Chapter 913 Foreign Capital
Of course, this is a bit sophistical. With the current national strength of East Africa, it is no exaggeration to say that unless the world's powers join forces, they will not be able to threaten the East African mainland. If a single country wants to invade East Africa, this situation is basically impossible.
"Mr. Hull, let's not go off topic. Let's talk about business matters. After all, national affairs are matters considered by the top management. We small people can only provide support within the scope of our abilities, such as the economy. field is no less important to the country than the military," Maxim said.
Hull: "You are right. This time our company mainly wants to increase the purchase of agricultural products from East Africa. The world economy has improved recently, so we plan to expand the raw materials for textile products. On this basis, we plan to purchase from Luanda Import a batch of cotton.”
Hull did not mention the specific quantity and price, naturally in order to make more profits for East Africa. In fact, East Africa suffers more in the trade between the two countries. After all, East Africa is an agricultural country, so it can only export agricultural products and minerals to Germany with low additional Value merchandise.
But this is not important to the city of Luanda. Now Angola has accumulated a number of agricultural products and urgently needs to find a way out.
After all, Angola used to be Portugal’s source of raw materials. Now that we know how to expand the scale of local agricultural planting and increase production, the pursuit of sales is naturally more urgent.
“We can reduce the price by 10%, but your purchase scale must be more than one thousand kilograms, otherwise it can only be reduced by half.”
This is also considered a bundled sale, but even if it is not counted as such, the price of Angolan cotton is still low.
"What if my purchase scale is more than one thousand kilograms? If it reaches two thousand kilograms, or even higher, can you offer discounts based on the quantity?" Hull, as a businessman, naturally hopes to get more.
However, Maxim couldn't make up his mind on this point. He said: "In this case, I can only ask my superiors for instructions first. I can help you fight for it. I just don't know what your needs are, Mr. Hull. This way I can negotiate with you." Report to superiors.”
Hull said mysteriously: "The unit must be at least ten thousand catties, but the specific amount still depends on your sincerity."
…
Only when there is peace and stability can East Africa be at ease with its economic development. This is also a condition that Germany and Austria do not have.
In fact, apart from the German countries, the country that invests the most in East Africa is absolutely unexpected, and that is France.
Although France has a certain hatred towards the Germans because of Germany, French capital is still relatively pragmatic, especially after the loss of Lorraine and Alsace, the development of French local industry was limited, and due to the strong French financial industry, French investment in East Africa has continued to increase over the past five years.
Of course, we cannot rule out the reason why France feels happy that East Africa taught the British a lesson. Before Germany, the conflict between Britain and France had always been one of the main conflicts in Europe. This speculation is not entirely unreasonable. After all, before the South African War, France basically taught East Africa Investment in investment was almost zero, but it only increased on a large scale after the South African War.
Of course, this is also related to the fact that East Africa has no actual conflicts with France. For example, Austria and France had good relations in the past, but now Germany and Austria are closer.
East Africa is isolated from the southeastern part of the African continent, and France has almost no interests or geographical conflicts except for its Madagascar colony and Gabon colony.
In fact, the success of East Africa also stimulated the French colonial activities in West Africa and North Africa. Of course, it is impossible to turn its West African colonies into independent countries like East Africa, but West Africa and North Africa are only one Mediterranean away from France, so it is completely possible. Promote "integration".
It’s just the same reason in East Africa that has led to a great increase in France’s competitors in West Africa and North Africa. The United Kingdom and Germany can only strategically turn to West Africa and North Africa. Even small countries like Belgium can seize food from the tiger’s mouth. Today's Belgian colony is actually a splicing of part of the territory of the former French colony of Gabon and the colony of Congo (Brazzaville).
France has no good way to deal with Belgium. After all, Belgium is too important to France in Europe. In addition to being a buffer zone with Germany, local mineral resources are one of the important sources of France's domestic industrial development.
According to statistics from the East African Immigration Service in 1884, the number of French residents in East Africa was second only to the Germans, Austro-Hungarians and Arabs, reaching more than 3,000. Most of them were engaged in business and trade, and there were also a few in East Africa. Those who invest in building factories are only the permanent population.
After all, the risks of investing in East Africa are not small. The main reason is that the review and supervision in East Africa are relatively strict. That is, only with the government endorsement of Germany and Austria, some powerful businessmen and companies dare to invest in East Africa.
As for making quick money from East Africa, it is basically impossible. There is almost no financial industry in East Africa and there is little room for maneuver. Therefore, many investors in East Africa are really engaged in business.
If you have this free time, you can set up a company in other countries and directly cheat and make a lot of money, or you can use your status as a great power to become a "king" in a colonial or backward country. It will be faster than investing in East Africa, and you can also experience the superiority of others. pleasure.
At this point, German companies are naturally more popular in East Africa. In addition to the various friendly relations and close ties between the two countries, the German financial industry started late and has many practical people. It does not have as many careful thoughts as businessmen from other countries, including Austria. , after all, the economic crisis of 1873 was triggered by the credibility crisis of the Austrian financial industry.
This has also led to the fact that although East Africa cooperated with Austria early, the scale of trade exchanges between East Africa and Germany caught up later. This became even more prominent after the opening of several ports on the west coast.
In the past, a large part of German trade in the East had to be transited through the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, after the opening of the west coast port, merchant ships from the two countries can communicate directly through the Atlantic Ocean without having to go around the Mediterranean.
Of course, in addition to German capital, East Africa welcomes companies and businessmen from other countries who are willing to invest in the coastal areas of East Africa, even the British and Portuguese.
East Africa actually doesn’t have much hatred towards Portugal. Portugal is completely guilty of its crimes, so East Africa is focusing on it. Although some conflicts are indeed caused by Portugal first, East Africa is also actively instigating them behind the scenes.
Just like in previous generations when Europe and the United States continued to expand their sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, thus forcing Russia to jump in, East Africa actually adopted this tactic against Portugal.
East Africa purposefully encircled Portugal and eventually divided and surrounded the two Portuguese colonies. Under such circumstances, could Portugal not be in a hurry? And the Portuguese government's idea is absolutely correct.
East Africa is to realize its ambition to eventually annex Portugal's two colonies. Even if Portugal does not fight back, the final result will not change. The South African War only accelerated this process.
Of course, before the war, East Africa was naturally hostile to Portugal, but after the war, East Africa completely changed its face, especially in its efforts to win over Portuguese businessmen. After all, once the Portuguese left, Angola and Mozambique had originally supplied goods to Portugal. How to take action.
So to this day, Portugal should scold East Africa, but Portuguese merchants are still one of the important buyers of East African goods.
After all, Portuguese merchants have been operating along the coast of East Africa for hundreds of years. It is obviously not cost-effective to give up these business channels directly. Although doing business with East Africa will suffer losses, it is also profitable. If you give up directly, you will lose your job.
(End of this chapter)