1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 3782

Hai Han is certainly happy to see Batia’s suggestions on trade come to fruition.

The trading function is a very important part of Fubo Port. However, due to the secret instigation of the Portuguese, many Arab tribes in the Persian Gulf have become wary of Hai Han and have suspended trade with Fubo Port, causing commercial development to come to a standstill.

If Fubo Port can open shipping and trade with Persia at this time, it will undoubtedly serve as an excellent demonstration and may dispel the doubts of some tribes that are still on the sidelines.

Moreover, trade with Persia will weaken the commercial status of Hormuz Island, which is exactly what Shi Diwen and Qian Tiandun want to see most at the moment.

Due to the relationship between the two countries, Hai Han is not in a position to retaliate openly against Rui's secret mischief. However, through commercial means, it can gradually deprive Hormuz Island of its trade share in the Persian Gulf, thereby undermining Portugal's influence locally. This will not violate the alliance between the two countries, and Rui will find it difficult to find a suitable reason even if he wants to complain in the future.

Persia itself, with its economic strength and unique commodities, also makes it an excellent trading partner for Hai Han.

Woven carpets, turquoise jewelry, camel bone handicrafts, etc. produced in Persia have always had good sales performance both in Europe and East Asia. Now, Hai Han has finally obtained the first-hand source of goods.

At the same time, Tian Yeyou also provided another reason to establish good relations with Persia. There are rich mineral resources in its territory. In addition to copper, iron, coal and other minerals that are indispensable for industrial development, there are also phosphorus, lead, zinc, potassium and other minerals. Of course, the most common oil and gas resources in the Persian Gulf region are also indispensable.

Tian Yeyou believed that if good relations could be maintained with Persia, it would be possible to obtain mineral resources nearby in the future and then build a heavy industrial base locally, which would greatly reduce dependence on the domestic market.

This was undoubtedly an extremely attractive suggestion for Qian Tiandun, who was interested in establishing a presence in the Middle East. The Persian merchant Batiya, who was visiting Fubo Port, was an extremely important connection for Hai Han, so Qian Tiandun treated him with special favor, almost fulfilling his every request, and even arranged for him to visit the Zhoushan.

Originally, the Portuguese also requested to visit the Zhoushan, but Shi Diwen rejected the request on the pretext of "repair and maintenance", otherwise they might not have left Fubo Port so soon.

Such a difference in treatment also made Batia feel proud. He felt that he had won a round against the Portuguese. He could brag about it to his boss when he returned.

Like foreign visitors who have set foot on the Zhoushan in the past, Bhatia was also shocked by the complex structure and powerful firepower of the battleship.

This sea behemoth hatched by heavy industry is a miracle that Batia can only look up to. A super weapon that can actually be touched is more effective than any verbal propaganda.

"Our shipbuilding technology is unrivaled in the world. Almost all the countries that sent officials here to attend the ceremony have ordered various types of sailing ships from us. Of course, there are also a large number of warships that are already in service in various countries. If you are interested, you can also learn more from them."

"If your country is willing to do so, we can arrange for your officials to visit our shipyards for on-site inspections and customize sailboats according to your needs. At the same time, we also have many flexible payment options, and any conditions can be negotiated."

Batia was actually quite tempted to hear Qian Tiandun's straightforward sales pitch. As a maritime merchant, he was naturally very clear about the level of his country's shipbuilding technology. Not to mention Hai Han, even compared to Portugal, it was far behind, so that it could not gain any advantage in a maritime confrontation. Otherwise, how could it tolerate Portugal's long-term occupation of Hormuz Island, which was right next to its home. If it could order advanced warships from Hai Han, it might really be able to effectively enhance the strength of the Persian Navy. By then, not to mention retaking Hormuz Island in one fell swoop, at least it would be able to stand up straight in front of the Portuguese.

However, as a businessman, Batia understood that cheap goods are not good and good goods are not cheap. Since the ships built by Hai Han are sought after by various countries, they must not be cheap goods.

He asked cautiously, "Could you please explain the prices of various ships, General?"

Qian Tiandun was waiting for this sentence, and immediately ordered his servant: "Bring the quotation sheet from the shipyard."

These things had been prepared in advance when they boarded the ship, and soon the servants brought a thick book.

Qian Tiandun asked Batia to open the book and explain the contents to him.

This book actually only lists a dozen basic ship types currently exported, but on this basis, each ship type has several customized options, and the cost and delivery period of each option are different.

The first thing Batia set his eyes on was not the warship, but the merchant ship that was closely related to his business.

Hai Han could provide heavy-duty sailing ships with large carrying capacity, armed merchant ships that focused on safety, and light speedboats that were specially designed for fast transportation. The numerous models and various exclusive functions quickly made Bhatia overwhelmed.

Qian Tiandun couldn't help but feel a little curious. Since Batia had been to Hai Han before, why didn't he go to the shipyard to inquire about these matters at that time?

Bhatia confessed, "To be honest with you, General, when I went to your country before, I always took Portuguese ships to and from your country because only they know the route through the South China Sea to your country. Even if I order a sailboat from your country, I can't find a sailor who can sail it back home."

Qian Tiandun suddenly realized: "This is indeed a troublesome matter... But now that we have Fubo Port, it will be much easier. You don't have to worry about this problem anymore."

What Batia said was a very practical issue. The sea voyage from the Persian Gulf to Hainan Island is nearly 20,000 miles. Only the Europeans who opened up the East-West trade route knew the specific situation of this route.

For Europeans, this cross-regional route is a treasure trove, and they would never disclose it to the Persians or Arabs. The few Middle Eastern merchant ships that could reach Hai Han were almost all controlled by Europeans, or paid to hire European captains to give directions.

Therefore, ordering sailboats from Hai Han would definitely have been an unrealistic approach in the past, as there was no way to get the ships back to the country.

But the situation is different now. Hai Han has established Fubo Port in the Persian Gulf, so the delivery location of the ship can naturally be transferred from Hai Han to the Persian Gulf, and the goods can even be delivered directly to the door.