Master Yuan, start!

"Mr. Fang Suya, I heard that after you returned to Indochina, you were promoted because of your outstanding performance in Guangzhou?" Yuan Xiangcheng asked curiously, without any intention of offending on the surface.

However, he emphasized the word "outstanding" specifically, obviously intending to expose someone's scars.

The reason why Fang Suya was promoted to minister was not because of his outstanding performance in Guangzhou. In fact, he did not have any outstanding performance at all.

It was simply because Fang Suya said two harsh words in front of Yuan Shikai, and after the news was reported back to France, she became famous in front of the Parisian citizens whose nationalism was on the rise.

In order to cater to public opinion, right-wing President François Faure took the opportunity to promote Fang Suya from consul to minister, which was a nominal promotion of one level, but in fact there was no change in her job.

"Yes, it is because of the enthusiasm of the French people that I was able to be promoted to minister and better dedicate my life to France." Fang Suya understood the purpose of his visit this time.

Therefore, facing Yuan Xiangcheng's deliberate provocation, he chose to take a deep breath and face it with a smile.

"Mr. President, I believe you should know that the disputes in Indochina are my country's internal affairs.

The conflict between the Vietnamese monarchy and people and France can be resolved internally without the intervention of others. Your army's entry into Hanoi is a serious overreach."

"Internal affairs?" Yuan Xiangcheng shook the tall glass in his hand and tilted his head and said:

"Mr. Fang Suya, are you saying that a rebellion in a place that doesn't border mainland France, is tens of thousands of kilometers away, and whose people are ethnically different from the locals, is an internal French affair?"

Hearing this, Fang Lingsu Ya was a little annoyed, but he still suppressed his anger and said word by word:

"Mr. President, the French Republic has many interests in Indochina. This is stipulated in the Franco-British Indochina Agreement, the Sino-French New Treaty, and the Franco-Siamese Bangkok Treaty. No one can violate it!"

"Oh? Are you talking about the Sino-French Treaty signed between the reactionary Qing Dynasty and France?"

Yuan Shikai ignored the treaties signed between France, Britain and Siam without even thinking, and singled out the Sino-French Treaty for rebuttal.

"Mr. Fang Suya, let me remind you that the Qing Dynasty was a regime that colonized our territory and signed all the unequal treaties with foreign countries.

The new government now has the power to completely overthrow the government, and this power is given by 4 million citizens!"

Overturn all foreign treaties?

Hearing this, no matter how much mental preparation Fang Suya had done before coming, she couldn't help but sneer.

"Mr. President, are you saying that you want to overturn all the treaties signed between your country and France?"

Yuan Xiangcheng said calmly, "Just a reminder, you have to distinguish between countries. I only represent the new government. Your unequal treaty was signed with the Qing Dynasty. If you want to enforce it, please go to them."

Fang Suya laughed angrily and asked loudly: "Do you dare to do this to the British?

96]?6?71ling?2?5?嗖?

Britain also signed an unequal treaty with your country and even occupied your first colony. Why don’t you ask the British for it?

Yuan Xiangcheng looked at the crowd that gradually gathered around him and said with a smile: "That is the internal affairs of our country and the British Empire. It is not the turn of others to interfere!

Minister, you have also studied international law, so you should know this principle.

How about this, you can ask us to withdraw from Hanoi.

Equivalent exchange is the most basic principle.

If you want Tonkin, Vietnam, exchange it for Xiamen and Taiwan.

I want to assure you, Minister, that the moment the National Revolutionary Army sets foot on Taiwan, Hanoi will open its gates wide and welcome the return of the French army!"

"This is absolutely impossible!" French Minister Fang Suya looked at Yuan Xiangcheng with ill intentions and flatly refused.

He understood that this statement would not even need to be reported to Paris, but would be rejected when it was sent to the Governor-General of Indochina.

Among the tens of thousands of officials in France's entire Far East colonies, no one could afford the cost of losing Taiwan and Xiamen.

Chapter 463: South China Sea Checks and Balances

Yuan Shikai had no idea what the French envoy was thinking.

However, he himself had never thought of making peace with France, and the reason he pretended to negotiate with the French was because he did not want to.

On the one hand, it was to paralyze the French and speed up the mobilization of domestic supplies to the south.

On the other hand, it is to give Americans time to prepare.

The current situation of the Indochina colonies has become a broken drum that everyone is beating. After the French army was defeated in Hanoi, countries with colonies in East Asia and Southeast Asia all had different ideas.

One of them is the United States.

After Li Hongzhang's South China Sea Fleet defeated the Spanish Philippine Fleet in Manila, it failed to seize the Philippine colony due to French obstruction and its own strength problems.

In other words, the colonial rule of the Philippines is still in the hands of Spain.

Although it is shaky, it still has a structure.

Later, Li Hongzhang joined forces with the United States to force Spain to recognize the "Sino-US Joint Concession" jointly built by the two countries in Manila.

After the establishment of the concession, the United States gradually extended its colonial tentacles into the mainland of Luzon, and its interest in the Philippines increased significantly.

At the same time, Americans also coveted Cuba, a Spanish colony south of their homeland, just across the sea from Florida.

In this situation, the Americans wanted to take a two-pronged approach and bring both places under their rule through a war against Spain.

The time when the Americans wanted to take action coincided with the outbreak of war between the French Army and the National Revolutionary Army.

France would not allow Spain to lose the Philippines and Cuba.

Because France is Spain's main creditor, if Spain loses these two places, it will definitely cause a major collapse of the domestic economy, and then the French economy will also become depressed.

Moreover, the French attached more importance to the Philippines than to Cuba.

After all, Cuba was on the side of the United States, but the Philippines was on the side of a French colony.

Compared with the original time and space, the economic ties between France and Spain in their colonies in East Asia are closer in this time and space.

Southern Indochina, Philippines, Taiwan, Xiamen, Northern Indochina.

The French have built such a maritime trade circle ecosystem in the South China Sea, and the Philippines is the top priority along this line.

It provided raw materials for the sugar industry in Taiwan and Xiamen, and provided manpower for France's governance in Indochina, Xiamen, Taiwan and other places.

Yes, France learned the British way of governing its colonies and recruited mixed-race Filipinos who believed in Catholicism to serve as military and police in its colonies to check and balance the local Chinese and Vietnamese.

Therefore, the relationship between the United States and France is not very friendly due to the existence of Spain.

Not to mention, the two countries are still fighting for the right to build the Panama Canal.

Therefore, Yuan Xiangcheng believed that it was necessary to introduce Americans after the British withdrew.

In recent years, American fleets have been traveling between the West Coast, Alaska and the Ussuri Autonomous Region, doing business happily.

When they left, they were loaded with industrial products produced on the west coast of the United States, and when they returned, they brought back local dried fish, furs, gold, silver, soybeans, timber and other raw materials.

Now, all that is left is for the fleet to turn around slightly and head south to the southeast coast.

A few days ago, Yuan Shikai found the American minister and asked him to pass a telegram to Hoover, who had been promoted to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, stating the request for the American fleet to help transport supplies.

Under the operation of old Hoover, this matter was tacitly approved by the US President and was not even formally discussed in Congress.

After all, the Secretary of Commerce can rely on his personal "reputation" to allow some American civilian fleets traveling across the Pacific to serve China.

Merchant ships flying the American flag can sail openly under the noses of French warships without any problems.

If the French army were to attack these American merchant ships, it would inevitably trigger a diplomatic dispute. It might even cause diplomatic confrontation between the United States and France, which are currently in a state of "silent confrontation," and it is even possible that a head-on conflict would break out.

Moreover, Yuan Shikai also received news that the acting U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Theodore Roosevelt, had ordered the Asian Fleet to the Hawaiian Islands.

It’s only a matter of time before we reach East Asia.

Thinking of this, Yuan Xiangcheng felt it necessary to speak more firmly.

He looked at the growing crowd and said to the French Minister Fang Suya:

“We had no intention of intervening in the Indochina situation, but the premise is

First, your country’s army and colonial institutions must lay down their arms and withdraw from our territory, including Xiamen and Taiwan.

Second, compensation for the human and material losses caused to our country, which so far amounted to about 500 million pounds.

Third, abolish all unequal treaties signed between the two countries. Of course, the definition of this unequal treaty should be determined by our country.

Fourth, if France can achieve all of the above, our country will consider establishing an Annan military buffer zone in Tonkin and will no longer interfere in affairs south of Tonkin.

Listening to Yuan Xiangcheng's "big talk" one after another, the French Minister Fang Suya could not help but clench his fists and his veins bulged.

He felt that Yuan Shikai's conditions were too unrealistic, and he was gracious not to turn against him on the spot. France would not agree to any of them.

However, the French being angry does not mean that others are angry too.

The American minister standing by was somewhat interested in the concept of "military buffer zone" mentioned by Yuan Shikai.

He raised his glass and saluted Yuan Xiangcheng: "Your Excellency the President, could you explain in detail what a military buffer zone is?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiangcheng explained to the Chinese and foreigners present: "The so-called military buffer zone is a place where neither country's army can enter, and there is no military presence in the area.

Of course, in order to maintain order, a certain number of police forces will be recruited to maintain public security and stability."

"Similar to the Ussuri Autonomous Region in the Far East?" The American minister showed a barely perceptible smile.

Yuan Xiangcheng nodded: "Yes, just like the Ussuri Autonomous Region, but the dominant power is in Annan's own hands."

　Listening to Yuan Shikai and the Americans singing the same tune, French Minister Fang Suya suddenly felt something was wrong.

Fang Suya was eager to establish such a military buffer zone, but his idea was to build it in southern Guangxi, not in Tonkin, Vietnam.

Establish a buffer zone outside French control in French colonies?

What a joke!

France is a great power, but it should not be bullied to such an extent!

These words popped up in Fang Suya's mind.

However, after the anger, we still have to return to reality.

Fang Suya thought about the purpose of her trip to Guangzhou, and after recalling the current situation in Indochina, she chose to suppress her anger again.

It's okay, everything will be fine once a new batch of French soldiers arrive in Indochina.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on her, Fang Suya suddenly slapped her forehead and laughed out loud:

“Mr. President, when you look at me, I have unknowingly forgotten my own identity.

Such an important matter should be discussed with you by the Governor-General of Indochina or by a representative sent by our government from Paris.

I am just a small minister and not qualified to decide France's foreign policy.

Now, let’s have a drink.”