Chapter 2973
For an isolated overseas colony like Star Island, population is one of the most important basic conditions for rapid development.
All infrastructure projects and all development projects require a continuous investment of large amounts of labor. However, the local natives are not available, so the Xingdao authorities have to pay higher costs and import people through various external channels all year round.
However, due to the limitations of the objective environment, it is difficult for Xingdao to introduce a large number of immigrants from the country. Therefore, it has been unable to properly solve the population problem and can only take eccentric approaches and seek unconventional solutions.
In addition to establishing hard labor camps and actively accepting exiled prisoners from various places, Star Island also has an important channel for importing people through the slave trade.
In the past twenty years, young slaves from East Africa, the Middle East, and India have been transported to Star Island one by one.
It must be said that these slaves were much luckier than most of their companions who were transported to Europe and America. They received relatively more humane treatment on Star Island and had the opportunity to regain their freedom through labor or military service.
Today, among the registered population of Xingdao, a considerable number of people originally came here as slaves. After proving their worth, they were allowed to join the Haihan registration and become naturalized citizens.
This unique population composition also makes Star Island the most culturally diverse and ethnically complex area among the areas under Haihan's rule.
In addition to the mainstream Hai-Han civilization, you can also see cultural fusion from many regions in Asia, Africa and Europe. The Han people only account for about 40% of the total local population, the indigenous people account for about 20%, and the remaining 40% are made up of multiple foreign races.
Whether they are black Africans with skin as dark as the bottom of a pot, Persians with dark eyes and curly beards, or even guys with standard Southern European faces, they may have a common identity here - Haihan people.
Although they are not Haihan people in the traditional sense, in a place like Xingdao, which is more international than Sanya, everything seems very reasonable. After all, Xingdao can only achieve rapid population growth through this eclectic approach.
The first moment Qian Tiandun set foot on Star Island, he felt the special atmosphere here.
Among the armed guard soldiers guarding the gangway, there were not many Han Chinese faces at first glance. Even the officer leading the team was a South Asian with dark skin. However, if you only look at their military uniforms and military salutes, they are no different from the Haihan Army you usually see.
Qian Tiandun also has some officers of Japanese, Korean, and Annan origin, but in terms of appearance, they are not much different from the Han people, and the situation is still different from the Xingdao troops. Even though he has been traveling around for many years, he still feels a little mixed when seeing such a scene.
Luo Jie and Tan Juren, who controlled the military and political power of the Xingdao region, were already waiting on the dock. They strode forward to greet Qian Tiandun and shook hands with him.
In the early days of time travel, Qian Tiandun had carried out combat missions with Roger many times, which could be regarded as an old friendship. Moreover, they had just met at Cam Ranh Bay not long ago, and they agreed to meet again at Star Island. Now it can be regarded as fulfillment of the agreement. .
As for Tan Juren, Qian Tiandun was not that familiar, and had hardly interacted with him before. However, Tan Juren's ability to partner with Roger in Star Island for twenty years without changing their partners is enough to show that this person's ability is extraordinary. According to the previous agreement, the troops heading south this time will complete their assembly and rest at Xingdao, and will wait for the generals to confirm the plan before proceeding with subsequent operations. If time is sufficient, several joint training exercises may be arranged locally to ensure that multiple forces participating in the operation can coordinate to complete the mission.
This will be a huge test for Xingdao's logistics department. If it cannot well meet the training needs of foreign troops, there will be no follow-up military operations that will be implemented in a larger geographical area.
However, Roger seemed confident about this: "We have been preparing for this operation for a long time. Whether it is the station environment or logistical services, I believe we will not disappoint everyone who comes from afar."
Roger's statement was not a boast. He insisted on taking Qian Tiandun and his party to see the conditions of the camp first, and then return to the city to hold a banquet to cleanse them.
Qian Tiandun also appreciates this pragmatic attitude. The conditions of Vung Tau Port, Pattani Port and other places where we stopped on the way south are limited and cannot provide the troops with well-equipped temporary bases. Therefore, after the long journey at sea, the soldiers need a good environment to complete their rest and recuperation.
The social structure and development process of Xingdao are similar to Cam Ranh Bay Base. It was first built as a military base by Haihan, and then relying on the military base, the city and related industries were gradually developed.
The troops currently stationed on Xingdao are the 9th Lu Division and the Third Detachment of the South China Sea Fleet, with a total strength of approximately 12,000 people. This is also the main force guarding the southern end of the Haihan territory. These troops are stationed on Star Island and many important resource producing areas within their jurisdiction, and their defenses will be changed approximately once a year.
Although Singdao has developed various industries such as shipping, mining, and energy, for Haihan, Singdao has always been positioned as a military center on the southern border, guarding two important maritime areas, the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Sunda. The function of waterways is far more important than any other industry.
It is precisely based on this functional positioning that the scale of the Singdao military base is very large. Together with Cam Ranh Bay in Annan, Cavite in Luzon, and Sanya in Hainan, it is known as the four major military bases in the South China Sea.
The fleet heading south is currently anchored at the military port of the base, which is only two or three miles away from the camp. The group took a carriage and arrived at their destination a short time later.
What you can see in the camp area are all neat and uniform barracks. Each barracks is a two-story brick building with eight rooms on each floor. Each room houses one class, and one building houses one company. Every four buildings constitute a camp area, and each camp area is separated by a main road and arranged in a very regular manner.
The camp area is equipped with playgrounds, canteens, bathhouses, toilets, infirmaries, warehouses, reservoirs and other facilities. Qian Tiandun noticed that the construction standards of these facilities, including the barracks, are very high, no less than what he had in Jinzhou. Presided over the construction of the Nanguanling camp.
Judging from the environment of this camp alone, the resources required for the construction phase are not a small amount. This shows how much the Star Island authorities attach great importance to military power.
Of course, the most eye-catching thing is the soldiers here, which are simply a hodgepodge of multiple races. Qian Tiandun himself is a soldier. He knows very well how many difficulties must be overcome to bring so many soldiers from different regions, different civilizations, and different races together to form a fighting force.
(End of chapter)