The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Chapter 246 Second Batch of Delivery

In the final analysis, it’s still poverty!

Yes, China is too poor now, extremely poor!
530 million troops, and military expenditure of 180 billion per year!
On average, each soldier earns 3396 yuan per year.

But you have to know that the daily food, drink, defecation and urination of 530 million troops is a considerable expense. They also have to accommodate retired soldiers and laid-off soldiers, as well as provide them with uniforms and shoes, and purchase weapons and ammunition.
In fact, there is not much subsidy that can be given to the laid-off soldiers.

It could be 10 yuan, or it could be more or less.

But what is certain is that there are not many at all.

Those who were transferred to the Public Security Bureau were at least doing well. Those who were directly laid off and sent home were unemployed, and either had to find odd jobs here and there, or go back to the countryside to farm, and the hands that once held guns would now hold hoes.

Liu Tao was not in a good mood, but he slowly adjusted himself after being infected by his son's innocent laughter.

This is the general trend, no one can change it.

Only by making China truly prosperous and strong can the problem be fundamentally solved.

Looking at the treatment of soldiers forty years later would definitely make the soldiers of this era burst into tears.

At that time, the standard of soldier allowance was very low: 6 yuan per month in the first year of enlistment, which is 72 yuan per year; 7 yuan per month in the second year, which is 84 yuan per year; 8 yuan per month in the third year, which is 96 months per year; 10 yuan per month in the fourth year, which is 120 yuan per year; 15 yuan per month in the fifth year, which is 180 yuan per year; and 20 yuan per month in the sixth year, which is 240 yuan per year.

That is to say, after serving in the army for six years, the total allowance for a soldier is only 792 yuan.

This figure is not even enough for Liu Tao’s total income for one month.

And the root of all this, in the final analysis, is poverty!

China is not weak now, but it is poor!
Poverty is a disease, a scary disease!
After ending his vacation, Liu Tao did not choose to return directly to Panshan Machinery Factory, but took a plane to Yangcheng with Liu Zhenbang, Al and others.

This time, it is the second batch of orders delivered to Iraq and the first batch of orders delivered to Saudi Arabia.

Of course, there were two days between the two deliveries.

Liu Tao picked up the glass filled with Moutai, gestured to Al, and they both drank a glass of wine.

"Mr. Al, there is absolutely no problem with this batch of goods. I guarantee you will be satisfied." Liu Tao smiled faintly.

Al smiled and said, "I trust you on this point, my friend! You are the most honest person in the world."

Al was not worried at all about this, because there would basically be no problems with the goods delivered by Liu Tao.

That's why the balance of the shipment was paid yesterday.

According to the agreement between the two parties, in addition to half of the deposit paid when signing the contract agreement, each batch to be delivered will have a corresponding list and the corresponding balance to be paid.

The goods can only be shipped after the final payment is made.

Iraq is now continuing to replenish a batch of advanced tanks, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, firearms and ammunition.

The truth is that on the battlefield, too many tanks and armored vehicles originally equipped by Iraq were destroyed.

The T54 and T55 tanks cannot withstand anti-tank missiles at all, and the Type 59 tank cannot withstand anti-tank missiles either.

Although the Iraqi army also destroyed a large number of Persian tanks and armored vehicles, Iraq lost more tanks and armored vehicles, which was not cost-effective for Iraq.

Because tank armored power is the biggest advantage of the Iraqi army.

Fortunately, Iraq also shot down and damaged many Persian planes, making it difficult for Persian planes to appear over the battlefield easily. Otherwise, the situation on the battlefield would have been broken.

Al also knew where the weapons and ammunition in the hands of the Persians came from, but this was an international practice and they couldn't say anything.

They are arms dealers, they are in the arms business, as long as you pay them, they are willing to sell without other conditions, it is already a very good thing. Look at the arms purchase agreements signed by Iraq and other European and American countries before, as soon as they saw the war, they immediately raised the price.

As for the spirit of contract, that's bullshit and worthless.

Only the Chinese believe that Westerners value the spirit of contract.

You have to know that the basic nature of Westerners used to be pirates. How can pirates have any integrity?

It was only forty years later that China came to its senses and realized that it had thought too highly of them!
"Mr. Al, our principles are consistent. We are just arms dealers and do not represent the country. We are open for business. Once an agreement is negotiated and signed, it will not change and there will be no additional conditions." Liu Tao said with a smile.

Al nodded. "We have a deep understanding of this. Otherwise, we wouldn't have cooperated with each other so many times."

"We will introduce you, my friend, to our friends in the Arab world!" said Al.

Liu Tao didn't think Al was talking nonsense, because in fact, Al had introduced him to several clients in the past year.

Although these clients are not as wealthy as Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Libya, every little bit of money is still money, and the total amount can be considerable if accumulated.

Liu Tao and Al were communicating in Arabic. Liu Zhenbang on the side was dumbfounded and couldn't get a word in at all. He only knew Russian, but not English or Arabic.

Before we knew it, the plane had landed at Yangcheng Airport.

As soon as they left the airport, they got on the foreign trade working group's car and headed to the dock.

Compared to the last time, the facilities at the dock are more complete, with more warehouses and various handling equipment.

Much of the equipment at this port is shipped in through the Hong Kong River, and it can be said that this port has the strongest loading and unloading capacity in the mainland.

Liu Tao took Al and others to inspect the goods one by one.

Even if it's just a formality, the necessary procedures still have to be followed.

At the same time, the fleet was unloading cargo at the dock on the other side. These cargoes were all from Africa, including iron ore, copper ore, etc., which needed to be smelted in China.

As night fell, the fleet had unloaded its cargo and began to dock at the pier here.

The warehouse was opened, and the Iraqi soldiers who were trained here got on the Type 80 tanks and Type 80 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns one by one.

Then they drove Type 80 tanks and self-propelled anti-aircraft guns into the cargo hold of the cargo ship.

There are a total of four cargo ships this time, all transported separately.

It’s not that it can’t be installed, but it’s to reduce the risk.

The ocean is full of endless risks. No one knows whether the ship will hit a reef or be stopped for inspection while sailing.

Disperse the loads so that even if one ship has an accident, there are still three ships that can reach the destination.

Seeing that these ships were flying the British flag or even the American flag, Liu Tao secretly sighed in his heart that this was the current situation of the ocean. Merchant ships flying the flags of these two countries could sail unimpeded on the ocean.

It is unknown when China's merchant ships will be able to sail freely on the oceans and reach every corner of the world by sea.

This may take ten, twenty or even thirty years.

Liu Tao firmly believed that one day, Chinese merchant ships would be able to transport freely on the oceans without any worries.

If there are pirates, the Chinese Navy can provide ocean-going escort.

(End of this chapter)