[272] China's Asia

Yao Fan said frankly to Bismarck: "According to our judgment, the arms race in Europe is escalating at present, Russia and France are tending to form an alliance, and in addition, the encirclement of Britain, Britain, France, and Russia against Germany has been formed, which is not subject to anyone's will, and it is very likely that a world war will break out in Europe."

Weakening Britain and its allies as much as possible before the war, then, has become a crucial strategic goal for China and Germany. ”

Yao Fan logically sketched a picture of the First World War to Bismarck: the Franco-Russian alliance, which agreed that when Germany or Austria-Hungary attacked Russia, France would attack Germany; If Germany attacked France, Russia would attack Austria-Hungary and the German Empire;

Britain will undoubtedly be on the side of France and Russia;

Italy was unreliable, for the princes and dukes of the country were scattered, and the bourgeois parliament was born out of the aristocracy, and it was in their nature to waver, and they were likely to deviate from the German-Austrian League;

Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland will follow the will of the international bankers in London and enter the war against Germany, Bulgaria will long be tired of Russia's dictation of all the Slavic peoples, and their nobility will follow the inertia of history and fall to Austria-Hungary......"

Yao Fan said to Bismarck sincerely: "My friend, China has no fear of this qiē, and the compatriots and class brothers of all nationalities have never been as strong and confident as they are today for thousands of years.

But Europe needs a leader to keep the peace and establish a new order to ensure long-term prosperity in the future, either Britain or Germany, and the loser will go to hell.

I have no intention of disparaging Britain, but her imperial#ismian policy is not respectable.

Germany is China's closest trading partner in Europe and the world, and our common interests are growing, so we are happy to see Germany strong. ”

Bismarck saw his confidence in Yao Fan's firm prophecy: "You are a strategist who sees far ahead, and Germany is fortunate to be your friend from the beginning."

But once you now march into Siam, Johor, Aceh, Brunei, Java, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian regions, the British will unceremoniously cut off the Suez Canal, cut off the Indian Ocean, and Sino-German trade will be completely interrupted.

The German navy's visit to China had it not been for the Portuguese colony of Goa on the west side of the Indian peninsula and the French colony of Madras on the east side of the Indian peninsula, we would have faced the ultimate difficulty of the voyage, but even so, such an ocean-going voyage would have been daunting.

Germany's naval power was still far from that of Britain, and it was impossible to threaten Britain on land, so Germany would be in an extremely passive position.

So I categorically oppose your policy of seizing Southeast Asia from Britain, Holland, Spain,"

Yao Fan knew that this was a difficult problem: "You mean that once China enters Southeast Asia, Britain will completely block the China-Europe route?" Germany is not immune? This was tantamount to a declaration of war on Germany. ”

Bismarck sighed: "This is a very high possibility, you cannot take this risk, it is not cost-effective for both China and Germany, Germany is not ready to face the British blockade." ”

Yao Fan said categorically: "The Chinese People's Republic has always opposed the monopoly of the colonial markets and ports by any country, and opposes any interference in free trade. ”

Bismarck was surprised: "Do you think Britain will agree?" ”

Yao Fan said categorically: "If Britain does not agree, I will attack India." ”

Bismarck was so shocked that his mouth couldn't close together, and after half a sound, he said angrily: "The German envoys have just visited China, and you have sent troops to Southeast Asia, and everyone will think that China and Germany have woven a conspiracy together to start a war." ”

Yao Fan said: "But I have already made preparations before the war, and even ......"

Bismarck said hurriedly: "Or even what? ”

Yao Fan said: "Even at this moment, my country's warships and landing craft have already set off. ”

……………………

The Saigon Theater of Operations of the People's Republic of China and the South China Sea Fleet had already begun their operational plans for Southeast Asia at this time.

In the spring of 1882, the 12th Army of the Saigon Theater of Operations broke into Siam, penetrated into Bangkok like lightning, and quickly established the Siam Socialist Democratic Republic with the local Workers' Party, declaring that the Chinese People's Republic had the right to establish military bases in 151 counties of Siam.

The 27th Army of the Saigon Theater of Operations took a large number of Type 067 and Type 271 landing craft, and formed an escort fleet with Fish # Mineboats, submarine hunters, and supply ships, all the way to the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, attacked Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and controlled the Strait of Malacca.

The 21st Group Army of the Guangzhou Theater also took a landing ship and under the escort of the East China Sea Fleet, set out from Kaohsiung and headed south to the Philippines, carrying out surprise attacks and landing operations against the Spanish garrison, warships, and local puppet troops, and soon attacked Manila.

With the help of the strong transportation capacity of the Beijing-Guangzhou-Saigon railway, the military mobilization capacity of the Chinese People's Republic at this time appeared beyond imagination, probably because the opponent was too weak, and the entire Southeast Asian region was quickly liberated.

Bismarck was annoyed that a friendly large-scale visit turned into the beginning of a war, and now all countries believed that Germany had made a secret treaty with China.

In order to compensate the German Empire, Yao Fan agreed to transfer to Germany the production drawings and processing materials of the Mauser 98 rifle, as well as some chemical and metallurgical technologies from the end of the 19th century. At the same time, the two sides agreed that once Britain launched an attack on Germany or blocked the route between China and Europe, China would attack India, or even further declare a full-scale war on Britain.

Immediately after Bismarck's return to Europe, Bismarck lobbied everywhere that the world should respect any decision made by China in Asia, because Asia has been China's Asia since ancient times.

Britain has shown a surprisingly silent attitude in the face of China's occupation of territory in Asia, or a 19th-century version of appeasement.

Although the British domestic pot had exploded, and the representatives of Spain and the Netherlands to the British Parliament continued to speak indignantly, British Prime Minister Gladstone at this time did not dare to start a war lightly.

As the leader of the British Liberal Party, Gladstone and the people of insight in Parliament have seen more and more clearly the strength of the Chinese People's Republic over the years.

When the professors and scholars of the University of Oxford and Cambridge praised China's advanced science and technology again and again, and Britain's imitation of China's advanced industrial products fell into difficulties and inferior troubles again and again, the top and bottom of Britain have understood that China's rise is a sure fact.

Some MPs have long been unleashing nonsense in Parliament, claiming that any attempt by Britain to maintain its colonies and sphere of influence around a rapidly rising superpower like China is undoubtedly unwise and untimely.

Those who fear China's power argue that Britain should immediately ease relations with China and recognize China's legitimate hegemony in Asia.

Liberal Prime Minister Gladstone also felt that as long as Britain could save the losses of India and Australia, Spain and the Netherlands in Southeast Asian colonies from the hands of hungry Chinese, it was completely acceptable.

Over the years, the British parliament has never stopped squabbling over the topic of China, but this time, the contradiction has become acute, and the British Empire seems to have only two choices: war or silence.

Because apart from these two options, any language would seem stupid and would make the British Empire the laughing stock of the world.

Gladstone finally decided to negotiate with China first, hoping to get a clear answer from China, and the two sides to formulate a reasonable plan to redivide the colonies in Southeast Asia.

At this time, the focus of public opinion in British society was on the navy's escape without a fight, and the royal navy's Pacific Fleet actually fled to Medan without firing a shot when China attacked the Malay Peninsula.

For this reason, the commander of the Royal Navy's Pacific Fleet was suspended and asked for an explanation, and the commander of the Royal Navy's Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral Moseley, was urgently recalled to London, and when he spoke in Parliament, he admitted with dismayness and frankness that he believed that the 25 ships owned by the Royal Navy's Pacific Fleet were completely incapable of defeating the South China Sea Fleet.

"If you can't beat it, why do you want the boys to die?" Moseley #General will get straight to the point.