What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 217 I beat myself

Perhaps Tang Wen's performance exceeded his expectations, because Lao Zhang told him about Uchimura Tomohiro's transfer and the impending change in their relationship.

Tang Wen then learned that the Navy had almost acquired a five-axis CNC machine tool, a truly valuable piece of equipment that had played a crucial role in enabling the Russian submarines to roam the East China Sea back then.

However, as for China's nuclear submarine technology... having only a silent propeller is far from enough.

There is a severe lack of experience in this area. China lags far behind in various subsystems and integration capabilities, consistently ranking last. The Americans ridicule us as "undersea tractors," saying that the entire Pacific Ocean can hear us as soon as we leave the port.

Even if we really had to outsource the production, we'd be lucky to get one per year.

His disappointment at the once again falling through his friendly progress with the Japanese was understandable, though it was also somewhat expected.

Both South Korea and Japan belong to the Han cultural sphere, and both countries covet the domestic market while China covets their technology. They have long had the idea of ​​achieving open economic cooperation, which was later called tripartite integration or economic free trade zone.

However, every time there is some progress, something unexpected will inevitably happen and ruin it, the reasons for which need not be elaborated.

The thought that their hard-won relationship was about to cool down again immediately reminded Tang Wen of the big move that Gaijin was about to make in the Spratly Islands.

Although the world's attention has been drawn to the Gulf of Aden, it is impossible to completely ignore the Spratly Islands; there may be someone plotting something malicious.

Rather than being passively beaten, it is better to take the initiative.

Moreover, there just happened to be something he could make a fuss about, but he couldn't quite remember the exact time and needed to check it first.

After hanging up the phone, Tang Wen immediately went to collect current affairs newspapers from the past two years and buried himself in studying the locations he remembered.

……

"Holy crap, this is like moving mountains and creating seas!"

Yan Jian arrived at Gongzhen Reef in a small boat. Comparing the aerial view taken by the Navy earlier, he discovered that a small torpedo had blasted out a deep harbor!
Sailors on the Shenjiang ship measured the approximate water depth with ropes, indicating that with a few more dredging operations, they could create an ultra-deep harbor with a depth of 15 meters.

The entrance to C Bay of Gongzhen Reef is currently about 35 meters wide, but it is easy to widen it based on the existing foundation. It can be widened to 50 or 60 meters with dredging vessels. With proper repairs, it will be easy to dock an aircraft carrier.

Yan Jian and the officers and soldiers of the Shenjiang ship were envious, thinking that having this transit station would make patrol cycles much more convenient.

Judging from the insane depth of the water, Tang Wen had long ago made preparations to moor warships weighing tens of thousands of tons.

How many torpedoes must have been used to carve out such a deep harbor?!
Just now, when the sailors were measuring the depth and lowering the rope, they randomly picked up more than a dozen pieces of torpedo propulsion components and casing fragments!

Ten thousand torpedoes might not be an exaggeration, after all, they were violently launched from the port in just a few days, and ten thousand tons of explosives might not be an exaggeration.

At this time, ships 404 and 405 quietly sailed to a distance of 5 kilometers. The aloof captain of the Nanyang ship said that they would leave if the port was deemed suitable.

Yan Jian and others did not object, because the 404 and 405 ships claimed to have more than 200 oxygen torpedoes left for resupply. He felt uneasy and wanted to run away whenever the two ships got close, so the sooner they were sent away, the safer they would be.

The demolition of Gongzhen Port was incredibly effective. Aside from the cost and the level of danger which made even the navy tremble, the results were better than expected.

He didn't forget to remind the two ships that it would be best to return to Southeast Asia, otherwise, just imagine having hundreds of torpedoes being pushed around in domestic ports, the people on board probably wouldn't be able to sleep at all.

Both Tianjing-1 submersibles have now arrived at the open sea, but have not yet started operations. Instead, they are surveying the terrain and will need several days of preparation time.

While pleased to see this, Yan Jian couldn't help but feel worried:

The issue of reclaiming reefs to build islands remains highly controversial internationally.

In theory, as long as it's one's own territory, no matter what happens to it, it's none of anyone else's business. But reality is different:

First, we need to understand why we need to divide islands and reefs.

According to relevant provisions of international maritime law, an island is a landmass that is exposed at sea year-round and is covered by vegetation.
It is exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide, with only bare, protruding rocks forming a reef.

Another related convention stipulates that the area surrounding an island within 200 nautical miles constitutes its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), granting the sovereign state ownership of the economy within this area; hence the name EEZ. In contrast, a reef has only a 12-nautical-mile territorial sea and no EEZ.

What is a radius of 200 nautical miles?
With a radius of 370 kilometers, it covers a total area of ​​43 square kilometers!
In comparison, Sichuan Province has a land area of ​​only 48 square kilometers.

So this created a bug:

If a reef is artificially expanded and filled into an island, is there a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone?
This question has been debated by all parties for more than a decade, and there has never been a definitive answer.

However, what is consistent is that the weaker party tends to favor illegal activities, while the stronger party, which has the ability to reclaim land and build islands, tends to favor legal activities.

Last year, Japan attempted to expand Okinotorishima into an island, which was met with opposition from many regions.

The Japanese have only built a reinforced concrete platform. The Japanese are determined to build a port, and maybe even a runway. Will they also face enormous pressure?
Yan Jian cannot ignore this problem.

This pressure isn't just on Geikin, but on the entire country; it could potentially trigger huge internal opposition, forcing him to give up.

He had not expected Gaykin to act so quickly, believing that even at the most insane pace, it would take eight months to a year to prepare.

Who knew that Gaijin would pull off a miracle and change their impressions once again.

Just as he was worrying, Ding Yiduo's satellite phone rang, as he had boarded the small boat with him.

A few minutes later, he hung up the phone and said to the worried Yan Jian:

"The boss ordered the two dredgers to leave Lile Beach, take a quick look around the fishing boat operation area to the east, and then immediately return to the port."

"what?"

Yan Jian was dumbfounded, not understanding the purpose of this arrangement.

Ding Yiduo explained:

"He has prepared an announcement to declare the two dredgers as deep-sea fish refrigeration vessels, cover them with tricolor tarpaulins for disguise, and suspend dredging operations for the time being."

"why?"

[Commander: For the purpose of making a claim.]

"For the purpose of making a legal claim."

Ding Yiduo repeated Tang Wen's words:

"The Strategic Research Office is studying the possibility of opposing the construction of artificial islands and is persuading the higher authorities to submit a recommendation to the United Nations to add new provisions prohibiting the construction of artificial islands or not recognizing the exclusive economic zones of artificial islands."

Yan Jian was somewhat at a loss. Wasn't he digging his own grave?

Could it be that Tang Wen also realized the possible consequences, couldn't resist flipping the table, and decided that no one would play anymore?

This isn't like him at all!
Yan Jian panicked. Although it was difficult, he couldn't give up before even making a move, so he hurriedly took out his phone.

"Tell Tang Wen to wait a bit. Don't give up. The navy will definitely support this. At least keep the dredging ship; it might be useful in the future!"

However, Ding Yiduo said:

"No, we are not giving up on land reclamation. On the contrary, the Geykin shipyard has already started construction on the third and fourth dredgers, and plans to use six ships at the same time."

Yan Jian: !!

This...is it like using both hands simultaneously?

(End of this chapter)