Chapter 970 Harsh exchange conditions
The Portuguese have seen the situation very clearly through their cooperation in recent years. It is good to develop colonies on their own, but the investment required is huge and the construction period is very long. It is also full of uncertain variables and operational efficiency. On the contrary, it is far less fast than following Haihan's footsteps. In the past, the Portuguese had to travel to Northeast Asia to trade from Macau. They took risks and crossed the waters controlled by the Dutch and Spanish. When they arrived at Shuangyu Port in Zhoushan, they had to deal with local pirate merchants. It was not an easy task. .
But after the Haihan people opened up the sea route from Guangdong and Guangxi to Zhejiang last year, the Portuguese only needed to build business warehouses in the areas controlled by Haihan, and they could easily enjoy the benefits of trade. Moreover, the safety hazards on this entire route have basically been cleared up by Haihan people in advance. Going from Macau to Zhoushan is no longer the "adventure trip" that businessmen call it. Although the Portuguese did not have their own colonies along this route, they had to admit that the infrastructure projects in the areas controlled by the Haihan people were very good, far exceeding the level they could achieve. The trading post was far better run than developing a colony on its own, and the Portuguese did not even need to worry about local security issues.
In addition, in the past, when Portugal wanted to trade with the Ming Dynasty, it always encountered various barriers. Only a few Ming merchants were willing to sell goods to them. The quantity and variety were always very limited, and there was no room for pickiness. But after cooperating with Haihan people, this slightly embarrassing situation has also been improved. Although the procurement process needs to go through Haihan people's intermediaries, it is inevitable that a fee will be taken away, but the types of goods that can be selected are much greater than before. The number has increased, and with Haihan as the guarantee, both delivery of goods and payment settlement are much more convenient and reliable than before.
This time Thomas heard that there would be investment projects at several ports controlled by Haihan on the route from Guangdong to Zhejiang, and he immediately took the initiative to contact Schneider. Thomas knew that Ming merchants had actually settled in these ports before, but Western merchants like them had never been able to obtain Haihan's permission. Now that they had finally received the good news after waiting for more than half a year, they naturally wanted to grab it. Only in the front can he be worthy of his position as Consul General in Sanya.
"Mr. Schneider, we hope to obtain the right to settle in Zhoushan Dinghai Port. It would be best if we could set aside an exclusive dock for Portuguese merchants there." Thomas put forward his request to Schneider concisely and concisely. Compared with Fuzhou and Guangzhou, which have already obtained trade opportunities, the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions further north are the markets that Portugal urgently needs to win, and Zhoushan Dinghai Port, located off the coast of Hangzhou Bay, is undoubtedly an excellent maritime trade place in this region. .
"Exclusive terminal? Like Sanya Port? No problem!" Schneider said with a smile: "But you have to pay for the construction funds yourself. We can organize the construction on your behalf."
Thomas was quite happy and agreed immediately without asking the price: "Then it's settled."
Schneider added unhurriedly: "In addition, the personnel entering and leaving the local area, shipping schedules, routes, and the types and quantities of goods transported need to be reported to the local port center. Account settlement must also be done through the channels of Haihan Bank .”
Thomas made a mental calculation and nodded in agreement. Although these conditions are a bit harsh and will put Portuguese merchants' local trade conditions completely under Haihan's supervision, this level of effort is worth it compared to the trade benefits they can obtain from the local area.
"But we also have a small condition." Thomas responded: "We hope that you can control the Dutch trading activities in the Haihan Colony, at least to impose appropriate restrictions on the types of goods they can purchase."
Schneider smiled noncommittally and said: "You are thinking very far!"
The Dutch have basically agreed to the conditions proposed by Haihan during the trade negotiations on Ambrosia 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 future. Dinghai Port was in the early stages of development, and the Portuguese would continue to face face-to-face trade competition from the Dutch. If you want to gain an upper hand in the competition, the most effective way is to gain the upper hand through the assistance of Haihan. As long as the Haihan people say a word, the Portuguese can easily defeat their competitors by tilting their trade policies.
Thomas said unabashedly: "What the Dutch compete with us is actually 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 you will Be able to stand firmly by our side in times like this.”
Schneider smiled and said: "This matter is not non-negotiable, but in the spirit of cooperation, shouldn't you also come up with some exchange conditions?"
Thomas suddenly felt as if he was being stared at by a wild beast, as if he had become prey in the eyes of the other party. Although he still couldn't figure out what the exchange conditions Schneider was referring to, Thomas felt vaguely that he seemed to have been calculated.
"So what suggestions does Mr. Schneider have?" Thomas decided to ask directly.
"Our conditions are very simple, navigation rights in the Strait of Malacca." Schneider's reply was equally simple and direct.
Thomas coughed dryly and said: "Actually, the navigation rights of the Strait of Malacca are not entirely in our hands. I believe Mr. Schneider understands this. Besides, our two families are allies. If the Haihan ship wants to pass through the Strait of Malacca, we will naturally not Any comments?”
"I think you have misunderstood me a bit." Schneider explained: "What we want is not the permission for Haihan ships to pass through the Strait of Malacca, but the control of the navigation rights of the strait. In other words, we hope that Haihan will be able to use Haihan in the future." To decide which ships can pass through this strait." After hearing this, Thomas couldn't help but change his face and said: "With all due respect, this condition you proposed is a bit excessive! Our country built fortresses in the Strait of Malacca and stationed armed ships to protect the local waters. Shipping safety has a history of hundreds of years, and we have never intended to hand over local jurisdiction to others! ”
"Mr. Thomas, please don't get excited, please listen to me clearly." Schneider explained unhurriedly: "We are not trying to expel you from the Strait of Malacca. Your existing territory there is still valid. What happened before?" You can do the same in the future for maritime trade, and there will be no obvious damage to your interests. But it is better for Haihan to take the initiative.”
Thomas thought to himself that this is all a step on my face and you still tell me not to get excited. It would be better not to persuade me with your advice. It has been more than 120 years since the Portuguese captured the city of Malacca in 1511, when Albuquerque, the second governor of Portuguese India, led his army. During this period, although the Portuguese did not fully control both sides of the Strait of Malacca, they basically controlled both sides of the Strait of Malacca. However, the control of the sea has indeed always been firmly in his hands. Even the Dutch tried to use force to intervene in this area many times, but they were successfully rejected by Portugal. Now you are asking me to give up control of the Strait of Malacca with just one sentence. How can I agree to this?
It is worth mentioning that it was also from this period that the Ming Dynasty completely lost its influence in the South China Sea. Nine years after the Portuguese captured Malacca, the prince of Malacca's envoy sent a letter asking for help to the Ministry of Rites of the Ming Dynasty. Only then did the Ming court know that such a situation had occurred in the South China Sea. But in the face of the fall of Malacca, the Ming Dynasty did not realize the long-term damage to itself, and its subsequent response was quite weak - Portugal was not allowed to pay tribute, and all the Portuguese envoys to China were detained. In Guangzhou, he served as a hostage for the return of the territory of Malacca.
This incompetence and short-sightedness was mainly due to the fact that the Ming Dynasty did not deploy any military force in Southeast Asia, and the so-called tribute system was just a feeble political commitment. Two-thirds of the Ming Dynasty's vassal states were in Southeast Asia. However, after the arrival of Western colonists, these vassal states were gradually forced to break away from their relations with the Ming Dynasty, losing this huge strategic buffer in just a hundred years. district.
However, after Haihan came to this time and space, he regarded the control of the South China Sea as his first priority for outward expansion. Only in the seventh year after crossing, Haihan finally established his own stronghold near the Strait of Malacca. It was hard-won, but it also showed that Haihan was determined to gain control of this region.
In the previous meeting at Ambrosia Island, Haihan consciously downplayed the impact of his 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 introduced by Haihan. There were no specific consultations on the issues of navigation and jurisdiction in the Strait of Malacca. This time, the Portuguese took the initiative to come to discuss cooperation conditions. Schneider thought this was a good opportunity for a showdown, so he decisively brought the topic to this topic.
Before that, Schneider had also expected the Portuguese's reaction when he heard about this. Thomas did not immediately curse, which was already a good show of self-control. Of course, it can be seen from his gloomy face now what attitude the Portuguese holds towards this matter.
"Mr. Schneider, I must solemnly tell you that the condition you have 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 responded to the condition proposed by Schneider. dissatisfied.
"Don't be so stubborn. Many plans can never keep up with changes." Schneider was not in a hurry, and still said slowly: "I think you should take a longer view, don't just focus on the present, long-term interests are what you should focus on Mr. Thomas, please think carefully about how much benefit you gained by occupying Malacca in the past, and how much benefit you have gained by controlling the Strait of Malacca. Can 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 had enough motivation and financial resources to continue moving eastward, and arrived in the Daming Sea a few years later.
But in the next hundred years, the Portuguese controlled this very important trade gateway between the East and the West, but they did not gain much direct benefit. Although the Dutch therefore needed to sail around the Sunda Strait from outside Sumatra Island and enter the South China Sea, this only caused an increase in time and transportation costs for the Dutch, and did not receive even a single copper plate from the Dutch. , on the contrary, it spent a lot of money fighting for control of the Malacca Strait.
The Kingdom of Johor and Aceh, which are also located in the Strait of Malacca, are not idle either. These two countries have fought against Portugal no less than the Dutch. Although they have suffered repeated defeats and won less and lost more, they are still behind Portugal after all. No trouble. With Portugal's strength, it can only defeat their offensive, but it does not have the ability to destroy the country. The armed conflict in the Strait of Malacca will still not stop for a foreseeable period in the future.
As for the future, now that Haihan has already set foot in the Strait of Malacca, Thomas really doesn't dare to make big promises. The combat effectiveness of the Haihan armed forces is well known to everyone, and they are invincible wherever they go. The Portuguese had already suffered heavy losses in the battle of Hoi An City in Annan. In the past few years, the Haihan Army has been fighting in the north and south, and has grown much faster than the Portuguese semi-professional armed forces. The gap in strength has already been much wider than it was back then. If the two sides faced each other again today, I'm afraid the outcome of the battle would be even more disastrous than back then.
To put it another way, even if the Haihan people don't take the initiative, will Portugal have the ability to drive away the Haihan people who have already settled on Star Island and started building a dock? If he turns a blind eye to it, Thomas dares to say that in at least half a year, the local area will begin to officially operate and become Haihan's advanced base in the Strait of Malacca. When the armed sailboats of the Haihan people cruised on the sea outside Malacca, the Portuguese would react very weakly, whether they made verbal protests or pretended not to see it.
Thomas actually knew his own disadvantages in his heart, but he was determined not to be able to agree to the Haihan people's conditions. The reason is simple. If he handles this matter, Thomas will be the one who needs to take the blame later on. This responsibility is too great. 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 cannot accept them." After calculating the pros and cons, Thomas rejected Schneider's proposal.
(End of chapter)