released by the British side, intentionally or unintentionally. This news did not cause much reaction in the United States on the other side of the ocean, but it caused the greatest shock in Japan, China's close neighbor. In fact, since the end of the 19th century, Japan has risen from a small and inconspicuous country to a hegemon in the East. The most important reason is the support of the United Kingdom! Although Japan has now abandoned Britain and become a challenger to the maritime supremacy of the British Empire. But they are still very familiar with the means of Britain as the world hegemon. Their world hegemony is not won by themselves at all, but by means of co-opting, supporting, dividing, and buying, looking for one country after another that is willing to shed blood for Britain.

Initially, they supported Prussia to challenge the hegemony of Austria and France. By Napoleon's time, they had cobbled together one anti-French alliance after another to strangle the Corsican monster. After Germany showed signs of competing with Britain for hegemony, the British organized an Anglo-French-Russian anti-German alliance, and later succeeded in pulling the United States into their chariot...... In Asia, Japan until recently was a British thug, first against the Manchus and later to curb Tsarist Russia's southward ambitions, fighting a Russo-Japanese War in Manchuria, China, with heavy casualties.

Right now. It was just when Japan had just made going south a national policy. The British are repeating their old tricks, preparing to co-opt and support China to stifle Japan's southward advance! And the chairman of the Military Commission of China also seems to be a capricious guy, who was ready to "abandon" the Japanese Empire as soon as he was seduced by the British!

The entire Japanese society, from the top of the navy and army to the civilian population, was shocked and angry. The Northward Movement, which had disappeared for a while, also began to re-emerge. Some people also shouted the slogan of "uniting Russia to contain China." I don't know if they are willing to spit out the big fat meat of the Far Eastern State?

Japanese Prime Minister Hara Kei has been under tremendous pressure from all quarters. Even the navy, which has always respected the government, rarely criticized the government's foreign policy by the elder Gonbei Yamamoto! The Japanese National Socialist Party, which is supported by the Army, took advantage of this opportunity to attack the cabinet of the Political Friends Association, and at the same time, their support rating increased significantly. And the forces of the Japanese People's Party, represented by the three factions for the protection of the Constitution, even put forward a motion of no confidence in the cabinet of Hara Kei's Political Friends Association in the parliament! Former leader of the Constitutional Party. At a meeting of the House of Nobles of the Diet, the 81-year-old Marquis Okuma openly accused Prime Minister Hara of being a "fool who ruined Japan's national fortunes" and that "the Hara cabinet must resign and apologize."

Seeing that his political power was about to be lost, Prime Minister Hara had no choice but to resort to the last resort of dissolving the Diet -- according to the Japanese Constitution, the prime minister has the right to ask the emperor to dissolve the Diet and call an early general election. And this election. I am afraid that this is also what the Japanese Army and the Japanese National Socialist Party they support are most looking forward to!

The official residence of Yoshiichi Tanaka, leader of the Japanese National Socialist Party, in Asakusa, Tokyo, also welcomed a large number of visitors at this time.

The first group to visit him was his colleagues in the Army, including the Minister of War Yusaku Uehara, Chief of Staff Oi Narimoto, and the Army Education Chief Akiyama Yoshiko. When these guys arrived, they were all polite, but after less than half an hour of talking with Tanaka Yoshiichi in the peace room, there was a serious quarrel! The women and secretaries who were guarding outside were taken aback - wasn't General Tanaka in the same league as the army? Why did they quarrel with their own people?

Yoshiichi Tanaka in the Wamuro didn't expect such a situation. The three army commanders headed by Yusaku Uehara actually poured bitter water at the beginning of the conversation.

The white beard of Akiyama Yoshiko, the Japanese cavalry general who was packaged as the hero of the Battle of Manchuria-Harigantu Sumu, was trembling: "The army that won the Far Eastern State for the empire with the sacrifice of more than 200,000 people has now been abandoned!" A whole three standing divisions have been abolished, and it is said that the next step is to cut out the cavalry group! That's the hero who saved the Xianbeilian dispatch army in the Hulunbuir grassland! How can you just cut it all out? Tanaka-kun, this time the Army is ready to do its best to support you and the National Socialist Party. I also hope that after you become prime minister, you will say a few fair words for the army, and you can't go on like this, please! ”

Looking at the predecessor hero Akiyama Yoshiko, who participated in the Russo-Japanese War, he almost pleaded with tears in his eyes. Tanaka Yoshiichi also frowned and lengthened his face: "It's not easy to do, Your Excellency Akiyama...... The army suffered so much in the Simberian intervention war. And China has now risen to become a land power. The Empire is no longer useful on the East Asian continent...... The only way out is to go south, and to go south is to develop the navy, and the army can only make sacrifices. ”

General Yusaku Uehara, who has never been very harmonious with Tanaka, shouted loudly: "Tanaka-kun! We know what the national focus of the empire is! But now China has been bought by the British! It is said that Britain is also preparing to help China develop its navy, and the purpose of China's naval development is probably to attack Taiwan, right? At the same time, they will also attack the Far Eastern states and North Korea...... The empire must have a strong army to ensure the lifeline of defeating China and defending the Far Eastern states! Don't you understand? ”

It's really a bit of a wind is rain! How did the Army fall into the hands of such a fool? Tanaka glanced at Yusaku Uehara with some disgust, and still said slowly: "China is a country that does not have much naval foundation, you should have heard of the saying of a century-old navy, right?" Although it is exaggerated, it is not unreasonable, and without decades of accumulation, the Chinese Navy cannot be developed. China's cooperation with Britain is only to obtain a more favorable external environment for the development of their economy, and I think that Japan can completely follow in China's footsteps and compromise with Britain...... Britain's biggest opponents at present are not us and China, but the United States and Soviet Russia, so it is entirely possible to cooperate with Britain. ”