Yes, Prime Minister of Japan

The US dollar can be devalued without much effort; the Federal Reserve simply prints money like crazy.

The last time the Federal Reserve engaged in nuclear-powered money printing was during the massive quantitative easing that began during the pandemic. That round of quantitative easing transformed the United States from a coveted destination in 2017 into a chaotic place in 2025.

According to these people's calculations, if the dollar depreciates again and becomes rampant, it will wash away the wealth held by American citizens in one go, just like the Nile River overflowing its banks.

Is the middle class continuing to shrink?

Is McDonald's becoming a luxury item for the middle class?

That's not something the US government needs to consider, because Americans are one of the least selective groups in the world; they can only accept whatever choices the US government makes.

Overheard at the Americans' economic crisis meeting, several foreign ministers were wiping sweat from their brows:

"This is completely different from what we initially thought."

Indeed, when I arrived, I thought the Americans really wanted to hold peace talks.

Unexpectedly, faced with immense economic pressure, Vance's group of economic advisors began to plot war by creating localized economic collapses. The idea was that once war broke out in East Asia, the economic crisis triggered by the reduction of US debt in Taiwan would allow the US to devalue the dollar and issue massive amounts of debt to stabilize its finances.

This can be described as: you have the massive Type 510 naval gun, but the United States holds the financial nuclear bomb in Asia.

"What do we do now?"

Many diplomats are at a loss.

Li Xinghe, however, found the biggest weakness in the Americans' beautiful illusion and uttered that irrefutable truth:

"If you can't win on the battlefield, everything else is meaningless."

Chapter 788: Li Xinghe's Debate with the Contestants, Nimitz's Sudden Change of Hand (5900 words)

Peace Hotel, Busan.

Representatives from China, Japan, and South Korea huddled in a corner, whispering amongst themselves.

The results of the US delegation's wiretapping surprised everyone.

Li Xinghe analyzed:

"The so-called problem of the collapse of Taiwan's life insurance industry lies in the fact that the Americans believe that pushing for war is equivalent to the collapse of a local economy, and a local economic recession means a debt explosion. Taiwan's life insurance industry has close ties with Japan's life insurance industry, so it can be used to trigger a chain reaction that will devastate the entire East Asia. But all of this is based on one premise: that we do not interfere in this matter."

There is indeed a sense of being a Showa-era staff officer making plans, always assuming the enemy is like a block of wood with no reaction; this is a kind of illness.

Takeshi Iwaya pointed out a particular place:

"This group's political stance seems to differ from the traditional American capitalist elite. They support the devaluation of the dollar and are also promoting war."

It is well known that the United States can absorb global dollars by using its trade and fiscal deficits because of the stable overvaluation of the dollar.

It already depreciated significantly in 2026, bringing the RMB to 5:1 against the USD. Is it going to depreciate further now?

If you demote them any further, they'll become excrement!

Before China has even become a developed country, it is already being forced into the ranks of developed countries by the pressure of the depreciation of the US dollar.

Li Xinghe retrieved the information file:

“Our Deputy Secretary of State, Jacob Helberg, is only 39 years old and this is his second appointment to the White House as a member of a national unit. Before this, Jacob Helberg was a lobbyist in the technology sector. Wow, he's one of the tech bosses behind Vance.”

Without much screening, this group of tech lads, all looking under 40 and exuding an elite air, are likely Vance's inner circle of Silicon Valley business leaders. Their characteristics are quite distinct: transhumanism, elitism, a blind confidence in the level of American technology, and a strong hostility towards the perceived threat posed by technological innovation from Asia.

This group's political stance differs significantly from that of global financial capital. Their so-called technology companies, facing competition from Chinese enterprises globally, mostly survive on government welfare and contracts. Therefore, they are naturally aligned with the US Republican Party on the issue of American isolationism.

Based on their own interests, they chose to return to the path of isolation.

In short, these people are the actual intellectual architects of Trump's path; they do not follow globalized capitalism, nor do they support the dollar continuing to be the global currency.

Instead, they demanded a devaluation of the dollar, the rebuilding of some industries, anti-globalization, and the taxation and exclusion of any foreign capital, thus consolidating and forging an isolated and domineering anti-globalized America.

Therefore, it's not that they dare not create economic crises; on the contrary, they are eager to create one economic crisis after another.

Only an economic crisis can frighten capital from other countries to flee to the relatively stable United States, pay a hefty asset tax, and then become fat sheep imprisoned in New York, Washington, and Los Angeles.

The relative stability here requires both policies and the president to be stable, which is why people like Musk approve of Trump serving another four years and moving towards a dictatorship.

Trump's foolish policy of demanding both a devaluation of the dollar and stability of its exchange rate against global currencies stems from the dual demands of Silicon Valley tech elites: they want the dollar to depreciate while simultaneously reaping profits from capital markets around the world.

So how can we achieve both of these requirements at the same time?

The natural consequence is that while the dollar is depreciating, wars and crises are being created in other countries.

Even if the dollar depreciates, as long as other countries are in turmoil, this country will still be the only one benefiting.

In a sense, this thinking stems from the frustration and anger of American capital after the dollar's global economic dominance failed to materialize in 2021 due to Biden's massive spending spree and in 2024, when Trump's chaotic administration prevented it from achieving global economic success. The argument is: if the economic tide can't be controlled, surely the US military can?

Looking back, the warship was already rotten. It really couldn't be cut.

Li Xinghe was willing to call it a fantasy of 'a toad wanting to eat swan meat'.

Some Japanese and Korean staff members, whose thinking is still quite rigid, are still making suggestions:

"Are they going to leak the information to Wall Street? The Wall Street bosses certainly won't stand for this kind of nonsense."

But Li Xinghe had already refuted them:

"Wall Street was gradually kicked out of politics 20 years ago due to the consequences of the 08 financial crisis. Their lobbyists can't even get through the White House now. They probably won't be able to lick Vance's boots. If I remember correctly, there are still a lot of idiots in the country who take money to K Street to find lobbyists, but they haven't accomplished anything, have they?"

Hong Zhuangyuan finally found an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and hurriedly analyzed the situation on behalf of the South Korean diplomatic team:

"There's no need. Everyone knows the Taiwan Strait crisis is escalating; at present, everyone is just waiting for the outcome of this phase of talks. It should be said that the crisis has already been brewing."

In short, the Americans' objectives have changed.

Old Wang coughed twice, summarizing the sudden and dramatic turn of events that evening:

"The Americans' move is simply to force us to make a choice. If we choose reunification by force, they will expose Taiwan's foreign exchange and US debt issues, creating a huge financial bomb. After the bomb explodes, they can take the opportunity to depreciate the dollar and alleviate their national debt pressure. If we give up reunification by force, it means that they have subdued us, so global capital will buy their US debt, alleviate their national debt pressure, consolidate the dollar's status, and continue to control Taiwan."

This is an attempt to create a situation in which China and Li Xinghe are caught in a dilemma, with one mind blocked from both ends.

The Americans think that you can only choose one of two options, and whichever you choose will be in my favor.

But like the Showa-era staff officer, they hadn't expected the other side to break the deadlock so easily.

Li Xinghe rubbed his wrist and made his statement:

"No rush. The Quad peace talks have only just begun. Let's set up a trap and play tricks on him first."

Old Wang wasn't very familiar with Li Xinghe and only learned some inside information before coming, so he agreed with relatively stable emotions:

“Then I’ll have the younger members of my team practice debating with you to gain some experience.”

Li Xinghe smiled.

They're doomed.

……

The next day.

With all parties remaining silent and no newspapers able to obtain inside information, negotiations began on the second day.

Busan Dongbaek APEC World Summit Building.

Inside this circular, avant-garde architectural building, representatives from various countries slowly entered while journalists from different countries took photos and notes from their seats.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Helberg led the team, who entered the venue exuding the air of a handsome, middle-aged tech elite.

Although he's inefficient, he can't help but be handsome.

Chinese representative Lao Wang led the delegation onto the stage. Known for his good looks, Lao Wang was also exceptionally handsome and exuded an impressive aura.

Finally, Li Xinghe brought in diplomats from Japan and South Korea. The young Li Xinghe was so beautiful that his bone structure and skin were both stunning, naturally making him a visual stunner.

So, even before today's meeting started, it was already being hailed as the "most attractive world conference," with major newspapers publishing handsome photos of Li Xinghe, Lao Wang, and Helberg everywhere.

Unfortunately, the representatives sent by the pro-independence camp were not allowed to enter and could only stand outside the door.

The meeting was declared open.

"The meeting is now in session. Today's topic concerns peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Please speak in turn..."

As the host, Li Xinghe was the first to speak.

To everyone's surprise, right at the start of the meeting, without any warning, Li Xinghe suddenly switched sides as planned.

He turned on the microphone and began declaring war:

"If China insists on launching a war of unification, it will mean crisis, confrontation, and disappointment. How can we rebuild the Greater China Federation under such circumstances? We must focus on the future. We do not want a small China; we want to create a Greater China. We cannot become like Prussia or Austria. We already have so many failed examples: the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the demise of Korea, Japanese imperialism, the Vietnam War, and the Khmer War. We do not want war; we want peace. We do not want division; we want unification!"

Such a groundbreaking statement immediately threw the meeting off track.

The Taiwan Strait crisis has been turned into a domestic matter within the Confucian cultural sphere.

Saying it's a defection might not be quite accurate.

After all, Li Xinghe has been advocating a 'Greater China Federation' framework ever since he seized power.

He mentioned this concept more than once when he and Vance were exchanging insults online.

Although Li Xinghe has never explained the structure of his vision of the Greater China Federation, whether it is a single nation or a union of multiple nations, whether it represents the final collective of Han people or continues the path of multi-ethnic coexistence, and whether countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, and Malaysia will be added, or whether it simply absorbs Confucian cultural elements, all these are unknown.

However, for the four parties, five countries, and six regimes attending the meeting, Li Xinghe's public display of his political line in such an important political setting was itself a very strong declaration.

Moreover, the significance of the "Greater China Federalism" it proclaims, which is in opposition to China's political ideology, is self-evident.

China views the war for the reunification of Taiwan as a revolutionary war that will lead to national unification and a new stage of development. Li Xinghe, however, seeks to expand this perspective, viewing it as a contest between Germany and Austria-Hungary, a divergence between the "Little China" and "Greater China" paths.

The Chinese delegation on the other side was thrown into chaos.

Even though he knew it was a setup to scam the Americans, Lao Wang still couldn't keep his composure when he heard Li Xinghe's "Greater China" strategy.

You really know how to find the right angle!

These days, we've seen all sorts of bizarre political lines, such as Turkey's extremely abstract alliance of Turkic states, ISIS's one-state terrorism line, and the Baltic states' extreme anti-Russian line of provoking Russia like mad dogs. But Li Xinghe's ability to create something so abstract is truly unique in the world.

But he was still holding up Sun Yat-sen's memorial tablet!

The American representative was speechless.

I don't understand you East Asian countries. You always spout off about hundreds of years of history. Don't you know we Americans have absolutely no idea?

The main characters now are Chinese special envoy Lao Wang and Lee Sung-ha, representing Japan and South Korea.

The United States and Taiwan, on the contrary, have been marginalized and relegated to a corner.

Li Xinghe continued to emphasize:

"Regional security is of paramount importance. All the military and political power of Japan and South Korea is being used for this. The theme of the meeting is simply: No! War!"

The young people in the Chinese delegation offered their rebuttal:

"Our country is not without guarantees of regional peace."

Isn't this just using the guise of peace to threaten local wars?

Then let me show you my aircraft carrier.

The young representatives opened the display board to show Li Xinghe their security guarantees.

They unveiled the fifth and sixth aircraft carriers currently under construction at the Dalian and Jiangnan shipyards, respectively. This was originally intended as a trump card to demonstrate their strength to the Americans.

Not only that, one of the two aircraft carriers looks like an improved version of the Fujian, while the other has no smokestack and a rear-mounted bridge, clearly indicating that it is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier!

The good news is that friends in Guangdong and Jiangsu no longer need to fight over who will be named the fifth aircraft carrier.

But the bad news that followed was that Guangdong and Jiangsu were locked in a fierce battle over who would be the first province to name their nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a battle that seemed to sever all ties.

The worse news is that whoever gets the naming rights for a conventionally powered aircraft carrier loses.

But the fact that each of them is guaranteed at least one is good news.

Li Xinghe also refuted the other party's statement:

Does displaying an aircraft carrier guarantee regional peace?

The US representative was naturally the first to refute Li Xinghe:

"of course can!"

Li Xinghe couldn't help but feel a little angry, and slammed his fist on the table, questioning the United States:

Do you have it? Show it to me now!

The Americans shut their mouths.

Not really.