Nanming: I can build wonders

Chapter 542 Daming Empire Free Trade Special Zone (Please subscribe!)
All the local merchants who were persuading them to drink looked at each other and shook their heads.

Xu Dehai, who was upstart in Yingtian, persuaded him: "Master Zhang is too drunk! Ask someone to bring a bowl of hangover soup. Come, Mr. Edward, Mr. Jin Jingheng, me, let's continue drinking!"

Zhang Tingyu lay down beside the table, dazedly, as if he was about to fall asleep.

Edward, who was aroused, and the French businessman La Roque exchanged glances with each other, and immediately understood.

Edward was full of smiles, and his voice was extremely soft, and he said in his proficient but somewhat weird tone of official dialect: "Mr. Zhang, it is unbelievable that you are the county magistrate at such a young age! There are also secrets that we don't know, This is impossible."

It has to be said that Edward's aggressive method is extremely superficial.

But Mr. Zhang, who was about to fall asleep, chose this trick, slapped the table violently, and shouted clearly with his tongue out: "Don't you believe me, I, Zhang Tingyu, is the county magistrate of Shanghai personally appointed by His Majesty!"

"This Shanghai County is a special area, and it is not comparable to ordinary counties like cats and dogs!"

"Let me tell you Westerners, the emperor himself said that Shanghai will be developed into the largest port in Ming Dynasty, and that he plans to announce the establishment of a duty-free trade zone next month. Whether it is coming to trade or setting up factories in the trade zone, They are all tax-free, if I didn’t have the capital, I would have resigned from office and turned to business.”

Edward was extremely shocked!

This is great news!

If Daming has a duty-free free trade port, then the future of this place will be extremely bright.

Edward calculated in his mind that with this kind of policy, even a small fishing village would become a giant within five years of development.

Because of the construction of the wonder of Wusong Lighthouse, Zhu Kezang wanted to add fire to this place!

In his vision, there will be no tariffs on general goods at that time, and only a small amount of management tax and ad valorem tax will be paid for the import and export of any goods, the cost will be greatly reduced, and the related customs inspection procedures will also be reduced. Much simpler.

Zhu Kezang knows that future generations, even Hong Kong Island, a small isolated island and a place where birds don't shit, can rely on the benefits of no tariffs to develop.

As for Shanghai County, it is located in the center of the south of the Yangtze River, the most affluent area of ​​the Ming Empire, and it is also a large port that has access to the water conservancy of the Yangtze River.

There is also a sea transportation along the north and south coasts, and various railways are being built. This is poor in material, and the small Hong Kong Island, which is completely dependent on Guangzhou, is far from comparable.

Historically, when Hong Kong Island was just opened as a port, the businessmen who went there to invest and do business have made huge profits for more than ten years, making people enviable.

These businessmen are sharp-minded. Although they can't see it as clearly as Zhu Kezang, they can also see the huge opportunities contained in this model!
Edward became excited after thinking about it, clenched his fists, and secretly thought that he must seize this opportunity!

Early the next morning, Edward and the French businessman La Roque went to visit quietly, but they were told: It's nothing like that.

But how could the two of them believe it, they believed more and more that what they said before was true.

It's a pity that Zhang Tingyu refused to let go, and was finally entangled until he had no choice but to say: If you don't register your intention, you can come to the government to register a company or open a factory when the official news comes out next month.

Zhang Tingyu just told them that it is better for foreigners to invest in light industrial labor-intensive factories such as cotton textile industry and shoe factory, because foreigners will definitely not be able to open heavy industry factories, and as a brother, he can only disclose so much.

Unwilling to reconcile, the two tried to bribe everywhere, but even though they were shut down, they couldn't get any detailed information.

In desperation, Edward lost his mind. After discussing with La Locke, he decided to wait for a while, and when the news came out next month, he hurried to America and Tianzhu to buy a batch of cotton!
Fortunately, just a few days later, the news came.

On this day, Edward came to the consulate together with La Locke as usual, and as soon as he entered the door, he heard the Ming interpreter eagerly telling them: A notice was posted outside the city gate of Shanghai.

The two and several other European merchants who heard the news hurriedly came to the North City Gate together. Edward had stayed in Daming for a year, so he was naturally familiar with those square characters:
"Notice"

Citizens of the Ming Empire (Holy Ming Alliance) and friendly people from other countries: In order to develop the economy of the Ming Empire, enhance the industrial base of the empire, and successfully complete the first five-year plan, the Zhenru University Scholars Conference has made the following decisions.

[-]. Open and establish three specific areas, Zhuhai Town, Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture, Pudong Town, Shanghai County, Songjiang Prefecture, and Dagu Town, Tianjin County, Tianjin Prefecture, as free trade special zones, namely Guangzhou Zhuhai Special Zone, Songjiang Pudong Special Zone, and Tianjin Dagu Special Zone.

100. For all kinds of shops and workshops of foreign firms that have completed registration before July [-] next year in the territory of the above three free trade zones, with a registered capital of more than [-] million silver dollars, they will be exempted from customs duties in the first year, and start from the second year. [-]% discount on tariffs.

[-]. For the establishment of business entities such as foreign firms, factories, and workshops in the free trade zone, the land rent can be discounted by [-]%.

A map was also posted next to it, indicating the scope of the Shanghai Pudong Special Economic Zone. All Shanghai counties east of the Huangpu River are designated as the Pudong Special Zone.

There is also a detailed plan, and the area along the Huangpu River is divided into a heavy industry area, a light industry area, a banking area, a commercial area, and so on.

Seeing the preferential conditions, the two were overjoyed, knowing that their waiting these days was not in vain, this is a good opportunity to make a fortune.

They immediately decided to set up a foreign firm. However, according to the regulations in the notice, the registered capital should be more than 100 million silver dollars.

But where do they have 100 million silver dollars?

This requires real cash for capital verification.

At this time, Edward had an idea, and discussed with Laroque: "The local merchants in Yingtian seem to have strong funds. If we can partner with them, wouldn't we have enough funds? We have raw materials, and they have technology and funds. Wonderful!"

La Roque also agreed very much, and immediately found a few rich men in Yingtian to discuss the matter of making money together

Two days later, several people went to the Commerce Bureau in Shanghai County together, only to find that Qian Jue and Zhang Tingyu were both there, and with a smile ordered his subordinates to help them with the registration procedures.

After several procedures and paperwork filling, they registered "HSBC Commercial Bank", and they quickly raised funds and deposited them in the Shanghai Branch of the Imperial Bank of Ming Dynasty!
Edward is satisfied, Daming is simply a paradise, although only the first year is exempt from tariffs, but the subsequent [-]% discount is also very good.

Because, the newly established customs of the Ming Empire collected a lot of customs duties.

At present, the Ming Dynasty is going to establish customs offices in various sea trade ports. The customs offices are directly under the central court of the Ming Dynasty. The first head of the customs office in the Ming Dynasty is Qu Dajun, a scholar.

The discipline and obedience of these people are very good, and they are loyal to Zhu Kezang and Daming. It is safe to use them to manage customs.

Customs is a good thing. Apart from collecting money, they are also responsible for the important task of regulating the supply and demand of Ming Dynasty.

　In the new January, I beg my brothers to order a monthly pass!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)