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

Many people have some misunderstandings about Northeast China. In the 80s, Northeast China was the richest place. It was relatively wealthy in the 90s, but it gradually declined after 2000. Of course, we are talking about ordinary families.

The foundation is still quite solid. Around 2000, a large number of people from Northeast China began to move south. The cities that received the most people from Northeast China, such as Qinhuangdao, Beihai, and Hainan, saw their housing prices driven up by these people...

Grandpa Lao Yanhuo had three sons and two daughters. My father was the eldest. When my parents got married, Grandpa gave them 3000 yuan in cash. That was in 1980. I remember that the family had more than 10,000 yuan in cash in 1988. My father hid the money in the stove pit in the front yard. I found it when I was a child.

My family are just ordinary forestry workers. My grandfather cultivated some land in the mountains. I remember that by the mid-90s, he had cultivated about a hundred acres of land there.

When I was 12, my parents were laid off one after the other, and the forestry team was gone. At that time, we had two options: buy out our years of service or keep them. My family chose to buy out our years of service. I don't remember exactly how much we were paid, but it seemed to be tens of thousands of yuan. That was in 95.

As everyone knows, what happened next was that the Northeast's resources were completely depleted, and the whole thing was finished.

Closer to home:
……

News came from the sea that an oil tanker in the Xisha Islands had been attacked by Annamese. The captain sent a few messages on the radio, saying that he was taking his men to escape to Yongxing Island by gunboat.

The specifics were unclear at the moment, so Wang Yaotang had someone contact the garrison on Yongxing Island by radio and arrange for a Y-5 transport vehicle to pick them up.

They're all on the same side. Wang Yaotang said he wanted to start a fishing company, and he kept his word. He paid orders from Guangzhou Shipyard, Wenchong Shipyard, Jiangmen Shipyard, Mawei Shipyard, and Hudong Shipyard in US dollars. What's wrong with cutting in line?

Five vessels have been launched in the past six months and are already familiarizing themselves with operations near the Xisha Islands.

This is where the flexibility of the Y-5 becomes apparent. Yongxing Island doesn't have an airport yet, but the land has been leveled, so finding a stretch of land longer than 200 meters is not a problem.

It's 700 kilometers from Hong Kong, which is within the flight range, and a round trip takes only about 10 hours.

Wang Yaotang met someone before setting off to attend the launching ceremony of 05⑶.

"The attack is definitely by Annamite. We saw the flags on the warships. There are eight ships coming, but I don't know their specific models."

“It was obvious we couldn’t win, so I didn’t dare to fight back. I immediately used the radio to call the fishing boats operating nearby and told them to go to Yongxing Island to avoid us. The Annamese bastards opened fire after they found out we were running away, and they even sent several boats to chase after us. Two gunboats were unlucky enough to be hit, but the rest of us ran fast and escaped. I don’t know what happened to those two gunboats.”

“The fishing boats are all fine. Before I arrived, all our fishing boats had returned, and there were no casualties.”

“I left three people and a small boat on Ganquan Island with a radio. I told them to go and check the area afterward. There were no oil tankers there, and no floating fuel oil on the sea. It was almost certainly towed away by those bastards.”

After rattling off the story, Wang Yaotang grew increasingly angry. "Damn it," he thought, "these Annamese are truly despicable."

I wonder how the oil tankers near the Spratly Islands are doing. Will they also be attacked? There's no Yongxing Island for them to hide on there. This is troublesome.

It's only been a short time, the injury happened in the second half of 1985, just over two years ago. Have they already forgotten the pain once the wound has healed?

Or is it because the Russians have delivered another ship and they think they're capable again?

Or perhaps a newcomer is coming on stage, preparing to establish their authority?

Or perhaps the naval forces in Da Nang finally couldn't take it anymore after sinking too many Annamese fishing boats in the Paracel Islands in the past two years and took revenge?

The specific reasons don't matter anymore; our people were attacked and our tanker was robbed—this can't be kept secret.

Almost all cargo ships traveling on Southeast Asian routes have transactions with their own oil tankers.

Either buy oil or sell oil.

Those cargo ships weighing tens of thousands of tons consume hundreds of tons of fuel per trip from Singapore to Hong Kong. Given the influence of weather, sea conditions, and other factors, isn't it normal for them to consume about 10% more fuel?

Selling these and dividing them up from top to bottom would earn more than someone else's monthly salary.

When we arrived at the port, they said they would fill up the tank according to fuel consumption, but in reality, they only filled it up to half or less. They would refuel at sea halfway through the journey. Wouldn't it be better to share the money saved?

If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. In the vast ocean, even ship owners can't control such things, otherwise who would risk their lives for you?

But if the oil tanker at sea suddenly disappears, the news will quickly spread with the passing fleets. If Wang Yaotang doesn't react, won't he lose the prestige he's built up over such a long period of time?
Therefore, fighting is definitely going to happen.

That's how lawless things are at sea; right now, it's all about who has the biggest fist!
Those Annamese bastards, they've forgotten the pain of past wounds. This time we must teach them a lesson they won't forget.

The order was given to Wei Jinzhong and his men to prepare. The two new 0 ships were already thoroughly familiarized with. They were to take the two original 0 ships, which had been repaired long ago, and the Xingye ship south to Yongxing Island to await orders.

We'll get started as soon as he gets back from Shanghai!
The Type 05 missile frigate has a crew of 190, and the Type 0 submarine chaser and missile boat have a crew of 70. Including other accompanying gunboats and supply ships, the number of marines exceeds 600. The Xingye, as a supply ship, is a bit too small and cannot handle the load.

The private jet landed in Shanghai, and we rested for a day at the former 'Spanish Mansion' that we had bought before. It had been renovated a long time ago, and we had hired two local nannies. Sometimes it's quite poignant to think about it. He has so many manors and villas all over the world, each more luxurious than the last, and he spends so much money on their maintenance every year, but the ones who enjoy them the longest are actually the nannies...

After the launching ceremony of 0⑶⒎, Wang Yaotang originally thought he would no longer be so excited, but in fact he was still so excited that he was trembling.

05⑶ With its larger drainage capacity, more powerful firepower, and more advanced technology, Wang Yaotang was so happy that his mouth stretched from ear to ear.

After taking the ship for a spin at sea, if it weren't for the need for complex seaworthiness tests, Wang Yaotang would have loved to head south with the warship right now and give the Annamese bastards a big surprise.

However, everything had to be done according to the rules, and the newly recruited marines waited in Shanghai for two days before they all arrived.

They were all newly recruited in the last six months, nearly half of whom had just retired and were still fresh in people's minds, while the other half had retired before.

Although they said they would be given a job if he stepped down at this point, the actual situation was not optimistic.

Moreover, we also need to distinguish between rural and urban areas.

Most of them have neither land to farm nor jobs, and besides, they're all getting on in years after retiring, with their families planning to get married...

It’s difficult, too difficult!
So when they got in touch with the boss, they heard that he was a patriot with close ties to the South China Sea authorities, offering Hong Kong or foreign residency, a salary ten times higher, and the chance to return to warships. Most of them packed their bags and headed south without hesitation.

After arranging the seaworthiness test, Wang Yaotang chatted with the shipyard director about the replenishment ship, as the Xingye was falling behind.

"Currently, we only have one type of replenishment ship, the Type 905 comprehensive replenishment ship, with a full-load displacement of 21000 tons. Three have been launched: the 'Fengcang' and 'Taicang'. The last one was exported to Pakistan in 85 and renamed 'Nasr'. This ship is not very suitable for use in the South China Sea."

"There's a mission from above to develop a supply ship specifically designed for the South China Sea region, capable of transporting supplies even without a dock. However, construction hasn't started yet. Do you have any requirements for this?" the factory manager said with a smile.

Wang Yaotang chuckled and said, "I see, the factory manager just wants me to pay for your experiments again!"

The factory manager wasn't embarrassed at all, and laughed heartily, "There's nothing I can do, we're poor."

What is the current design?

"Designed with a full-load displacement of 10000 tons, a length of 156 meters, a width of 20 meters, two diesel engines, a speed of 22 knots, an endurance of 45 days, a crew of 240, and capable of carrying 980 tons of fresh water, 50 tons of food, 7 tons of ammunition, and other supplies..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Yaotang interrupted him, "Wait a minute, how many supplies are you bringing? Did I hear you right?"

The factory manager was now genuinely embarrassed. "That's not how it works."

"I haven't said anything yet," Wang Yaotang said, hands on his hips.

"Transporting supplies without a dock, including a helicopter landing pad, four 15-ton small boats, two Type 76 twin-mounted 37mm anti-aircraft guns, and one Type 61 twin-mounted 25mm machine gun." The factory manager began to make up the difference. "The ships need to be designed for protection, so their structural weight alone is as high as 2500 tons. The two 9000-horsepower diesel engines and transmission systems weigh 1500 tons. The electrical system, personnel, daily supplies, and ballast tanks add up to 1500 tons. They also carry 800 tons of fuel, and there's a lot of other stuff."

Wang Yaotang covered his face. "No, this ship's supply delivery capability is not even as good as my Xingye ship. How did you design it?"
"I'm not very knowledgeable and don't know what other supply ships are like, but this is just too much... I, Wang Duoyu, can't afford to invest in this project!"

"The situation in the South China Sea is complicated, and there are reefs everywhere around the base..." The factory director pursed his lips and put his hands on his hips. Due to the limitations of the steel properties and various design constraints, the material carrying capacity accounted for only 12.7%, and he didn't know what to say.

"In that case, I'm planning to acquire a 6-ton second-hand bulk carrier and ask you to help me with its modification."

In 88, the shipping industry had begun to recover slowly, but there were still many bankruptcies. Old bulk carriers were quite cheap. This one belonged to the Xu family and they were asking for $800 million... that's all.

"How do you want it modified?" "First, the deck needs to be leveled and can extend from bow to stern, with a length of over 180 meters. One end must have a deck lift, and the dimensions must be 20-14 meters in length and width. The internal facilities must include parking..."

"Wait a minute, something I'm hearing sounds like..." The factory manager's face lit up with excitement, "...it sounds like an aircraft carrier!"

"It's not that serious. You're exaggerating. It's not even up to the level of World War II. It's just a sea platform that can carry three to five Y-5 transport aircraft. Well, it can also be used as a helicopter platform. Its main function is to carry supplies and provide rest for personnel. I don't require high speed or protection, and I certainly don't require it to be able to transport without a dock." Wang Yaotang said with a smile, "If someone really gets their hands on a supply ship, I don't think it's important whether it has weapons or not. It can't withstand anti-ship missiles anyway. The difference between thicker and thinner armor is not significant."

"As for the dock, I personally have a patent for a type of pontoon that can be quickly connected to each other to create a floating platform. Considering the complex conditions of the reefs and beaches in the South China Sea, which are very prone to running aground, I changed the internal structure of the pontoons to solid foam or honeycomb. Even if they get damaged, it doesn't matter and it won't affect the use of the proposed boardwalk."

"You, the patent?" The factory manager asked with a strange expression.

"No, factory manager, what do you mean? Why can't I invent a patent!"

"No, no, I was just a little surprised. Tell me about your pontoon, it's very interesting."

Information is still quite limited. This thing is widely used in Hong Kong, and quite a few people in Shenzhen and many parts of Southeast Asia are using it, but people in Shanghai don't know about it yet.

Wang Yaotang rattled off the story, and at the end, he said with some emotion, "It was all done to smuggle goods and avoid the coast guard back then. Thinking about it now, it's quite amusing."

The factory manager had a strange expression. What the hell? Smuggling... This motive is just too evil.

“Look at your expression. Back then, I bought cooking oil from my hometown and brought it to Hong Kong. I settled it in foreign exchange, tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars a year!” Wang Yaotang said confidently.

The factory manager exclaimed, "How can this be called smuggling? This is clearly breaking through the shameless blockade of the West to transport supplies. It's a noble thing to do. How can you describe it in such a disgraceful way!"

Wang Yaotang burst into laughter, "You know how to apply double standards!"

After a few casual words, the matter was settled. With the blueprints and project data from when the Xingye was refitted, Shanghai had something to refer to. The difficulty lay in the extra time for takeoffs and the hangar, which were areas where we had no real experience.

Fortunately, it's the Y-5, which is known for not being picky about runways. It can take off from grass, gravel roads, and dirt roads. Even if the deck gets deformed and dented over time, it doesn't affect takeoff and landing much.

With Wang Yaotang's order, they can also apply to other research institutes for cooperation. These people are so obsessed with designing an aircraft carrier that they're practically bankrupt and begging for it. But tell me, isn't this an aircraft carrier?
With everything arranged, Wang Yaotang returned to Hong Kong, went home to see his wife and children, and the next day began to plan his revenge.

I am a barbarian, eager for revenge!
Right now, four 037 ships, along with the Xingye and two other transport ships, have set off with fuel, ammunition, food, fruits and vegetables, and fresh water. They are currently unloading cargo at Yongxing Island. The dock there can only accommodate ships of up to 1,000 tons, so they have to rely on several fishing boats docked here to relay the cargo.

After spending two days with his wife and children, Wang Yaotang made a phone call to the Hongxing Factory, explaining his plan to use the Y-5 transport aircraft on a ship for takeoffs and landings, and asking if it could be improved to reduce the required runway distance.

I didn't have much hope, but they said there was no problem.

Previously, when the Y-5 was designed, the landing gear was designed to be very flat in order to reduce the runway mass requirements. Now, we can simply raise the front landing gear and lower the rear landing gear to create an upward tilt angle when the aircraft is on the ground.

Reaching the level of WWII carrier-based aircraft, which only require a 70-meter runway, is impossible, as it's not a professional solution. However, reducing the runway length from 180 to 130 meters shouldn't be a problem.

Of course, the downside is that it requires higher standards for the runway. Those kinds of rough grass or bumpy dirt roads can't be used for takeoffs and landings. After all, it's a carrier-based aircraft, and it has to be prestigious...

The Red Star technicians even asked if they should reduce the length of the wings a bit. Wang Yaotang didn't know either, so he didn't make any changes, but he still informed the Shanghai shipyard that reducing the runway length would greatly reduce the construction difficulty.

After hanging up the phone, the factory manager muttered a few words of exasperation, "The country doesn't even have an aircraft carrier yet, let alone carrier-based aircraft, but private individuals have them first... It's really... a complete reversal of the natural order!"

Although it's very rudimentary, let's just say it's an aircraft carrier and carrier-based aircraft. It certainly won't work against large countries, but it's more than capable of dealing with some small countries.

It can penetrate at low altitudes, making it impossible for radar to detect.

I heard it can now carry machine guns and rocket pods. If the engine is replaced with a more powerful one, the payload can be increased, and then a radar can be installed and missiles can be mounted...

Is this advanced or backward?

A hybrid attack aircraft, essentially a bankrupt version?

Will he actually pull it off?
While the factory director was lost in thought, Wang Yaotang had already boarded a Y-5 transport aircraft and flown directly to Yongxing Island.

After getting off the plane, Wei Jinzhong waited by the roadside with Major Luo Jinsheng, the person in charge of the garrison.

It wasn't exactly a welcome; the landing site was on the earthen training ground where the troops were stationed, and a shed had been specially built nearby, which served as the hangar.

The soldiers around the parade ground, including those in the dormitories, stared wide-eyed at the young man in the down jacket. They had all seen the four 0 ships moored at the dock; they were brand new versions that even the active-duty soldiers had never seen before…

Now it has become the private property of the person in front of you!
It's outrageous!
Moreover, they recognized many of the people who came with the private fleet. More than 30 of them were roommates just a few months ago, and now they were Hong Kongers, earning 10 times the normal salary and reappearing in front of them.

It's outrageous!
Oh, and those fishing boats from before, they were all from the South China Sea...

The news is spreading little by little. When they retire, if they don't go back to their hometowns, they will most likely work for young people who have just gotten off the plane.

So, is this a way for the future leaders to meet everyone in advance?
It's outrageous!
Once in the conference room, we made tea and chatted for a while.

Since the establishment of a fishing company in cooperation with the South China Sea authorities, the supply of goods on Yongxing Island has become abundant. Each time a fishing boat returns from Hong Kong, it is filled with fresh water and food. The round trip takes about four days, and the supplies are more than enough to cover the consumption of the fishing boats at sea.

Wang Yaotang also got a generator set for Daoshang, so now they basically have free access to electricity; all that's missing is a telephone.

“Communication is indeed a problem. Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll arrange for someone to install a satellite phone here immediately. We’re one of the founding members of the Inmarsat organization, so there shouldn’t be any problem installing it here, right?” Wang Yaotang said with a smile.

"It should be fine, I'll report it and ask." The major seemed very happy. The communication problem had plagued the island for more than ten years, but now it was solved with just a few words.

"By the way, how are communication fees calculated?"

"free."

"No, no, how can we take advantage of you? No matter how poor we are, the fleet still has the money to make phone calls."

Wang Yaotang found it somewhat amusing; she had quite a strong sense of self-esteem. "No, you asked that yourself," he said. "It's $12 a minute."

"How much is a minute?" The major's tone suddenly changed.

"$12 per minute."

"Why don't you just rob someone!" the major gritted his teeth, his face turning red. So a month's salary wasn't even enough for a one-minute phone call. "Never mind, never mind, forget I asked."

Wang Yaotang suppressed a laugh, while Wei Jinzhong covered his face and laughed uncontrollably.

Getting back to the main point, let's get down to business.

"Over the years, the Annamese have caused quite a bit of trouble in the Paracel Islands. They first claimed sovereignty over the Paracels in 1956, occupied some islands in the XSQD in 1958, and again occupied some islands in 1973. On January 17, 1974, they even occupied Jin Yin Island and Gan Quan Island, killing and wounding many of our fishermen. Then the Paracel Naval Battle broke out, and we defeated them soundly." The major began to describe the situation in the Paracel Islands. "Then in 1979, they once again sent armed ships to invade Zhongjian Island. We repelled them and captured their personnel and ships. After that, the Annamese realized that we were determined to take over the Paracel Islands with zero tolerance, and only then did they recognize our sovereignty over Zhongjian Island."

"But it didn't stop after that. They kept sending fishing boats to cause trouble. It was only after you took action in the last two years that they stopped. Now it's starting to resurface."

"Let us help you figure out what Comrade Yaotang is thinking and what the operational objectives are."

“The target…” Wang Yaotang looked south, “We must attack where the enemy will have to defend. They’ve occupied Nanwei Island, right? Let’s attack there!”

"If you won't let me have a good time, I'll make sure you can't have a good time either!"

“Nanwei Island is not easy to attack.” The major said with a solemn expression. “They have occupied Nanwei Island for many years and built permanent fortifications on the island, including radar, artillery emplacements, and an airport. Even the current 0 cannot destroy it.”

"Then let's cut off their supply lines first. There's no water on Nanwei Island, let those bastards starve to death."

"There are airports, so transporting supplies is just a bit more expensive."

"You mean the airport..." Wang Yaotang stroked his chin, "I suddenly have an idea..." (End of Chapter)