During this period, Japan was rapidly expanding not only their navy, but also their expanding ocean shipping industry.
Everyone knows that military means ultimately serve the economy.
After the outbreak of World War I, the European powers began to fight.
At that time, these powerful countries were no longer able to take care of their colonies everywhere.
At this time, Japan in Asia also began to take action. Japan was the only powerful country in Asia at that time. After the European powers went to war, Japan looked covetously at the colonies of various countries in Asia.
In August 1914, Japan joined the Allied Powers and declared war on Germany.
As we all know, at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Germany occupied the Qingdao area of Shandong Province. The Japanese army launched an attack on the German troops stationed there. The number of German troops was not large. In the end, the Japanese army occupied this area.
But this was just the beginning. After Germany announced its defeat and surrender, Japan also took the opportunity to seize and take over other German colonies in Asia and the Pacific, such as: Palau Islands, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia
West Asian Islands, etc.
At that time, the European powers were exhausted by World War I and had no time to take care of Japan, the newly rising evil wolf. Therefore, Japan's expansionary power in the Western Pacific was also recognized by the powers.
The rapid expansion of Japan's military power in the Western Pacific has led to the rapid expansion of their economic strength and influence in Asia.
Before World War I, Japan's total import and export trade was less than 600 million yen, totaling less than 1.2 billion yen. In 1919, the total import and export trade reached more than 4.27 billion yen.
From 1915 to 1918, Japan's exports to Europe increased by 60%, to Asia by 125%, to South America by 629%, and to Africa by 1002%. The total tonnage of Japanese merchant ships was more than 2.3 million tons in 1913, and in 1919
increased to more than 4.1 million tons.
What is even more shocking is that the development of Japan's shipbuilding industry has expanded seven times compared to before World War I.
After entering the 1930s, seagoing vessels flying the plaster flag accounted for nearly half of the merchant ships plying the Western Pacific.
Qichang Yangxing's current main business is ocean shipping. It is easy to imagine the impact and pressure from Japanese merchant ships, so James naturally hates little Japan and gnashes his teeth.
"I heard that although your country lost the Great Wall War, you also taught those yellow-skinned monkeys enough lessons, is that right?" James asked excitedly.
But he noticed the half-smiling expression on Zhou Wen's face, and immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing, and quickly explained: "I'm sorry, Mr. Scholar, please don't misunderstand. The yellow-skinned monkey I mentioned refers to the Japanese. There is no offense in any way."
What you mean."
Zhou Wen shrugged and said: "Although I don't object to you calling Japanese people this way, due to your previous impolite behavior towards us Chinese people, I still recommend that you change this name in the future."
"Okay, you have made me change my view of the Chinese people, and I promise that I will never make this mistake again in the future." James promised quickly.
Zhou Wen knew that people like James had racial discrimination deeply embedded in his arrogant bones, so how could he change it so easily? Just like a dog can't change its habit of eating shit.
But as long as he doesn't dare to be arrogant and unrestrained in front of him, he won't be able to control much else.
Zhou Wen thought of the purpose of this meeting and immediately brought the topic back. Then he answered James' question just now: "As you know, we did make the Japanese pay a heavy price during the Great Wall War of Resistance, and
They will pay more and heavier prices in the future."
"This is also the purpose of my invitation to you to discuss and seek cooperation."
For a person like James who only judges the right and wrong of things based on his own preferences, finally finding someone who hates the Japanese as much as he does and who is willing or has taught them a lesson is tantamount to finding a like-minded ally.
.
So, he asked eagerly: "Tell me, what is it? Please forgive me for being rude, but hearing that it was against the Japanese made me a little impatient."
Zhou Wen was overjoyed. He didn't expect that he had found the right person unintentionally. This was a smooth start. But he just smiled and said: "Don't worry, wait until we get to the tea house, sip the fragrant tea, and then take our time to take a closer look."
explain."
This kind of matter involving smuggling of arms still needs to be laid out first before it can be explained clearly.
In James' anxious mood, the car arrived at the door of Yude Tea House not long after.
After Zhou Wen and James got off the car, they walked to the private room they had reserved upstairs.
After the two parties sat down, Dr. Tea put down the brewed pot of tea and two white porcelain tea cups. At Zhou Wen's signal, he quietly stepped out, while Zhang Xiaoping stood guard at the door.
Zhou Wen filled up the two teacups, then picked up the teacup and said: "Mr. James, I am very happy that we have a common enemy that we hate. This is the basis for good cooperation between us. For this reason, we will use tea instead of wine. Let's do it first."
One drink, please!”
James picked up the tea cup and touched it with Zhou Wen. Regardless of whether the tea was hot or not, he raised his head and drank it in one sip, then asked impatiently: "Mr. Scholar, please tell me your plan."
Zhou Wen paused for a moment, sorted out his thoughts, and then said slowly: "Mr. James, you know the current situation between China and Japan. In the near future, a full-scale war will inevitably break out between the two sides."
"But at present, our country's strength is far behind Japan's, both in terms of military and economics. Once our country is defeated, the Japanese will no longer have any constraints in Asia. Their ambitions will not only be in China, but also in China."
Many countries are setting their sights on the Pacific.”
"In this case, your country's interests in the Pacific will suffer great losses."
Hearing this, James nodded with deep sympathy and said: "You are right. Don't talk about the future, right now, these yellow...oh no, these little dwarf merchant ships have spread all over Southeast Asia, and our American companies have suffered
It’s a huge loss.”
Zhou Wen was very satisfied with James's attitude of sharing the same hatred with the enemy, and sighed: "Alas! But unfortunately, your government turns a blind eye to the Japanese's growing strength in the Pacific, and instead adopts some kind of 'isolationism'
.Now your country not only maintains close economic exchanges with Japan, but also imposes an arms embargo on our country. This behavior is called "raising tigers for danger" in China, also known as "not distinguishing between friends and foes". Sooner or later, the Japanese will suffer.
The suffering.”
James slapped the table and cursed: "Farke, those politicians in the country are worse than bitches. They don't have any foresight. They only care about their immediate interests, and they don't see it at all or don't care even if they see it."
Ignore the aggressive ambitions of these little dwarfs."