Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 386 Treaty of Arauco

The gathering of the Three Emperors is interesting...

After the royal secretary general Li Jinghui finished his report, he followed the decree given by King Zheng Guohui of Chu, turned around and quietly withdrew, and went to carry out the decree separately.

Continue to pay close attention to Northern China.

The Kingdom of Vietnam urgently requested assistance and was sent away by half-buying and half-giving away several thousand old muskets.

We will continue to maintain a firm stance on US diplomacy, strengthen diplomatic representations with the US and safeguard the interests of Chinese communities in the US while continuing to immigrate to Central and South America.

As for the policy towards Europe, China will continue to maintain a wait-and-see approach and expand diplomatic channels to the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and the three Nordic countries, with varying numbers of diplomats stationed there.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu was in the imperial study, thinking about the current changes in the international situation. He strolled into the side hall and stared at the oversized international map in a trance.

On this international map
The Dutch-occupied areas in southern Kalimantan have now all been painted in bright yellow, representing the territory of the Chu State. The immigration process for the above-mentioned areas has also been initiated, and the integration process has been further accelerated.

Strictly speaking, this area still belongs to the Dutch East Indies colony, but this does not affect the Chu State's comprehensive implementation of the "empty cage and replace bird" colonial policy, using tough measures to accelerate national integration.

In all the territories of the Chu State, the spread and use of all indigenous languages ​​and beliefs were prohibited. Indigenous men were sent to labor camps to build bridges and roads, and indigenous women entered the human market and were bought back by Chinese immigrants who settled in the area.

This policy alone solved the serious imbalance among Chinese immigrants in Kalimantan, where there were more men than women.

Hundreds of thousands of young Aboriginal women were redistributed, and as many as 40 Chinese male immigrants started families.

It fundamentally prevented the reproduction of indigenous peoples and strengthened the power of the Chinese ethnic group.

After a few months, earth-shaking changes had taken place on the island of Kalimantan. The original social structure of the Dutch-occupied area was completely destroyed, and a new social order dominated by Chinese was being established.

Due to the information blockade, the outside world cannot have a smooth understanding of the situation on the island of Kalimantan.

This was due on the one hand to the strength of the Chu State, and on the other hand to the deliberate neglect of the European powers. No one would sympathize with the weak.

If the population of the Dutch-occupied area in southern Kalimantan is included (including the more than 23 Chinese and more than 40 indigenous women aged between 12 and 30 in the area, as well as more than Chinese immigrants in the past three months),

According to statistics by the end of June 1872, the total population of Chu State had reached more than 6 million, and it was expected to exceed 1890 million before the end of the year, with a total population between 2040 million and 2050 million.

There are three main sources of new population

The first is the newly conquered colonies, such as Lan Fang and the Dutch-occupied areas of Kalimantan, where the population is mainly composed of local Chinese and indigenous women.

The second is Chinese immigrants. The average monthly number of Chinese immigrants has reached between 22 and 23, a significant increase.

The third group is the registered children aged 7 and above in the State of Chu, with an average annual number between 75 and 80. This number has been increasing year by year, and the upward momentum is quite rapid.

Among Chinese families in the Chu State, having three or four children was common. Families with six, seven or even more children were mostly nobles with multiple wives and concubines, landlords and wealthy families, most of whom were retired military families.

Those retired soldiers who had fought on the battlefield won relatively generous rewards with their merits and loyalty. After returning to their hometowns, their living standards were significantly higher than those of ordinary Chinese immigrant families.

That’s about it for Nanyang.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu looked at the large area of ​​dotted islands in the central South China Sea with satisfaction. It was almost all filled with bright yellow color, and he did not have much regret.

current stage
The Chu State did not have a strong desire to possess Java and Sumatra, the core islands of the Dutch East Indies colonies. Neither the timing, situation nor the international environment allowed it.

We can only put it aside for a while and wait for ten or twenty years.

Under the strong military pressure from the Chu State, the new Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Sir James Loudon, showed flexibility and sent secret envoys to make contact.

The Dutch position was that they would never give up their colony of Kalimantan, but they expressed their willingness to improve their unreasonable policies towards overseas Chinese and ease the sharp contradictions between the two sides in exchange for understanding and concessions from the Chu State.

Diplomatic consultations between the two sides are ongoing, but due to the huge and irreconcilable contradictions in their positions, it is extremely difficult to reach any consensus.

The Chu State was not in a hurry at all and continued to steadily promote the orderly immigration of Chinese to the southern part of Kalimantan Island, promote the process of regional ethnic integration, and promote the colonial policy of "emptying the cage and replacing the bird".

Dutch Governor James Louden thought that he could exchange a little sweet treat for substantial concessions from the State of Chu, but that was pure wishful thinking.

The diplomatic stance of the Chu State was very tough. The Dutch East Indies colonial government's long-term policy of discrimination and suppression of Chinese immigrants, and the implementation of the "Three Evil Laws", were originally wrong measures based on wrong positions and must be changed immediately and unconditionally.

The original wrong practices cannot be used as a bargaining chip. The Chu State supports the efforts of the overseas Chinese in defending their legitimate rights and interests, and will continue to pay attention to the protection of the interests of the overseas Chinese community on Java Island.

If the promised national treatment is not obtained, the State of Chu reserves the right to take all possible countermeasures.

It is said that the negotiations were not going smoothly, but King Zheng Guohui of Chu was not in a hurry at all. He knew that without the support of the British, the Dutch would definitely give in.

The State of Chu could agree not to cross the red line drawn by the British, but this was based on the fact that overseas Chinese received fair, just and free national treatment, and this condition could not be changed.

As long as the Dutch can do this, relying on the trade and shipping routes of the Chu State, it is entirely conceivable that the Chinese power in Java will grow.

Maybe in ten or twenty years, the fruit will be ripe.

Since the road to colonial expansion to the south has been blocked, the only option is to move eastward.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu's gaze followed the islands along the Pacific route all the way eastward, finally landing on the Nicaragua region. He frowned and began to think.

Fifty years ago, after breaking away from Spanish colonial rule, a Central American republic emerged here.

The Central American Republics were originally provinces of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. In 1821, five provinces, namely Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, declared independence.

It was merged into Mexico in 1822, but due to endless internal strife and division, it separated from Mexico in July 1823 and formed the United Provinces of Central America.

In November 1824, the Constitutional Assembly passed a constitution and named the country the Federation of Central American Republics.

The Federation was composed of five free and internally independent states established by the former colonial provinces. As conflicts between different regions and ethnic groups in the country became prominent, internal strife and corruption became frequent, and the conflicts quickly escalated into an irreconcilable split.

This Central American republic lasted only 17 and a half years, and in 1841 it split into five countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua (part of its territory was incorporated into the Mexican state of Chiapas).

Costa Rica has the deepest penetration and greatest influence of the United States. Its territory includes the strategically important Isthmus of Panama. The Panama Canal project, which has been discussed for more than a hundred years, is the focus of the United States.

The other four countries have been ignored intentionally or unintentionally.

Chinese forces took advantage of the situation and invaded Nicaragua and Honduras in large numbers, and also had great influence in El Salvador.

The above three Central American countries generally have small populations and belong to the native white areas of former Spanish colonies.

According to the 1839 census of the Central American Republic, the country's population was about 190 million, of which more than 70 were Guatemalans, including 45 indigenous Indians, more than 10 whites, and 15 mestizos.

There are 35 people in El Salvador, 30 in Honduras, 35 in Nicaragua, 15 in Costa Rica, and more than 5 in the Federal Special City (Guatemala).

Among the population in these areas
There are about 12000 white people in Nicaragua, more than 7000 white people in El Salvador, and about 4300 white people in Honduras. The vast majority of them are descendants of native Spanish whites, who are also the local rulers and landlords. The rest of the population are indigenous Indians and mestizos.

Thirty years later, the population in the above-mentioned areas has not increased much. The only increase came from the large influx of Chinese immigrants, which significantly changed the local population situation.

Especially in Nicaragua and Honduras, after the Chinese forces entered in large numbers, they used various means such as money and armed force to purchase a large amount of land from local white people.

The white people who sold their land and their families moved to Guatemala, California or Venezuela in South America, causing a sharp decline in the local white population.

By July 1872
尼加拉瓜白人从30年前的1.2万白人减少到已经不足6600白人，华人则急剧增长超过18.2万，距离20万也不远了。

This means that the Chinese immigrant population in the local area is close to half of the total population, and they have a significant influence from cities to rural areas.

The number of white people in Honduras has dropped from more than 30 4300 years ago to less than 7.7, while the number of Chinese has increased sharply to , nearly a quarter of the local total population, and has gradually taken control of the economic lifeline.

These are the two countries where the Chinese influence in Central America is expanding most rapidly. In addition, different numbers of Chinese immigrants have entered Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica and settled there.

The number of Chinese immigrants in this area is relatively small, and they do not fall within the scope of large-scale immigration targeted by the Chu State’s colonial department. They can only be regarded as spillover effects, and their regional influence is relatively weak.

Now this stage
The Chu State's colonial department adopted the strategy of "boiling a frog in warm water", using its rapidly expanding financial resources to subtly promote the infiltration of Chinese colonial forces.

The Americans are well aware of the dangers of this colonial policy and have repeatedly called on the governments of Central America to pay attention.

The situation is particularly critical in Nicaragua and Honduras.

This is a typical case of the emperor not being in a hurry but the eunuchs are.

Nicaragua and Honduras are just two small county capitals. Given the nature of the Spanish descendants who are good at infighting and have no long-term strategic vision, they only care about the immediate benefits. How could they consider so many things?

The small governments of these two countries have long been infiltrated by Chinese forces like a sieve and lured into the water.

It's nothing more than money and beautiful women. Colonel Wang Hai, a senior operations chief of the Ministry of the Interior, now lives in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, all year round, responsible for corrupting and winning over the top government officials.

If someone really doesn't buy into this, just get rid of them cleanly and efficiently.

At the beginning of this year
Nicaragua issued an order to wipe out the indigenous Indian tribes, attracting many Chinese adventurous armed teams to participate in this unprecedented hunting carnival.

What the Nicaraguan government did was similar to what the United States did to the north. Both of them killed the indigenous Indians who made up the majority of the country in order to achieve the goal of "pure land".

But they forget that the indigenous Indians who make up the majority of the population are the foundation of Nicaraguan society, and Nicaragua does not have so many white immigrants.

Nicaragua's social foundation cannot be supported by the mestizos alone.

The so-called mestizos refer to the Latin people in Central America who are the mixed race of Europeans and Native American ancestors. They speak Spanish and believe in Catholicism.

However, under the temptation of money, no one cares about these.

Selling local indigenous Indian men to Chinese mines can earn them around $80 to $150, depending on their age and strength.

Selling Native American women to Chinese people can earn them between $120 and $300, depending on their age and situation.

This led to the participation of all the local white people and mestizos, who, together with the Chinese armed adventure team, launched a roundup and killing of the local indigenous Indian tribes. This tragic song that resounded throughout North America spread to Central America.

Continue like this
Within a year or two, the population of the local indigenous Indian tribes would be rounded up and at least 100,000 indigenous Indian women would be sold into Chinese families, most of whom were sold by Chinese armed adventure teams.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu thought for a while and felt that Central America now had the ability to accept Chinese immigrants on a large scale.

The next step will be to increase Chinese immigration to Central America so that they can become the mainstream ethnic group in local society as soon as possible and achieve the ultimate goal of controlling the region.

As for whether to retain the governments of Central American countries, that is a matter of one word.

There’s no rush right now, let’s wait and see.

The expeditionary adventure in the Negro River region of Zielo Island in southern South America has lasted for more than two years and has yielded great results.

In the southern wilderness of South America, there are more than 33 Chinese people who have settled or are on adventure expeditions. There are nearly 30 Chinese families, most of which are combinations of Chinese male families and Indian women, and a small number are white women.

Estates owned by the Chinese are everywhere, widely distributed in the Negro River and the areas to the south. Most of them are mainly ranches, and there are many large ranches.

January 6st

After several rounds of negotiations, the Chu State and the Chilean government determined the final border between the two sides. The border line was the town of Arauco, 637 kilometers north of Zieno Island. The area north of the border belonged to Chile, and the area south of the border belonged to Chu State.

Under the strong demands of the Chu State, the town of Arauco on the east coast of the Pacific Ocean belonged to the Chu State. The border line was 3 kilometers north of the town. Both sides erected monuments to commemorate the border and signed a treaty of trade and non-aggression.

At this point, the border line of the Chu State along the Pacific coast of South America was officially established, known in history as the Treaty of Arauco.

(End of this chapter)