Chapter 245: Economic Improvement
After the Malta summit, the Soviet Union and the United States reached a new cooperation agreement, at the cost of giving up most of the Soviet Union's power in Eastern European countries and reducing troops and strategic weapons deployed on the Western Front. At Seryozha's insistence, the United States agreed to the assistance requested by the Soviet Union for the step-by-step withdrawal of troops, and after the Soviet Union completed its withdrawal, it would provide corresponding financial assistance. This is great news for Gorbachev, because when the Soviet Union's large foreign debts expire next year, the Soviet Union can get new loans from the United States and compensation for the withdrawal of troops to make up for the shortfall.
However, the biggest benefit is not direct access to funds, but that the Soviet Union can finally open up to import food, meat products and other urgently needed materials from the United States. On the second day after the signing of the Malta Agreement, many companies under the Gorky Consortium began to enter the Soviet market.
Iridium Corporation entered the Leningrad Special Economic Zone with the world's most advanced satellite telephone system, and Columbia Bank announced the launch of financial business in the Soviet Union. Glencore Group has reached a strategic partnership with Soviet Gas Concern and Soviet Aluminum Concern. Just in the last month of 1989, the Mediterranean Trading Company imported a large amount of food, wine, and meat from the United States and put them on the Soviet New Year's supply market, which greatly eased the supply shortage in the Soviet Union for many years. This makes many people begin to rekindle hope for the future life.
Under Sergey’s careful care for many years, Glencore has completely become a resource trading platform. His business has covered most of the world’s bulk commodities, from South American coffee, soybeans, sugar, Indian From tea, to grains in North America and Australia, as well as resources such as oil spot and mineral products around the world, Glencore is one of the top competitors in these fields. After years of operation, Glencore has become the world's largest grain trader, electrolytic aluminum trader, and spot oil trader. It is also the largest buyer of coffee, soybeans and sugar in South America, and the largest purchaser of gold in South Africa. At present, Glencore is aggressively acquiring copper mines in South America and Africa. Judging from the current situation, it is only a matter of time before Glencore becomes the world's largest copper ore trader.
Most of Glencore's customers are countries that are blocked or lack foreign exchange, so Glencore's barter trade provides a new option for these countries lacking foreign exchange to exchange for the goods they need. Over the years, as Glencore's transaction volume has grown, Sergey has been looking for new markets for Glencore's resource products. From Japan to the United States, Sergey has been trying his best to acquire those profitability Good industrial enterprises to consume resources in the hands of Canon.
Serezha's second special economic zone is planned in Komsomolsk, because it is close to the Far East, it can radiate the entire East Asian region, and it can even directly export products to Canada and North America. The market there is huge and the potential is endless. Serezha has planned a large area of land in Komsomolsk for the construction of new petrochemical projects, as well as new natural gas pipelines and oil pipelines.
Seryozha's large-scale investment has greatly alleviated the serious unemployment situation in the Soviet Union. Because of the start of the natural gas pipeline project, a large number of downstream companies have regained orders, and a large number of unemployed youths have also been recruited again. Natural gas pipeline project.
In order to avoid his hard work being taken away by others after the disintegration, and the Soviet government did not have any money, these projects initiated by Sergio Sa used all foreign funds. After the divestment of the Leningrad Special Economic Zone After the boom, the funds earned from the Japanese market became the main source of development funds for the large-scale construction of the Soviet Union.
Suddenly there were so many construction projects, which made the originally abundant Soviet labor market a little tense. Sergesha's attitude towards the withdrawal of troops has now changed from worry to expectation. The garrison can return to the country earlier so that it can have more manpower for its natural gas pipeline project.
When they heard that the Soviet Union was going to build a petrochemical and natural gas project leading to the Far East, Japan and South Korea were overjoyed. They even offered to provide funds to the Soviet Union to jointly build this huge project. However, Seryozha did not want them to intervene in his own project. He only allowed the two countries to provide loans to the Komsomolsk Special Economic Zone, and repay the loan with products after the project was put into production in the future. Faced with the harsh conditions proposed by Sergey Sha, Japan and South Korea were afraid that the shop would disappear after passing this village, so they finally agreed without hesitation.
Although Seryozha really wanted to export natural gas and oil to China, the current Chinese market has just started, and China is still an oil exporter. It may take several years for China to become a buyer. However, Seryozha knows that the current turmoil in the Japanese financial market will provide China with an excellent opportunity. Because of the collapse of the Japanese financial and credit system, Japan will have to transfer many manufacturing companies overseas in the future. become the largest beneficiary country.
Sergey's large-scale investment made many old subordinates of the Gorky consortium indirectly gain a lot of glory. Hassan received a lot of orders from Sergey to build houses, which made Hassan earn a lot of money. A lot of money. However, due to the large number of orders, those old subordinates who have been with Serezha for many years have also devoted themselves to the production industry of board-built houses. There is really no practical content in the cubicle room, and such a low-entry industry is most suitable for those old subordinates of Seryozha.
Although the current situation seems to be very good, the separatist tendencies of the three Baltic countries still make Seryozha feel a little worried. Seryozha was afraid of a repeat of what happened in Georgia in the Baltic states. For Seryozha, the three Baltic countries are actually not that important. He neither invests in these areas nor installs his own forces in these areas. However, if the Soviet Red Army once again engages in force to suppress the three Baltic countries, it may cause another panic throughout Europe.
Seryozha has now confirmed his position on the three Baltic countries, that is, the Soviet Red Army must not be allowed to use force to suppress it, even if the three countries are really independent, it is nothing special. The current Soviet Union is not suitable for shaking its fists. It should keep a low profile and repent and bury itself in developing its own economy, just like what its southern neighbors have done over the years. Build walls high, accumulate food widely, and become king slowly.