Chapter 847 The first one to eat crabs
In China, there are only two giants in charge of the oil industry, which are in a monopoly position. Oil barrels are often more expensive than oil.
An industry without competition is easy to make money, and now, Mingzhou Group is also going to join in.
The Mingzhou Group entered this industry a long time ago, and there is still a large amount of oil stored in Xiaolie Mountain. However, for a long time, the Mingzhou Group has only resold oil to make a profit, and a lot of crude oil has gone into the army and It is not circulated to individuals.
This time, they want to go one step further!
These people want to ask the Mingzhou Group to go out to Siam to persuade the Kra Canal to be dug, and also let the Mingzhou Group invest, so they must give benefits to the Mingzhou Group.
What Qin Tao wants is very simple: the right to legally sell refined oil products in the country!
If we want Siam to build a canal, we must commit to entering the petrochemical group. All this money is paid by our Mingzhou Group, so the refined oil produced must have a way out.
Sell directly to domestic oil industry giants? That's not okay. Why did you make all the money? We also have to make the most profitable part!
Hearing Qin Tao's request, several people present were stunned.
“Mr. Qin, we promise to purchase your refined oil products at 20% higher than the market price.” A leader said.
"no."
“Mr. Qin, without this precedent, we only allow two oil refining companies in the country.”
“Then there is a precedent now.”
Looking at everyone's expressions, Qin Tao smiled: "Forget it, let's not talk about it. After all, our meeting this time is to discuss the oil transportation of Parthia. This must be done by land. Let's discuss this in detail next. Project."
"All right."
So, the topic of the meeting was brought back to the main topic, and the discussion continued for several hours. All the details were finally finalized. Seeing that the meeting was about to end, someone still thought of the original topic and couldn't help but want to say a few words. He didn't know where to start, so he could only change the subject: "Mr. Qin, I heard that you proposed using our currency to directly purchase oil from Parthia, spend our currency, and slowly turn it into an international currency. This It’s a good idea.”
"Whoever's currency can be used for settlement in international trade can harvest the world's wealth. Of course, we are not for that purpose. We are to break the hegemony of the US dollar. Of course, this road is not easy to follow. Whoever uses it first will win." You will be targeted, so you definitely don’t dare. We can only use barter to avoid U.S. dollar transactions. However, we will definitely have to take this step in the future. There is a special SWIFT system for U.S. dollar settlement. We also need to have our own system and slowly expand it to the whole world in the future.”
Qin Tao has the vision of a time traveler and can make various preparations in advance to avoid taking various detours. Although everyone does not dare to do this now, with continuous development, he will definitely get to this point in the end.
These things must be done in advance.
“If we can spend our money all over the world, then we can truly become a big country.” Someone sighed.
“Unfortunately, once we challenge the hegemony of the US dollar, it will cause big trouble.”
“Everyone, I just received the news!” At this moment, someone came running up excitedly.
"what news?"
“Iraq announced that it would replace the US dollar with euros and reprice oil.”
At critical moments, anti-American fighters are still at the forefront! Qin Tao also lamented that Sha Damu had taken another step forward on the verge of committing suicide and was getting closer and closer to death.
“What?” Everyone was surprised.
After the end of World War II, the U.S. dollar was directly anchored to gold, thus becoming the world's most important currency, replacing the pound's international status. However, within twenty years, this system could not be maintained. After all, it was easy to print money, but gold The accumulation is not that simple. The Yankees looked around the world and quickly found a substitute for gold: oil!
Every country needs oil, and there are only a few oil-producing countries. As long as we negotiate with the oil-producing countries and purchase oil in U.S. dollars, the U.S. dollar will continue to be the international currency!
As a result, the U.S. dollar continued to maintain its status and was exchanged for less and less gold, but the world still had to use it.
If anyone dares to give up using US dollars to purchase oil, it means challenging the United States!
Now, Sha Damu has become the first one. He decided to use euros instead. This was obviously something he had planned for a long time.
The currency of the East is definitely not good, because only one country in the East uses it, but the euro is different. It is the currency of Europe, and it is an attempt by Europe to get rid of the hegemony of the US dollar. More than a dozen countries use the euro together, and this market That’s big!
Europeans are definitely willing too. After all, purchasing oil directly in their own currency means that there is no need to exchange for foreign exchange, and it also means that the use of the euro will become more and more widespread.
“Mr. Qin, someone has already tried your plan for you.” The leaders present said to Qin Tao with emotion: “Their experience will be worth learning from.”
Qin Tao shook his head: "No, their experience has no meaning."
"Why?"
"Everyone, the Europeans want to be strong, but is it possible? They eat people softly and take soft hands. Now that Europeans want to be strong, they have to see if the US troops around them agree to it! This time Iraq reprices, You can see if anyone comes to bid.”
The first person to eat crab is very brave, but just because he is brave, he may eat it with his mouth full of oil, or he may find the food unpalatable, or he may even choke to death.
When Iraq repriced its prices for the first time, no customer dared to go there openly for fear of offending the Americans. Later, it gradually happened. Seeing that the situation was not good, the Americans immediately shouted that Silly Damu had weapons of mass destruction in his hands. Continue to attack Silly Damu.
"Yes, there is no point in doing this, and it might even cause big trouble." A leader sighed: "Mr. Qin, we are very curious. You have been developing relations with the Parthian country, and you didn't support me. I'm stupid." Damu?"
"It's not necessary. Silly Damu has angered the United States now, and the Americans will definitely teach him a lesson." Qin Tao said: "Britain and the United States did not get any benefits from Parthia, so they may take it out on Silly Damu. When the new regime comes to power in the future, we will directly Wouldn’t it be better to bid for the oilfield exploration rights over there?”
Qin Tao knows the history that others don’t know. Although Britain and the United States won the victory and ousted Silly Dam, Dongfang won a lot of shares in the subsequent oil field mining bidding. We all bid through formal means. arrived, so others couldn’t say anything.
Therefore, although Qin Tao has been prosperous for more than ten years and has been active and aggressive on the international stage, he has never touched Iraq because he knows that it is meaningless to have a good relationship with Sha Damu. If he has a good relationship with him, it will also lead to The road ahead will be difficult.
Every step Mr. Qin took was meaningful, and everyone was impressed by Mr. Qin's vision.
Many major things can only be accomplished by Mr. Qin. If the Kra Canal is to be built, Mr. Qin will definitely have to come forward.
After the meeting, the relevant content was reported to the old leader. After some reflection, the old leader nodded: "If we want to develop the economy, it is true that not only state-owned enterprises should be the only ones. Private enterprises must also play a corresponding role, especially companies like Mingzhou Group." Enterprises, with their competition, state-owned enterprises can also develop better. I think Mingzhou Group can join in. If you want to let the horse run, then you have to let the horse eat grass. If the Kra Canal project is negotiated, , then our maritime transportation will be safer.”
The old leader agreed!
“What if our two domestic oil groups protest?”
"Then let them go to Siam to negotiate! As long as they can negotiate the Kra Canal project, then we don't need the help of Mingzhou Group. The refinery over there is also controlled by them, so there won't be this problem. ." said the old leader.
Qin Tao did not expect that his superiors would readily agree!
"Okay, your Mingzhou Group is about to have new business." After receiving the news, Wu Shengli came to Qin Tao with a smile: "You can not only import crude oil, but also smelt crude oil and smelt refined oil. It can still be sold normally in our country. This is a profitable industry."
“Dad, this business is not easy to get. The condition is that we build the Kra Canal.” Qin Tao said: “This canal is not that easy to build, and I don’t know if it will be possible.”
"It will definitely work. There's nothing wrong with it." Wu Shengli said: "By the way, in the future, the refined oil you smelt will have to be given priority to our navy? Give us a cost price?"
“Cost price is impossible, I’ll give you a price excluding tax.” Qin Tao said: “Since we mainly supply our navy, then our company should be called CNOOC.”
“CNOOC? We already have CNOOC in China.” Wu Shengli said.
In China, everyone knows about two barrels of oil. CNOOC is unknown, mainly because of its small production. By 2010, their annual oil and gas production had just reached 50 million tons, which is similar to the output of a Daqing oil field. There are only two other barrels of oil. A fraction of that.
However, this company was established not too late. As early as 1982, the relevant departments promulgated the "Oriental Regulations on Foreign Cooperation in the Exploitation of Offshore Oil Resources" and decided to establish the Oriental Offshore Oil Corporation. On February 15, 1982, CNOOC was officially established.
However, their extraction of oil from the sea is not as convenient as on land, so the cost is high, the output is small, and it is almost ignored. But after all, it still exists. Qin Tao's current name is obviously inappropriate.
Wu Shengli shook his head: "No objection."
So, Minghai Oil Company was named like this. Although it was just a simple sentence, no one thought that it would develop into a behemoth in the future.
Everything is difficult at the beginning. Qin Tao doesn't know whether he can talk about the Kra Canal, but he still has to go there.
Siam Capital Airport.
“President Qin, welcome to Siam.” A fat-bellied officer said to him: “I haven’t seen you in the past few years, but you are still as charming as ever.”
"Yes, Mr. LaCour, you are so personable." After Qin Tao finished speaking, he looked at the other person's big belly. When he saw him before, it looked like he was ten months pregnant. What about now? Twins are not enough, at least as much as quadruplets.
When they learned that Qin Tao was coming to Siam, they took it seriously. Rakul and Qin Tao had the best relationship, so they came to pick him up. At this time, hearing what Qin Tao said, Rakul smiled: "Mr. Qin, please stop making fun of me. I have a big belly."
The joking laughter diluted the time gap, and Qin Tao approached LaCour's ear: "Racour, I brought a few diamond necklaces, which are most suitable for your partner. I guess it is not that Gianna. Bar?"
"Of course, I got tired of playing five years ago. Now I like a few younger and more beautiful ones. Qin, do you want me to find some for you?"
Qin Tao quickly shook his head: "No, Rakul, I'm not interested in women. This time I'm just here to meet my old friend."
“Okay, let’s go to the hotel and catch up on old times together.”
Sukhothai Hotel.
A few years ago, Qin Tao came here. At that time, he took Zhao Ling with him. Although they were not married yet, they already lived together in a comfortable manner. They took care of things while traveling. The scenes of that year seemed like... In front of you.
Now, the hotel is still the same hotel, but the people around her have changed. After all, Zhao Ling's belly is getting bigger and bigger, and she is not suitable for following Qin Tao around.
“Qin, come, let’s drink a toast!” Rakul raised his glass: “For our friendship!”
“Yes, for our friendship that started with the F-25T frigate!”
The first time Qin Tao met Rakul was not to bid for an aircraft carrier. Before that, the contract for the F-25T frigate of his brother unit was in trouble, and it was Qin Tao who helped to rescue him. The person in charge of Siam at that time was Rakul, the friendship between the two also started from that time.
"What a pity. Since the financial crisis in 1998, our life has been difficult. We originally planned to purchase your J-31A fighter jets to equip our aircraft carriers, but we were unable to raise the funds." Raku Er said: "We also want to purchase brand new frigates and brand new submarines, but we have no choice but to give up if we don't have the money."
Under Qin Tao's foresight, the financial crisis did not affect the East, but it swept across Southeast Asia, leaving chicken feathers everywhere. Siam has never recovered since then, and it no longer has the momentum of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy has been very poor in recent years. The army would have no money to purchase new equipment.
Not to mention procurement, even the aircraft carrier they have obtained is docked at the port all year round and is reluctant to be driven out. How much fuel does it burn for one trip?
“As the saying goes, you can eat mountains if you rely on mountains, and you can eat water if you rely on water. Your country of Siam has such a good geographical location, and you can completely rely on its geographical advantages to develop.” Qin Tao said.
Geographic advantage?
Lakour hesitated for a long time before reacting: "Mr. Qin, are you talking about digging a canal at the Kra Isthmus? This is not easy. We have been thinking about it for hundreds of years, but we have not actually started it. It is too difficult. Recently, in order to revitalize the economy, there is indeed the idea of excavating, but, alas..."
"What's wrong?"
“First of all, this project requires a large amount of investment. According to the two currently planned plans, whether it is the southern line or the northern line, the construction cost will exceed 10 billion US dollars. For us, this is an astronomical sum.”
The narrowest part of the Kra Isthmus is only over 50 kilometers long, but it is not suitable for excavation. After years of exploration, two plans have been determined. One is the northern line, connecting Chumphon and Ranong, with a total length of 90 kilometers. . The other is the southern line, which is excavated between Songkhla and Satun, with a total length of 102 kilometers.
The southern route is longer, but the terrain is flat and easy to excavate. However, there are some mountainous areas on the northern route, making excavation more difficult. However, the further north the canal is, the longer the mileage saved for cargo ships is. Therefore, the two routes have their own merits.
However, we have not reached that point yet. Just considering the investment, it is an astronomical sum.
“If you need investment, our Mingzhou Group can provide loans.” Qin Tao said.
In Qin Tao, money is not a problem. Anyway, as long as it is put into operation, the money will be collected and the investment will not be wasted.
According to some conservative estimates, there are now 80,000 ships passing through the Strait of Malacca every year, of which 50,000 are diverted to the Kra Canal. That is a steady stream of profits, even if each ship of 100,000 tons is charged 40,000 US dollars. Two billion in annual revenue.
This charge is not high. After all, by bypassing Malacca, a 100,000-ton cargo ship can save US$300,000 in fuel costs. (From the collected data, East China Heroes feels that this number seems a bit large.)
“Investment is only one of the problems. The biggest problem is that once there is a change of government, the project may not be continued.” Lakul said.
As a navy, of course he also hopes to build this canal. Otherwise, it is not cost-effective for the navy to go around Malacca every time it cruises east and west. However, there are too many things going on here.
Just like the United States, in any country where multi-party governance needs to be changed every few years, there will be this problem: the plans formulated by the previous term will become waste paper by the next term.
"According to estimates, it will take about ten years to build the canal. Even if the speed is accelerated, it will not be less than seven years. This will definitely involve a change of leadership. So, Mr. Qin, you are my friend, and I must remind you, This kind of thing is not easy to do, and the loan you provide may be in vain."
Once the canal is built, it will naturally be profitable. There is no need to worry about Siam having no money to repay the loan. But what if the canal is half-finished?
Before coming here, everyone had a lot of opinions on why the canal couldn’t be built, but only after coming here did we know the real reason why it couldn’t be built!
Because it takes too long to build the canal and the uncertainty is too bad! Rakul is a good friend of Qin Tao, so he made this reason clear to Qin Tao.
"The next election is in 2004, so we only have two years at most." Rakul said: "It can't be built no matter what. Mr. Qin, thank you for thinking about us and putting forward this opinion. However, Even if it is to be repaired, it will have to wait until after 2004. Come on, don’t think about it, let’s drink!”
"The key now is time." Qin Tao finished a glass of wine, thought for a while, and then said: "Rakul, have you heard about the David Country Canal project?"
The Davidic Canal? Rakul shook his head: "I have only heard of the canals in the Pyramid Country."
The Suez Canal is the busiest waterway in the world. However, in the 1950s and 1960s, due to the war in the Middle East, the canal was closed for a long time, causing the entire Western world to suffer. In order to avoid being stuck on the canal, the Americans decided to Play a big game: dig a canal in the Negev Desert in the Kingdom of David to connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Eilat!
But if you look at the map, you will know that the Suez Canal is the shortest, while the canal on the Davidic side is much longer, more than two hundred kilometers!
If we use the usual method, it will cost a lot and we simply cannot afford it. Therefore, the Americans thought of a way: blow up a canal!
What to use to fry?
Certainly the most effective nuclear bomb!
Studies have shown that to complete the excavation task, four two-megaton nuclear bombs would need to be deployed per mile along the canal, with a total of 520 nuclear bombs and a total explosive yield of up to 104 million tons!
If this is really done, it is estimated that a layer of radioactive dust will float throughout the Middle East, which will not dissipate for thousands of years. Fortunately, this crazy plan only stayed in the theoretical stage and was sealed up after that.
Of course, there is more than one plan, and there are similar plans to dig a canal to replace Panama.
Now, Qin Tao introduced this plan, Lakul's face changed after hearing it, and he shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, Mr. Qin, we will never allow nuclear bombs to be detonated on our land. That will bring disaster to the whole country. The people’s opposition!”
"Of course nuclear bombs are not possible, but we have conventional bombs." Qin Tao said: "If we want to dig out this canal quickly, we can use explosives. As long as the canal takes shape within two years, even if it is It will never be put aside in the hands of the next person.”
You can give up on repairing it halfway through, but what if you can repair it until you can see it? As long as you work harder and master it, you can make a lot of money!
"Qin, this plan is really crazy." Rakul shook his head repeatedly: "I don't think they will agree to our using explosives. As long as this plan is proposed, a large number of people will oppose it."
“Then what if we try to explode it first?”
“Blow it up first? How is that possible!”
"Your navy has a convoy transporting ammunition. It encountered an accident when passing through the Kra Isthmus. As a result, the ammunition convoy exploded and successfully blew up a canal several kilometers long." Qin Tao said: "If your navy is willing to do this, Then our Mingzhou Group can give you two large drones."
“Qin, why are you so keen on building this canal?”
"Not because of the changes in the international situation, our Mingzhou Group is always targeted and business is difficult to do. However, this is also for your country, Siam. If the canal can really be dug, you can make money lying down. "
(End of this chapter)