Li Ming's words made Song Tao stunned, and even Billy Zhou next to him was confused. Li Ming smiled and said: "It's the big Yanma you have in France, you forgot about it after you rode it." What's the matter, do you want to admit it? ”

Song Tao reacted at this time, and said with a smile: "Hehe...... The ocean horse buddies have ridden a lot, and they can't forget this. Where is Jenny? ”

Li Ming smiled: "He just arrived in Nanyang, you are ready, go to Manila with me, she came with her family." Lao Zhou, you can go with me too. It is estimated that they should have come to Manila with a mission this time. ”

They came to the Military Commission together, and Gao Jianguo, Wang He and others had already arrived. Seeing Song Tao, Gao Jianguo laughed and said, "Xiao Song, this time the company and the Jenny family are going to negotiate." For the sake of the company, you have to be prepared to endure humiliation and take Jenny and them well, haha...... But work is work, you must pay attention to your body, I asked Xiao Zhongliang to prepare a few old ginseng for you to help you make up for it. ”

Everyone laughed when they heard Gao Jianguo's words. Song Tao was so angry that he said: "With my physique, do you still need to make up for it?" The old ginseng should be kept by you old guys. ”

After everyone laughed a few words, Li Ming said in a deep voice: "This time we are negotiating with the French side, what is the company's instructions?" ”

Wang He thought for a moment and said: "The Ministry of Commerce will come up with a plan today, and they will set up a business negotiation team to be responsible for communicating with the French side." But we don't think the main thing in this negotiation is commercial cooperation. Without the support of the French royal family, how could the French side have made such a big position. We are also looking at how the company and France will work together in the future. ”

Gao Jianguo said in a deep voice: "Now France is mired in the quagmire of the Thirty Years' War, and the pace of developing overseas colonies is also lagging behind Britain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and other countries. France rose to prominence after the Thirty Years' War, replacing Spain as the hegemon of Europe. As for how to deal with the company's future relationship with France, I think the current strategy is. Only cooperation is not aligned. It is sufficient to maintain friendly relations with them, vigorously develop economic cooperation, and do everything possible to establish an unbreakable interest group among the French aristocracy.

The main focus of the company's European strategy is to focus on Portugal, which will become independent in a few years. They will later face the mighty Spain, the 28-year Revival War, during which we can do a lot of work. Moreover, Portugal had many colonies overseas. Faced with the aggressive Netherlands, Portugal was in a difficult situation both internally and externally and needed more external support. It's better to have charcoal in the snow than icing on the cake. ”

Qiao Haipeng also nodded and said: "I agree with Lao Gao's opinion, the French war will continue in the next few decades, the Chinese New Year's Eve War of 1636-1643, the "Rebellion of the Slingers" in 1648-1653, the 1667-1668 against Spain, 1672-1678 against the Netherlands, 1683-1684 against Spain, the 1688-1697 League of Augsburg, the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1714, etc. Moreover, the battlefields are all in Europe, and there is no need for us in the Far East to get involved, but it is still necessary to maintain good commercial relations with France. ”

Wang He also supported Gao Jianguo's opinion, and he said to everyone: "The company is working on Portugal. It is still in the interest of the company, Portugal will take the initiative to seek cooperation with us in the future, and we will also support their war with Spain. If we gain a foothold in Portugal, the Far East will have a real foothold in Europe. ”

After studying for a day, they basically decided on the principles and policies for maintaining good relations between the Far Eastern Company and France in the future, deeply developing the economic and trade relations between the two sides, and vigorously expanding the space for economic cooperation. We will strengthen consultation and coordination on regional issues of mutual concern, but we will not align with each other. Nor against any third country. The two sides follow the development of good-neighborliness, friendship, equality and trust, and strategic cooperative partnership.

The next day, Li Ming formed a Sino-French negotiation team. A group of more than 20 people arrived in Manila on two caravan planes.

After more than a year of post-war development, Manila has become more and more prosperous. The number of merchant ships that come to Manila each year has more than doubled compared to just over a year ago. A large number of merchant ships from the Ming Dynasty, Europe, the Arab region, South Asian countries, Indochina Peninsula countries, and Southeast Asian countries almost filled Manila Bay.

After the Far East occupied the islands of Southeast Asia, the southern coast of India, and Ceylon, it went on a pirate raid. It has also established a unified economic order, recruited businessmen from all over the world, and vigorously developed the regional economy, making Manila truly the center of Asian trade.

Ever since the Far East drove the Dutch East India Company out of Southeast Asia, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has set up a spice working group. In Southeast Asia, Luzon, Taiwan, Ryukyu and other places, vigorously develop the cultivation of pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, star anise, chili, bay leaves, cardamom, clove mustard, cumin, pepper and other spices, and establish a global spice trade center in Batavia, monopolizing the global spice trade, and every year here brings together merchants from all over the world.

After the Dutch, British, and Portuguese powers were expelled from the Far East from the East, there were no European colonists in the East, and the Ottoman merchant ships also came to Manila and Batavia.

And the Arab tribal princess Alia, who also used her influence to bring a large Arab merchant fleet, contributed to the prosperity of the economy of Manila and Batavia.

Nowadays, more and more merchant ships come to Manila, the Arab and Ottoman countries in the Middle East every year, even surpassing the European merchant ships. A large number of Arabian dhows rushed into the Strait of Malacca and entered the waters of Southeast Asia.

After Li Ming and his entourage arrived in Manila, with the cooperation of the Luzon Management Committee, they set up a reception office for the French merchant fleet. We will do our best to ensure the reception of the French merchant fleet's daily accommodation, tourist visits, business visits and other aspects.

The members of the business negotiation team have also been determined, Li Xuanping, deputy director of the company's publicity department, Hong Shulei, deputy director of the general office, and three employees of the Ministry of Commerce. Li Ming, on behalf of the Far East, greeted the French merchant fleet.

In addition, Li Ming and Zhou Billy will hold secret meetings with relevant French personnel to explore deeper cooperation between the two sides. Of course, it is still based on the guidelines and policies that the Far East Company has already determined.

After more than ten days of busyness, Li Ming and the others completed their preparations in Manila, and the French merchant fleet also arrived as scheduled, and the fleet came to the waters near Luzon. (To be continued......)

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