Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

These days, when you're out in the world, your reputation is earned through your fists. Maintaining two warships costs tens of millions of US dollars a year, and with the 500-inch ship on land, the total expenses amount to hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars a year.

Of course, this money was well spent. Wang Yaotang has already made back all the benefits he gained by being so arrogant in Southeast Asia for the past two years.

So he had it all planned out. When he got back, he would contact the people at Beijing University of Technology to get in touch with shipyards and research institutes. He remembered that several versions of the 0 were developed afterward, including a missile frigate. However, because everything was now focused on economic development and military spending had been severely reduced, there was no money for research, which is why it had been delayed.

No money? I have plenty!

I am also a patriotic businessman, and I can invest too!

However, such advanced national weapons need to be kept strictly confidential. We can sell him two ships in due time, considering he is a patriotic businessman who has invested heavily in and supported defense technology.

He'll be sailing sideways across the sea!

Otherwise, it wouldn't be enough to show how awesome you are!
The meeting point was not far from Yangon, and the fleet arrived shortly afterward, where it was personally greeted by Vice President General Mohamed.

Myanmar is also interesting; it has a socialist system with the position of president, which is rather incongruous.

Theoretically speaking, Wang Yaotang is just a Hong Kong tycoon with no official status and is not entitled to state guest protocol. However, the upper echelons of Myanmar believe that this is due to the influence of China, so they raised the protocol to an unprecedented level.

Deputy Prime Minister General Mohamad was waiting at the naval port. Unlike Sandanan, a general with a naval background, the first thing he saw was the cream-colored luxury yacht.

Its length was in no way inferior to the surrounding warships, yet it appeared so noble and elegant among a group of rough men, like a floating palace on the sea, making his heart surge with excitement, and he wished he could take its place.

Damn, it's so good to be rich!
As the fleet was about to arrive, the protocol staff came up and called out to General Mohayu. At this moment, a red carpet had been laid out on the dock, the honor guard was lined up neatly, and a group of children were specially prepared with flowers in their hands.

The Great Han slowly docked and came to a stop. The people from Shandanan disembarked first and made a brief handover with the protocol staff. Only after that was done were they guided by someone to Wang Yaotang off the ship.

When state guests arrive, they are greeted at the designated location.

The two sides shook hands, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then the children presented flowers.

Then the Myanmar national anthem was played and the national flag was raised.

Wang Yaotang and General Mohayu stood side by side in the middle, with people lined up at the back, quietly waiting for the ceremony to end. The camera flashes never stopped throughout the entire ceremony, and it's unknown how much film was used up.

After the flag-raising ceremony, General Mohayu accompanied the state guests to review the guard of honor, while the band played music.

They introduced the members of both delegations and exchanged state gifts with Wang Yaotang.

After that, both sides gave brief speeches and exchanged greetings. The speeches were prepared by the protocol department, including Wang Yaotang's. He only made simple revisions to the wording. There could not be any impoliteness here, as it would be broadcast on Myanmar's news that evening.

After the speeches, a group photo was taken.

It's still early at the hotel, so we need to get on the bus and head to the next activity location for a visit.

Although it seems meaningless, it really is meaningless...

This is the procedure for state guest protocol; it shows how much importance is attached to it.

Finally, we had a state banquet featuring Burmese specialties. After all that fuss, it was already evening when we finally got to the hotel to rest.

He didn't watch the news that night; there was news from Myanmar... but he didn't even watch the rebels' news.

The next morning, Naiwen finally showed up. After all, he was the one who invited him, so in return, Wang Yaotang didn't bring up the main business and warmly invited Naiwen to visit his luxury yacht.

He couldn't refuse such a warm invitation, and besides, Naiwen had heard Shandanan and his group boast about how luxurious and technologically advanced their yacht was, so he was quite curious.

"I originally wanted to commission CRN from Italy to customize their yacht. The 'Atlantis' yacht they built for the Greek shipping magnate cost around $2000 million, but it was only 55 meters long, which I thought was too small. In the end, I chose Feadship from the Netherlands to customize their yacht. It is a masterpiece of global yachting, costing more than $1500 million. It was designed by the design master De Vout, with a length of 67 meters, a length between perpendiculars of 59.5 meters, a beam of 11.5 meters, and a displacement of 1500 tons."

Wang Yaotang and Naiwen boarded the yacht side by side. Wang Yaotang said with a smile, "I only found out after I got the boat that it has a lot of connections with Myanmar."

"Oh, what's the relationship?" Nevin was taken aback.

"The three-tiered solid wood deck of this ship is made of 45mm thick Burmese teak, with 24 sanding processes to ensure it is smooth and shiny while being non-slip and corrosion-resistant. Teak truly deserves to be called the best wood for shipbuilding," Wang Yaotang said sincerely, stepping on the deck with his foot.

Naiwen's lips twitched almost imperceptibly as he glanced sideways at Wang Yaotang. "Are you fucking sure you're not mocking me?"
Burmese teak is the best in the world and is the third largest export commodity. However, Myanmar mainly exports raw timber, which is actually priced quite modestly. But once others take it and process it, the price immediately increases dozens of times, making it a synonym for luxury.

Myanmar, on the other hand, is only good at exporting raw materials...

Wang Yaotang seemed unfazed and continued pointing to the wall of the 280 main salon, explaining to Naiwen: "This wall is paneled with Italian cherry wood, paired with fine walnut wood trim. The ceiling features a relief carving depicting the maritime map of the Han Dynasty."

Wang Yaotang pointed to the nautical chart above his head and said, "This nautical chart is a replica of the Geography section of the Book of Han. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, in 111 BC, after the pacification of Nanyue, ports such as Hepu and Xuwen were established in Lingnan. The fleet departed from Rinan Pass, Xuwen, and Hepu, sailed south along the coast of the Indochina Peninsula, and arrived at Duyuan Kingdom after five months of sailing. It is now the southeastern part of the Malay Peninsula. It then sailed north for another four months to Yilumo Kingdom, which is today's Bago in Myanmar."

As he spoke, Wang Yaotang smiled and glanced at Naiwen, “I remember that Bago is not far northeast of Yangon. Back then, the tribes of Bago traded with our Han merchant ships for pottery and bronze mirrors using furs, gems, and gold. Our Han maritime merchants even helped the local tribes build a port transit point.”

Naiwen told himself he couldn't be rude, and forced a smile, "Yes, it's not far."

Damn it, so what if it has a long history!

Open-mouth tribe, shut-mouth tribe, what's wrong with the tribe?
Did the tribesmen eat your rice?

They even deliberately emphasized furs and gems, talking like they were primitive Africans. We have civilization too!

Seeing Naiwen's forced smile, Wang Yaotang felt a great sense of relief and continued with a smile: "Continuing to sail from Bago, one can reach Chenli, which is now Sili in Myanmar. From Sili, it takes eighteen days to walk to Fugandulu, which is now near Pyay in Myanmar. Continuing to sail by boat for about two months, one will reach Huangzhi, which is now near Madras in India. Continuing south, one can reach Yichengbu, which is now Sri Lanka."

"The fact that the main wash is heat resistant shows that the trade and cultural exchanges between Chinese and Burmese people have continued for more than 2000 years. As a Chinese businessman, I am very willing to continue this trade and cultural exchange. Of course, all exchanges are based on equality and openness. What do you think?"

“Of course, Myanmar is also very willing to promote further trade and cultural exchanges.” Naing Win nodded, realizing that this was what he had been waiting for.

“I’m glad you said that,” Wang Yaotang said with a smile. “Many Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia have said that they have encountered many difficulties and setbacks in doing business in Myanmar. I think this is all due to poor communication. Myanmar still welcomes Chinese businessmen to invest here. Everyone knows that I received an invitation from your country and asked me to inquire about it. Now I am relieved.”

Naiwen cursed inwardly, but his face beamed with a smile like a blooming chrysanthemum. "Of course, people-to-people business exchanges are an important standard for measuring commercial prosperity, and we certainly welcome Southeast Asian Chinese businessmen to invest here."

This Burmese military government is extremely corrupt, and they have divided up and monopolized most of the country's industries. How could they possibly open up the country under such circumstances? If they did, no one could compete with the Southeast Asian Chinese businessmen.

He, as the head of the military government, was certainly aware of the problem, and he was also aware that internal monopolies were causing commercial stagnation. However, there was nothing he could do about it. The military government was not something he could call the shots on; without the support of the people, he was nothing.

Now Wang Yaotang is inciting Luo and Peng to cause trouble, and warships have even come over. What is this all about?
Neocolonialism...

They have to make a statement this time, no matter what. Let's see which industries this guy goes into next.

Damn it, I don't know how we'll argue when we get back.

As for other Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia, well, let's just say they don't care. They doubt this kid would be so kind as to stand up for others.

Naiwen had long lost interest in the tour, but could only listen to Wang Yaotang introduce his luxury yacht: the custom-made French L-shaped velvet sofa, the Italian white marble coffee table, the German Hülsta custom-made king-size hydraulic lift bed inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the teak desk, the gold-plated lamps, the fingerprint lock filing cabinet, the Swarovski custom-made crystal chandelier, the mahogany dinner table, the Iranian hand-knotted silk carpet, the Venetian brocade curtains, and all the door handles and railings were made of 925 sterling silver plated with gold...

The ship also has a helicopter deck, a small cinema, a bar, a cigar bar, a gym, a swimming pool, etc.

Listening to Wang Yaotang boast about the artwork created by 200 craftsmen, the extremely luxurious steel island that can sail across the ocean, and the mobile palace with cutting-edge technology, I just felt annoyed and irritable.

The group rested in the salon room and drank wine. Wang Yaotang finally brought up the projects he wanted to invest in. "I have reached an agreement with the Kengtung Municipal Government to develop the local tin mine veins and with the Lashio Municipal Government to develop the Nandu tin mine. Of course, these are just intentions at the moment. Mineral development still requires permission from the state. However, please have confidence in my company's development capabilities."

“My Hong Kong mining company has been developing iron ore mines for 80 years and has a lot of mature experience in mine development.”

Dong and Lashio are now under the control of Dulu and Peng. Doesn't the military government agree to stop construction immediately?
Grandma smiled broadly, but in her heart she was cursing, "80 years ago, your grandpa was a damn protein source, now he's back in your name!"
Of course, the military government's approval was very important to Wang Yaotang. Only with a legitimate name could he act with authority, stir up trouble in the stock market, and use shareholders' money to invest in and build mines. Otherwise, if he had to invest on his own, he wouldn't have that much spare money, and his hometown wouldn't be able to provide support.

“Mineral resources are Myanmar’s precious assets and belong to every Myanmar person.” Naing Win emphasized the word “Myanmar”.

“The idea of ​​‘temperature-resistant main wash’ is really well said.” Wang Yaotang gave a thumbs up. “We Lao people are the most supportive of national unity, and I myself am a staunch supporter of the Greater Myanmar State.”

Give me the mine and we'll cease hostilities immediately; otherwise, the fighting will continue!
Upon hearing this, Naiwen's expression finally improved. "I believe that with economic development, people's happiness, and smooth communication, all ethnic groups will surely live in harmony."

You should just invest and make money honestly, and stop inciting ethnic conflicts. "The chief was right, the economic base determines the superstructure." Wang Yaotang nodded. "The construction of communication highways is the best way to communicate and eliminate conflicts."

I want to invest in the communications industry in Shan State.

Nai Win frowned. The telecommunications industry in Myanmar is controlled by the Nai Win family, and this is cutting into his flesh. "Telecommunications is an important part of national defense and security."

I want to invest!

"Indeed, the construction of dedicated lines is also crucial."

I want controlling stake!
After a moment's thought, considering that it was the other party's controlled area and he couldn't interfere too much, he nodded and said, "The task of building communications infrastructure is arduous and has a long way to go."

I won't pay!

"Postal and telecommunications infrastructure is the lifeblood of economic development, while abundant hydropower resources are the most powerful engine."

You can refuse to contribute money, but I want the power industry in Shan State!

"Water resources are the lifeblood of national development and are related to many fundamental industries. They must be used in a planned manner."

This isn't just my idea; the military government wants a piece of the pie!

Wang Yaotang's eyes were full of disdain. "It's organized, group-based treason! But I like it!"

“Planned guidance can better facilitate the completion of development plans, especially the Mandalay Golden Waterway, which is located at the confluence of rivers!” Wang Yaotang emphasized the word “golden”.

There was no other way; he didn't want to talk so much, but as the head of the Burmese religious order, he couldn't simply compromise because of the rebels.

When Naiwen heard the word "gold," his eyes sharpened, and he involuntarily sat up straight, turning his head slightly to look at his deputy.

His deputy whispered a few words in his ear: the gold mine looks huge, but in reality, it only produces a little over ten million US dollars a year.
The temperature-resistant person was clearly taken aback. Gold? I didn't expect it to be worth so little?
"The national bank needs to stockpile large amounts of gold to stabilize the currency."

Most of them must stay in the country.

He is the Baptist Lord. While personal and family interests are important, national stability cannot be forgotten, and this is something that cannot be compromised.

“Mining taxes are a balancing force for regulating local economies and national development.”

Yes, but you have to deduct it from tin ore taxes.

Naiwen squinted and thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "I've heard that Mr. Wang Yaotang is keen on port investment? Yangon has an excellent port, and its railway network extends all the way to the border regions. I wonder if Mr. Wang would be interested in investing in port construction?"

He felt that the negotiations above were not a big problem, after all, it was a rebel-controlled area and peace had to be guaranteed, so there was no way to get Wang Yaotang to give up more. However, he was still worried about not having any investment in the military government-controlled area.

He feared that the Wang family's appetite would grow larger and larger, and that they would continue to increase their support for Peng and Luo. Therefore, he had to ensure that the Wang family was bound to the military government to a certain extent.

By investing heavily in the port and transporting goods from the port to Lashio and Kengtung by rail, thus controlling the transportation route, Wang Yaotang would have something to worry about.

What's more, there's an even more dangerous Zhang Qifu. Allowing Wang Yaotang's goods to pass through the Thai-Myanmar border will inevitably allow Zhang Qifu to grow even stronger, making him a ticking time bomb!
Besides, instead of letting goods pass through the Yunnan and Siam borders and letting others transfer the money, it would be better to open Yangon to them. This would not only allow us to monitor the transportation of goods, but also develop Yangon's economy and earn some customs revenue.

It's a win-win-win situation, so why not?

Wang Yaotang naturally understood what the old man was thinking, but this was a perfectly legitimate scheme, as the cost of transiting through Siam was indeed too high for many things.

The old man is quite good at letting go...

When it comes to legitimate investments, Wang Yaotang no longer needs to be as secretive as before. "Investing in the port is fine, and I can also invest in expanding the port. However, the port does not exist in isolation; its supporting industries are very complex. How can the Myanmar government guarantee that the supporting industries will be in place?"

“You can participate in the investment,” Nevin said with a smile.

Wang Yaotang raised his hand and said, "Impossible. For example, I would never invest in a supporting freight system like railways. I wouldn't take it even if you gave it to me."

It's not that he's afraid of losing money, or that the Burmese government is bullying him; if they dare to steal his money, he'll bomb their fleet!

The railway is a bottomless pit.

There is only one China in the world; the railways of other countries are getting worse and worse, with increasing operating and maintenance costs and decreasing timeliness.

"What are you worried about?" Nai Win's face darkened when he was directly confronted and treated with disrespect towards Myanmar.

From this perspective, speaking in a roundabout way has its advantages, as it reduces a lot of awkwardness when bargaining.

"I don't trust any of them—warehousing, electricity, transportation, or security."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want to see concrete actions from your country, not just hear that things will improve."

Naiwen frowned slightly. Warehousing was easy to handle; they could simply provide the kid with more land to build warehouses. But electricity and transportation would be much more difficult. Not only would they require a large investment, but more importantly, they would need to balance the interests of domestic interest groups. Otherwise, they could forget about getting anything done.

A well-developed port leads to more exports, but what does it matter to me if others make money? If it's not good, it's not good!

Sometimes I really want to quit, and I mutter a few words of frustration to myself.

Of course, these were just words spoken in anger. He wanted to quit, but the group of people who supported him wouldn't let him. Quitting meant certain death.

He was quite clear-headed about this. In 1976, six junior officers favored by Newin launched a ridiculous coup aimed at restoring the joint venture. After the coup was suppressed, Newin launched a purge of the entire army. The survivor, Danri, arrested and placed Newin under house arrest many years later.

He named himself Naiwen; it means "bright sun" in Burmese, which shows how ambitious he was...

In its early years, most of its governance measures were based on trial and error, learning from the experiences of the Chinese and Americans. In the 60s, it declared that it would "follow the Burmese-style path of socialism," implementing a series of reforms such as nationalizing the means of production, establishing an agricultural product procurement system, and monopolizing foreign trade. It also aimed to "replace capitalists wearing trousers and headscarves with those wearing sarongs," referring to the "oil-stained" people...

In the early years of his rule, Nyein was autocratic, but now in his later years, he increasingly prefers to shut himself in, as if ignoring Myanmar is the most powerful country and there are no problems with it.

This time, Wang Yaotang had pushed them to the brink, but they were thinking more about exchanging benefits than about continuing the fight.

“Since you want to get involved in the power industry, you can’t just take advantage of it. You also need to contribute money and effort to transportation infrastructure.” Naiwen said somewhat irritably, otherwise he would not have been able to deal with the interest groups under his command.

Wang Yaotang scoffed, "Then let's keep the status quo. I'll invest 20% in cash."

"Impossible, it has to be 49%!"

"Too much, at most 25%..."

The two haggled over the price like they were buying vegetables. In Wang Yaotang's view, Myanmar's port industry would have no value for at least ten years. This was not like ancient times when navigation technology was poor and it was necessary to transit through Myanmar.

Of course, development will only occur when the demand for oil and natural gas between China and Laos increases significantly ten years later, and Myanmar's oil and gas fields are vigorously developed.

After much haggling, they finally agreed on a $5300 million transfer of 35% of the Yangon Port to Wang Yaotang, which was considered to have completed a certain degree of binding.

Wang Yaotang also promised to invest in building a motorcycle assembly plant here in exchange for some of the purchasing rights for Thai teak as compensation.

As for Shan State, it has 70-year mining licenses for two tin mines, operating rights for telecommunications and electricity, and 90% ownership of a gold mine in Mandalay, although the gold will be used to offset taxes.

After considering everything, Wang Yaotang felt it was acceptable. At least the development of Lashio and Kengtung would no longer require traveling through mountainous areas from Siam or using air transport; going directly by rail would be much more convenient.

This series of mineral development rights is enough for him to cash out billions in the stock market, and besides investing, he can use most of the remaining money to acquire Hong Kong Electric from Jardine Matheson.

The layout in Myanmar is basically complete. The next step is to target Myanmar's oil and gas resources, but that's 10 years from now... (End of Chapter)