Chapter Seventy-Five Counterattack

  "In accordance with the results of our consultations a few days ago, we can establish that the Chinese delegation must submit our reasonable request to the General Assembly! And it is necessary..."

  Gu Weijun has visited the French branch of AsiaMe Group for the third time, which is currently the largest and strongest in China's domestic market, especially since they have a very powerful group, AsiaMe Group has a significant influence internationally, indirectly giving the autonomous region a great deal of discourse power.

  The Beiyang warlords were the most powerful, holding the central government recognized by imperialist nations. Although their strength was not high or low, as the "central" authority, they still had a certain degree of international voice. The Guangzhou faction was the most revolutionary, but they also had internal contradictions, doing warlordism under the banner of revolution. As for other factions of warlords, they did not even have the qualifications to send representatives to Europe, let alone be recognized internationally.

  Wang Zhengting, who represented Guangzhou, did not need Gu Weijun to persuade him, as he had no strong opinions and did not need to have any views. Gu Weijun, who was eager to gain some benefits or fairness for China on the international stage, could only try to persuade the representatives of the autonomous region. Previously, the Chinese delegation was not a cohesive group, with each member being polite but distant, like water without any common topic to discuss. It wasn't until they happened to gather together that they drew closer and other delegates became aware of the location of the autonomous region's representative office. As a result, Gu Weijun could visit them at any time to stir up trouble.

  "Is that a reasonable request? Must it be?" Cao Guichuan said with a very serious tone, his words filled with skepticism. He gestured to Gu Weijun to just drink tea instead, and after taking a sip himself, shook his head and said: "If Ambassador Gu really wants to fight for China's interests, I'll fully support him with all my might. But have you thought it through carefully? Italy and Japan, these two countries' representatives should have more weight than us Chinese, right? Yet they're also just waiting idly by. The US, UK, and France haven't come up with a mutually beneficial plan, so we weak and small countries are better off just waiting!"

  "But if we do not state our reasonable requests and the treatment we deserve to the world, how can we gain the attention of the world and win the approval of the powers? Gu Weijun was visibly agitated, didn't even drink his tea and stood up directly to talk to Cao Guiquan. "We are representatives of 400 million Chinese people, representing China's national interests, we..." In the end, Gu Weijun himself ran out of words."

  Cao Guichuan also stood up and walked straight to the front of Gu Weijun, saying slowly word by word: "Are you saying that imperialist countries must abandon their spheres of influence in China, withdraw troops and police, abolish foreign post offices and communication agencies, revoke consular jurisdiction and return leased territories and concessions, restore China's tariff autonomy, and so on, including the Twenty-One Demands imposed by Japan?"

  "Yes!" Gu Weijun replied very succinctly, he had that intention and the conference would eventually have to discuss Chinese issues one day, in the future he would represent China to make just demands on the world!

  "Then I'll definitely support you, and when the time comes, I'll prepare a few more pots of tea to soothe your hoarse throat! Apart from that, there's nothing else I can do. You can say that I'm being two-faced towards the country and its people, but our words are destined not to get the results they deserve - this is an indisputable fact, whether you believe it or not!"

  After finishing, Cao Guichuan sat down and stared at the dazed Gu Weijun, shaking his head and sighing before saying kindly: "It's not just you, including me, including all the representatives, we will all say our reasonable requests on the day when we should speak out, even if it's like playing a lute to a cow. Apart from this, we don't need to beg people everywhere, begging others is not as good as begging ourselves!"

  "It's better to seek oneself than to seek others, but how can one seek oneself?" Gu Weijun shook his head in frustration and sat down dejectedly. After finally taking a sip of hot tea, he exchanged a helpless glance with Cao Guichuan, and both of them couldn't help but burst out laughing, a laugh of desperation.

  A weak country has no diplomacy. As a China with no national sovereignty, it is impossible to be taken seriously by the powers. Under the gaze of the whole world, the powers can openly gather together to discuss how to carve up the flesh and blood of the defeated nation, which in itself is a direct manifestation of their beastly nature. Since they are already beasts, they must respect the law of the jungle, where the strong bully the weak. This is what should be done and what is inevitable. How can they possibly listen to the arrangements of the weak?

  "We'll just wait for that day to yell at him, but before that, I hope Ambassador Gu can understand how we are seeking our own interests."

  Cao Guichuan smiled and glanced at Gu Weijun a few times. As the Chinese ambassador to the United States, he might not be the most frugal ambassador in the world, but his attire was indeed keeping up with global trends. The new suit from Asia-America Fashion Company, which had just been showcased at the American fashion show for over $300, was now on Gu Weijun's body. The "Four Great Beauties of Beijing" were not just a title, but were actually made with money.

  "You? I've heard that your People's Army is very capable and has swept across the entire western China, how can you have the idea of advancing east so quickly?" Gu Weijun didn't mean to mock Cao Guiquan, but what he said was indeed true. Truth can be hurtful, and he didn't intend to offend anyone. He hastily added: "I apologize for my previous remark. Perhaps it's because our political views differ, but I must admit that you are indeed outstanding. China would not be in its current state if it were under your rule..."

  "No big deal, having different political views doesn't mean we can't be friends!" Cao Guichuan said, glancing at Gu Weijun a few times, from his shoes, pants, suit, shirt, tie, and hat, only to discover that all of Gu Weijun's attire was made up of products from the autonomous region. If you add the car he rode in, it can be said that various goods from the autonomous region have been integrated into Gu Weijun's life, but these little details cannot change people's minds, especially their entrenched political views.

  "What are my political views? I don't have any, I just have some different opinions on things than ordinary people." After saying that, Gu Weijun took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and continued: "I find it hard to imagine that a country with ***, would also have democracy. I also find it hard to believe that a political party that constantly strengthens industrial construction, expands its military, and advocates nationalism can govern a country well? The current failed German and Italian nations are the best evidence."

  "Are you saying that our party has no future? Or are we not capable of governing China well, managing a country with a population of hundreds of millions and thousands of square kilometers. You might as well say directly that you have no confidence, just like when you choose a new outfit, you doubt its quality and worry whether it will give you a better image. You're someone who doesn't dare to change easily, afraid of how you'll look after changing. But our party has never been afraid of any change..."

  "Aren't you afraid? But you are watching with your eyes open as imperialism bullies the Chinese people, depriving China of its national sovereignty..."

  "Minister Gu, as a diplomat, you should know that everything must be based on facts. When have we in our autonomous region ever stood by and watched other countries bully Chinese people? When have we neglected the welfare of our citizens? Our autonomous region has developed to this day, with an area of hundreds of millions of square kilometers and a population of nearly 200 million people. In terms of politics, economy, agriculture, etc., which aspect is not thriving? When have imperialist countries ever treated Chinese people unfairly under our noses?"

  Cao Guichuan asked one question after another to Gu Weijun, who had been living in the United States for a long time as an ambassador. He may have heard some rumors and was unaware of the true situation regarding various domestic developments, just like many people in coastal areas who were easily misled by rumors. The People's Liberation Army was just one of the warlords, with only a larger territory, more population, and stronger military strength, but its nature of plundering and oppressing could never be washed away.

  "When imperialist nations were busy with European wars and had no time to look east, when Japan invaded China's Shandong and proposed the Twenty-One Demands to destroy China, where were you?"

  "Do you think we should be somewhere? But we ourselves know where we should be. Right, didn't Yuan Shikai agree to Japan's Twenty-One Demands? We even sent troops to oppose him, and we firmly rejected the Twenty-One Demands of Japan. Are you saying that we should fight our way to Shandong and then have a showdown with Japan? Or mobilize wave after wave of people to boycott Japanese goods? Or send out someone like you to negotiate with the Japanese, and if all else fails, make a few protest statements to vent your anger?"

  "But aren't you yourselves advocating to lead the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation? Maintaining national sovereignty and dignity is your inescapable responsibility..." Gu Weijun immediately found a point of rebuttal, he knew some things about the Revival Party, including their astonishingly grand goals, even though they had done quite well within the autonomous region.

  "Responsibility is determined by ability. The capable shouldering more labor does not mean that the capable need to bear all responsibility. When we were weak, we knew how to strengthen ourselves, and after strengthening, have we forgotten the responsibilities that came with it?"

  After a pause, Cao Guichuan decided to be more direct.

  "In short, my point is that if we can take control of state power, then we must also take on all responsibility. This is not only our party's mission but also what a state power should do. But aren't we still far from expanding into a national scale?"

  The two of them exchanged a glance again, laughing even more brightly than before.

  On October 6, 1920, the Big Three of the Paris Peace Conference finally ended their verbal sparring and reached an agreement on a mutually acceptable treaty with Germany. After several months' delay, the conference was at last able to reconvene; as soon as it did, the Big Three hastily published the results of their negotiations without waiting to see if other countries had any objections.

  As a result of their agreement, Germany would lose around 13% of its territory and population, all of its overseas colonies, 16% of its coalfields and nearly half of its steel industry. The west bank of the Rhine River was to be occupied and managed by the Allied powers, with a demilitarized zone extending 50 km east of the river, Germany was prohibited from having an air force, tanks or submarines, and its naval forces were severely limited, while it was also prohibited from conscription.

  The borders of the other countries were also restored, although at the time of the armistice Germany had already ceded Alsace and Lorraine to France, restoring its pre-Franco-Prussian War border, while recognizing Polish independence and ceding territory to Czechoslovakia was a necessary result of the negotiations between the three powers.

  So, the conference had just begun and Germany was already in a predicament. The overly harsh decision made the German representative extremely dissatisfied, and after raising an objection, the American side expressed agreement that some adjustments should be made to certain areas. As a result, the conference had to hastily conclude again, but no one expected this back-and-forth to happen six or seven times. This perfunctory meeting did not come to an end until early November, when Germany finally accepted the revised treaty. Only then did the conference begin to transition into discussing other issues, but it was still unclear when China's turn would come.

  On November 23, the conference finally discussed the Chinese issue. When it was the turn of the Chinese representative to speak, China sent two representatives, Kung Hsiang-hsi and Sao-ke Alfred Sze, who presented the demands that had been previously agreed upon. However, the three major powers dominating the conference - the United States, Great Britain, and France - did not allow for immediate discussion in order to come up with a suitable solution. On November 26, when the conference resumed, Great Britain and France firmly supported Japan's acquisition of Germany's rights in China according to the Twenty-One Demands, and firmly opposed the demands presented by Kung Hsiang-hsi and Sao-ke Alfred Sze for the restoration of Chinese sovereignty.

  On the 26th, at 10:00 am, Britain and France reiterated their claims in front of many representatives. Japan and Italy expressed their appreciation and support one after another. However, Germany, which had already lost its prestige, firmly stood on China's side. At 10:05, the six Chinese representatives present unanimously decided to strongly protest against the British and French resolution. But under the clamor of many British, French, and Japanese mouthpieces, it was indeed difficult for China's cries to shake the conference's decision.

  On the afternoon of the 28th, at 4 o'clock, the dominant voice of the conference was still in favor of Japan's justice rather than China's. The Chinese side had no choice but to announce its refusal to accept this decision as soon as it entered the scene. At that time, the US side, which had been silent and not spoken, finally stood up with its most important head, President Wilson, expressing support for China's right to recover Shandong. Later, the US side left the scene together with the Chinese representative in protest.

  But the cunning Wilson did not say that he supported the Chinese people to recover national sovereignty, making imperialist countries lose their interests and privileges in China, which is the bottom line of all capitalist countries. Supporting the Chinese people to recover Shandong's rights is also what the US thinks Japan's influence in the Far East is too strong, if it is not suppressed, the greedy Japanese will brew unimaginable evil consequences in the Far East.

  The entire agenda and outcome of the conference were widely publicized by the Chinese press. When the conference finally got around to discussing the Chinese issue, two and a half of the Big Three who dominated the Paris Peace Conference had shifted to Japan's side. It can be imagined how the Chinese would react to imperialist countries, especially towards the Japanese.

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