My life skills in Daming Liver - Chapter 654

c644 vassal treaty

This discussion on foreign policy finally ended with a proposal from the Metropolitan Governor’s Office.

Su Ze supported the two national policies of “freedom of navigation” and “open door” proposed by Shen Guangxi, but had reservations about “national self-determination.”

According to Su Ze, if national self-determination is agreed to, it will lead to a crisis in the justice of the Central Plains Empire’s rule over surrounding countries. In terms of foreign national policy, internal and external treatment must be treated equally.

Southeast Asia will also maintain “freedom of navigation” and “open door”. Doing so will also safeguard the interests of Southeast Asia. It can be accomplished by itself to the extent that the other party can also accept it.

However, the Central Plains also faces various problems of minority groups, and advocating national self-determination has become a double-standard issue.

However, the importance of diplomatic work was also raised by Su Ze. Now the status of the Xingren Department needs to be further improved. It is possible to discuss the establishment of an independent department responsible for vassal relations and diplomatic relations at the next constitutional meeting.

However, these two national policies were also recognized by Su Ze as policies that all countries in the southeast that already have a tribute system must abide by.

After this meeting, Su Ze received an envoy from Siam.

The Siamese envoy was named Zheng Binuo, an old scholar and the court teacher of the current king of Siam.

Zheng Binuo is half Han Chinese, and the other half is said to come from a noble girl from Tianzhu.

Among the Southeast Asian countries, people like Zheng Binuo are almost the genes of the Southeast Asian countries themselves.

On the one hand, they are deeply influenced by the great powers of the Central Plains. Almost all of them will join the tribute system and learn the culture of the Central Plains.

On the other hand, they were influenced by Tianzhu civilization. Among the founders of Khmer, half of them came from noble daughters of Tianzhu, which is also the other half of their cultural genes.

Zheng Binuo was a scholar with in-depth research on the civilization of the Central Plains, so he was appointed by the leader of Siam to make a pilgrimage to the new overlord of the Central Plains.

Zheng Binuo is familiar with classics, but he was also deeply shocked during his trip here.

Starting from Siam, he first called at several ports in Annam.

Seeing these ports that were quickly built using cement and steel bars, Zheng Binuo felt a deep sense of crisis.

Annan has always been the overlord of the Indochina Peninsula. If Annan had not been divided between the north and the south and often fought internally, Siam and Myanmar would have had no chance to compete for hegemony.

Now that Annan has become a southeastern province, the war between the north and the south has been eliminated. With the input of southeastern technology, Annan’s original excellent port and agricultural foundation have exploded with vigorous development momentum.

In order to transport cane sugar and sugarcane wine out, Annan issued national bonds to purchase new materials and construction teams in the southeast to build docks.

The construction speed of these terminals is amazing. What just amazed Zheng Binuo is that there are too many merchant ships docked at the Annan terminal. Some ports are cleaning up the waterways and ships need to enter the port one after another. These ships have all been queued up. Far outside the port.

Except for Annan, the countries along the way have received a lot of benefits from trade. Supply points have been built on some islands and have become places where ships traveling from north to south stop for consumption, so they also receive a lot of dividends.

Seeing this international trade feast, Zheng Binuo also understood the importance of the Central Plains. Siam must not fall behind in this trade feast!

In comparison, Khmer is in a better position than Siam because Khmer is on the east-west trade route!

If Khmer is allowed to develop, what will happen to Siam?

Zheng Binuo was completely numb after seeing the ports of Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai.

When he finally saw the train, Zheng Binuo had only one idea – the Celestial Kingdom of the Central Plains or the Celestial Kingdom of China, that was Siam’s father!

We must treat the Central Plains with the attitude of serving our father, and we must not slack off at all!

Zheng Binuo’s attitude was very humble, but when he wanted to kneel down and bow to Su Ze, Su Ze helped him up. The legendary Governor Su said:

“We in the southeast can no longer kneel down and do the salute. We can only use this salute when we bow to our parents. Your Majesty, please get up.”

Unexpectedly, Zheng Binuo’s attitude was very firm. He said directly in very fluent Chinese:

“I kneel down to worship the Governor, not as a private gift, but as a small country in Siam. It treats the Central Plains emperor as a serving father. This is Siam’s kowtow to the emperor!”

All the ministers smiled. The Siamese envoy was indeed very good at talking, and the Siamese people were indeed very flexible in character as Shen Guangxi said.

Su Ze laughed and helped Zheng Binuo up. He said kindly:

“Siam has always been submissive to the tributary states of the former Ming Dynasty. We, the Central Plains, have no ill intentions towards Siam.”

After hearing Su Ze’s words, the Siamese envoy finally felt relieved.

Next, Su Ze proposed the “free navigation” and “open door” policies to the Siamese envoys, and introduced the rights and obligations of the southeastern vassal states.

This is the latest regulation drawn up by the Ministry of Rites. Next, Shen Guanyi will sign an agreement with all the Southeast Asian countries to clarify the responsibilities and rights of the suzerain and vassal countries.

To put it simply, as a sovereign state, in principle Southeast does not interfere in the internal affairs of these vassal states. Southeast requires two things.

Free navigation must ensure the free navigation of merchant ships. These countries need to spontaneously attack the surrounding rebels or pirates blocking navigation. If they cannot do it themselves, then the fleet from the southeast will come.

With an open door, these countries must not establish institutions or financial policies that hinder the entry of Southeast goods. They must also ensure the safety of Southeast merchants in port areas and protect the right to free trade.

Zheng Binuo almost agreed to these two items. He even thought it was a good thing.

Next are the benefits enjoyed by vassal states.

First of all, joining the tribute system is equivalent to joining a military alliance. In the future, any attack on a vassal state will be regarded as an attack on the Central Plains. The Southeast will decide whether to send troops to protect its own vassal state based on the situation.

Zheng Binuo was naturally overjoyed. With this alliance, Siam’s military pressure was much reduced.

Then, as the suzerain state, Southeast will also be responsible for mediating the disputes and conflicts within each vassal state, and adjudicating the disputes within these countries.

Although Zheng Binuo was a little reluctant, since Khmer had become a vassal state in the Central Plains, it was no longer possible to annex Khmer by force. But his own safety was also guaranteed, so he might as well join the tribute system quickly to reap the benefits.

Finally, there is the circulation of talents. Like the Khmer, Siam can send a certain number of publicly funded students to participate in the college preparatory courses in the Southeast. After passing the exam, they can go to school in major colleges and universities. These international students can return to China, or they can attend the Southeast Various examinations remain in the Southeast.