Chapter 72 Accidental Discovery
At that time, the French government decided not to oppose the negotiations between French and Taiwanese businessmen on the sale of frigates from France to Taiwan Island. The scope of the negotiations was limited to the hull and shipboard equipment excluding weapons. The French government has repeatedly stressed that the implementation of this decision will not in any way damage France's consistent position of recognizing the Beijing government as the only legal government of China.
But in fact, everyone knows that this kind of guarantee is actually just deception. If the shipborne weapons and equipment are not used, what is the use of such a beaten sea target?
The Lafayette frigate is a kind of missile frigate with full stealth. In order to achieve stealth to radar, it puts anchoring equipment such as windlass, fairlead, bollard, cable reel, etc. on the main deck below the upper deck. Above, the main deck is surrounded by an inward bulwark that acts as a stealth, and there are operation holes on the bulwark for the operation of throwing and mooring cables when docking. These operation holes are covered with covers during navigation.
Except for the helicopter take-off and landing deck, all the side railings on the upper deck have been cancelled, and the side boats and davits are also retracted into the superstructure. In addition, the mast and chimney are also designed to be sloped, and even sloped covers are installed on both sides of the anti-aircraft missile launcher, and the appearance of the artillery and radar wireless has also been improved to enhance stealth. After such thorough technical measures, when the helicopter on the ship took off to perform a mission and needed to return home, the mother ship could not be found by radar, and the mother ship was required to put away the net curtain of the rectangular manhole on the side of the superstructure, deliberately increasing the number of manholes. The location of the Lafayette ship can only be found after large radar reflections.
Its infrared stealth measures are mainly aimed at hot areas, such as exhaust chimneys, etc., instead of steel plates that are prone to infrared radiation, glass fiber reinforced plastics are used, coated with special coatings, and heat insulation is strengthened to suppress infrared radiation. The strength of the radiation body.
The Lafayette ship uses four French-made diesel engines. With a total power of 20,000 horsepower and two-shaft propulsion, the engine room is usually unmanned, and the operation is carried out in the whole ship control center, where the power plant, power station, anti-rolling system, three-defense system and damage control system can be operated.
In terms of anti-sea weapons and equipment, it includes two quadruple-installed Exocet anti-ship missile launchers, which are arranged on the top of the central superstructure, equipped with eight bombs, with a range of 70 kilometers, and the missiles fly across the sea. A 100mm automatic gun is mounted on the deck. It has a range of 17 kilometers and has a magazine that can accommodate 600 shells. When the helicopter is equipped with air-launched Exocet missiles, it can also perform anti-ship missions. For this reason, the ship has a missile depot under the helicopter take-off and landing deck, and is equipped with a special elevator.
Although this advanced weapon is called a missile frigate, as long as it is equipped with missiles, it is more than capable of protecting or attacking. Therefore, Beijing was very opposed to it at the time.
"It's not easy for the Taiwanese to buy. France sold six frigates to Taiwan. The total price originally agreed was 11 billion francs, but the final transaction price was as high as 16 billion francs. About 2.7 billion U.S. dollars , This price is more than three times that of Singapore buying the same number of Lafayette frigates." The ambassador said to Fan Wubing, "France and Taiwan signed a purchase contract for 60 Phantoms at the end of last year for 2,000.
The value is also quite good. ****Although we first made representations to the French side, we stated that we would never tolerate this matter. Then it sent an economic and trade delegation to visit France and made it clear that if the French side gave up selling Mirage fighters to Taiwan. The Chinese side can purchase two billion US dollars of French products in cash. At the same time, a project list with a total amount of 15.4 billion U.S. dollars was provided to the French side—"
"This kind of thing can't be stopped——" Fan Wubing said to the ambassador, "They don't just want to count the income from selling arms. More importantly, the profit from arms is too great. The intensity of bribery is also great. Two If you have the guts of 1.7 billion dollars, you can spend at least 700 million dollars in bribes! Although you have proposed to buy French goods worth 2 billion dollars, this is of no practical benefit to government officials! Which one do you think people will choose? "
"Isn't it? Could it be that they did such a thing that damaged the relationship between the two countries just because of hundreds of millions of dollars?" Hearing Fan Wubing's words, the ambassador felt that there was no reason at all.
"This is because the French feel that the Chinese are easy to bully—and there is also a political need. It is probably caused by the general election, and some people want to get some benefits—" Fan Wubing gave the three most important reasons. listed.
The ambassador nodded, what Fan Wubing said was indeed reasonable.
At that time, the French Socialist government was facing a domestic general election, and there was nothing to show for it, so it was dishonest and desperate, trying to reap immediate benefits as a performance in power. ^^^^ At that time, there were still many people in the French decision-making class who believed that China's approach was weak and deceitful, and that China would swallow this cup of bitter wine.
As a result, France's wishful thinking was wrong. Later, China began to react strongly, withdrawing some large-scale cooperation projects under negotiation with France, such as the Guangzhou Metro, the second phase of the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, and the purchase of French wheat, etc., and strictly controlled the exchanges of personnel above the vice-ministerial level , Immediately close the French Consulate General in Guangzhou, etc.
"The French Socialist Party stepped down this year, so the new government wants to improve Sino-French relations. Considering actual interests, this negotiation will continue. However, we still have to severely sanction several companies that sell arms to Taiwan." The ambassador said to Fan Wubing.
Fan Wubing shrugged his shoulders and said, "Such sanctions are meaningless to them. Anyway, China won't buy their weapons?"
But in this way, Fan Wubing finally understood the reason why those Taiwanese people appeared here. He was quite interested in these people, so he went over there to hear what they had to say.
The result was really unlucky. Those people were arguing with the French foreign minister, Roland Dumas, but they were speaking in French, and Fan Wubing couldn't understand a word. All in all, they were arguing fiercely, blushing and thick-necked. "What are they talking about?" Fan Wubing could only ask the two sisters Giselle and Adriana.
After listening for a while, Giselle said to Fan Wubing, "Those Taiwanese said that the warships we sold to them were of substandard quality, and there were many worn-out equipment in many places, which did not meet the conditions stated in the contract at all. Refuse to accept these warships. ***** requires our company to pay compensation and act in accordance with the contract."
"How does that old French man answer?" Fan Wubing looked at Roland Dima and asked Giselle.
"He said that this is a commercial dispute, which should be negotiated between the companies of France and Taiwan, and has nothing to do with the government." Giselle relayed to Fan Wubing.
"This old man pushes very cleanly!" Fan Wubing said with a smile.
He knows a little bit about the current Taiwan military leaders. Lee Teng-hui can't continue to work, so he thinks about how to defeat the current government and divide Lao Jiang's family fortune. Ah Bian once again shouted slogans to rise to power, the political and military circles were troubled by the problem of black money, and many gangsters were vying to spend money to run for the legislators. There is basically no combat effectiveness in the army, and high-level corruption is very serious.
In this arms sale case, it is estimated that there are not a few high-ranking officials in the Taiwan military who have accepted bribes, and it seems that Lee Teng-hui cannot escape. Without his authorization, the military would not be able to spend so much money.
Adriana was still listening to them, and after a while she said in surprise, "The Taiwanese said. He found that there were thirty-four defects on the Lafayette frigate, so he was going to go back to Taiwan to file a motion, suggesting that the military Cancel the arms purchase plan this time."
oh? Fan Wubing couldn't help but took a serious look at that person, and found that he was a colonel and officer, under the age of fifty, he looked quite capable, and at first glance he was a top professional. ****The kind of person who relies on his own strength to rise to the top.
but. This guy is too naive.
Even if you want to reject this arms purchase, you shouldn't be stupid and tell the French in person, right? After returning to Taiwan. Talk to the higher-ups about the problem, and it will be fine. He opposed this business so fiercely, but it would offend many people. It is estimated that many people are even thinking of killing him now.
The arms dealer wants to kill a small military officer who doesn't like it, it's just a matter of stretching his little finger, it's really nothing.
So Fan Wubing said solemnly to the two sisters, "I bet, this guy will definitely have some bad luck!"
However, this kind of incident happened suddenly tonight, which made Fan Wubing more thoughtful. If he wants to buy a French Airbus plane, he should keep a handle in his hands. The money cannot be bought at once. After paying in full, at least make an installment payment, so as not to be deceived by them with second-hand goods. If any parameter does not meet the requirements of the product manual, Fan Wubing has the right to demand deductions land!
Fan Wubing strolled around the hall again, and this time there were many people who greeted him warmly, probably because many people learned about Fan Wubing's details from various channels, and knew that he was from mainland China. The hottest business tycoon is still a big crocodile in the financial market. Looking at him now, there is no slightest contempt.
Faced with so many people's warm greetings, Fan Wubing seemed very calm and at ease, but the two sisters beside him were shocked when they suddenly found that their boss had suddenly become the focus of the Palace of Versailles.
"Sister, isn't our annual salary set a little lower?" Adriana looked at the dignitaries who greeted Fan Wubing, and said to her sister Giselle with regret.
Giselle glanced at her sister with some dissatisfaction. Could this kind of thing change easily? Although she also felt that Fan Wubing's identity was very important, and he might be a wizard, but since everyone was out to mess around, she couldn't keep her word, otherwise, it would be difficult to gain a foothold in the Tao.
Fan Wubing seemed to have heard the conversation between the two sisters, so he turned his head to look at Adriana, and then said with a smile, "It's easy to ask for a salary increase, but the premise is that your work is worthy of my salary increase. Work hard, little girl!"
Adriana was a little annoyed at once, and looked at Fan Wubing and stammered, "Oh my God! You actually called me a little girl?! Is this how you talk to a hereditary earl?!"
Fan Wubing shook his head and said, "To me, a little girl is a little girl, whether it's an earl, a duke, or even a queen, they are all the same when they take off their clothes."
Looking at the two sisters who were blushing a little bit by his bold words, Fan Wubing smiled and said, "Well, maybe it should be a little different, the smoothness of the skin should be different."
"Rogue—" the two sisters commented in unison.
Fan Wu didn't care about his illness, he just looked at the French Foreign Minister Roland Dima who was still talking there, and then said to the two sisters suddenly, "Do you think Roland Dima has a lover?"
If the Chinese listened to this, they would probably be a little slanderous, after all, that guy is already an old man, with that kind of virtue and the title of a high-ranking government official, how could he not be so indiscreet in his private life? It was a bit too much for Fan Wubing to say that about a high-ranking foreign government official.
If the ambassador heard it, he would probably have to say a few words about Fan Wubing, for example, what kind of words are not conducive to the improvement of Sino-French relations.
But it happened to be two little French girls who heard his words. French romanticism, lovers are not such a big deal, so Giselle replied, "There should be, right? Just look it up carefully." , is not difficult to find."
"Very good!" Fan Wubing said to Giselle very satisfied, "This is the first task I give you, which is to find out Roland Dima's lover, and provide as much detailed information as possible. If there is a task, there will be a bonus!"
After hearing this, the two sisters were a little tempted. This kind of work of inquiring about ** was very in line with the nature of their previous work. It can be said that they are familiar with it.
However, it is very challenging to check the identity of the French foreign minister and the fifth person in France.
But the two sisters also have something to rely on, after all, they are also nobles with the title of earl!