Chapter 761: Struggle of Interests
If someone else lands on Taiwan Island, the Dutch will not be too panicked. For example, the Spanish had set up an armed stronghold and built a port terminal at Jilong Port at the northern end of Taiwan Island in the past few years. However, the Dutch knew very well that the Spanish's colonial capabilities were not much better than their own, and they had to move far away from their Far East headquarters. For a coastal stronghold as far away as Manila to become a real colony, the Spaniards would have to operate there for at least another ten years.
But if the force that landed on Taiwan Island was replaced by Haihan, the nature of the matter would be completely different. The Haihan people have long been famous for their infrastructure construction capabilities. Even those who have not set foot in the Haihan-controlled areas have mostly heard their colleagues who have set foot in places such as Sanya Port and Ampurna Port describe the local scene. Needless to say, Sanya is, after all, the hometown of the Haihan people. Just by its current title of "The First Port in the South China Sea," you can imagine how prosperous it is. However, the Ambon Islands were occupied by the Haihan people for only more than a year. , but the local situation is completely different from that during the Dutch occupation.
The Haihan people not only rebuilt the wharf and port facilities of Ambuna Port in a short period of time, but also built a large number of plantations on the island. The area cultivated is said to have been more than ten times that of the Dutch occupation period. Correspondingly, a steady stream of immigrants were transported to the local area, bit by bit, they cut off the Dutch's desire to take back the local area. Of course, the Dutch merchants who conducted slave trade with Haihan during this process undoubtedly contributed to the acceleration of this process in disguise. But when the word of profit comes first, who wouldn't be tempted by the free money?
If the Haihan people are allowed to establish a stronghold on the west coast of Taiwan Island, it is foreseeable that the Haihan colonies will quickly fill the gaps on the island like crazy growing vines, just like they did on Hainan Island before. . And the East India Company, which only occupies a small area of Damuan Port on the island, will definitely be compressed by the other party to shrink its living space into smaller and smaller areas. Moreover, the landing place chosen by the Haihan people is about two hundred miles north of Damuan Port. This place is opposite to Penghu on the left and right across the sea. From the location, the connection between the two points can be perfectly connected. Cut off the northbound route from Taiyuan Port to the waters of Northeast Asia.
The main purpose of the East India Company's establishment of a stronghold on the island of Taiwan was to open up the trade and colonial routes from Southeast Asia to Northeast Asia. If Haihan succeeded in colonizing the west coast of Taiwan Island, then the route's section within the strait would be completely destroyed in the future. Subject to Haihan, this trend was an unacceptable change for the East India Company. Even though the East India Company's power in Taiyuan Port is now unable to expel the Haihan people, for the sake of preserving their own interests, they must try their best to prevent the Haihan people from implementing their next plan.
Of course, after losing its military advantage, the East India Company now has only a few methods it can take. Based on Haihan's past behavior, it is obvious that he will not resort to verbal threats. The only more feasible approach is for the East India Company to come up with some conditions that Haihan is interested in in exchange for Haihan establishing a colony on Taiwan Island. Convergence on this matter.
Of course, just taking money won't do it. Now everyone knows that Haihan is the most powerful tycoon in the South China Sea. Even the East India Company may not have the financial resources to match Haihan. If you want to directly induce him, it may be difficult to offer a way to make it happen. The price of Haihan’s heartbeat. Maybe Haihan would come back and offer a price for the East India Company to give up the port of Damuan, which would be embarrassing.
Since this road doesn't work, we can only find a way to do what he likes. As for the current needs and preferences of the Haihan people, it is not difficult to find out. It is nothing more than population. It just so happens that the Dutch have some advantages in this regard that Haihan does not yet have - such as trade relations with Ryukyu, North Korea, Japan and other countries. Although the relationship between Japan and the East India Company is still in a stalemate, there are still some local daimyo who are willing to maintain private trading relationships with the Dutch, including human trade.
However, considering the policy risks, Damuan Port did not seek peace talks with Haihan under the official banner. Instead, they sent a maritime businessman like Philip as a representative to test Haihan's attitude first.
As the Dutch expected, the Haihan people showed great interest in importing the population during the negotiations. However, when Philip mentioned using this as an exchange condition in exchange for the Haihan side's commitment not to attack Taiwan Island, the negotiations turned direct. An impasse was reached.
Philip emphasized that the East India Company had sovereignty over the island of Taiwan, but this was only in exchange for Li Dou's merciless ridicule. He had long seen through the paper tiger nature of the Dutch, who were fierce and fierce, and simply did not have enough strength to stop Haihan's military action against Taiwan Island. In the matter of fighting for the ownership of Taiwan Island, the East India Company is obviously currently on the passive side. How much space they can get on Taiwan Island in the future depends largely on the development speed of Haihan.
"Dear Sir, in fact, we don't need to negotiate in such a tense manner. I suggest that we might as well find an exchange condition acceptable to both parties. After all, our purpose is to earn more benefits, isn't it? "Phillip couldn't withstand Li Dou's attack, so he could only quickly change the topic, hoping to calm the atmosphere of the negotiation.
"You bring us the population, and we give you the goods you want. This kind of transaction is already fair. We don't accept any other conditions..." Li Dou said without giving in, "...especially about this island. The issue of ownership! We will not recognize in any form the East India Company’s claim to occupy Taiwan Island, while retaining the right to move freely on the island and nearby waters!”
"At least Damuan Port belongs to the control area of our East India Company! You can't ignore the existence of the East India Company!" Even Ni Bodhisattva was a little angry. Philip had been robbed by Li Dou from the beginning until now, and finally couldn't hold back anymore. Choked. But as soon as he said the words, he immediately regretted it - didn't this give the other party another excuse?
Sure enough, Li Dou lost no time in seizing Philip Huazhong's loophole again and immediately said: "Since only Damuan Port is the area controlled by the East India Company, what qualifications do you have to ask us not to set foot on this island? If you We plan to use force to achieve this goal, please forgive me, we will definitely accompany you to the end!”
The blood that had rushed to the top of Philip's head cooled down in an instant, and he remembered why he came here - how to save the victory of Taiyuan Port for the company when Haihan was about to make a move. If force is to be used, last year's battle has proved the superiority of the two sides in terms of war strength. It would be extremely unwise for the East India Company to initiate a war. As a maritime merchant, Philip would never be able to bear this threat. A hotpot.
"No, no, no, I am here to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts." Philip's attitude quickly made a 180-degree turn: "After all, peace is hard-won, and we do not want to meet with you again. The outcome we want is for both sides to seek a proper solution.”
"Properly resolve it?" Li Dou looked at Phillip with a half-smile, while his mind was rapidly calculating the bottom line of the other party's negotiation.
Obviously, the Dutch side is not willing to completely break up over this matter, let alone use force to determine the outcome of Haihan. Its main direction of attack should be the exchange of conditions related to interests. As for the bottom line of negotiations, Li Dou believes that the status of Taiyuan Port should be maintained.
Just as Li Dou was about to speak, he saw the guard at the door making a gesture to him at an angle that Philip couldn't pay attention to. He suppressed the words on his lips again, stood up and said, "Please sit down for a moment, I have some urgent business to do right away." Process.”
After Li Dou left the living room, the guard came up and reported in a low voice: "Headmaster Qian is here." Now that Qian Tiandun has arrived, Li Dou can no longer make decisions on his own. Soon he saw Qian Tiandun who had just arrived from the vigilante training camp in another office.
"I heard that some Dutch people are here. Are they here to negotiate terms with us?" Qian Tiandun asked straight to the point.
"Yes, the East India Company hopes to transfer the Nanyang method and let them provide us with the population we need in exchange for our promise not to attack Taiwan." Li Douyan briefly introduced the status of the negotiations.
"Exchanging people for land? It's a good idea!" Qian Tiandun also saw through the Dutch's plan at a glance: "It's too good of a thought. Do you really think that we don't dare to touch Danyuan Port?"
"Brother Qian, I think we can take advantage of the Dutch people's eagerness to keep Taiyu Port and let them organize immigration for us." Li Dou suggested: "I feel that the Dutch are willing to do anything for Taiyu Port now. If necessary, we can use the immigrants they introduce to develop Taiwan Island.”
"What immigration conditions did they set out to make you so excited?" Qian Tiandun immediately noticed something unusual. The scale of Haihan's introduction of immigrants from the north of the Ming Dynasty is gradually expanding, and the cost is quite low. If it weren't for the absolute Given the good conditions, Li Dou probably wouldn't be so interested in other immigration plans.
"The conditions offered by the Dutch are really good..." Li Dou relayed the immigration policy he had heard from Philip to Qian Tiandun.
Even though Qian Tiandun had always been calm, he became a little uncontrollably agitated after hearing the Dutchman's conditions. If the Dutch can fulfill their promise, the new immigrant population Haihan will gain through this channel in one year will be enough to build several towns on the west coast of Taiwan Island. However, as the commander-in-chief of the Penghu base, he still maintained the necessary calmness: "When the Dutch offered such conditions, they would not have thought that such measures would actually dig their own graves, right?"
As a veteran colonialist, the Dutch can of course easily imagine that the purpose of Haihan's continuous introduction of immigrants is to expand the scale of colonization in the Far East, and this will inevitably compete with the development strategy of the East India Company, and even Taimuang Port is the first place to bear the brunt. But it is indeed strange that the Dutch actually offered to help Haihan introduce immigrants in exchange.
"Even if they drink poison to quench their thirst, they can only go on like this!" After Li Dou had direct contact with Philip, his view on this was more intuitive: "The Dutch want to preserve the island of Taiwan, but it's a pity that they don't. With such ability, I think the bottom line for their negotiations is to retain control of Damuan Port.”
Qian Tiandun took off his military cap, slowly rubbed his scalp until only the piles were left, and after a long time he said: "If they give up their claim to Taiwan Island, then we can talk to them about this deal. Of course, the premise is that they must do what they promised. Without immigration, there will be no discussion.”
"If the ownership of Damuan Port is exchanged, will Sanya agree?" Li Dou asked with some uncertainty. At present, Qian Tiandun has the decision-making power on all matters in Penghu, including Taiwan, but his decision does not mean that the base camp will definitely agree with it. If a mistake is really made, when the executive committee investigates the responsibility, it will inevitably Involve everyone involved.
"This right of ownership must block the Dutch in the transaction conditions." Qian Tiandun did not immediately answer Li Dou's question, but continued to explain his intention: "We will only admit the Dutch if they can complete the transaction conditions. If the conditions for the ownership of Damuan Port cannot be met or the transaction is terminated, the corresponding exchange conditions will automatically be invalidated. ”
"So if they can no longer provide us with immigrant population, we won't have to recognize their status in Damuan Port?" Li Dou's eyes lit up and he immediately understood the trick hidden in Qian Tiandun's words.
Qian Tiandun nodded and said: "That's the truth. The Dutch just want to buy time to improve their defenses in Taiyuan Port, but how effective can the time delayed by this method be? The speed of our colonial construction Isn't it several times faster than them? Even if they can complete the construction of Fort Relande within a year or two, they will still be at an absolute disadvantage in terms of strength. And we use the same time to develop Taiwan Island, you say one or two. What will the situation be like after 2019? ”
"Although I can't imagine it now, it should be no problem for our new colony to crush the Dutch port of Damian." Li Dou replied with a knowing smile.
Due to their own resource shortage, the Dutch were unable to make full use of the channels to introduce immigrants. Therefore, the scale of the colony in Damuan Port developed extremely slowly. However, Haihan had a great advantage in this regard and had good supplies. The security system and perfect immigration management system, as well as strong infrastructure and agricultural development capabilities, ensure that immigrants can be quickly transformed into productive forces after naturalization. The Dutch wanted to buy more time for their colony to develop by providing immigrants to Heihan, but the long-term consequences of doing so would only be an increasing gap in strength between the two sides.
(End of chapter)