1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 970 Harsh exchange conditions

The Portuguese have seen the situation very clearly through the cooperation in recent years. It is good to open up the colony by themselves, but it requires a huge investment, and the construction period is also very long. There are still various uncertain variables in the middle. On the contrary, it is far inferior to following Hai Han's footsteps.In the past, the Portuguese had to start from Macau to trade in Northeast Asia, risking their way through the waters controlled by the Dutch and the Spaniards. When they arrived at Shuangyu Port in Zhoushan, they had to deal with local pirate merchants. It was not an easy task. .

However, after the Haihan people opened up the sea route from Guangdong, Guangxi to Zhejiang last year, the Portuguese can easily enjoy the benefits of trade by building commercial warehouses in the areas controlled by Haihan.Moreover, the safety hazards on this entire route have basically been cleared up in advance by the Haihan people, and traveling from Macau to Zhoushan is no longer an "adventurous journey" in the mouth of businessmen.Although the Portuguese did not have their own colonies along the coast of this route, they had to admit that the infrastructure projects in the area controlled by the Haihan people were doing very well, far exceeding what they could achieve. Trading posts are far better than self-developed colonies, and the Portuguese don't even need to worry about local security issues.

In addition, in the past when Portugal wanted to do business with Daming, it always encountered various barriers. Only a small number of merchants from Ming were willing to sell goods to them.However, after cooperating with the Haihan people, this slightly embarrassing situation has also been improved. Although the procurement process needs to go through the intermediary of the Haihan people, it is inevitable that a fee will be scrapped, but the types of products that can be selected are much larger than before. It has increased, and with Haihan as the guarantee, both the delivery of the goods and the settlement of the payment are much more convenient and reliable than before.

This time, Thomas heard the wind that several ports under the control of Haihan on the route from Guangdong to Zhejiang would have investment projects, so he immediately came to contact Schneider.Thomas knew that Ming merchants had actually settled in these ports before this, but Western maritime merchants like them had not been able to obtain Haihan's permission. Only in the front is he worthy of the position of consul general in Sanya.

"Mr. Schneider, we hope to obtain the right to settle in Zhoushan Dinghai Port. It would be the best if we can set aside an exclusive wharf for Portuguese businessmen in the local area." Thomas put forward his own request to Schneider succinctly.Compared with Fuzhou and Guangxi, which have obtained business opportunities, the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions further north are the markets that Portugal urgently needs to win at present, and Zhoushan Dinghai Port, which is located in the sea off the Hangzhou Bay, is undoubtedly an excellent place for maritime trade in this area. .

"Exclusive wharf? Like Sanya Port? No problem!" Schneider said with a smile: "However, you have to pay for the construction expenses yourself, and we can organize the construction on your behalf."

Thomas was also straightforward, and immediately agreed without asking the price at all: "Then it's settled."

Schneider added unhurriedly: "In addition, the personnel entering and leaving the local area, the shipping schedule, the route, the type and quantity of the goods transported, all need to be reported to the local port center. Account settlement must also go through the channel of Haihan Bank .”

Thomas made some calculations in his mind, then nodded and agreed.Although these conditions are a bit harsh, and the local trade situation of Portuguese merchants will be completely under the supervision of Haihan, but compared to the trade benefits that can be obtained from the local area, this level of effort is worthwhile.

"However, we also have a small condition." Thomas responded: "We hope that you can control the trading activities of the Dutch in the Haihan Colony, at least to properly restrict the types of goods they can purchase."

Schneider smiled noncommittally: "You guys think quite far!"

The Dutch have basically agreed to the conditions proposed by Haihan during the trade consultations on Ambuna Island, and are preparing to join the future South China Sea Trade Alliance. This means that Dutch merchant ships will also appear in Sanya Port, Kaohsiung Port, and even in the Dinghai Port in the early stage of development, and the Portuguese will continue to face the face-to-face trade competition of the Dutch.In order to gain the upper hand in the competition, the most effective way is naturally to gain the upper hand through Haihan's assistance.As long as the Haihan people say a word, the Portuguese can easily defeat their competitors by virtue of their trade policy.

Thomas said unabashedly: "The Dutch are actually competing with us for the European market. The more goods they ship back from the Far East, the less profit margin they leave for us. As a loyal ally of Haihan, we hope that your side will To be able to stand firmly by our side in times like these.”

Schneider smiled and said, "It's not that this matter can't be discussed, but in the spirit of cooperation, shouldn't you come up with some terms of exchange?"

Thomas suddenly felt like he was being stared at by a wild beast, as if he had become the prey in the other's eyes.Although it is not yet possible to think of what the terms of exchange Schneider refers to will be, Thomas faintly feels that he seems to have been calculated.

"So what's Mr. Schneider's suggestion?" Thomas decided to ask directly.

"Our condition is very simple, the right of navigation in the Strait of Malacca." Schneider's reply was equally simple and direct.

Thomas coughed dryly and said, "Actually, the right to navigate the Strait of Malacca is not completely in our hands. I believe Mr. Schneider understands this. Besides, our two families are allies. As long as the Haihan ship passes through the Strait of Malacca, we will naturally not What's your opinion?"

"I think you have misunderstood me a bit." Schneider explained: "What we want is not the permission of Haihan's ships to pass through the Strait of Malacca, but the control of the right to navigate the strait. In other words, we hope that in the future, Haihan to decide which ships can pass through the strait."

After hearing this, Thomas couldn't help changing his face and said: "With all due respect, your proposal of this condition is a bit too much! Our country has built forts in the Strait of Malacca, stationed armed ships, and maintained the safety of local maritime shipping for a hundred years. I want to hand over the local jurisdiction to another family!"

"Mr. Thomas, don't get excited, just listen to me." Schneider explained unhurriedly: "We are not trying to expel you from the Strait of Malacca. Your existing territory in the area is still valid. Doing maritime trade, you can continue to do so in the future, and there will be no obvious damage to your interests. However, it is better for Haihan to be the master of the control of the local sea area."

Thomas thought in his heart that he was stepping on his face and told me not to get excited. Your persuasion is better than not persuading.It has been more than 1511 years since the Portuguese captured the city of Malacca in 120, when Albuquerque, the second governor of Portuguese India, led his army. Always firmly in hand.Even the Dutch's repeated attempts to intervene in the area by force were successfully repelled by Portugal.Now if you just say a word, you want me to give up control of the Strait of Malacca. How can you agree to this.

It is worth mentioning that it was also from this period that Daming completely lost its influence in the South China Sea.Nine years after the Portuguese captured Malacca, the envoy of the Prince of Malacca sent a request for help to the Ministry of Rites of the Ming Dynasty, and it was only at this time that the Ming court knew what was happening in the South China Sea.However, in the face of the fall of Malacca, the Ming court did not realize the long-term and severe damage to itself, and the subsequent response was quite weak - Portugal was not allowed to pay tribute, and colleagues detained all the Portuguese envoys to China In Guangzhou, as a hostage for the return of the territory of Malacca by the other party.

This incompetent and short-sighted performance is mainly due to the fact that the Ming Dynasty did not deploy any military forces in Southeast Asia, and the so-called tributary system was just a pale political commitment.Two-thirds of the vassal states of the Ming Dynasty are in Southeast Asia, but after the arrival of Western colonists, these vassal states were forced to break away from the relationship with the Ming Dynasty one after another, losing this huge strategic buffer in just a hundred years Area.

However, after Haihan came to this time and space, he took the control of the sea in the South China Sea as his top priority for his outward expansion. In the seventh year after crossing, Haihan finally established his own stronghold near the Strait of Malacca. It's not easy to get, but it has already shown Haihan's determination to control this area.

During the previous meeting on Abunana Island, Haihan consciously downplayed the influence of his family’s establishment of a stronghold at the eastern end of the Strait of Malacca, and the participants’ attention was basically focused on the series of trade systems launched by Haihan. There were no specific consultations on issues of navigation and jurisdiction in the Strait of Malacca.But this time the Portuguese took the initiative to come to discuss cooperation conditions. Schneider thought it was a good showdown opportunity, so he decisively brought the topic to this.

Prior to this, Schneider also expected the reaction of the Portuguese when he heard about this incident. Thomas did not immediately yell, which is considered a good performance.Of course, it can also be seen from his gloomy face now what attitude the Portuguese hold on this matter.

"Mr. Schneider, I must solemnly tell you that the condition you proposed is impossible to be met. We will not give up control of the Strait of Malacca." Thomas tried his best to restrain his emotions and said to Schneider's condition Dissatisfied.

"Don't be so dead first, many things will never be able to catch up with the rapid changes." Schneider was not in a hurry, but still said slowly: "I think you should take a long-term view, don't just stare at the immediate, long-term interests are what you should focus on Mr. Thomas, please think carefully about how much you have gained from occupying Malacca in the past, and how much you have gained from controlling the Strait of Malacca now. Will this situation continue in the future?"

To say that the biggest gain of the Portuguese in Malacca was probably when they captured the city of Malacca hundreds of years ago.At that time, two-thirds of the wealth of the Kingdom of Malacca was concentrated in the city, and after the fall of the city, almost all of this wealth fell into the pockets of the Portuguese.It is precisely because of this that the Portuguese have enough motivation and financial resources to continue eastward and reach the Daming Sea a few years later.

But in the hundred years since then, the Portuguese have controlled this very important trade gateway between the Eastern and Western worlds, but without much direct benefit.Although the Dutch needed to go around the Sunda Strait from outside Sumatra to enter the South China Sea, this only caused the Dutch to increase their time and transportation costs, and did not receive even a single copper from the Dutch. , On the contrary, it spent a lot of money on the battle for control of the Straits of Malacca.

And Johor and Aceh, which are also located in the Strait of Malacca, are not idle. These two countries have fought against Portugal no less than the Dutch. Not off the hassle.With Portugal's strength, it can only defeat their offensive, but it has no ability to destroy the country. In the foreseeable future, the armed conflict in the Malacca Strait will still not stop.

As for the future, now that Haihan has set foot in the Strait of Malacca, Thomas really dare not say big things.The combat effectiveness of the Haihan Armed Forces is well known, and they are invincible wherever they go. The Portuguese had already suffered a big loss in the battle of Hoi An City in Annan.In the past few years, the Haihan army has been fighting south and north, and its growth rate is far faster than that of the Portuguese semi-professional armed forces. The gap in strength has long been much larger than before.If the two sides face each other again today, I am afraid that the result of the battle will be even more disastrous than back then.

Taking a step back, even if the Haihan people don't take the initiative, is Portugal now capable of driving away the Haihan people who have settled down on Xingdao and started building the dock?If he turned a blind eye to it, then Thomas dared to say that in half a year at most, the local area would start to function officially and become Haihan's advance base in the Straits of Malacca.At that time, when the Haihan people's armed sailboats were cruising on the sea outside Malacca, whether the Portuguese made verbal protests or pretended not to see them, they would react very weakly.

In fact, Thomas knew his own disadvantages in his heart, but he was absolutely unable to agree to the conditions of the Haihan people.The reason is very simple, if he agrees to this matter, then Thomas will be the one who needs to take the blame for the liquidation afterwards.This responsibility is too great, and Thomas is unwilling and unable to carry this big pot.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schneider, the exchange terms you proposed are too harsh, and I can't accept them." After Thomas calculated the pros and cons, he still rejected Schneider's proposal.

(End of this chapter)