America 1869: A Doppelganger Every Day

Chapter 161 Immigration to Australia

As the Second Industrial Revolution swept the globe, the world's attention was focused on new inventions such as the light bulb, telephone, and internal combustion engine. No one noticed that the Rim of the Pacific Alliance was quietly consolidating its dominance in the Pacific region by taking advantage of this momentum.

Qin Feng stood on the bridge of the Zhenyuan, gazing at the Solomon Islands under the setting sun. The islands' outlines gradually blurred in the twilight, with only the lights of plantations and mines dotting the darkness like stars. He knew that this suppression and relocation was merely a small episode in the alliance's expansion. In the future, the Rim of the Pacific Alliance would stand even more powerfully at the pinnacle of the world, and Chinese culture would take root and flourish in every corner of the Pacific Ocean, following in the alliance's footsteps.

Li Changsheng's main body sat in his New York office, synchronizing his memories with his clone and sensing the changes in the Solomon Islands. He opened the latest report from the Global Patent Group, and a smile crept onto his lips as he saw the words "rubber production doubled" and "tin ore exports increased by 30%." He knew that his plan was being realized step by step—to break through barbarism with steel and steam, to integrate power with order and development. One day, the Rim of the Pacific Alliance would become the leader of this era, and the Chinese people would possess true dignity and status on a global scale.

However, things won't go so smoothly.

In the autumn of 1876, at the docks of Sydney Harbour, Australia, merchant ships of white colonists and transport ships of the Trans-Pacific Alliance were moored side by side. On deck, Governor-General William Robinson of the Australian colonial authorities gazed in the distance toward New Guinea, his eyes filled with resentment and calculation. Since the Trans-Pacific Alliance had taken New Guinea by force, white Australians had lost this fertile land rich in gold and rubber, while the factories and plantations built by the Alliance in New Guinea were continuously supplying them with the strategic resources needed for the Industrial Revolution.

"Your Excellency, the Dutch East India Company's black slaves have arrived." The colonial secretary strode forward, handing over a list. "A total of 15,000 black slaves, all strong and capable warriors. The Dutch have promised that if we can retake New Zealand..."

Guinea can provide further support in the future.

William Robinson nodded, his gaze falling on the black men chained up on the dock. These men were from Central Africa.

The tribes of the tribe, sold to the Pacific region by Dutch colonists, were all burly and fierce warriors. In his view, although the Allied forces stationed in New Guinea were well-equipped, they were mostly composed of Chinese and local natives. He believed that if these black men launched a surprise attack, and then joined forces with the armed forces of white Australians, they could definitely retake New Guinea.

"Notify the military to immediately transport these blacks to the Cape York Peninsula for training," William Robinson ordered. "Equip them with weapons and tell them that once New Guinea is recaptured, the land there will be theirs."

The news quickly reached New Guinea, where Chen Ziming, the Pacific Rim Alliance's governor-general and Li Changsheng's alter ego, was overseeing the gold mine's operations. Upon receiving the report from his intelligence operative, a cold smile crept onto his lips. The ambitions of the Australian whites had never been extinguished; they simply hadn't anticipated that the Pacific Rim Alliance had already established a formidable intelligence network across the Pacific islands.

"It seems some clowns need to be dealt with." Chen Ziming said to the military commander beside him, "Notify the Allied Fleet to strengthen patrols in the waters around New Guinea, and at the same time keep a close eye on the black island nations in the Pacific. Since the white Australians can buy black people from the Dutch, they will inevitably incite black uprisings in these island nations in an attempt to contain our forces."

Just as Chen Ziming had predicted, in the following three months, uprisings broke out in several black island nations in the Pacific. Black tribes in Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga, incited by missionaries and agents sent by white Australians, attacked the Alliance's plantations, mines, and schools, killing hundreds of Chinese and local workers.

"Chief, the white man said that as long as we drive out the yellow-skinned invaders, we can restore the tribe's freedom!" Karu, the black chief of the Samoan Islands, was misled by the missionary and led his people to attack the Alliance's rubber plantation and burn down the steam processing equipment.

However, the resistance of these Black tribes was like throwing eggs against a rock in the face of the Alliance's overwhelming power. Chen Ziming mobilized the Alliance fleet and local garrison to launch a thunderous crackdown on the rebellious tribes. The Samoan rebels were routed by the Alliance's Maxim machine guns and mortars, and the Karu chief was killed during his breakout attempt. The Fijian rebels were besieged in the mountains by the Alliance forces and eventually surrendered due to running out of ammunition and food. The Tongan rebels had their camp bombarded to the ground by the Alliance fleet's naval guns.

This uprising, which swept across a black island nation in the Pacific, was completely suppressed in just over two months. According to statistics, a total of more than 310,000 blacks participated in the uprising, most of whom were captured, and a few who resisted were executed on the spot.

"Your Excellency, all 300,000 black prisoners have been gathered. What should we do with them?" the military officer reported to Chen Ziming.

Looking at the Black people imprisoned in the concentration camp, Chen Ziming had already made up his mind. The development of New Guinea required a large labor force, and since the white Australians wanted to exploit the Black people, he might as well turn the tables and make these Black people "bargaining chips" for the alliance. He immediately contacted his Australian clone, Lu Ming, and at the same time consulted Li Changsheng's main body in New York.

"The real situation is that white Australians urgently need labor to develop sugarcane plantations in Queensland and gold mines in Western Australia." Lu Ming's memory came through. "William Robinson has contacted me privately, willing to buy these black prisoners for ten dollars each to fill the labor shortage."

Li Changsheng's true form was at the Chinese American newspaper office discussing the commercial application of electric lights with Edison when he received Chen Ziming's request for instructions. He immediately replied: "I agree to the deal. Sell 300,000 black prisoners to the Australian authorities, and at the same time, use this opportunity to pressure white Australians to relax restrictions on Chinese immigration. We need more Chinese to enter Australia to consolidate the alliance's power in Australia."

Soon after, the Rim of the Pacific Alliance signed the "Black Labor Trade Agreement" with the Australian colonial authorities. The Alliance sold 300,000 black prisoners to Australia for three million Chinese dollars, and the Australian authorities promised to allow the Alliance to employ 600,000 Chinese laborers over the next three years for use in Australian plantations, mines, and railway construction.

Upon hearing the news, William Robinson was overjoyed. He believed he had not only gained the potential to counter the Union of New Guinea's garrison but could also boost Australia's economy with cheap black labor. Little did he know that this was precisely Li Changsheng's scheme—to make blacks a "burden" on white Australians while simultaneously opening the door for Chinese immigrants to Australia.

After the transaction, 300,000 Black people were transported to Australia in batches. They were dispersed and resettled in sugarcane plantations in Queensland, gold mines in Western Australia, and ranches in South Australia, where they suffered brutal exploitation by white overseers. These Black people not only had to work more than ten hours a day, but were also frequently deprived of their rations and beaten, resulting in a high mortality rate. The Australian whites, who had originally planned to train a Black resistance alliance, discovered that these Black people, under the heavy labor and cruel treatment, had long lost the will to resist and could only become tools to be slaughtered.

Meanwhile, the Rim of the Pacific Alliance began openly sending Chinese laborers to Australia. The first batch of 100,000 Chinese laborers arrived at Sydney Harbour aboard Alliance transport ships. Most of them came from Guangdong and Fujian provinces of the Qing Dynasty, and set foot on Australian soil with longing for a better life. Lu Ming, as the president of the Australian Chinese Chamber of Commerce, personally went to the dock to welcome them and assigned these laborers to various plantations and mines.

"Fellow countrymen, as long as you work hard in Australia, you can earn a lot of money and live a good life!" Lu Ming addressed the workers in Cantonese. "The alliance will protect your safety, guarantee that your wages will be paid on time, and your children will be able to attend Chinese schools!"

Under Lu Ming's arrangement, although the Chinese laborers also performed arduous work, their treatment was far superior to that of the Black and White laborers. They enjoyed an eight-hour workday, full wages, and basic medical care. These rights filled the Chinese laborers with gratitude, motivating them to work even harder. They brought advanced planting techniques and mining experience, significantly increasing Australia's sugarcane production.

As a result, the efficiency of gold mining has increased several times.

However, openly sending Chinese people was only part of Li Changsheng's plan. He knew that the quota of 600,000 Chinese was far from enough, and that to establish sufficient influence in Australia, he needed to send even more Chinese. While openly sending Chinese people, Lu Ming began secretly organizing a "Chinese smuggling plan."

Under the guise of "transporting supplies," the Rim of the Pacific Alliance's transport ships secretly smuggled Chinese people from the Far East, Qing Dynasty China, and Southeast Asia to Australia. These Chinese were mostly refugees from Qing Dynasty China, Chinese merchants from Southeast Asia, and outstanding workers in the construction of the alliance. They carried hope, hiding in the cargo holds of the transport ships, and after weeks of drifting at sea, they arrived in Australia.

To evade inspection by Australian authorities, Lu Ming established secret contact points in ports such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Upon arrival, Chinese migrants were immediately transferred to Chinese communities in the suburbs or sent directly to plantations and mines inland. These communities were controlled by the alliance's affiliates, equipped with armed guards, and under closed management, while outwardly presented as "Chinese farms" or "Chinese workshops."

"Don't worry, everyone, it's absolutely safe here," Zhao An, the alter ego responsible for receiving undocumented Chinese immigrants, told the newcomers. "We have our own schools, hospitals, and shops. As long as you follow the rules and work hard, you can settle down here."

Under Lu Ming's operation, in just one year, the number of Chinese people secretly smuggled into Australia reached as many as one million. Adding to the 600,000 Chinese who were previously smuggled out openly and the 400,000 Chinese who were already settled in Australia, the total number of Chinese in Australia has exceeded two million, accounting for nearly 30% of the total population of Australia.

Lu Ming skillfully concealed these two million Chinese residents. In the cities, Chinese communities were separated from white communities, and Chinese businesses, workshops, and schools operated discreetly to avoid attracting white attention. In the countryside, Chinese plantations and mines...

Most of the venues were located in remote areas and operated under a self-sufficient management model, with little contact with the outside world. Lu Ming also ordered all Chinese to keep a low profile in public to avoid conflicts with white people, while strengthening unity within the Chinese community by establishing Chinese Chambers of Commerce, Chinese labor unions, and Chinese self-defense forces to protect the rights and safety of the Chinese.

To ensure the long-term development of the Chinese community, Lu Ming vigorously promoted an "education-first" policy. He established Chinese schools in various Chinese communities, teaching Mandarin, simplified Chinese characters, and Chinese culture, while also offering practical courses in agriculture, industry, and commerce to cultivate professional skills among the Chinese population. Chinese children, regardless of wealth, could attend school for free, and outstanding students were even sent to the Far East or America for further studies.

Economically, Lu Ming integrated the resources of the Chinese community and established the Australian Chinese General Chamber of Commerce to unify and coordinate their business activities. Chinese merchants supported each other, forming a vast commercial network that monopolized industries such as vegetable and fruit cultivation, garment processing, and catering services in Australia. Chinese plantation owners also introduced high-yield crops and advanced irrigation technologies from the Far East, significantly increasing Australia's agricultural output; while Chinese mine owners, through refined mining practices, revitalized previously abandoned "waste mines" that yielded gold and ore.

Meanwhile, Lu Ming was also secretly cultivating a military force among the Chinese community. The Chinese Self-Defense Force was equipped with rifles, grenades, and other weapons provided by the Alliance, and trained by retired Alliance soldiers. While protecting the safety of Chinese communities, it also prepared for future conflicts. These self-defense force soldiers were hidden among the Chinese laborers, participating in labor during peacetime and rapidly assembling to form a combat force in wartime.

While white Australians were aware of the increasing Chinese population, the Chinese remained low-key, and the economic growth driven by Black labor kept them preoccupied, preventing them from realizing that the Chinese had become an undeniable force in Australia. William Robinson, still clinging to his dream of reclaiming New Guinea, continued to exploit Black labor, unaware that these Black people were already overburdened and filled with resentment towards the white colonists.

In the winter of 1877, a riot broke out among black laborers on sugarcane plantations in Queensland, Australia. Unable to endure the cruelty of the white overseers...

The Black laborers seized weapons from their overseers, attacked the white management of the plantations, and burned down the plantation warehouses. The riots quickly spread to gold mines in Western Australia and ranches in South Australia, with 300,000 Black laborers joining in, plunging Australia into chaos.

William Robinson urgently mobilized Australia's armed forces to suppress the riots, only to find that the army was severely understaffed—most soldiers had been deployed to the Cape York Peninsula to prepare for training Black people to attack New Guinea. Meanwhile, the Chinese-populated areas remained peaceful, with the Chinese Self-Defense Forces strengthening their vigilance to protect the lives and property of the Chinese community while refusing to participate in any conflict.