Chapter 618 617 [Diplomatic Set]

Although Zhou Hexuan does not understand financial economics, he is really familiar with the recent surge in silver prices.

In the early days of the world economic crisis, international silver prices continued to fall, and some countries abandoned the silver standard, causing silver prices to fall to the bottom.

It was under this circumstance that Zhou Hexuan, together with Li Shoumin's father-in-law, imported American silver and earned the price difference through remittances. Many people are doing this kind of business, and those without remittances simply engage in smuggling. The Chinese government also turns a blind eye to this.

Whether it is using remittances to import American silver or smuggling American silver, it is essentially beneficial to China. Although it led to the depreciation of the silver dollar to a certain extent, China's prices did not rise too outrageously. It also stimulated the export of Chinese products and greatly increased China's silver reserves.

It can be said that the plummeting international silver prices in the past few years have made the Chinese government, financial institutions, and business owners a huge profit, while the ordinary people have only suffered a slight loss.

In order to get rid of the economic crisis, from 1931 to 1932, 23 countries around the world abandoned the gold standard, and another 17 countries actually canceled the gold standard. Among the major powers, only the United States and France are still hanging on. Together, they hold 59% of the world's gold reserves.

But in 1933, Roosevelt issued the "Emergency Banking Act" to ban gold exports and collections, effectively abandoning the gold standard. In February of this year, Roosevelt implemented the "Gold Act", causing the international gold price to skyrocket, and American silver capitalists subsequently advocated for silver price increases.

When international silver prices rose, not only was Zhou Hexuan's silver import business unable to continue, it also led to a large outflow of Chinese silver - in the past, American silver was smuggled to China, but now everyone is smuggling Chinese silver to the United States, anyway, just to make a profit on the price difference.

Silver is China's common currency. The outflow of silver has caused banks to have tight money, the market has been depressed, and businesses have gone bankrupt. Now China has seen a wave of bank failures and business bankruptcies. Of the 31 yarn mills in Shanghai, 2 have gone bankrupt and another 6 are about to go bankrupt. Half of Shanghai's silk mills and flour mills are on the verge of bankruptcy.

At the same time, the exchange rate of the Chinese silver dollar against the US dollar continued to increase, with the silver dollar (Dayang) appreciating 50% in half a year.

The money in hand is more valuable. This may seem like a good thing, but it actually makes China miserable. Due to the appreciation of the silver dollar, the export volume of China's national enterprises has been greatly reduced. For example, Tang Jishan, the tea king, has experienced a sharp drop in tea sales for several months in a row. Foreign goods took the opportunity to hit the Chinese market aggressively. Because of the appreciation of the silver dollar, the prices of foreign goods were actually falling.

To put it bluntly, this is the Republic of China’s version of the Plaza Accord.

By raising the exchange rate of the silver dollar, the Yankees hit the export of Chinese products and at the same time increased the export of American products, making the Chinese people pay for the American economic crisis. Not only that, because the United States is a major silver-producing country, the increase in silver prices has made American silver merchants make a lot of money.

This kind of national policy cannot be solved with just one mouth. Not to mention Zhou Hexuan was Roosevelt's friend, even if Zhou Hexuan was Roosevelt's biological father, it would be of no use.

Zhou Hexuan thought for a while and said: "Chairman, I don't have the slightest confidence in this. I hope you won't be disappointed when the time comes."

"Just try your best." Chang Kaishen was also in a hurry and sought medical treatment, so he asked Zhou Hexuan for help.

The Nationalist Government in Nanjing has negotiated with the United States several times, but the Yankees have always avoided talking. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hoped that the U.S. government would issue a diplomatic invitation and send Soong Ziwen to Washington to discuss the matter. The Yankees also refused to reply. In the end, they were so troubled that they had no choice but to say: "It is okay to invite Soong Ziwen, but he cannot discuss the silver issue when he comes to the United States." .”

The Americans have made it clear that in order to restore the U.S. economy, all Chinese people must die!

Zhou Hexuan stretched out two fingers: "Chairman, I can't go to Roosevelt with empty words. I hope you can do two things to cooperate."

"Please speak." Chang Kai said.

Zhou Hexuan turned into a "big traitor". He said: "First, invite the Japanese Foreign Minister to visit China, actively promote the illusion of Sino-Japanese friendship, and accept Japan's loan assistance to China. Of course, these are all fake, but we must To make it look real, the chairman should know how to operate it.”

"I understand." Chang Kaishen nodded.

Historically, Chang Kaishen did the same thing, but he was forced to do it by the United States. In February next year, Chang Kaishen and Wang Zhaoming jointly advocated Sino-Japanese friendship and banned the private anti-Japanese movement. They were actually doing it to show the United States.

It is a pity that Chang Kaishen and Wang Zhaoming have been accused of being national thieves in vain, and the Americans are not moved at all. This kind of behavior is completely playing the piano to others.

Zhou Hexuan added: "Second, announce currency reform and abandon the silver standard."

Chang Kaishen shook his head and said: "It is impossible to abandon the silver standard. China will inevitably be in chaos. As for currency reform, it was started a few years ago, but there is a very real difficulty."

"What's the difficulty?" Zhou Hexuan asked.

Chang Kaishen said with a wry smile: "The national treasury is empty and the government cannot provide enough reserves."

Zhou Hexuan had ten thousand things in his heart that he wanted to say, asking you to fight all day long. Now that you are fine, you can't even get the reserves for currency reform.

Zhou Hexuan thought for a while and said: "The news has been released to the outside world that China will completely replace it with banknotes. As for the reserve fund, ask the Japanese for help!"

Chang Kaishen immediately became anxious: "You are drinking poison to quench your thirst! Asking the Japanese for help in currency reform is equivalent to putting all China's money in the pockets of the Japanese. They will suffer big losses in future wars."

Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "False, what I just said are all methods to confuse the Americans. If China wants to carry out currency reform, the Japanese cannot look for it. Americans are unreliable, so they can only look to the British for help."

"British?" Chang Kaishen didn't understand for a while. He had never had a good relationship with Britain, so he always looked to the United States for help when something went wrong. He never thought about what would happen to the British.

However, Zhou Hexuan knew something about the legal currency reform of the Republic of China. Historically, the Nanjing government wanted to ask the United States for help, but the Americans simply ignored it. The Japanese are very active, but even fools dare not cooperate with Japan.

As a result, the British took the initiative and sincerely helped the Nanjing government complete the legal currency reform.

Zhou Hexuan reminded: "The price of silver has soared and the Chinese market has been in chaos. Which major power has suffered the most serious losses?"

"Of course it's the UK," Chang Kaishen suddenly came to his senses and said with a sly smile, "Mother Xipi, Mingcheng, you are so cunning. You always apply eye drops to Americans in the same way."

"Then it's settled. When the Chairman makes arrangements, I will go to the United States in September, and then to the United Kingdom in October. You and Wang Zhaoming will be responsible for dealing with the Japanese and trying to confuse the United States and Japan." Zhou Hexuan said with a smile. , Xiang Zhejun’s wedding in October will not be able to attend.

Chang Kaishen took the initiative and said: "Go abroad with sincerity and peace of mind. I will suppress the public opinion in the newspapers and ensure that no one dares to say bad things about you again."

"Then, I'll take my leave first and go back to Tianjin to settle down with my wife and children." Zhou Hexuan said with his fists clasped.

After Zhou Hexuan and Jiang Baili both left, Chang Kaishen sighed to Song Meiling: "Baili and Mingcheng are both national warriors. One is a strategist with thousands of weapons, and the other is a diplomat with insight into the world. If both of them are If they can be used by me, plus Zhu Jiahua who is in charge of internal affairs, and Song Ziwen who is in charge of finance, then I have guarantees in military, diplomacy, internal affairs and finance, so why worry about the world not being able to be peaceful?"

Song Meiling asked curiously: "Is his method really effective? I was confused."

Chang Kaishen explained: "The skyrocketing silver price was caused by the American Silver Group. Even Roosevelt was kidnapped by the Silver Group. Conventional diplomatic methods have no effect at all. Therefore, we must make a pretense of making good friends with Japan to let Japan The Americans are nervous. The Japanese will definitely fall for it, because Japan is planning to control China by aiding China, turn China into a raw material supply base and commodity market, and even control China's financial economy. The two Japanese I have been testing it for months, but I just didn’t accept it. When the United States and Japan are included in the calculation, I will turn back and bring the British in, ensuring that both Japan and the United States will be in chaos. By then, China will have something to say. Feeling confident.”

Song Meiling's beautiful eyes sparkled when she heard this, and she clapped her hands and said, "He is really shrewd. He can play with the United States, Britain and Japan in the middle of his applause."

Chang Kaishen said with a smile: "That's why I say he has an insight into the world. There are so many talented people under me who either beg for mercy from the Americans or advocate being treated as dogs by the Japanese. No one wants to take advantage of the British. Including me, they all think The British are missing out."