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

Upon hearing Wang Yaotang say that 'Deqinba' had eaten too much excrement, Luo Xinghan burst out laughing.

"What's wrong?" Wang Yaotang asked.

“He’s not actually Burmese,” Luo Xinghan said with a smile. “The Burmese government is very complicated. In our words, it’s a small temple with many demons and a shallow pond with many turtles.”

Hearing this self-deprecating remark, Wang Yaotang was amused.

Luo Xinghan came to Wang Yaotang for help. He believed that breaking away from the Burmese Communist Party was not a good idea, but the internal conflicts had reached an irreparable point, and he couldn't find a solution. He wanted to see if Wang Yaotang, who had always been unconventional, had any good ideas.

“Techin Ba took office in 75. His name is a typical Burmese name, but he is actually Kachin. There are two main reasons why he was able to take office: one is the support from his hometown, and the other is the support from ethnic minorities like us who control the military. However, 75% of the people in the top ranks are Burmese and they see him as an ‘outsider’. He doesn’t have much power,” Luo Xinghan explained.

Wang Yaotang sipped his tea, enjoying the sea breeze, and listened quietly as Luo Xinghan recounted the history of the Burmese government over the years.

The Communist Party of Myanmar (CPP) was founded in 1939, with Aung San as its leader. Together with Burmese nationalist forces, it opposed British colonial rule. In 47, it participated in the Panglong Agreement negotiations and supported Burmese independence. Later, the Liberal League came to power, but the CPP did not obtain any governing power. Therefore, it refused to recognize the government, went underground, and launched an armed struggle.

In 62, General Naing Win seized power in a coup and established a military government, which launched a more severe military crackdown on the Burmese Communist Party. The Burmese Communist Party established bases along the border and controlled parts of the mountainous areas.

In theory, the Burmese are the largest ethnic group in Myanmar and are the dominant ethnic group, so it is correct to have the Burmese as the core. However, a large population does not necessarily mean power. The Borneo people, who are smaller in number, still rule India.

The difference between people is greater than the difference between people and dogs. If people are incompetent, they are like mud that cannot be plastered on a wall; no matter how many people there are, it's useless.

Taking Shan State as an example, one of the ruling classes consists of Han Chinese who followed the Little Ming King into Myanmar. Although they are the fewest in number, they are indeed the most educated.

The armed groups in Myanmar are controlled by individuals such as Peng Jiasheng, Zhao Nilai, Bao Youxiang, Lin Mingxian, and Ding Ying.

Among them, Peng Jiasheng, Luo Xinghan, and Lin Mingxian are Chinese, Zhao Nilai and Bao Youxiang are Wa, and Ding Ying is Kachin (Jingpo).

There are no Burmese people among them, yet the Burmese government insists on maintaining a system centered on the Burmese people, with Burmese as the official language, documents required to be in Burmese, and meetings conducted in Burmese.

In the selection of high-level personnel, the majority are Burmese, preventing ethnic minorities from entering the core decision-making process. Adhering to the principle of "only wanting ethnic minorities to do the dirty and hard work," they have vigorously promoted the "Burmeseization of the top leadership" to eliminate dissidents.

In the leadership configuration principle of the four military regions where ethnic minorities make up the vast majority, it is insisted that at least one member of the military region's command and committee must be of Burmese ethnicity to control military power, forming a peculiar structure of 'the leadership is Burmese and the soldiers are ethnic minorities'.

Under the guise of "liberating all of Myanmar," a group of ethnic Burmese people who do not control the guns are actually acting arrogantly and discriminatory, even more like a military government than the military government itself. How could the Myanmar government not split apart?

After listening to Luo Xinghan's words, Wang Yaotang's expression became even more strange. "No, why does this sound a bit like something from my Great Qing Dynasty?"

"Hahahaha..." Luo Xinghan was stunned for a moment, then clutched his stomach and laughed so hard he almost slipped off his chair.

Wang Yaotang was speechless. Seriously, is it that funny?
It's quite funny for Luo Xinghan, because his ancestors all followed the Little Ming King, who was fleeing in disarray after being defeated by the Qing Dynasty, to Myanmar.

It's not an exaggeration to say that the Burmese Communist Party has a bit of the Qing Dynasty vibe. The Burmese are indeed the largest ethnic group in Myanmar, making up about 50% of the population. However, they mainly live in the plains of the central, southern, and western regions, while the majority of people living in the mountainous areas of the east and north are ethnic minorities. The main power of the Burmese Communist Party is precisely in the east and north, where the Burmese are the minority.

This is a perfect replica of my Great Qing Dynasty; it would be no wonder it perished.

After Luo Xinghan finally calmed down, Wang Yaotang asked, "What is the purpose of your visit to me?"

“The Myanmar government is truly rotten. I don’t know if breaking away from the Myanmar government will be good or bad, but it will definitely change the current situation. Shan State is currently on a fast track of development, and it’s better to stay put than to move around. This is not a good thing for you, brother,” Luo Xinghan said in a deep voice.

Wang Yaotang smacked his lips, unsure whether it was good or bad. After all, the situation in the Republic of China after the fall of the Qing Dynasty had not only failed to improve but had deteriorated rapidly—a cautionary tale indeed.

Even the worst form of unification is better than division.

With his legs crossed, Wang Yaotang frowned as he looked at the sea, lost in thought.

The greatest advantage of a long history and uninterrupted cultural heritage is now evident: no matter what the situation, similar cases can always be found in history. This is the wisdom left to us by our ancestors.

……

The 'bang bang' of several laser-guided munitions instantly brought the Soviet military government to its senses, making it realize the mistakes it had made and the huge gap between itself and its protectors. It then began to actively correct its errors.

Danrui, lying on the bed with his arm in a cast, watched as his former colleague read out his dismissal document. He gritted his teeth in anger, his face flushed red.

A thousand fires were burning inside me, but I dared not let them out.

Previously, he was arrogant and conceited, and was used as a scapegoat. Now that he has no power, if he still doesn't know when to advance and retreat, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Thinking about it, Danrui gave a miserable smile and slowly closed his eyes.

The visitor felt bad seeing Dan Rui like this. Just a few days ago he was full of vigor, but in the blink of an eye everything has changed and all is lost. This is the power of political struggle.

"Danrui, take a good rest these days. Things are unpredictable, and who knows how the future will unfold?"

"Heh." Danrui gave a bitter laugh. What chance would he have now, unless Wang Yaotang fell one day?

Judging from its current power, its fleet size is unmatched in Southeast Asia. Who can bring it down?

There's no chance, absolutely no chance!
Seeing Danrui's expression, the man said nothing more and quietly turned and left.

The next morning, Su sent people to board the aircraft carrier again to negotiate with Wang Yaotang on how to quell the situation.

It's no wonder Su Mao chickened out so quickly; Wang Yaotang's move hit them where it hurt most. With two major arms depots bombed, local armed groups in Shan State and Kayah State immediately mobilized their forces and rushed in, and the conflict broke out again. The Burmese army was firmly suppressed and had almost no power to fight back.

The soldiers below all knew that the ammunition depot had been bombed and that the ammunition supply could be cut off at any time. In ancient times, this would be like the granary being burned down. How could they possibly have the mind to fight?

It would take time to redeploy the weapons from Yangon, Myanmar's transportation situation was truly worrisome, and Wang Yaotang's aircraft carrier was lurking at sea, ready to pounce. If something like this happened again...

If things go wrong, we might lose both Loikul and Taunggyi, and that would be the end of us!

His position is in jeopardy, but the heat-resistant system isn't completely dead yet.

As for defending against attacks, they didn't even know how Wang Yaotang detonated the armory, so how could they defend against them!

In terms of missile defense and air defense, Myanmar can't be said to lack them, but it's more accurate to say that it has never seen them before; the technological gap is too large.

Although Su Mao is still unsure whether the actions of the two local armed groups are supported by Wang Yaotang, the crisis will not be over until Wang Yaotang is appeased.

The man went to see Su Mao as soon as he returned from the aircraft carrier, but judging from his expression, he knew that things had not gone well.

"What did he say?" Su Mao asked in a deep voice.

He said that Than Shwe's appointment was an internal matter for us, and that he was just a foreign businessman who was neither qualified nor would he interfere in our internal affairs.

These words made Su Mao feel as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly. You say you don't interfere in internal affairs, but if you do business with them and sell them weapons, these local armed groups won't listen to you!
"What conditions did he propose?" Su Mao asked, suppressing his anger.

He said that attracting foreign investment cannot rely on mere words; there should be tangible favorable policies, such as market access in exchange for technology, infrastructure development, three-year tax exemption, three-year tax reduction, and so on.

Su Mao couldn't hold back any longer and slammed her hand on the table. "That son of a bitch, that greedy glutton, that inhuman bastard, that capitalist whose whole family should be sent to the guillotine!"

Not only did they seize Myanmar's mines, but now they don't even want to pay taxes, they're animals!

The civilian staff member who was sent there blinked a few times. He had thought the same thing before, but he had just been persuaded by Wang Yaotang and now thought that the fee reduction was indeed necessary...

Wang Yaotang was very blunt at the time, saying, "You've been developing tin mines for hundreds of years, and what's the result? You're just digging and scraping at the surface. With your current technology, even if you were given another 50 years, you still wouldn't be able to reach the level of development I'm at now. What's the use of leaving the mine there? Does it contribute even the slightest bit to the country's development?"

"If your country, Myanmar, doesn't develop, do you expect neighboring countries to wait for you?!"

"Everyone in the global mining business knows that there are super-large tin deposits in eastern and northern Myanmar, but who has come to develop them? Nobody. With your political situation, there's either turmoil, coups, or nationalization. The country's infrastructure is as bad as a primitive society. Who but me would invest in developing them?"

"I spent so much money developing this place, creating so many jobs for you guys. The economic boom and GDP growth of the past two years were all thanks to me!"

"You fucking ate good food for two days and now your stomachs are full of bad ideas. You deserve to be fucking poor and have diarrhea!"

"Without me managing these two mines, do you think we can rely on you bunch of bastards? If you were capable, you would have developed them long ago. The mines would go bankrupt in less than a year if they were in your hands!"

"Let me tell you straight, even if the King of Heaven himself came today, I wouldn't pay this tax! At worst, I'd block the roads and have all goods shipped out of Siam from now on. Anyway, your transportation situation isn't much better!" "If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll really think I'm easy to bully!"

"In Southeast Asia, I'm the one who bullies others; I've never been bullied!"

Of course, he wouldn't directly relay Wang Yaotang's words, as there was no need to provoke Su Mao into a rage. If he couldn't find Wang Yaotang to vent his anger on, he would inevitably vent it on himself.

As long as the meaning is clearly expressed, that's fine.

After hearing Wang Yaotang's thanks, Su Mao launched into a tirade of curses, cursing Wang Yaotang and then Than Shwe, all because of the bastard's suggestion. According to his own plan, after he came to power, he would change the Burmese policy of the Winnipeg period, gradually loosening some policies to win over various ethnic armed groups, reduce the frequency of conflicts, and develop the Burmese economy.

Now everything is gray.

Despite the criticism, Su Mao knew how resolute Wang Yaotang was; once he made a decision, he wouldn't back down. However, he couldn't agree to a three-year reduction in the exemption himself, otherwise, most of the prestige he had painstakingly built up would be wasted.

Bringing this up in a meeting to force the Eastern Military Region to agree would put them in a difficult position, as the conflict there is the most intense and they certainly wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure.

This is politics.

……

On the other hand, Wang Yaotang was not in a hurry to get Su Mao's reply. Since work had already stopped, there was no need to rush to resume it.

Jingdong is a place where poor and remote areas breed unruly people. At the slightest sign of unrest, they get up to crooked ideas and always think about making big money through shady means. There's a reason they're poor!
Not worthy of sympathy.

Anyone who gets involved with something like poisonous seeds, even just in cultivation, is doomed. Even if records are sealed, the foundation is ruined. They won't even consider getting rich through hard work...

He's got a really bad mind!

Working at a mine, one person's salary is enough to support a family, and they live quite well. Now that the mine has been shut down for a period of time, leaving them without money, they will realize what the mine means to them.

Otherwise, something similar will happen again next time.

In addition, he also talked to Luo Xinghan and asked him to take the lead in setting up a real estate company to build houses. The target customers would be miners in the mines. Loans could be made for 50 years. Once there were lenders, they would behave themselves.

Real estate money can only be made by local bullies, especially in backward and unruly areas. If outsiders want to lend money to build houses, the most likely outcome is that once the buildings are completed, the locals will take up arms and cause trouble. In the end, the local government will use the investors' lives to buy off the locals and then divide the profits together.

Of course, Wang Yaotang was not afraid of the spoils, but he did not want to cause conflict with the working class over such a small amount of money. The situation was too complicated, so he left it to Luo Xinghan to handle.

Luo Xinghan should say thank you.

Real estate can once again boost the local economy, and it is foreseeable that Jingdong's economy will inevitably take another leap forward.

In the following days, under Wang Yaotang's instructions, the Krenni army and Rohing Han's forces intensified their attacks on Leung Kheow and Taunggyi. Rohing Han's side, in particular, deployed six Y-5 transport aircraft to bomb Taunggyi from time to time, causing great distress to the Taunggyi defenders.

After several attempts, the Burmese military quickly transferred J-6 and Q-5 fighter jets from Yangon. Although they were a bit old, they were still jet fighters and theoretically could easily handle Y-5 propeller transport aircraft.

However, Luo Xinghan's side was very cunning. The Y-5's sorties were completely unpredictable, and they always flew at extremely low altitudes. They would only realize what was happening after being bombed. By the time the planes took off and rushed over, the Y-5 had already run back. Relying on the dense anti-aircraft firepower on the ground, they ambushed and almost shot down the pursuing J-6s.

After this happened several times, Yangon urgently transported a batch of SAM-7 man-portable air defense missiles that it had obtained from the Russians, preparing to give Roh Hsing Han a tough time!
The following day at noon, when the two Y-5 transport aircraft set off again to carry out a bombing mission, the Burmese troops who had been lying in ambush all day immediately jumped out of the trenches, carrying SAM-7 missiles and aiming at them. It took them a good ten seconds to get the signal back.

With a whoosh, a plume of white smoke rose up, and the Sam 7 charged head-on at the Y-5 at an extremely fast speed.

In that instant, a white line appeared in the sky. The pilot on the Y-5 felt a buzzing in his head and his eyes almost popped out, but he had no time to react at all. The SAM-7 was too fast!
He thought he was going to die, but he just wanted to see how he died. After seven or eight seconds, he still didn't hear an explosion. Only then did the pilot realize that he had missed!

Having survived the ordeal, covered in sweat, he didn't care about carrying out any more bombing missions. He hastily dropped a few bombs to reduce the weight of the aircraft and then turned around and ran away.

On the ground, the launch operator's excited expression was still on his face when the next second he saw the missile flash past the side of the plane and finally explode with a bang after running out of fuel.

At that moment, he himself wondered if there was a problem with the aiming, or if the machine was broken.

Coincidentally, the Sam 7 ambushing on the other side also missed!

It's impossible that neither of them aimed properly; then there must be something wrong with this batch of missiles.

After the two Y-5s returned, they reported the news. Since it involved the Air Force, which had invested heavily in the project, the news quickly reached Luo Xinghan. He was also taken aback. On the one hand, he was grateful for the good luck, but on the other hand, he felt that man-portable missiles were designed to deal with high-tech aircraft like jet fighters. It couldn't have been something the Russians had just made up. How could they not hit a backward aircraft like a propeller?

The conflict with the Burmese army is bound to be continuous and protracted, so this matter must be clarified. If you don't understand, then ask Wang Yaotang. You're an arms dealer, so you must know!

Wang Yaotang: How the hell should I know!

But he has always presented himself as a learned and knowledgeable person, so how could he possibly admit that he doesn't know anything?

Let me tell you a story.

“You said it yourself, that’s for dealing with high technology, so of course we won’t restrain a backward product like a propeller.”

"Huh? Why? That doesn't make sense. How can it be able to shoot down a tank but not a car?" Luo Xinghan didn't understand.

"It's too much trouble to explain to someone as ignorant as you. Wait a minute, I'll go find you some information." Wang Yaotang got up and left, then quickened his pace and ran away as soon as he was out of sight.

The satellite phone dialed directly to Beijing University of Technology. Chen Huiguo was completely bewildered, but hearing Wang Yaotang's urgency, he gave him a phone number to ask himself.

After a while, Wang Yaotang strode back with his head held high and crossed his legs, sitting down in front of Luo Xinghan. "I won't bring the documents over; they're all technical terms you wouldn't understand. I'll explain it to you in terms you can understand."

"During the Vietnam War, the SAM-7 had a hit rate of about 20-30% against jet fighters that were not equipped with infrared countermeasures, and less than 15% against low-altitude, slow-flying propeller aircraft. It was almost impossible to hit them, especially when they were fired head-on or from the side."

"The SAM-7 infrared-guided jet fighter has an extremely high exhaust temperature, making its infrared signal clear and easy to capture. However, propeller aircraft use piston engines, which have a relatively low exhaust temperature. The heat is dispersed throughout the engine compartment, and the thermal signal is easily diluted by the surrounding environment."

"Is that really true? You can defeat the advanced but not the backward?" Luo Xinghan looked at the world with an expression of utter amazement.

"What about helicopters? Are they also out of range?"

"First of all, it's not that you can't hit it, it's that you can't hit it head-on or from the side, you have to hit it from behind. Secondly, helicopters use turboshaft engines, the nozzle temperature is over 600 degrees Celsius, and the speed is slow, so the hit rate is higher than that of jet aircraft, over 80%!" Wang Yaotang snorted.

"So equipping the planes with propellers was a stroke of genius? Amazing, absolutely amazing! Ha, ha ha ha ha ha!" Luo Xinghan laughed heartily.

For countries like Myanmar, which lack the capacity to equip themselves with large-scale air defense missiles, the most common air defense weapon is the SAM-7 man-portable air defense system. In the past, local armed groups like them did not equip themselves with aircraft because they were difficult to buy, expensive, and hard to operate, and they were also afraid of the SAM-7.

Luo Xinghan and his team had previously been equipped with helicopters, but they were civilian-use. After losing several, they gave up on them altogether because they couldn't afford them; they were too expensive.

Now, after hearing what Wang Yaotang said, I realize that I hadn't found the right direction!
So propeller planes are really good at countering the SAM-7, what's there to be afraid of!

"Brother Wang, Brother Wang, Your Highness!"

Luo Xinghan stared intently at him, making Wang Yaotang feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Just say what you have to say, don't do this, I'm scared."

"Get me some man-portable air defense missiles, please," Luo Xinghan said, rubbing his hands together.

"What do you mean? You've got your eye on Soviet fighter jets now?" Wang Yaotang raised an eyebrow.

"You said it yourself, a 20%-30% hit rate. Aim at them with several bullets at once, and shoot them a few times to see if they still dare to be so arrogant!"

"This thing is not easy to handle. Let me take a look." Wang Yaotang clicked his tongue twice, not immediately agreeing.

Two days later...

Peng Jiasheng, Lin Mingxian, Li Ziru, and several other members of the Burmese Communist Party boarded the aircraft carrier by plane.

This is the first time in my life I've ever seen an aircraft carrier, and it's privately owned...

The world is changing so fast! (End of Chapter)