The Darjeeling black tea in the gold-stamped bone china teacup exuded a fragrance. The alfalfa honey from Sudan was placed in a gold-rimmed white bone china jar. The crystal clear Guangxi rock sugar was placed in another gold-stamped bone china jar of the same texture. This was a tea set that China presented to the British Foreign Minister, and it was also the British Foreign Minister's favorite tea set.
China found a very suitable way to use a large number of Sudanese cattle bones, allowing China, the country of porcelain, to once again stand at the top of the world's porcelain. It must be said that bone china was Britain's original creation, but how could Vézé allow Britain to continue to be so arrogant in this era? China not only controlled most of the world's tea production areas, but also opened a set of tea rating standards. Using a large number of cattle bones, China also regained the right to speak in the international porcelain market.
The British Foreign Minister didn't want to get back at China. In fact, Britain didn't think it was too big a problem. China's porcelain had always been the world's most famous product. Now European businessmen could freely order the type of porcelain they expected from China, both at a good price and quality. On April 5, 1985, the British Foreign Minister and the Chinese Foreign Minister met in Mumbai for the purpose of the Russian-Turkish war, not commercial disputes.
"Does your country know Grand Duke Alexander I of Bulgaria?" The British Foreign Minister asked.
Can't foreigners have a new meaning in their names? China Foreign Minister Li Xin criticized in his heart. The current Tsar of Russia was Alexander III, and the father of this III was Alexander II. If you just looked at the name, you might mistakenly think that Alexander I of Bulgaria was the grandfather of the current Tsar. In fact, it was not the same thing at all.
"I've heard of such a person." Li Xin answered the question.
"Our country has made a proposal to the Osman Empire on the issue of Bulgaria." The British Foreign Minister explained Britain's latest move. East Rumelia requested to be incorporated into Bulgaria, and Britain proposed a plan for the Sultan of the Osman Empire to appoint the Grand Duke of Bulgaria as the administrator of East Rumelia, and to keep Bulgaria de facto united. However, this proposal caused quite a strong response in the Balkans and surrounding areas.
Li Xin was still criticizing in his heart. It was really a small temple with great evil winds, and a shallow pond with many turtles. The area of East Rumelia was probably smaller than a large county in China, and many counties in China's new territory were even larger than the whole of Bulgaria. Those were the fourteen counties of East Africa, and each county was larger than Bulgaria. A place as small as a fart was able to shake the whole of Europe. The Military Governor Of Vaize had once said that the Balkans were Europe's powder keg. This evaluation really hit the nail on the head.
However, Europe only had this kind of conduct. The fact that the United Kingdom was able to decide the state affairs of the Osman Empire proved that the United Kingdom had penetrated deeply into the Osman Empire. Therefore, Li Xin listened carefully to what the British Foreign Minister said.
"The Russians are very dissatisfied with this. The reason why Russia did not choose to send troops to Europe in the war is largely because Bulgaria does not welcome Russia." The British Foreign Minister explained the situation in Europe.
After listening, Li Xin immediately said, "If your country wants our country to exert pressure on Russia, then I can only tell your country that our country has no interest in it. The affairs of Europe have nothing to do with our country at all. If it wasn't for the necessary work of diplomacy, to be honest, we have no interest in collecting the name of the Grand Duke of Bulgaria. I have to make my country's position clear first. "
This position was not unusual, and after Li Xin clearly expressed his position, the British Foreign Minister was also able to determine what his hope conflicted with China's position.
The British Foreign Minister took out his bargaining chip, "We know that China has opened up an oil field in the Basra area and has begun to build an oil pipeline. If the Osman Empire can be more cooperative with China's actions, then the problem of China's oil field will be reduced a lot. After all, it's hundreds of kilometers of oil pipeline, and there are a large number of factories in the Basra area. The Arab tribes are not a people who are very easy to deal with. "
The Sultan of the Osman Empire did regard himself as the leader of the Islamic world, but the Turks and the Arabs did not come from the same pot. At least the Turks thought that they were the descendants of the Turks who once harassed the western frontier of China, just like the Hungarians who had the surname in front of their name were considered the descendants of the Xiongnu who were defeated by the Han Dynasty.
In Basra were the Arab tribes, in Turkey were the descendants of the Turks, and the Persians were a great power that fought with the Romans for hundreds of years before they became Islamic. Even if they believed in the so-called so-called religion, the three different forces had completely different origins.
For the two great powers, China and Britain, they were very clear about their own position, "China and Britain are both foreigners in the Middle East." The British Foreign Minister believed that there was a lot of room for cooperation in this regard.
Li Xin seriously explained China's position, "Even under these conditions, our country cannot carry out any military threat to Russia. The border between China and Russia is now very peaceful, and the cost of any hostility will cost our country a lot. Compared with this cost, the oil profits are insignificant. With our weak position of not using force and not threatening, we will only be laughed at if we get involved in European affairs. So I really don't see any reason or need for our country to do this. "
Seeing that Li Xin's attitude was so serious, the British Foreign Minister felt very strange. China's desire to establish a foothold in Basra was so strong that both Britain and the Osman Empire could clearly feel it. Neither Britain nor the Osman Empire wanted to see China intervene in Basra. So the British Foreign Minister thought that his proposed conditions could move China, but he didn't expect Li Xin's attitude to be so firm.
"Then how far can China go?" The British Foreign Minister once again tried to determine Li Xin's attitude.
"If Russia asks us, then we can say that we support the plan proposed by Britain. The Sultan of the Osman Empire will appoint the Grand Duke of Bulgaria as the governor of East Rumelia. There is no problem with this. Our country has always agreed with Britain's plan on the Osman Empire. If these plans can be implemented, it can indeed effectively resolve the conflict in the Balkans. That's all. " Li Xin replied, and then he added, "Of course, if the Osman Empire has to take military action in these areas, our country will also meet the commercial requirements of the Osman Empire."
Given the current level of communication between China and Europe, it was already a clear position that China could do this. This position was undoubtedly pro-British and pro- Osman Empire.
The British Foreign Minister was also very clear that it was impossible to drag China into the water immediately. The premise for a country like China to get involved was that China was willing to take the initiative. So the British Foreign Minister confirmed what Li Xin said. "That is to say, if an international conference is held, China will publicly express its support for the British Empire's position?"
"Yes, we will publicly support the plan proposed by Britain." Li Xin also made a commitment without ambiguity.
With this commitment, the British Foreign Minister had achieved the purpose of this meeting to a certain extent. The next discussion was about the position of China and Britain in the Russian-Turkish war. The two countries' positions were quickly agreed. Russia and the Osman Empire had fought eleven major wars in the past two hundred years. On average, they came every ten years. In other words, every generation of young people from Russia and the Osman Empire had to fight a war when they grew up. There was no need to talk about this kind of centuries-old grudge. Let them continue to fight, and when they can't fight anymore, Russia and the Osman Empire will stop. At that time, it was time for Britain and China to mediate.
After discussing the war, the two sides discussed the issue of building a mutual currency settlement center. China's goods were sold all over the world. Although the RMB was not a gold standard currency, its purchasing power was still well-known. Britain was forced to make an exchange peg with China's RMB. At this time, it became necessary to build a RMB offshore center in London. Even if they were unwilling, the British financial industry had to face this fact.
At the end of the meeting, they received a promise from the China Foreign Minister. The British Foreign Minister did not return to London. Instead, he went straight to Vilna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If they wanted to make a difference in the Balkans, they had to cooperate with the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
After the two foreign ministers met, Britain directly proposed a hypothesis. "If the Austro-Hungarian Empire can't hold on, Hungary will learn from the independence movement in the Balkans. Then what kind of situation will your country face? "
The Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister's face immediately tightened. Once Russia entered Bulgaria, it was bound to control Romania. At that time, Hungary would be surrounded on three sides by Russian Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. Austria-Hungary's lifeline of the Danube River could also be cut off. Maintaining power and influence in the Balkans was not only a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's status, but also the survival of the empire.
Under the influence of the independence movement, there had long been various changes in Hungary. Austria was one of the masterminds of the partition of Poland. But times had changed, and the last thing Austria wanted to hear now was independence.
"Our country has already received the support of China. China has made it clear that they support our proposal to have the Sultan of the Osman Empire appoint the Grand Duke of Bulgaria as the chief executive of East Rumelia." The British Foreign Minister told his diplomatic results to the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister.
After the meeting with the British Foreign Minister, the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister immediately sent a telegram to their embassy in China, asking to confirm if the matter was true. The Austro-Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs even summoned the Chinese ambassador to Austro-Hungary to verify the matter.
The British Foreign Minister played shuttle diplomacy. After leaving Austria, he immediately went straight to Italy and discussed the matter with the Italian Foreign Minister.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
