To this end, Molotov handed over to the Japanese ambassador a draft Soviet-Japanese neutrality treaty and a draft protocol on the abolition of Japan's concessions in North Sakhalin. The draft Soviet-Japanese neutrality treaty proposed by the USSR included the following three articles: "Article 1 The contracting parties declare the maintenance of peaceful and friendly relations and mutual respect for territorial integrity. Article 2 When one of the Contracting Parties is the target of attack by one or more third States, the other Party shall remain neutral throughout the conflict. Article 3 This Treaty of Neutrality shall enter into force immediately on the date of signature and shall be valid for a period of five years. If either of the Contracting Parties does not denounce the Treaty one year before its expiration, the Treaty shall be automatically extended for a period of five years. ”

Negotiations on a Soviet-Japanese neutrality treaty were ultimately hampered by serious differences between the Soviet Union and Japan over the issue of the cancellation of Japan's concessions on North Sakhalin and the issue of the fisheries agreement. However, since Japan was preparing to take aggressive action to the south, it had to ensure the security of its north and keep the Soviet Union neutral.

Therefore, Japan had to take the initiative and put forward conditions for the adjustment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Soviet Union, including: "Through German mediation, the Soviet Union will be prompted to sell the northern half of Sakhalin." If the Soviet Union did not agree, as compensation for the relinquishment of rights to the northern half of Sakhalin Island, the Soviet Union promised to supply Japan with 2.5 million tons of oil over the next five years. ”

"The empire recognized the status of the Soviet Union in Xinjiang and Outer Mongolia, and the Soviet Union recognized the status of the empire in North China and Mongolia." Of course, all this must be carried out under the premise that "the Soviet Union abandons its activities to aid Chiang". Germany was ready to fight against the Soviet Union, and naturally would not support Japan's proposal, but Japan was determined to adjust relations with the Soviet Union alone, so Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka left Tokyo for Moscow in early May. At another meeting with Stalin and Molotov, the Japanese government expressed its desire to improve relations between Japan and the Soviet Union, and again proposed the conclusion of a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. But the USSR only agreed to conclude a neutrality pact.

During the talks, Matsuoka assured that Japan would be ready to attack the Soviet Union only if the Soviet Union and the United States regarded Japan as their common enemy and cooperated with each other. He also said that he did not want Japan to join Germany in attacking the Soviet Union, and that Japan was loyal to its ally Germany, but it must not be concluded from this that Japan would inevitably break off diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. When Matsuoka suggested that the Soviet government study the Japanese proposal for a non-aggression pact, he said that he could postpone his return from Moscow for a few days.

Molotov replied to Matsuoka that the Soviet Union had no intention of concluding an agreement with the United States to attack Japan, but of course the Soviet Union would continue to negotiate with the United States and develop relations with the United States in its own interests. If the Japanese Government wanted to take a major political step in relations with the Soviet Union, the two sides would be able to negotiate a neutrality treaty for the time being, and all that would need to be discussed was the cancellation of Japan's oil and coal concessions in North Sakhalin, with the accompanying compensation for the investment of the Japanese concessions, and the Soviet Union's obligation to provide Japan with a certain amount of oil for the next few years.

After communicating with the country, Matsuoka agreed to conclude a neutrality treaty when he met Molotov again, but firmly opposed the cancellation of Japan's concession on North Sakhalin. At the same time, in the course of the talks, Matsuoka proposed the signing of a secret protocol on the scope of the force, which would point out that the Japanese force was Inner Mongolia and North China, while the Soviet Union was the Mongolian People's Republic and Xinjiang. Tsikhvinsky's writings argue that Molotov ignored this provocative suggestion and that the statement had to focus on one issue, namely, on the neutrality treaty and the protocol on the abolition of Japan's concessions in North Sakhalin. Under pressure from the Soviet side, Matsuoka made concessions on the issue of canceling Japan's concession on North Sakhalin. On May 13, 1940, the signing ceremony of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Treaty and the letter on the Soviet-Japanese trade and fishery agreement and the cancellation of concessions in North Sakhalin was held. On the same day of the signing, the two sides also issued a statement: "The Soviet Union undertakes to respect the territorial integrity and inviolability of Manchukuo, and Japan undertakes to respect the territorial integrity and inviolability of the Mongolian People's Republic."

This was obviously an unwarranted interference in China's internal affairs and a serious violation of the Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, and the Soviet Union's aid to China gradually decreased since then.

On the afternoon of May 17, 1940, Matsuoka and his entourage returned to Tokyo and reported on the negotiations between Japan and the Soviet Union at a joint meeting of government headquarters held at 9 p.m. On May 18, the Japanese Secret Court adopted the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Treaty. The emperor immediately approved it.

Same. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR also ratified the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. On the 19th, representatives of the Soviet Union and the Japanese governments exchanged instruments of ratification of the treaty in Tokyo, announcing the formal entry into force of the Soviet-Japanese neutrality treaty.

At the same time, Wang Chonghui, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, issued a statement the day after the signing of the Japan-Soviet treaty, pointing out that the four northeastern provinces and Outer Mongolia are Chinese territory and that Manchukuo is illegal. The Chinese Government will never recognize the Soviet-Japanese neutrality treaty. The Chinese Government and people will never recognize any decision of a third country that impedes China's territorial and administrative integrity. The joint declaration issued by the Soviet Union and Japan is absolutely invalid for China.

At the same time, the provincial government of Saibei Province also held a press conference in Gui Sui, at which Chen Feng, chairman of Saibei Province, who had just been promoted to the rank of first-class general of the army of the Nationalist Government, publicly condemned the Soviet and Japanese governments for violating China's national will. It is immoral and at the same time a deliberate provocation to China to arbitrarily divide up China's territory without the presence of representatives of the Chinese government, for which the entire Chinese nation is = will not recognize this treaty. In addition, the provincial government of Saibei Province, together with hundreds of thousands of officers and men of the Eighth Theater of Operations, will be ready to wage a bloody battle against the enemy who endangers the territorial and sovereign integrity until the enemy is completely wiped out.

Subsequently, the Eighth Theater convened an emergency military meeting in Guisui, which was attended by all group army commanders and vice chairmen of the government, at which Chen Feng listened to the work report of the presidium of the government and at the same time formulated the work objectives and work plans for the second half of the year. It is mainly concentrated in the industrial sector, especially heavy industry.

According to the statistics of the provincial government of Saibei Province, there are now 37 iron and steel enterprises in Saibei Province, with an annual output of 38.9 million tons of refined steel and 97.65 million tons of pure iron; 727 mines of various kinds have been built in the province, mainly concentrated in coal, non-ferrous metal mines, stone and other industries, employing as many as 1.2 million people; In addition, with the direct intervention and support of the provincial government of Saibei Province, the industries related to the national economic development such as ferrous and non-ferrous metal smelting and processing, coking and coke, chemicals, chemical raw materials, cement, electric power, coal processing, and glass fiber raw materials have been greatly developed.

At the same time, the four major heavy industrial zones and the first four major light industrial zones in Saibei Province have made great progress, and more than 1,700 enterprises from all over the country have come to the first level, and more than 800 local factories and enterprises in Saibei Province have directly supported the industrial framework of Saibei Province. Second, in the first half of this year, the three major agricultural and animal husbandry areas also developed very well. Therefore, Chen Feng decided to allocate another 1 billion US dollars from the Chen family's family fund to Saibei Province to carry out industrial construction throughout the province.

In addition, during this period of time, Chen Feng has carried out a comprehensive integration of the arsenals under the name of the Eighth War Zone, and built a total of 24 large-scale arsenals, including 4 in Baotou, 3 in Guisui, 4 in Wuhai, 4 in Yikezhao, 4 in Linhe, 2 in Datong, 2 in Zhangjiakou, and 1 in Xinghe.

The integrated arsenal is no longer a single scattered weapons and equipment production unit, but has become a military department integrating production and scientific research, and according to the geographical location and production capacity of the respective arsenals, the 24 integrated arsenals have their own characteristics. For example, the Baotou Arsenal, although there are only 4 arsenals in Baotou, each of them has its own unique large factory, which can produce all light and heavy weapons at the same time.

The four major factories are named as a soldier, a soldier and a machine, and a soldier mainly produces guns and ammunition, and its products include AK47 assault rifles, Type 79 sniper rifles, Type 75 anti-aircraft machine guns, Mauser 98K rifles, M1911 pistols, Czech light machine guns, Type 92 heavy machine guns and various types of bullets. Due to the integration of all the large and small military enterprises in Baotou Heavy Industrial Zone, the production capacity of a soldier is extremely strong, take the AK47 assault rifle as an example, a soldier can produce 50,000 AK rifles per month, in terms of production capacity has far exceeded all the arsenals in Saibei Province.

The Second Corps mainly produces all kinds of artillery, including 60, 81, 91, and 120 mm caliber mortars and M101 heavy howitzers, as well as various artillery shells, mines, grenades, gun grenades, etc. Not long ago, Chen Feng handed over the means of production of the German Iron Fist rocket launcher to the Second Arsenal, and now it has entered the stage of production, and the first batch of 320 rocket launchers for experiments has been equipped with the front-line troops, and it will not be long before all units can use this kind of individual weapon of mass destruction.

The first machine is mainly responsible for the production of various armored vehicles, light and heavy tanks and automobiles, covering the Xiafei light tank, T34 medium tank and T34 improved armored vehicles, personnel carriers, etc., and is also responsible for the production of agricultural tractors, transport vehicles and locomotives in the entire Saibei region.

The second machine is mainly to produce various types of aircraft and aircraft spare parts, due to the limitation of technology, now the second machine only has the two aircraft production lines that Chen Feng exchanged points for, so it can only produce J-5 and J-6 fighters. However, with Chen Feng's strong support, a large group of Jewish mechanical experts and Saibei Province's own industrial talents are studying the production line of imitation of J-5 and J-6, and gratifying results have been achieved.

After this large-scale integration of resources, although the number of arsenals in various places has been reduced by three-quarters, the production capacity has increased by nearly 70 percent, and after such a long period of development, the Eighth Theater has completed the refitting of all the old units, and at the same time has a large number of weapons and equipment in stock, especially fighters and armored equipment. (To be continued......)