1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 421 Peace Talks ([-])

"Mr. Credo, I went to visit your Hanzhou friends last night. Did you find out their intentions for our peace talks?" In the early morning of the next day, after a simple breakfast provided by the Hanzhou people, the Dutch East India Company Rowlett Mapplethorpe, chief representative of the peace talks, asked with a smile.

"Mr. Mapplethorpe, my Hanzhou friend revealed to me in private that the senior officials of Hanzhou are very inclined to reach peace with the East India Company and end the three-year war."

"Oh, that's great!" Rowlett Mapplethorpe said: "Since both sides have the will to end the war, I believe that this time the East India Company and the Hanzhou people have reached a long-term peace agreement that will It will be realized. So, did your Hanzhou friends reveal a little bit about their bottom line for reaching a peace agreement?"

"Dear Mr. Mapplethorpe, I'm just representing Mr. Ludwidd to visit his former friends in Hanzhou, not a spy with great powers." Anri Credo looked at Rowlett Mapplethorpe's Eyes, said seriously: "Besides, my Hanzhou friend is not a high-level person who can control the power of Hanzhou, so he can't tell me about their bottom line for this peace negotiation. However, according to him, the Hanzhou Among the military groups in Africa, they don’t really want to end the war. Because they haven’t got enough military merits.”

"Oh, damn it, why do soldiers from all countries in the world like war so much? Do they think that only war can show their existence and show off their bravery?" Rowlett Mapplethorpe said: "But May their young ruler remain calm and rational enough. War is not the best way to resolve disputes for both of us. In addition, they may have forgotten that our East India Company is not afraid of Han In Africa, our strength is still great, and our sea power is still overwhelmingly superior throughout the East Indies."

"But I'm worried that some soldiers in Hanzhou didn't realize this. During the nearly three years of war, Hanzhou didn't seem to suffer too much loss. On the contrary, your East India Company was attacked by Hanzhou for several times. A stronghold was sunk and many merchant ships were sunk and captured." Anri Credo said: "So, I am very worried that once your East India Company makes some unreasonable armistice demands, it will provide rejections to those military groups in Hanzhou. excuses, and then forced their young ruler of Hanzhou to continue the war."

Rowlett Mapplethorpe looked at Enri Credo meaningfully, wondering what his words implied.Perhaps his Hanzhou "friend" wanted to convey a warning message through his mouth. Hanzhou could end the war with the East India Company, but the armistice conditions proposed by the East India Company should not be too harsh, let alone insulting.

"I think the terms of our East India Company's peace talks are very reasonable and represent our sincere desire to love peace." Rowlett Mapplethorpe said: "I also really hope that the Hanzhou people can take it seriously."
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"[-]. Hanzhou unconditionally releases all Dutch East India Company employees (including mercenaries) captured during the war, and ensures that the lives of its personnel will not be threatened before repatriation, and returns the Dutch property temporarily kept during the war. At the same time, the East India Company The company does the same.

[-]. The East India Company recognized that Hanzhou possessed the legal rights and interests of Dili City, the former Portuguese colony, and enjoyed special interests at the southern tip of Timor Island.

[-]. Han Chau should respect the special interests of the East India Company in the entire East Indies, and promise not to set up a stronghold in the East Indies other than Timor Island.

[-]. The East India Company opened the route from Timor Island to Java Island and the coast of Borneo, and promised to provide necessary supplies and docking for ships passing by Hanzhou (with the permission of the port of call).

[-]. Hanzhou opened all routes east of Timor Island and around Hanzhou to the East India Company, and promised to provide necessary supplies and stop for ships passing by the East India.

[-]. Hanzhou will give certain monetary compensation for the loss of personnel and property caused by the Dutch East India Company.

[-]. The two parties shall establish representative offices in each other's territory so as to conduct mutual trust and communication.

[-]. The two sides shall open their markets to each other, and shall not use any excuse to hinder the flow of goods, personnel, and finance. "

[-]. Hanzhou stopped its arms aid to the various kingdoms of the East Indies.

[-]. When a Contracting Party is at war with a third party, the other Contracting Party must strictly observe neutrality.At the same time, the contracting parties shall not enter into agreements of an alliance nature with third parties against each other. "

Pan Qifeng looked at each item one by one, with a relaxed expression on his face.The conditions proposed by the Dutch are very pragmatic, and there are no unrealistic and unreasonable terms like last year. If the negotiations are carried out according to the peace negotiation framework given by the East India Company, it is very likely that an agreement will be reached in the shortest time.

"Our Hanzhou has no objection to most of the clauses proposed by the East India Company." Pan Qifeng looked up at Rowlett Mapplethorpe opposite, and said seriously: "However, in the second clause, you must add this clause , the East India Company must recognize that Hanzhou has absolute ownership of the continent that I currently occupy, and respect all our rights and interests in the continent of Hanzhou. You are not allowed to send any ships and personnel in any sense without our permission Exploration activities are carried out, and encroachment is not allowed."

"Do you, Hanzhou, know the specifics of this continent? Besides, you probably don't know how big this continent is and where its boundaries are." Rolette Mapplethorpe shook her head and said, "In a dozen Years ago, our East India Company conducted some exploration on this continent. According to the principle of whoever discovers it, whoever owns it, our East India Company should be more qualified than you Hanzhou people to obtain part of the rights and interests here.”

"Is your East India Company planning to colonize the continent of Hanzhou?" Pan Qifeng asked coldly: "No one knows this continent better than us Hanzhou people. Moreover, we Hanzhou have also carried out extensive research on this continent. Detailed surveying and full-scale maps were produced."

"What? You have already conducted a comprehensive exploration of this continent?" Rowlett Mapplethorpe was extremely surprised.You must know that when the East India Company sent ships to explore this unknown continent more than ten years ago, it took several months before they could even explore the northwest and west of the continent.Last year, Major Tasman was ordered to explore this continent again. It took more than half a year before and after, but he only explored the south of this continent.

But I heard the Prime Minister of Hanzhou on the opposite side say that their Hanzhou has actually explored the entire continent and even drew a map. So, when did they do it and how did they complete it?

"Of course, we Hanzhou people have already found out the whole picture of this continent, and some areas have already been settled and stationed by our Hanzhou people." Pan Qifeng said proudly: "So, the entire continent of Hanzhou should belong to it as it should be. We. Because we have the ability and are actually controlling this continent. You East India Company must recognize and respect this, and give up any rights and interests on this continent, and pursue unrealistic recourse. Otherwise, we Han Nor will it be recognized that you have a special interest in the East Indies as a whole."

Rowlett Mapplethorpe was silent. The rights and interests of the Hanzhou Continent belonged, and the Governor and the East India Affairs Committee did not give clear instructions.In addition, the East India Company secretly set up a stronghold not far from Jianye City. He believed that the Hanzhou people must not know the existence of this stronghold.This continent seems to be a little beyond imagination!
"I suggest that this clause be put on hold for the time being. At that time, I need to return to Batavia for instructions." Rowlett Mapplethorpe said.

"In this case, we agree to put it on hold for the time being." Pan Qifeng nodded and said: "In addition, Hanzhou disagrees with your request for monetary compensation for part of the losses. You and I have fought for three years, and we have both hurt each other. The reason why we should give compensation alone?"

"Besides the above two objections, what do you Hanzhou have to add?" Rowlett Mapplethorpe motioned to the assistant next to him to clearly note the clauses that Hanzhou held objections to, and then raised his head and asked.

"In terms of mutual opening of the market, I would like to ask how big the market is covered by the East India Company." Pan Qifeng asked.

"Batavia only."

"Then, can we in Hanzhou also reduce the scope of the market to Xinxiang City (now the small town of Suai in East Timor)?"

……
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After Qi Tian saw the terms of the peace talks proposed by the Dutch, he felt a little relieved. It seems that the Dutch East India Company really did not want to fight, and the conditions proposed were not harsh. Basically, it will not damage the core interests of Hanzhou.Moreover, according to the communication with Anri Credo last night, Han Zhou already knew the overall plan of the Dutchman.

Relying on its perfect and mature business methods, it gradually controlled the various economic lifelines of Hanzhou, and then incorporated Hanzhou into the overall colonial system of the East India Company.

Hehe, how can you, a commercial colonial empire, be sure to completely control our Hanzhou?Although during this period, the Netherlands defeated the powerful Spanish navy, its national power also reached its peak, and its sea power dominated the world, controlling and monopolizing almost most of the routes.However, the Netherlands has a very fatal shortcoming. Its territory is small and its industrial foundation is quite weak.

In the Netherlands, capital is generally more commercial than industrial.Compared with running around and working, the Dutch prefer commodity trading, securities, usury, or investing in art and tulips.The Dutch devoted themselves to the exchange of goods that did not rely on industrial development, and were called "the porters of the world, the middlemen of trade activities, the agents and economic people of Europe".

However, the competition for hegemony on a global scale in the early modern period was ultimately a competition for the comprehensive strength of nation-states, which especially depended on whether they had a solid industrial foundation, continuous innovation capabilities, and a solid and unified national system.The Netherlands, on the other hand, was unsuccessful in moving from commercial and financial prosperity to industrialization marked by modern production and management techniques.At the same time, it has always been full of fierce internal struggles between the Orange faction who advocated royal power and centralization, and the Republican faction who maintained provincial power (decentralization).

Since the East India Company hoped that the two sides would open their markets to each other, Hanzhou would not only accept it readily, but also allow the East India Company to fully open the entire East Indies, Ceylon, India, and even part of the Persian market under its control to Hanzhou.The Dutch would never have imagined that Hanzhou not only developed heavy industries such as iron and steel, chemical industry, smelting, and mining, but also started to develop light industries such as cotton spinning, wool spinning, sugar refining, mirror making, paper making, wood processing, and food processing.Just relying on the new population of Hanzhou every year is not enough to absorb so many industrial products.

At that time, the markets of Hanzhou and the East India Company will be opened to each other. In the end, it is still unclear who will control the economy and people's livelihood of both sides.

(End of this chapter)