The rise of great powers: starting from military industry

Two days on the weekend made Liu Tao tired and relieved.

On Monday, Liu Tao came to the Fifth Machinery Department.

In Liu Zhenbang's office, the two of them were making tea. They had to wait in line for at least more than an hour to see Wang Baoguo.

The two chatted about Afghanistan.

Since Liu Tao made a suggestion last year, the two parties have reached a cooperation with a tacit understanding.

One side provides money and the other side provides weapons.

The Americans spent a lot of money and bought millions of Type 63 automatic rifles, more than 100,000 Type 54 pistols, and a large number of bullets and grenades in less than a year. The total order exceeded 600 million US dollars.

These weapons and ammunition do not need to be specially produced. They can be transported directly from the storage. They are continuously transported from land and flowed into the hands of various guerrilla groups.

This is much more convenient and cheaper than manufacturing and transporting products from Europe or the United States.

In order to prevent polar bears from continuing to move south to open up a passage to the Indian Ocean and increase their influence in the Middle East, which will affect energy security and cause the collapse of the newly established petrodollar system, the Americans are also spending their money.

Even in Afghanistan, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles have appeared.

"This time the Americans have ordered millions of Type 63 automatic rifles and a large number of bullets, worth more than 400 million US dollars." Liu Zhenbang lowered his voice.

As the leader of the foreign trade working group, Liu Zhenbang is responsible for coordinating the transportation of weapons and ammunition: "He even spent US$500 million to purchase a batch of weapons for Pakistan."

"Americans are really rich!" Liu Tao couldn't help but admire.

You must know that since the second half of last year, the second oil crisis broke out and oil prices soared, which severely hit the U.S. economy, exacerbated the U.S. foreign trade deficit, deepened the trend of stagflation, and caused a sharp increase in the number of business failures, plunging the United States into an economic crisis.

But even in an economic crisis, Americans are still willing to spend a lot of money to prevent polar bears from going south.

But it’s normal to think about it. Since the 1970s, the two-pole competition has been dominated by the Soviet Union and the United States. If polar bears are allowed to open a passage south to the Indian Ocean, their influence will quickly radiate to the South Asian subcontinent, the Middle East, and then most of Africa. Polar bears can With oil firmly in their hands, this is a disaster like the sky falling for Europe and the United States.

As long as they can stop the polar bears from heading south, the Americans will not hesitate to spend ten times that amount, let alone a billion dollars.

But this is fine, there is a tacit understanding between the two sides, one party provides money and the other provides weapons, and China just takes this opportunity to clear its inventory.

You must know that in those years, more than 6 million Type 63 automatic rifles were produced, and more than 35 million Type 54 pistols were produced.

Whether it's a Type 63 automatic rifle or a Type 54 pistol, it really depends on what you want.

Even if all the existing ones are cleared, if there is an order, the military factory can produce them immediately.

"With this money, the reform and development of third-tier factories will be much smoother." Liu Tao said.

Liu Zhenbang also agreed: "Yes, if there is no money, everyone will be miserable."

Since last year, discussions have begun on the reform and development of ‘third-tier factories’.

After all, now, with the warming of the international situation and the 'Roar of the Red Dragon' in February last year, the possibility of war has been greatly reduced. In addition, the country has proposed reform and opening up and a development plan centered on economic construction. , small and medium-sized military factories instantly became a drag bottle.

These military factories can only produce various weapons and ammunition. Without war, they have no production tasks. They can only survive on state subsidies, and they cannot even be self-sufficient.

Since last May, the third-tier military factories have been facing hard times.

As a pilot province for the reform and development of third-tier factories, Yun Province was the first to start.

Panshan Machinery Factory was the first pilot factory. With the rapid development of Panshan Machinery Factory, the Yunnan Provincial Defense Management Office continued to classify some third-tier factories into Panshan Machinery Factory. Coupled with the promotion of Panshan Machinery Factory, all provinces across the country were classified as third-tier factories. Factory troubles, Yunnan Province takes the lead in solving them.

But Yun Province is not replicable, because everyone knows that there is no Panshan Machinery Factory in other provinces!

Just one Panshan Machinery Factory has absorbed more than half of the employees of the third-tier military factories in Yun Province, and some have received orders from Panshan Machinery Factory, thus solving the problems of the third-tier factories.

For the third-tier factories in Guizhou and Guizhou provinces, the Fifth Machinery Department is currently discussing with the National Defense Management Office and Panshan Machinery Factory of the two provinces. Some third-tier military factories have been classified into Panshan Machinery Factory.

But you must know that Panshan Machinery Factory alone cannot absorb the employees of the third-tier military factories in the entire southwest, let alone the whole country.

The third-tier factories are to be converted from military to civilian. After many rounds of meetings, a consensus has been reached.

The higher authorities should promote the conversion of third-tier military factories into civilian industries and allow them to enter the field of civilian industry. While achieving self-sufficiency, they should retain a certain amount of military production capacity in case of future wars.

But that's easier said than done.

After all, for a factory that only produces weapons and ammunition, whether it can produce any civilian products without additional investment, and even if it is produced, whether it can be sold is still a question, let alone the existence of such There are more than 200 factories in question nationwide!

This still refers to military factories. If it refers to all third-tier factories, the number will increase tenfold!

Although more than 200 small and medium-sized military factories are placed under the jurisdiction of the provincial defense management offices, in fact, the reform and development issues need to be solved by the Ministry of Machinery.

Without money, it is naturally difficult!

But since last year, the Fifth Machinery Department has had money.

Even if you just make a profit from the price difference, you will still make a lot of money.

He suspected that the Fifth Machinery Department settled with him at 1.75 RMB for 1 U.S. dollar. Maybe the settlement between the Fifth Machinery Department and the bank was 2 RMB for 1 U.S. dollar, or even more.

As for those orders for 54 pistols and 56 firearm bullets, you will only earn more, not less.

It's easy to do things if you have money. At least some money can be allocated to help third-tier factories tide over difficulties.

Or settle workers' debts so that third-tier factories can carry on with ease.

Liu Tao is also looking for ways to solve the reform and development problems of third-line factories, because he knows that the employees of those third-line military factories are worthy of respect. They are saving the country and rejuvenating the country through military industry. Now they are facing the changes of the times. We should turn a blind eye and ignore it. Even if our capabilities are limited, we should try our best to solve the problem. If one more third-tier military factory is solved, the relevant departments will have more strength to help other third-tier military factories.

This is why, when Wang Tiezhu came to him, he agreed without hesitation, even if he paid the wages and materials owed to the workers by the original factory.

"Are you ready to receive distinguished guests tomorrow?" Liu Zhenbang brought up business.

This is also the important purpose of Liu Tao's return to Beijing this time, which is to bring distinguished guests from Saudi Arabia to China.

Liu Tao had been waiting for a long time, and finally the distinguished guest arrived!

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