It was 1677, and it had been almost 47 years since the first landing of the East Coast people. In these forty-seven years, various undertakings have made great progress. They have established a country with a population of more than three million in the Southern New World, producing massive amounts of materials every year, and hundreds of thousands of tons of ships galloping around the world, spreading the glory of the East Coast Republic to the outside world at all times.

Forty-seven years later, agriculture is still the largest industry on the east coast, but the forms of agricultural management have become increasingly diversified. There are both farmers who rent national land on a large scale, as well as small businesses such as market gardeners and fruit cultivation operators. Of course, there are now more business forms such as agricultural cooperatives, and the rural economy is becoming more and more dynamic. Although its overall income is somewhat different from that of the working class, it is also quite good.

Many people criticized the agricultural policies gradually established since the Liu Weimin era that have caused a large number of people to be fixed on the land. However, at a time when the population has reached 4 million (including non-national labor workers), and at a time when the torrent of life has irresistible, labor in other industries is still in short supply, but there is no feeling of a huge gap. Many people have begun to predict that perhaps in many years, the population in streets, mines, factories, shops, and farms will become denser, and the development of industry and commerce will take a new level.

In this semi-industrial country with an increasing population, many of the goods produced each year exceed their needs. According to the product category, it ranges from about 20% to 80%. In 1675, the East Coast Republic of China exported a total of 100,000 yuan of various materials (including exported to the colonies), including a large number of weapons and ammunition, and hardware products. This is the third largest industry in the country, second only to agriculture and construction industries, namely, the processing and manufacturing of five traditional metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron and tin, daily necessities, machinery and equipment, and raw agricultural products.

The above-mentioned exports of the East Coast goods are corresponding to the re-export of foreign and colonial goods that were the same large number of foreign and colonial goods that were re-exported back then. This trade scale is huge and diverse, which is dazzling. Almost all kinds of specialties that can be found in the Far East San Francisco, Australia, Tahiti, Rabaul, and New China Island are listed one by one, sometimes even some strange things, such as the teeth of narwhals, which appear in the warehouse in Qingdao Port, and then sell them at the opportunity of the expo. Of course, commodities like narwhal teeth are rare after all, and the most common ones are still tea, porcelain, brocade, silk cloth, coffee, sugar, tobacco, cocoa, pepper, sisal, vanilla and other commodities, and now there are a lot of rubber.

"The trade of re-export is very large almost every year, especially in some special years of economic activity, which is based on my country's rising overseas economic forces. Many years ago, we also exported coconut to the old continent, but recently disappeared in some years. I remember that sisal has been quickly supplemented. In other words, every time a commodity disappears on the name of the re-export table, a new commodity will appear to re-export, so this re-export trade is actually very stable." In one of the most luxurious offices in the Qingdao Port Expo Hall, the county magistrate Huang Chao was explaining to Qi Wangping.

Qi Wangping is over 70 years old this year and has served as chairman of the Executive Committee for more than two terms. It has been basically confirmed that he will step down and retire at the end of next year. Therefore, he plans to take the train to inspect major locations across the country before retirement to see what this country they have built for a lifetime is now.

The La Plata Star train that Qi Wangping took departed from Dongfang County, the capital, and arrived at the Qingdao County Railway Station, and went straight to the Qingdao Expo Hall. The Qingdao County Magistrate, the Expo Hall Director and other local officials also temporarily stopped their work and were all present to report various situations to Chairman Qi.

"Qingdao County is now the largest commodity export port in the country, and it is also an unquestionable shipping center, financial center, South China Sea Transportation Company, South China Sea Liner Company, Courier Liner Company, East Coast Insurance Company, Central Insurance Company, New World Friendly Mutual Bank, La Plata Bank, Commercial Clearing Bank and other institutions are all set up here, all of which are for unique conditions here." County Mayor Huang Chao continued to introduce: "So we not only have the goods harvested in the ground, excavated underground, manufactured by factories, or transferred from others, but also the creditors of hundreds of ships, banks, insurance companies and various labor activities, especially the creditors of ship labour. Our country now has more than 200,000 tons of merchant ship tonnage, which is very amazing, second only to the United Provinces and England."

"Because of such a country, in a city like Qingdao Port, any news about commodity supply or price changes is extremely sensitive, and we are used to dealing with all this, the sophisticated financial machines on the street of the Expo will record all this. Sometimes greater turmoil, such as the changes brought by the French-Dutch war, such as the harsh climate in the Atlantic, which brings difficulties to major industrial areas such as Meilin, Chengshan, Tieling, Ping'an. Of course, the war does not

It always brings depression. The war between Poland and Turkey has brought us huge benefits, which slightly smoothed out some of the trauma caused by the Dutch tore up the commercial agreement. "In the end, Huang Chao talked about the current international trade situation and some domestic countermeasures, and only heard him say: "Of course, the complete reversal of the above problems has always been a series of government projects that the country has vigorously promoted, such as railways, highways, docks, municipal construction, flood control and water conservancy, which are the decisive."

"It's very good, and I'm very pleased to hear it." After the report came to an end, Qi Wangping nodded slightly and said, "We built this country through hard work, but we didn't expect it to develop into what we are now in decades. Look, we could only ride horses when we went out, but now we have such a beautiful train ride; when we caught a fish in the Big Fish Lake and had several people ate it, now we transported all kinds of fish catches every three months. Needless to say, the thousands of bisons on the Pampa Plain are the best gift given to believers by the Heavenly Lord, and it's inexhaustible. I'm already over seventy years old this year and can't jump for a few years. In the future, this country still depends on you to take charge of the helm and promise me not to let it sink, and to make it great forever."

After meeting with a group of officials, Qi Wangping went down to a super-large conference room on the second floor of the Expo Hall and held a symposium with some merchants with larger business scale and higher social status. The merchants present were actually very familiar with each other, such as Ku Youcai (investment in shipping and trade), Ku Youfu (investment in stocks and road goods), Liang Shoucheng, Liang Gang, Liang Qiangdong, etc., Qiang Xiaoman, who opened a pawnshop (actually working as a financial broker and lending), etc.

These people are basically second-generation people who do not choose to go into politics, but are exploring in the business world. After years of operation, they have accumulated considerable wealth and are members of the new Qingdao County Political Consultative Conference. Both wealth and social reputation are quite high. Speaking of this Political Consultative Conference, there are currently more than 70 counties across the country that have established such institutions. The members are strictly divided according to proportions to ensure that representatives from all walks of life are undoubtedly the business owners, because they have a great influence and have far surpassed those representatives of farmers, workers or sailors.

The political consultation meeting is also held regularly. The committee speaks freely at the meeting, discusses the country's situation, and offers suggestions on matters involving the economic development and publicity of the county, and then reports it to the county leaders, which can be reviewed and handled as appropriate. This model is now being promoted more and more nationwide, especially in some newly established counties. Because the hard work of land reclamation or construction requires the joint efforts of the whole county, the suggestions of the political consultation meeting have a very important role in the county's leadership.

Even, I heard that the central government is now preparing to establish a national political consultation meeting, intending to select representatives from various industries to enter as a powerful supplement to the National People's Congress (it is said to be currently preparing to be renamed "Creator Conference"), which seems to indicate the emergence of the changes in the East Coast political model.

Qi Wangping still has an impression of many business representatives here, especially Liang Qiangdong, the president of Qiangdong Trading Company, who had just returned to Qingdao from North American Free State, and the youngest son of Liang Xiangjian, the current executive member of the Central Committee. Therefore, as soon as he sat down, he called Liang Qiangdong's name and said, "Liang Qiangdong, I still remember you! In order to obtain the approval for exporting arms to the Free State, he ran to various departments every few days, and had a bad temper. He quarreled with others if he was not satisfied. Even I heard your name. How about it, over the years, Qiangdong Trading Company should have grown into a large enterprise, right?"

"Chairman Qi still remembers my name, so he was so flattered." Liang Qiangdong stood up and said in fear: "For the wealth of the motherland, Qiangdong Trading Company has now taken root in Xinjing, Rehe, Fengtian and other places in the Free State, opened branches, and now specializes in buying local specialties from there to sell local products, and then sells some daily necessities, iron and arms from the local area. Oh, sometimes it will help the Immigration Department and South Africa to transport some Black Eight Banners officers and soldiers.

He and his family members settled in the North Free State. The company has indeed grown a lot over the years. At present, the company has got rid of its image as a pure trading company and has begun to enter the shipping industry. Its capacity has reached 3,400 tons, four flute-type transport ships and two armed merchant ships transformed from retired gunboats. Air Canada sees that we are doing well and now lists us as a first-class agent, which gives the company an excellent opportunity to develop. Hehe, everything is a blessing for the country. If the country is strong, our business will be easy to do."

"It's not easy for Air Canada's first-level agents. As far as I know, Air Canada is still very strict in issuing this agent license. It's really not easy for you to be a first-level agent to prove that it meets their qualifications." Qi Wangping was a little surprised after hearing this, and then asked with a smile: "You have just returned from North America for less than a week. All you know is first-hand news. Tell me, how is it now?"

"The Free State has been relatively stable in recent years and has developed rapidly." Liang Qiangdong replied: "They have gradually stopped the war with the Indians for many years. Some tribes and the Free State have agreed to a truce in war, which greatly reduced their pressure on the war and began to develop the economy. Of course, this is under the guidance of our people (at present, the top leaders of many departments of the Free State are still black Xhosa, but the deputy is all from the East Coast, and often the deputy is still the final decision). This country has never conducted a strict census, but on the eve of my departure, some officials from the Ming people from their country told me that after the war, the plague and famine, there are still about 28,000 people. And if some Indian efforts captured in the war, the national population should have exceeded 30,000, and there may be 31,000 to 32,000 people."

"The religion of this country has been basically unified by our Taoism, and the belief of the Heavenly Lord has been spread to every corner. Buddhism, which has been spread from the East, also has a place, but it is a minority, and is only circulated in a small range. The children of high-level nobles have basically studied on the east coast and can proficiently read and write Chinese. However, the literacy rate of the lower-class people is very low. Most people cannot understand Chinese (or can only understand simple daily conversations), let alone write. Daily communication is in Xhosa language, and it is urgently needed to improve." Liang Qiangdong continued to answer: "This country mainly grows rice and corn, and exports are high-quality oak and herbs.

, mainly leather, flax, tobacco, and plant dyes (the main exporting country is the East Coast, because the East Coast policy is tilted towards them, and it is stipulated that a certain amount of free state specialty products are imported every year). It is not too big. I hope that they can get a long rest period after the truce with the Indians, and at the same time, speed up the transportation of black labor workers and the Black Eight Banners tribes of South Africa to enrich their strength. Otherwise, I am afraid that their future prospects will be worrying, because the British Carolina colony has also developed extremely rapidly, and the Spanish Kingdom is also increasing immigration to Florida. This is a very realistic threat."
Chapter completed!