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

Hong Kong is not a place where "shallow ponds are full of turtles and big shots everywhere".

Although its territory is not large, its economic strength is extremely strong. It is the leader of the Four Asian Tigers. In the 80s, its GDP ranked between 18th and 24th in the world, surpassing Argentina, Israel, South Africa, Malaysia, Norway, Finland, and so on.

With such a large economy compressed into such a small territory, of course, there are big shots everywhere.

He's a true big brother!

See the Black Rank One!
In Hong Kong, someone who was just a low-level employee could suddenly be promoted to a higher level if they ran away to a neighboring area, because they had money!
A settlement allowance of 5 yuan may not seem like much, but if you run away to the surrounding area, you can immediately gather a small group and become the boss.

Local powers are also very willing to host them, as they can use them to establish connections in Hong Kong. Even a little bit of money leaking from Hong Kong can make them a fortune.

Starting in the 60s, Hong Kong's underground forces were truly formidable. This wasn't just a case of bullying within their own territory; otherwise, why would Hong Kong gang films be so popular worldwide?

……

News of the Umbrella Movement and the Annamese's major battle in the South China Sea could not be kept secret.

Not to mention that Nanwei Island is located in the southern shipping lane, the South China Sea region is rich in fishery resources, and there are even more fishing boats operating here, including those from Annam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Moreover, the Philippines has occupied several islands and reefs here and has established communication facilities and radar stations.

The fighting between the two sides over the past few months had made fishing boats from several neighboring countries afraid to approach the area for fear of being caught in the crossfire. As soon as the battle ended, the news spread quickly.

Of course, news transmission in this era was linear. The upper echelons of Southeast Asian countries knew about it, but the rest only circulated in the shipping and fishing industries. Without a national order, national newspapers wouldn't publish such things just because of a little sales and without knowing what Wang Yaotang was thinking.

The news first spread in Siam.

The Xie, Chen, and Song families, among other prominent Chinese families, were involved to some extent and were naturally paying close attention to the issue. As soon as the war ended, they found out about it and even held a small gathering to celebrate.

Each family had a very poor relationship with the Annamese, and there was almost no business dealings between them.

"I heard the Annamese suffered heavy losses this time, with an entire fleet being wiped out?" the Chen family member said with a smile.

"I don't know the specifics yet, but it's probably true. I guess Wang Yaotang will be very busy these days, otherwise I would really like to fly to Hong Kong to ask him," Old Xie said with a big laugh.

"Of course they're busy. Annan may be annoying, but their military strength is still very strong. They act so domineeringly. They've suffered such a big loss this time. I wonder if they will retaliate."

"Who knows, since the little god of wealth dared to do it, he must have been confident in his ability to deal with it."

"What I'm afraid of is that the Annamese will cause trouble at the United Nations."

"What would you say if you took it to the United Nations? That Wang Yaotang invaded them?" Old Xie sneered. "He's still standing with Cambodia. What can we say? The United Nations has been making noise for years, but what's the result? It's all useless. I've figured it out. In the end, it all comes down to who has the bigger fist. Whoever has the bigger fist is right."

"That's true. He's got a dirty job, so making a fuss will probably get you nowhere."

"I'm really curious now, if Wang Yaotang wins, will he be able to open up the Annam market?" Old Chen said, raising his eyebrows.

"puff!"

"Hahahaha-"

Everyone burst into laughter; it had a colonial vibe to it.

This kind of dialogue is not only happening among the Chinese community in Siam, but also among local Siamese businessmen.

The fact that one person could fight against Annam and win was a huge shock to the business community. They once again elevated Wang Yaotang's status, and he would have to make more concessions in future business negotiations, especially in the industries he was involved in, where the market was completely open to him.

This is true strength!

This was still because the news spread a bit slowly; the news that Wang Yaotang had acquired an aircraft carrier had not yet spread.

Otherwise, it's simply a matter of opening the doors and engaging in trade!

……

Beyond business, the Siamese political circles also held several meetings, large and small, specifically to discuss this matter.

At the meeting, a group of people repeatedly expressed their amazement, never expecting that such a powerful warlord could still exist in modern society...

Because of the support of the Russians, Annamite was the most powerful maritime force in Southeast Asia. But now Annamite has been defeated by its protector. Therefore, Wang Yaotang is the true leader of Southeast Asia's maritime power!

The importance of Southeast Asian sea routes goes without saying, so Wang Yaotang will be qualified to participate in all matters related to the sea for some time to come.

The purpose of the meeting held by Siam is to discuss how to position Wang Yaotang in future exchanges. Only by clarifying his position can there be a proper balance in the exchanges; otherwise, unnecessary conflicts will inevitably occur.

It's not about military conflict, nor is it about Wang Yaotang attacking Siam; it's about respect.

We don't need to be close, but we absolutely can't afford to offend them!

Moreover, Wang Yaotang had a lot of business in Siam, and the two sides had always had a very pleasant cooperation.

……

Lion City.

The atmosphere at the meeting was somewhat awkward.

As a country with a predominantly Chinese population, we should theoretically be happy for Wang Yaotang, a fellow Chinese, as this represents the rising status of Chinese people in Southeast Asia.

but……

Its establishment itself was somewhat forced, and the Chinese majority were so capable and economically powerful that they made the surrounding countries very wary.

The neighboring countries believe that it doesn't matter if I'm bad, as long as I drag others down to be just as bad as me.

Singapore is a place where children hold gold in the bustling city; the bourgeoisie are inherently compromising, always believing that compromise leads to tolerance and forgiveness...

So now that Wang Yaotang has suddenly become powerful, it's putting them in a difficult position.

They seemed like incompetent husbands...

I'm afraid this will provoke more hostility.

But deep down, he was also quite happy, and he really wanted to point at Wang Yaotang and say to the Malaysians and Indonesians: "I'm telling you, don't mess with me! See that? That's my older brother!"
"Alright, everyone, let's talk about it. How do we position ourselves, and what attitude should we maintain?" Da Li put down his teacup and said in a deep voice.

"I suggest drawing a clear line. This kind of person is a warlord, a pirate. He will only destroy the stable and peaceful environment of Southeast Asia. He is a cancer. The international community will not allow him to exist and will definitely crack down on him severely. If we contact him, it will definitely implicate our Singapore. Even now, it will affect Singapore's relations with neighboring countries and put us in a passive position," the Malay director of the CPIB said loudly.

"Which country are you referring to as the International Society? Little Britain?" Wu Yong, the Chinese director of the Trade and Industry Department, asked with a smile.

A low chuckle rippled through the meeting room. Wang Yaotang was from Hong Kong, and according to British law, he was still a British citizen. Despite causing trouble in Hong Kong for so many years, they hadn't said a word.

In closed-door meetings, everyone is more relaxed and at ease.

The Malaysian bureau chief looked very grim. "I'm talking about the international community, ASEAN, and the United Nations."

"Let's deal with the Annamese occupation of Cambodia first, or resolve the maritime conflict between Malaya and Annamese."

"You, you mustn't change the subject. We're talking about Wang Yaotang now, and the criminal acts of his protectors!"

"Okay, then let's wait for ASEAN and the United Nations to convict him first."

“It will be too late once things are settled, and our Singapore will also be implicated by him.”

"Then I have a good idea: you go and get rid of Wang Yaotang."

"You!" The Malay man suddenly stood up, his chest heaving with anger.

Da Li glanced at Xiao Li beside him, and Xiao Li immediately slammed his hand on the table. "Alright, I've asked you to judge the standards for future actions, not to argue."

"Our Singapore is an economy-based nation and never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries. These things have nothing to do with us. Everything should be discussed from our own perspective and from an economic standpoint."

Ultimately, this meeting was about Li wanting to see what his subordinates thought. Although the Lion City was spearheaded by the Li family, other major families were also important shareholders, and their opinions had to be taken into consideration.

It seems that most people still hope to establish a certain degree of cooperation with Wang Yaotang. After all, we are all Chinese, and those who are not of our race will surely have different intentions.

The first thing to guard against is the influence of Malaysia and Indonesia, in order to maintain a neutral position.

Of course, this also means that we can't get too involved in cooperation with people surnamed Wang...

It's not easy for Singapore to survive in this precarious situation!
……

In contrast to Singapore, the situation in Malaysia is completely the opposite.

"My advice regarding Wang Yaotang is to be wary. This man is too arrogant and unscrupulous. His actions in the South China Sea are a serious violation of our Malaysian territory and must be severely punished!"

"Yes, my suggestion is to impose sanctions on them at the ASEAN meeting."

“We can unite with the Annamese.” After several Malay officials finished speaking, a Chinese official retorted, “The problem is, how do we unite with the Annamese? On what charge should we impose sanctions? Should we say that Wang Yaotang violated Annamese territory? What does that have to do with ASEAN? Annamese is not a member of ASEAN.”

One sentence silenced the meeting room.

There have been many conflicts between Malaysia and Annan over the years, with 90% of them concentrated in the South China Sea.

In June 1983, Malaysia sent troops to occupy "Layang-Layang Reef," removed Lao-Chinese signs, stationed troops there, and named it "Layang-Layang Island." Annan protested, claiming that it violated "Annan sovereignty," but has not taken any military action since.

Currently, barracks, living quarters, operations center, and radio facilities are being built on the northeast side of the reef, and a lagoon channel is being dredged to build a dock for easy access for ships. A total of 70 troops are stationed there.

In the future, an airport was built, and tourism was developed... to this day.

In 75, Annam occupied the 'Ampo Sandbar', and the Malays claimed sovereignty over it on the grounds of the extension of the continental shelf. Over the years, the two sides have had many diplomatic disputes over actual control.

Then there's the 'Nanwei Beach' and surrounding waters, which is also a rich oil and gas area. Annan asserted 'historic rights,' while Malaysia invoked the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Conflicts frequently arise between the two sides in their exploration activities here.

Meanwhile, there is a large overlap of exclusive economic zones in the waters from the southeastern Gulf of Thailand to the southwestern South China Sea, involving the oil and gas-rich ND6 block. Malaysia has expanded its continental shelf through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while Annan has attracted foreign companies to participate in exploration through bidding.

The Chinese... were in charge of the protests.

Otherwise, there's no use saying anything if the warships can't get through!
This area used to be contested between Annan and Malay, with the Philippines occasionally chiming in, but now—

A newcomer has arrived in the South China Sea!
This newcomer is really good!
The Annamese were driven out of the South China Sea in a sorry state. Although Wang Yaotang has not yet taken action against the four islands occupied by Malaysia, he has the ability to do so, which is the most important thing!
These are all oil-producing sea areas, so the Malaysians have no choice but to be anxious.

“Although Wang Yaotang did not invade our land, he… he has the intention to invade, which is absolutely unacceptable.” Suddenly, a Malay man stood up abruptly. “At this time, we must put aside our prejudices and fight against the invaders together.”

"Correct!"

"Convene a meeting of ASEAN member states, expel Wang Yaotang, and declare that the 'protective umbrella' is a terrorist organization!"

“That’s a great suggestion. There are six countries in ASEAN. How many of them can you persuade to vote in favor?” a Chinese official asked with a smile.

Silence fell over the meeting room once again.

In 1988, ASEAN consisted of six countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, and Siam. Apart from the Philippines, which might have voted in favor due to its own interests in the South China Sea, Singapore, Siam, and Indonesia would almost certainly have voted against. Brunei's entire military, combined, offered no protection whatsoever; they wouldn't dare utter a single word!

Many times he felt like he was wasting his time with a bunch of idiots. These people were like incompletely evolved monkeys, single-threaded creatures, paramecia, who spoke without thinking and just blurted things out.

Being with these idiots is a complete waste of my life!

If it weren't for the fact that there had to be a few Chinese people on staff to keep an eye on them and prevent these idiots from doing anything that might harm the overall interests of the Chinese community, he wouldn't have wanted to stay here even a day longer!
It's pure torture!
What sins did I commit in my past life?!
His opposition to Wang Yaotang's issue is unlikely to yield any results, but he must publicly express the attitude of the Chinese people so as not to cause any misunderstanding on Wang Yaotang's side.

Finally, it's best to cut ties in advance. Things have been completely ruined by these idiots, so don't drag them down with you.

The political structure of Malaysia is 'unique' in Southeast Asia. In 80, Chinese civil servants accounted for 29.7% of the total population, which was not significantly out of proportion with the population. However, by 88, this figure had dropped to only 15%, and by 03 it had dropped to only 8.3%, and by 24 it had dropped to only 5.4%.

Although ethnic Chinese make up about 14% of the population in Siam, they account for more than 60% of the parliament.

Chinese make up 74% of Singapore's population, and the political leadership is entirely dominated by Chinese.

Chinese Filipinos make up 1.4% of the population, but 10.4% of the cabinet.

After a moment of silence in the meeting room, it was as if time had reversed, and they resumed discussing holding the ASEAN meeting. The Chinese official chuckled and closed his notebook; his work was done.

At the same time, other ASEAN countries, Indonesia has no interests in the South China Sea, Brunei doesn't care, and the Philippines has a strong US military presence and doesn't need to worry.

……

Hong Kong, Office of the Governor General.

A small internal meeting was held with Governor-General Wesley Wesley, the three directors, and military officials.

“Governor Wei, Wang Yaotang has returned to Hong Kong today.” Chief Secretary Huo De looked up at the Governor and continued, “He returned with several brothers. According to the information from our people with Hu Zhiming, the conflict between the two sides has ended.”

"Who won?" Wei Dewei was clearly more concerned about this.

"Well, it seems that Umbrella has won so far, but there are no specific figures yet on the losses for either side."

Wei Dewei looked up at the sky. This was fucking bad news.

"What do you think about this?" Wei Dewei asked, taking a deep breath.

He had only been governor for a year, and the people around him were all long-time Hong Kong residents. Before making any decisions, he had to consider the opinions of his subordinates.

“Governor, what do you think about holding a banquet and inviting Wang over? Although this matter cannot be made public, he is from Hong Kong. If we do nothing at this time, it will send a bad signal to the outside world. Of course, I am not supporting him to do this, but what has happened has already happened, and there is no use in saying this now.”

Wei Dewei remained expressionless. "Are you trying to tell me that Wang Yaotang has returned to his loyal Hong Kong?"

As the county magistrate, I should pay a visit to Master Huang!

Wei Dewei then looked at General Cameron Highlands.

"I'll be stepping down next year, or to be precise, in eight months," Cameron Highlands said, shrugging.

I'm retiring, I'm going to give up, so don't even think about dragging me down with you now!
Wei Dewei clenched his fists and pursed his lips, cursing the beasts in his heart. It was because of you bastards that Wang Yaotang became more and more rampant!

Attorney General Michael David smiled and said, "My opinion is that we should respect human rights and not escalate conflicts without any evidence. Stable development is better for everyone."

Financial Secretary Piers Jacobs said in a deep voice, "Hong Kong's economy is beginning to recover, and it's best to avoid any unexpected events at this time. Wang Yaotang's presence is beneficial to Hong Kong's export trade."

"Okay, I understand. Let's prepare a dinner around the Lantau Airport issue."

"Okay," the secretary nodded.

……

"I'm actually a very low-key person," Wang Yaotang said with a smile, gently patting the invitation in his hand. "But alas, my abilities don't allow it!"

"These past few days have been amazing! I've received so many invitations to banquets. It's hard to choose who to go to and who not to go. It's really frustrating!"

“We didn’t ask about your relationship. If you don’t have time, we can go for you,” Awei said with a smile. “You’ve finally come back, and so many women at home are waiting for you. You should stay home and spend time with your wife and kids.”

“Yeah, we can’t let you bleed outside and then sweat when you get home. We’ll take care of those kinds of troubles.” The four-eyed guy nodded.

“You don’t need to go to a small place like Siam. I’ll take care of it for you!” A-Jie patted his chest. Putting everything else aside, Siam really does a good job in terms of hospitality.

"Brotherhood is in our hearts." Aji patted Wang Yaotang's chest with a serious expression.

"I take it!" Wang Yaotang raised his middle finger. If he didn't show off after winning the battle, wouldn't the battle have been a waste?

The group burst into laughter.

However, Wang Yaotang was indeed too busy to attend the banquet in person, so the brothers had to attend separately. Although they couldn't openly announce their victory, they were certainly eager to reap the spoils of war.

……

At the governor's banquet, the governor was going through the formalities on stage, while a group of people below whispered among themselves, their eyes mostly fixed on Wang Yaotang. Everyone knew why the party was being held that night.

Everyone here knows that Wang Yaotang's protectors have warships and even fought a battle with the Annamese before. They just didn't expect that the fleet would become so powerful in the blink of an eye. They heard that they even have an aircraft carrier!

That's fucking outrageous!

The ten richest Chinese people were all standing next to Wang Yaotang, including Li Xiangjiao. Whatever he thought in his heart didn't matter; his face was full of bright smiles.

Li Zhaoji chuckled and said in a low voice, "Is it a bit disrespectful of me to call you Yaotang now? I should call you General Wang, the warlord of Hainan."

"What warlord! I'll sue you for slander!" Wang Yaotang said with a smile, "My company is the 'Comprehensive Security Solutions Company,' providing comprehensive national peace solutions for many Third World countries, including combating drug trafficking, terrorism, and anti-government armed forces, as well as mineral development, business planning, urban construction, and services including but not limited to private armed forces, border security, presidential elections... cough cough, scratch that, it's capital security, military training, arms procurement, intelligence support, technological cooperation, and so on..."

"Ouch!!"

These people had never heard of such a thing before, and they all looked at Wang Yaotang with surprise and uncertainty. "No, are you serious?"

"What do you mean, 'real' or 'fake'?" Wang Yaotang said solemnly. "Of course it's a joke!"

"Those warships belong to the Somali company Tejas and have nothing to do with the Umbrella Corporation. But the aircraft carrier is mine. I've developed two tourist cities in Siam, and this is a tourism project called the Aircraft Carrier Experience Tour!"

"Ha!" Everyone rolled their eyes in unison.

Screw Somalia! What kind of country is that? Everyone knows it's you who orchestrated this mess!

But aircraft carriers...

That's still too... radical! (End of Chapter)