Chapter 235 234 [Go to Shanghai Again]

The incident of the U.S. Marine Corps' collective debts in Tianjin happened ridiculously, and the solution was muddled.

In the United States, procedures are required for everything. Under normal circumstances, it is impossible to help soldiers repay their debts. Even the President of the United States has no right to approve such a special fund of 2 million silver dollars. Once the media exposes it, American citizens will definitely be fried.

In this way, it can only be solved by other means-the Marine Corps has been stuck in Tianjin is not a solution, what a shame.

It just so happens that the United States is currently negotiating with the Nanjing government on the issue of returning tariff autonomy, and the two sides happily reached a consensus during the negotiations. The more than 2 million soldiers owed money, and they used the customs money in the second half of the year to offset the debt. If it was not enough, they found another way (the Nanjing government paid for it).

By the way, China's tariffs are involuntary. It does not mean that Chinese tariffs are collected by foreigners, but that the rate of Chinese tariffs is set by foreigners.

In the late Qing Dynasty, although tariffs were not voluntary, they were collected by the Chinese.

It is ridiculous that after the success of the 1911 Revolution, the Beiyang government handed over the tariffs to foreigners.

From 1911 to 1928, China's customs duties, except for the necessary customs operating fees, left all the remaining money in the International Banking Committee (Shanghai), which was managed by HSBC Bank. The money is specially used to pay compensation and loans, and if there is any surplus, it will be handed over to the Chinese government.

Zhou Hexuan encouraged foreigners to use China's tariffs to straighten the shipping lanes, and this time to use tariffs to help American soldiers pay off their debts. In fact, it is all the money of the Chinese government.

In July, the United States and China formally signed the "Treaty on Coordinating the Tariff Relations between China and the United States", becoming the first country to agree to China's exercise of tariff autonomy.

After the news spread, the whole country was jubilant, and the move was called "the progress of the century" by Chinese newspapers.

Since the Opium War knocked on the door of China, China's tariff sovereignty was completely lost in the 1860s, and it has been nearly 70 years since then.

This is a heart-wrenching humiliation for a country!

The happiest are those businessmen. Tariff independence can not only increase tax revenue for the government, but also enhance the international competitiveness of national commodities. Previously, foreign businessmen had the right to tax reduction and exemption.

Countless Chinese people instantly had a good impression of the United States, believing that the United States is China's true friend, and the Nanjing government took advantage of the opportunity to carry out various cooperation with the United States.

The British couldn't sit still, fearing that their interests in China would be replaced by the United States, and immediately followed up the tariff negotiations with China. Immediately afterwards, France, Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union... also expressed their willingness to return their tariff autonomy.

The only obstacle is Japan, and they will not let go if they are killed.

Although the Nanjing National Government is corrupt and authoritarian, it is still much stronger than the Beiyang government, at least in terms of diplomacy and sovereignty.

Now the government is not only talking about tariff independence, but also has a very tough attitude to take back the consular jurisdiction of the big powers in China and abolish all unequal treaties, that is, the "Revision of the New Testament Movement".

Among them, the six countries of Portugal, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Spain, and Denmark just expired in 1928. Among these six countries, except for Japan, which has a stubborn mouth, the other five countries have expressed their willingness to abolish consular jurisdiction and sign new treaties with China one after another. Of course, these countries have retained many unequal privileges in the Old Testament in the form of attachments, which means changing the soup but not the medicine.

In the next few years, the Nanjing government sent a note to Britain, France, the United States and other major powers, demanding the abolition of consular jurisdiction.

Despite the resolute disapproval of countries such as Britain, France, and the United States, China continued to take back some sovereignty, including the abolition of the Weihaiwei Lease, the British Concession in Xiamen, and the Shanghai Consular Court.

...

When Principal Chang was still sharing the spoils with Feng Yuxiang, Yan Xishan, and Li Zongren in Beiping, Zhou Hexuan finally took Zhang Leyi to the south. He entrusted Shen Congwen with the supplement of "Dazhong" and asked Liao Yaquan to take charge of the radio station. He went to Nanjing for a meeting first, and then planned to go to Lushan to propose marriage.

The Beijing-Shanghai Railway in the Republic of China refers to the railway from Nanjing to Shanghai.

Therefore, the most convenient way to go south from Tianjin is to take the sea route, and it is impossible to take the train.

At the end of July, although the Northeast had not yet changed its banner, the life-saving grain road to Shandong had been opened up, and the people in Shandong finally no longer had money and could not buy food.

At the same time, Zhou Hexuan and Zhang Leyi also landed in Shanghai.

Shanghai pier.

"Mingcheng, this way!" Xu Zhimo waved his arms vigorously.

It has to be said that Xu Zhimo is really enthusiastic about his friends, and the steamer didn't say exactly what he said.

Zhou Hexuan walked over to shake hands with him, and said with a smile, "Have you been waiting for a long time?"

"Not long ago, I came at eight o'clock in the morning." Xu Zhimo said.

Khan, almost three hours.

Zhou Hexuan introduced: "This is my fiancee Zhang Leyi."

Xu Zhimo greeted immediately: "Hi, Miss Zhang."

"Hello, Mr. Xu." Zhang Leyi smiled implicitly.

Xu Zhimo led them away from the pier, helped to stuff the luggage into the car, and said enthusiastically: "Xiaoman is busy at home, the cook specially prepared a French meal today."

Zhou Hexuan said with shame: "Zhimo, you are too polite."

Xu Zhimo said with a smile: "It's rare for you to come here, so of course you should treat it well."

The crowd was driving, and when they passed a concession street, they suddenly saw more than 20 people holding wooden sticks and wearing red bands with the words "anti-Japanese" on their arms, rushing into the store in a hurry.

Zhou Hexuan asked in surprise, "Who are those people?"

Xu Zhimo responded with a smile: "Members of the Committee Against Japanese Atrocities from All walks of life in Shanghai."

"What are they rushing into the store for?" Zhou Hexuan asked puzzled.

Xu Zhimo said: "Japanese goods are banned, and any store that sells Japanese goods must collect a high amount of 'national salvation fund'."

"Isn't this messing around?" Zhou Hexuan sweated wildly.

This so-called ban on Japanese goods is naturally impossible to ban Japanese stores, but only Chinese stores that sell Japanese goods.

It is tantamount to bullying domestic businessmen to make money under the guise of anti-Japanese.

Zhou Hexuan couldn't help asking: "Who created this organization?"

"Who else is there, Chen Dezheng, the number one celebrity in Shanghai." Xu Zhimo said disdainfully.

"He, no wonder." Zhou Hexuan couldn't help laughing.

Chen Dezheng is really a big celebrity, and was jokingly called "the first great man of the Republic of China" by later generations.

This guy is a real fighter and has reached the level of a holy fighter!

He is anti (harmonious) Communist Party, anti-Japanese, anti-imperialism, anti-Christianity, anti-commercial association, anti-cultural people, he will spray whoever he catches, and he will bite anyone he sees.

In his life, he hated Feng Yuxiang, Song Ziwen, Yu Qiaqing...too many people.

Just next year, Hu Shi, a literati who is good at writing, will resign and go abroad because of Chen Dezheng's writing. After spraying Hu Shi, Chen Dezheng turned around to find trouble with Lu Xun, forcing Lu Xun to hide in a Japanese-owned bookstore and dare not come out.