Fatal Strike: Paladins Mercenary Road

Chapter 903 Entrustment
Sang Jia hadn't expected Mountain Eagle to be so decisive, nor had she imagined his efficiency would be this high...

Seeing the mountain eagle scrutinizing her, Sang Jia knew this was the crucial moment. After a few minutes of gathering her thoughts, she straightened her back, looked the mountain eagle in the eye, and said earnestly, "Our family owned a large copper mine in the Black Peak Mountain region during the Southern Alliance era..."

However, because we supported the establishment of the Northern Brigade, and because Serbia has always sought to join the EU, we were labeled as an 'enemy' by the EU, and our family members and businesses all became targets of sanctions.

The copper mine has been sitting idle. We can't use it to finance mining, and even if we do mine it, we can't sell it. We can't even sell it at a reasonable price.

The Northern Brigade is now on the verge of collapse. The split has not only taken away our manpower and funds, but also our attention, so we have no way to obtain funding from the outside world.

If things continue like this, the Northern Brigade won't be able to hold out for long, so I want to transfer partial ownership of the copper mine and then obtain sustainable profits from subsequent development.

Mountain Eagle blinked at Sang Jia and said incredulously, "Copper mine?"
Are there still private copper mines in Serbia?

Mountain Eagle's surprise was not without reason, because in his memory, several large copper mines in Serbia had already been acquired by Zijin Mining Group.

The Bor copper mine in the Bor region of Serbia was once the largest copper mine in Europe, but it was abandoned due to war and pollution caused by mining, leaving the Serbian government unable to restart operations.

Later, Dongda Mining Group acquired the Bor Copper Mine and invested hundreds of millions of dollars to remediate the pollution, while restoring mining operations to peak levels.

Many people find it hard to imagine that the Bor copper mine generates 3% of Serbia's annual GDP.

Zijin Mining Group also owns a copper mine of similar size but of higher quality in Serbia, namely the Chukalu Pej copper-gold mine.

Copper accounts for 78% of the value of goods that Dongda imports from Serbia!
This data is staggering, but it reveals a great deal...

The University of Tokyo is very powerful. Its manufacturing scale is already the world's largest. Except for a few top-notch technology products, the University of Tokyo has completed the construction of the entire industrial chain.

Strong?

Super powerful!

But why is such a strong university like Tokyo University not well-liked by outsiders?

Anyone who tells you that people from Dongda University are very popular abroad is either very rich and have met many kind people, resulting in survivorship bias, or they are just making things up out of thin air.

There are language and cultural differences involved, but there's one point that many people overlook, or are unaware of...

The University of Tokyo's export-oriented economic model naturally carries the attribute of 'dumping'.

This means that all countries in the world that aspire to have their own industries inherently possess anti-Chinese sentiments.

The reason why the University of Tokyo never interferes in the political policies of other countries is that, apart from occasionally making a few sarcastic remarks to the University of Tokyo, those political systems built according to the globalized ideology of Europe and the United States are actually beneficial to the University of Tokyo's strong outward-oriented economic development.

Because the free flow of capital resulting from the political and economic systems built according to the logic of Europe and the United States will naturally restrict the industrial development of those countries.

When the top talents in those countries all go into finance and politics, and their wealth is all put in Europe and America, a vacuum will appear in their product markets.

This is the most important reason why most countries reject the University of Tokyo, yet cannot do without it!

For most countries, the East only needs your resources and agricultural products, and then cheap agricultural products will fill the East's market, while these resources will be converted into commodities and enter your market, competing with your local products.

Most importantly, Dongda's products can always have a cost advantage.

As long as the competition is fair, even if it's only relatively fair, your own stuff will definitely be completely destroyed.

Who can bear this?
Apart from the United States and some European Union countries, which are able to occupy the upstream position in certain industrial technologies...

Looking at the world, apart from the oil tycoons of the Middle East and the poor and stingy Africans, any country with development aspirations has very complicated feelings towards the East, and therefore is extremely cautious in economic and trade cooperation.

The competition for influence between the two development models of the University of Tokyo and the United States only began to reverse after the global financial crisis of 2008.

When the Federal Reserve flooded the world with dollars, other countries realized that the old ways they had been sticking to were unreliable, and that accepting aid and conditions from the University of Tokyo was a completely new model.

Even so, many countries will act ficklely. They may accept aid from the University of Tokyo, but as soon as Europe or the United States beckons, they will shamelessly abandon the University of Tokyo and rush to join them.

People living at the University of Tokyo would find this idea hard to understand...

Prior to 2008, aid and investment from Europe and the United States to Third World countries were conditional, including resource transfers, market access, and, more importantly, the requirement that Third World countries establish political systems according to their demands and accept their ideological input.

The University of Tokyo itself went through such a phase, which is why so many high-ranking officials and intellectuals emerged from it. Similarly, when it comes to aid, the University of Tokyo helps you build bridges, pave roads, and open trade routes, simply wanting you to open up your resources and markets.

The conditions seem too perfect, but in reality...

In summary, Europe and America are mostly engaged in 'buyer investment'. I lend you real money and technology, and you have to build a political system according to my requirements and accept my cultural input. Then, as a buyer's market, I can place orders for low- to mid-range industrial goods produced in your country.

Although most of the profits are taken by multinational corporations, the country does have foreign trade revenue, which it can then use to purchase products and technologies that meet its own needs and find ways to develop its own industries.

The University of Tokyo came this way!
Dongda University operates on a seller's market model. I help you build bridges and pave roads, you sell me resources, and then allow my products to enter your market.

During a time when Europe and America could offer both empty promises and tangible benefits, the University of Tokyo's model held little appeal for most countries, except for those poor Europeans and Americans who were unwilling to even look at it.

Because the University of Tokyo has proven time and again that, regardless of quality or price, everything here is garbage.

If any industry dares to open up, Dongda's products will flood in and wreak havoc.

Serbia, a small country that is largely ignored by its neighbors, can only rely on the East Asian Association for its own development. However, this is why they have never given up their efforts to join the European Union and have remained silent on the issue of Kosovo.

It wasn't until the last two years, after the University of Southeast Asia transferred some of its auto parts industry to Serbia and supported the development of its own machinery and electronics industries, and most importantly, after the two sides reached a preliminary agreement on jointly developing the largest lithium mine in Europe, that their relationship gradually entered a honeymoon period.

However, before these industries generate real large-scale social benefits, Serbia still needs to adjust its small-country mentality and try to please everyone in order to survive.

The Tadic family's copper mines were sanctioned against this backdrop...

The Kosovo issue is a mess created by the EU. The Tadic family went bankrupt to form the Northern Brigade to fight against various guerrilla groups in Kosovo, hoping that one day Kosovo could be returned to Serbia.

How is this any different from slapping the EU in the face?
At a time when Serbia needs the EU's help, the Tadic family is destined to face a difficult existence.

It's not that the Serbian government is unwilling to help them, but rather that the pressure from the EU is making it even harder for the Serbian government to bear.

This is why small countries face such difficult circumstances!

It's not that they lack intelligent people, but they can only see what's in front of them!
Because they knew very well that compared to a 'potentially glorious future,' they simply couldn't withstand the heavy stick that would inevitably fall on them if they made a mistake.

This situation was extremely cruel for the Tadic family, as they were caught in the middle and destined to be sacrificed.

Looking at the complicated expression on Sang Jia's face, Mountain Eagle waved his hand and said, "I understand. You want to circumvent EU sanctions by transferring ownership of the copper mine, and then obtain funds through copper mining, right?"

Sang Jia nodded wearily and said, "But there are conditions!"

Mountain Eagle nodded slightly and said, "Of course there are conditions. I don't know the scale of your copper mine, but I do know that mining copper in Serbia cannot rely solely on manpower. It requires large-scale investment to introduce a large number of mining machines."

Most importantly, reliable infrastructure is needed to transport and sell the copper ore; otherwise, the operating and transportation costs will eat up most of the profits.

And I bet you don't have any of these..."

As he spoke, Mountain Eagle looked at Sang Jia, who had a helpless expression, and thought for a moment before saying, "What you need is not just to find a reliable person to nominally sell the copper mine, but also that reliable person to help you introduce external funds to develop the copper mine, and then share the profits from the development with you."

I think I'm the reliable one...

But how could you possibly think I could handle such a complex problem?

This isn't a simple matter of everyone signing a transfer agreement; it involves very complex investment negotiations...

How can you be so sure I won't kick you out halfway through?"

Sang Jia lowered her eyelids and said in a deep voice, "Because without us, that copper mine will never be able to start operating!"

As she spoke, Sangjia looked at the composed Mountain Eagle, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I'm tired of the current situation, but I know that without the Northern Brigade, the Tadic family's last remaining assets will also disappear."

My family has given everything for Serbia, this is not fair to us!

After listening, the mountain eagle nodded with emotion...

When a country's government is unable to protect the interests of such large families, warlords, or local political forces, will emerge!
The Tadic family, or rather Sanja herself, grew tired of the endless giving without receiving anything in return, so she began to seek political presence and benefits from within.

(End of this chapter)