Spark

the other side.

Locke had just taken the position of Minister of Commerce, and everything here made him feel novel.

After all, this is the first time he has assumed such an important position, and it is also the first time he has undertaken "strategic" policy formulation.

Yes, his appointment was not accidental. In fact, the term of the previous Minister of Commerce had not yet ended. The reason why he had to break the rules and let him take office in advance had only one purpose:

Unscrupulous to contain the development of the East.

This may sound contradictory, because in the past ten or even twenty years, the persona he has set up has been "promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries" and "promoting economic cooperation between the two countries". In his eyes, he is also a model of successful Chinese Americans.

Some people even regard it as the "savior" of overseas Chinese, because after he entered politics, he has indeed continued to speak out for Asians, and he has also made a lot of efforts to promote the introduction of policies to improve the living conditions of Chinese.

This brought him an excellent reputation.

However, all this is just an illusion after all.

All the "appearances of friendship" are just his disguise, and it is precisely because of his disguise that Congress regards him as the most suitable candidate for policy implementation.

In the office, Locke held the latest report in his hand, frowned slightly, and asked the assistant beside him:

"From the data, the GDP growth rate of the other side has been above 20% every year for the past five years. Is this data true? Or to be more direct, how much water is in it?"

Hearing his words, the assistant was slightly taken aback, then said:

"The data should be fine - if there is moisture"

"According to our judgment, their economic growth rate should be more than 20%."

"?? What do you mean? You mean the 20% figure is still conservative??"

Locke was shocked, he stared at the opposite assistant, waiting for his explanation.

This can’t help him not being surprised. You know, for a large country, if the GDP growth rate can reach more than 5%, it is considered very fast, and if it can reach a growth rate of more than 10%, it must have a very strong special motivation .

Such as oil, such as epoch-making new technologies, or such as certain overheated and bubble-like industrial economies.

But obviously, the opponent does not have any of the above conditions.

Looking at Locke's expression, the assistant nodded, and then replied:

"Yes, the 20% figure is accurate if you look at GDP alone."

"However, if we combine the other party's overseas investment and some overseas resource income that is not included in the statistics, I am afraid that this figure will reach at least 30%."

"After all, their core strategic layout in the past two years has been overseas, especially in Africa."

"They've invested a lot of upfront costs, and the time to reap the rewards is imminent"

Luo Jiahui let out a long sigh of relief. After a moment of silence, he said:

"Do you understand the power source? Where does the power for such rapid development come from?"

"How far is the motivation? The expansion of military power is a part. A more stable external environment provides them with more opportunities."

"The second is the development of technology. I don't need to tell you about this. Their military technology has led to the leapfrog development of civilian technology. Under the coordination of their so-called 'Civil Development Office', the economic benefits have been realized quickly, and even many Technology has begun to seize the market that originally belonged to us.”

"In this case, it's a problem that their development is not fast."

".Understood, then the content of our work at this stage is very clear."

"We have to take action - everything they have done before, including the May Conference and the Turret, is in the wrong direction!"

"What is military, what is competing for overseas spheres of influence, it is a means to treat the symptoms but not the root cause."

"If you want to really take back what belongs to us, if you want to really bring them down, there is only one way to destroy their engines!"

"Money, resources, are all feasible means."

"Didn't they use the economic crisis to deal with us before? We should deal with them in the same way."

Hearing his words, the assistant nodded solemnly.

"That's what Congress wants to do, and they've got a clear strategy for that."

"But they were too slow to react."

Locke sighed.

"If the time can be brought forward to three years ago, I think there are still many things we can do."

"But now, we are left with only the most extreme means"

"You mean, trade restrictions?"

"Trade, finance."

Speaking of this, Locke paused for a moment, then continued:

"We need to work with OFAC to impose relatively strict financial restrictions on them first."

"At the end of the first stage, after obtaining the other party's economic feedback data, we will further launch new actions."

"Similarly, led by our Ministry of Commerce, the list of several flagship companies and scientific research institutions must also be launched as soon as possible."

"Understood, where to start?"

"Semiconductors, materials, new energy."

Locke replied without thinking.

"In the semiconductor field, they are already trying to attack our position, and this momentum must be extinguished in the shortest possible time."

"Especially the lithography machine project led by Shanghai Microelectronics, I will not allow it to be born in this world."

"In addition, we must also pay attention to several material research institutions."

"The metal hydrogen project that is being discussed recently is a typical example. Let our think tanks analyze it. I don't believe that there is no weak point in such a complicated project. Just smashing that weak point will definitely make their entire project stalled."

"As for new energy sources - my suggestion is to focus on wind power, lithium batteries and photovoltaics."

"Our monopoly on fossil energy must continue, at least until we enter the next energy age."

The assistant wrote down what he said one by one, and after confirming everything was correct, he said with a smile:

"These strategies are pretty much in line with what congressional staff have been proposing."

"I now understand why they let you take office early. Your vision is indeed worthy of this position."

Locke smiled and nodded noncommittally.

He is very clear that his assistant is not just an ordinary assistant—in fact, he also undertakes part of the "supervisory" responsibility.

If the strategy I made had any tendency to favor China, I'm afraid it would be impossible to maintain my position.

"But I'm curious, do you really not have any blood identification with them in your heart?"

"After all, neither of your parents was born in the United States. It should be said that you are not a 100% American."

"It has nothing to do with blood. I will prove my loyalty to this country."

Locke put down the material in his hand, and leaned back slightly.

"The nature of human beings is to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. There is a Chinese proverb that says that people go to high places."

"Since I have chosen a high place, I must resolutely give up that low place"

A few days later, the first round of crackdown started quietly.

Different from the crackdown launched during the previous economic crisis, this time it does not use typical economic means such as tax increases and anti-monopoly investigations, but the most direct trade restrictions based on the principle of long-arm jurisdiction and the "American" element.

In the simplest way, the solution is:

As long as a certain product contains more than 20% American elements, it is not allowed to be exported to certain companies.

These lists of specific companies are the so-called entity lists.

Companies included in the Entity List will not be able to normally obtain the required technical equipment, and any attempt to bypass the control will also be deemed fraudulent, which will trigger an escalation of the incident and directly join the rejection list, thus losing the final "apply for a license" "Opportunity.

As soon as the news came out, the entire international public opinion was in an uproar.

No one could have predicted this move by the United States. After all, even at the most tense moment before, they did not show any tendency to initiate trade measures.

But at this point in 2008, world economic integration is the mainstream. When all countries are busy lowering trade barriers and saving the domestic economy that is declining, you actually want to engage in trade protection?

Every economy active in this market is dumbfounded.

The Ministry of Commerce does not know how many inquiry emails it has received, but the answers they give are both official and perfunctory:

This time the list is only aimed at a few companies that pose potential threats to national security, and will not be expanded, nor will it affect economic cooperation with other economies.

Still, even a response like this is enough to reassure other economies.

Because at least the attitude is very clear:

This matter has nothing to do with anyone else.

In this case, there is no need to fight and mediate.

The only thing we can do is to take this list of entities as a signal of the beginning of a crisis and prepare in advance in other areas

Chengdu, in the office.

While looking at the report in front of him, Chen Nian said to Chen Guo:

"Look at the selection of these companies, the scope of attack is really quite precise in the semiconductor field, microelectronics, SMIC, ZTE, Huawei, directly killed an industry chain."

"In the field of materials, all companies that have participated in large-tow carbon fiber have been recruited, and 17 companies have been recruited at one time."

"In addition, several titanium alloy manufacturers have also been recruited, which is obviously aimed at the aviation industry."

"There are also several photovoltaic and lithium battery companies, but it seems that their efforts are not strong?"

"I didn't understand the heavy elm liquid, but it was aimed at metal hydrogen? But the problem is that there is not only one hydraulic manufacturer."

Hearing Chen Nian's words, Chen Guo nodded solemnly, and then replied:

"Yes, this operation is different from what we have encountered before."

"If it was a face-to-face strike before, then this time it is a surgical precision strike."

"Especially in the field of semiconductors, if we hadn't made a good layout in advance, the entire industry chain would really be killed if we were listed on the entity list."

"At that time, we can only sell the benefits in exchange for the right to survive."

Chen Nian sighed softly, the term "exchange of the right to live" was no stranger to him.

In his previous life, even after 10 years, even if China's development is far from what it is now in 2008, some companies want to survive, but they still have to humbly offer what should belong to them. Interests.

This is the power of technological hegemony.

In modern society, it will not bring the slightest smoke, but it will cause more damage than any kind of war.

We always say that when it is a last resort, the worst thing is to turn the table over.

But what is a last resort?

Under what circumstances do we have no choice?

No one can accurately judge this point.

So usually, the process will become like boiling a frog in warm water. Slowly, you will get used to it and lose the ability to resist.

Thinking of this, Chen Nian said:

"We absolutely cannot do any kind of exchange."

"As old Americans often say, they don't negotiate with terrorists."

"Neither do we, nor will we negotiate with them, the economic terrorists."

"Since they want to engage in trade protectionism, since they want to launch a trade war, they should fight to the end."

"I don't believe it. We have so many new technologies and so many scientific researchers, can't they survive several rounds of suppression?"

A smile appeared on Chen Guo's face, and then he said:

"You really need to have that kind of ambition."

"Originally, I came to you today to tell you that the seriousness of this incident is actually not as high as most people imagine."

"It is true that we may encounter some difficulties in the future, but such difficulties will only remain at the level of 'unsmooth' and cannot shake the foundation of our technology."

"So, it's good to take your time, we can't mess up by ourselves."

Chen Nian hummed, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly said:

"But it's still annoying to think about it."

"What the hell, Locke just went up, right? Is he that impatient?"

"How do you know it's him?"

Chen Guo asked curiously.

In fact, Locke played the role of the legendary "red face" in this operation. He even gave public speeches on many occasions, saying that he would "push to lift the suppression after finding out the truth", which also won him a lot of attention. Supported by many Chinese people.

Of course, Huaxia officials would not believe his nonsense. Chen Guo wondered why Chen Nian had such blatant contempt for him even though he had never been in contact with him before?

Facing Chen Guo's question, Chen Nian rolled his eyes and said:

"A hypocritical friend will always know you better than a sincere enemy. Only a second devil like him can do such a thing."

"Just wait, one day I will catch him and let him recognize his ancestors."

Chen Guo shook her head dumbfounded, he was already used to Chen Nian's "childishness" that popped up from time to time.

It's normal to be angry, and if he really doesn't feel emotional at all times, then he's in big trouble.

After pausing for a moment, he comforted him:

"Don't disturb our arrangement because of this villain."

"The economic port has begun to introduce countermeasures. What we need to do now is to implement the metal hydrogen project as soon as possible."

"The other party's intentions this time are still very obvious - don't look at the lightest suppression of new energy, but according to the judgment of the superiors, this is their real purpose."

"The energy pattern is about to usher in a new replacement, and we must be prepared."