The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

Haven’t you seen that the nicknames of the tsars of all dynasties were “little daddies” for all Slavs and other ruled ethnic groups?

Even the loving father is considered to be a baby daddy from Georgia.

They treat their own people like this, and it is obvious how eager they are to find a father to be the ruler or the father of other small countries.

In Zhang Chi's opinion, the Russians have an extremely strong daddy vibe, but as long as this daddy vibe is not directed at him and Nanyang, he is willing to communicate with the Russians in a friendly manner.

In his plans for the future, the Russian Bear, or the entire Warsaw Pact camp, cannot be too strong, but also not too weak.

Only when the Warsaw Pact and NATO are unable to do anything to each other will Nanyang have the opportunity to have the best of both worlds.

Therefore, Zhang Chi offered a good trade condition, and both parties got what they needed.

"As for payment methods, we only accept gold, or industrial equipment of equivalent value that is urgently needed in Nanyang as payment," he listed.

"For example, the oil drilling and refining equipment of the Ural Heavy Machinery Plant, the production technology license and key equipment for heavy artillery with a caliber of 152mm and above of the Kirov Plant, and a sufficient number of TE series steam locomotives.

As for rubles? Sorry, we don’t accept waste paper.”

These industrial equipment will be used to develop the oil fields controlled by Nanyang, forge steel and produce heavy artillery, and rebuild the railway network in Nanyang, especially the three land-connected areas of Pegu, Malay and Siam.

But to Ivanov, this was equivalent to directly draining the Soviet Union's industrial capacity in exchange for necessary strategic materials.

It can’t be said to be a loss, nor a profit.

"The contract is for five years. Prices will be subject to market fluctuations, but supply is guaranteed. After the contract expires, both parties will discuss whether to continue the contract on a voluntary basis."

Coordinating Committee for Export Controls (COCOM) was not formally established until November 1949 to define the embargo on the Warsaw Pact (which had not yet been established at that time), so Zhang Chi simply set a five-year deadline.

Then Zhang Chi stared into Ivanov's eyes and said word by word:

“Your government must sign a legally binding memorandum, clearly promising not to support, finance or guide any organization or individual in any form to carry out ideological infiltration, subversive activities or espionage within the territory of the Southeast Asian States.

In short, your 'tentacles' in Southeast Asia must be completely and cleanly withdrawn for your own benefit."

Zhang Chi's words were equivalent to asking the Russian bear to betray its underground network and possible allies that it had operated in Southeast Asia for many years.

Of course, he also knew that espionage or the sporadic arrival of one or two people were inevitable. The important thing was not to allow the Russian bear to export arms and ideology to the Southeast Asian territory with impunity, at least not in the first five years when the country had just been founded and still needed to be integrated.

Ivanov felt as if his heart was being tightly gripped by the man in front of him.

Gold is hard currency, and handing over those precious industrial equipment and technologies is like cutting flesh to heal a wound, and that memorandum... is simply a token of allegiance.

Once signed, his political life at home...but he had no choice.

If he didn't sign, he might just go back empty-handed and be made to "disappear" by Beria; if he signed, at least he could temporarily keep the much-needed supplies and could go back to report, although that would be extremely humiliating.

He believed that the pragmatic Uncle Steel would understand him. After all, it was not the first time that he had sold out the interests and even the lives of his subordinates in exchange for the interests of the Russian Bear, right?

Thinking of this, he swallowed hard, his voice dry and raspy: "...Okay. But the equipment list and technical details need to be specifically negotiated, and delivery will take time..."

"My Minister of Industry will discuss the specific details with your attaché." Zhang Chi waved his hand, appearing extremely magnanimous. "I believe in your country's 'efficiency'."

Just when Ivanov thought his ordeal was about to end, Zhang Chi casually threw out another bait:

"By the way, Special Envoy Ivanov. To enhance friendly exchanges and better understanding between our two countries... well, senior personnel, I propose that Nanyang establish several well-equipped and top-notch resorts in picturesque Bangkok or Pattaya."

He smiled like an old fox: "Your country's generals and senior officials, after intense battles and work, also need to relax their bodies and minds.

Warm sunshine, pristine white sand, azure waters, and the uniquely warm hospitality of Siamese locals…it's definitely the perfect place for a relaxing retreat. Of course,” he said, changing the subject, “there's a fee for the treatment, and they only accept gold or knives. Rubles…forget it.”

Thinking about the future, those possible Siamese specialties, the "big sisters with penises", and the high-ranking officials of the Russian Bear, Zhang Chi couldn't help but want to laugh.

This proposal is like a sugar-coated bullet.

Give the top leaders of the Russian Bear an outlet for corruption and enjoyment, soften them with the "sugar coating" of Southeast Asia, and earn hard currency at the same time.

Ivanov instantly understood the deep meaning of this: it was both bribery and corruption.

He felt a mixture of humiliation and helplessness, yet also a faint longing, unique to the bear people, for the warm sunshine near the equator...

In the end, he could only nod numbly: "...I will convey this proposal to the Kremlin."

Zhang Chi smiled without saying anything. He positioned Nanyang in the Cold War as a disloyal ally of the White Eagle, playing both sides.

In other words, the general trend is to follow the White Eagle, but not to offend the Russian Bear to death, so as to prevent the Cold War from turning into a hot war.

He knew that Uncle Steel might not agree with the Pattaya sanatorium proposal, but what about Sejong the Corn Maniac?

He betrayed the Iron Man, criticizing him as worthless. So how could he rally the upper echelons? Wouldn't a luxury sanatorium near the tropics, where he could legitimately explore the seabed, be just the right place?

Such a window or link could significantly reduce the hostility of the Russian bear during the Cold War.

It can also provide the White Eagle side with a window to win over and corrupt senior Russian officials.

This proposal is beneficial to both poles of the world and to Southeast Asia, a win-win-win situation for all parties!

As for the military port concession that Ivanov has always wanted, this must never be given. Zhang Chi knows very well that it is okay to do trade with it, but if it is really given, it would be a deliberate provocation to the White Eagle. Now Nanyang does not have the strength to do so.

The preliminary framework of the agreement and memorandum was drafted in an extremely depressing atmosphere.

When Ivanov signed his name, his hand trembled slightly, and the pen seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

He stood up, forced himself to maintain his dignity, saluted stiffly to Zhang Chi, and left the negotiation room with his entourage with unsteady steps.

The back view is full of loneliness and frustration.

Zhang Chi sat at one end of the long table, picked up the memo with wet ink, and curled up the corners of his mouth.

The red giant that once made the world tremble with admiration was now being strangled by the leader of a new country at the negotiating table. It had to lower its proud head, even cut off its own tentacles with its own hands, and exchange its gold and industrial assets for survival supplies.

"The world's pole?" Zhang Chi flicked the document in his hand, making a crisp sound, and muttered to himself, "Nothing more than that."

The victory in the confrontation with the Russian bear was only short-lived. When the Russian bear recovered in the 60s, it would certainly not be so easy to deal with.

But Zhang Chi believes that Nanyang’s development will not be bad, it may even be better!