Chapter 123 Of course, I'll get everyone involved in investing (bug fix): Is this the Siberian cold wind?

Sakhalin Island is Russia's largest island.

How big is it? Its area is roughly equivalent to two Taiwans.

This island once belonged to China, but it was lost during the Qing Dynasty.

They didn't fight; they simply signed a treaty and ceded the land. After ceding it, the Qing government was quite pleased with itself, thinking it had appeased Tsarist Russia with these barren territories—truly a clever strategist.

I really want to punch someone! If you don't rebel after transmigrating to the Qing Dynasty, you've wasted your time!

Leaving aside Hong Kong and Macau, just the fact that they handed over Outer Manchuria, Vladivostok, Sakhalin Island, and other such places to Tsarist Russia is enough to make one want to vomit blood.

Take Sakhalin Island for example. Leaving aside its abundant coal and oil and gas resources, here's a statistic: From 1935 to 1937, Sakhalin Island produced 75% of Japan's total oil output.

Here's another statistic: the bulk of the oil and natural gas that China imports from Russia comes from Sakhalin Island.

Money, lots and lots of money.

Even a spendthrift wouldn't squander money like this.

Oh, right, that's right. After Sakhalin Island was ceded to Russia, China had nothing to do with it anymore.

From the 20th century onwards, it was entirely a struggle between Japan and Russia for control of the island. It wasn't until after World War II that Japan, as a defeated nation, completely lost control of Sakhalin Island.

Ivanov's information is correct; in the 1970s, the Soviet Union discovered the largest oil and gas field on Sakhalin Island.

There was no further news because it wasn't until the late 1980s that the Soviet Union began extensive research and design work on its continental shelf.

Why did things stall in the middle? Nobody knows for sure.

This may be related to the fact that Sakhalin Island was heavily garrisoned during the Cold War, serving as a frontline in the confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union.

Anyway, during this period, something that shocked the world happened.

In 1983, due to excessive tension, the troops stationed on Sakhalin Island mistook a civilian airliner that had strayed into South Korea for an invading enemy plane and shot it down, killing all 200-plus passengers on board.

Of course, some people say that the passenger plane was on a spy mission at the time.

Anyway, both sides have their own reasons, and Wang Xiao still doesn't understand what's going on.

Since the Soviet Union has already collapsed, what's the point of talking about this anymore?

It's estimated that even the Russian authorities don't care anymore.

What they care about now is that oil and gas are valuable, but developing them costs money.

Therefore, in 1990, after the Soviet Ministry of Petroleum Industry and the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry signed an agreement to start the construction of the first platform, the Ministry of Petroleum Industry and the government of Sakhalin Oblast, where Sakhalin Island is located, decided to introduce foreign investment.

They want Western companies with sufficient experience in developing similar oil fields—and, to emphasize, companies with substantial financial resources—to collaborate with Russian companies on the development.

"but--"

Ivanov's friend passionately emphasized, "Your actions in recycling down jackets have shown the regional government your sense of responsibility. Therefore, the regional government has agreed to let you join the development team."

He probably had a piece of paper in front of him, so he was able to talk at length about the benefits of developing the Sakhalin Island (also known as Sakhalin Island) oil and gas fields.

For example, Sakhalin Island has a unique location, and the oil and gas extracted there can be transported to Russia or exported to other countries.

For example, all the large oil fields are located in relatively shallow waters, only thirty to fifty meters deep, and are not far from the coast.

This makes it easy to build facilities along the coast, which helps reduce ecological risks and also reduces the need for large capital investments.

For example, long-term contracts for gas fields can be signed, for twenty or forty years, and the liquefied gas produced can be supplied to both Japan and South Korea.

They especially need it.

So, don't worry about not being able to sell the extracted oil and gas; they are a treasure, and demand far exceeds supply.

Having the information in hand really makes a difference. Ivanov's friend talked on and on without making a single mistake, completely dominating the room.

But Ivanov wasn't afraid at all; he had a note in his hand too.

Wang Xiao was acting as his strategist.

The paper contained only one sentence: "That's great, then why not cooperate with Japan?"

After Ivanov finished reading, he habitually added his own commentary: "Didn't our great president go to Japan to plead poverty and ask for Japanese aid? Are the Japanese no longer interested in our Sakhalin Island?"

Moreover, Sakhalin Island is located in the northern waters of Japan, which is relatively close to Japan, resulting in lower oil and gas transportation costs.

The friend on the other end of the phone nearly jumped up: "Hey! Forget about those damn Japanese. Everyone talks about economic cooperation, but they insist that economics and politics are inseparable. They not only want our Southern Kuril Islands, but they also want the area south of 50° North latitude on Sakhalin Island. That's all ours, our territory!"

His voice was so loud it practically came out of the microphone.

Ivanov glanced at Wang Xiao subconsciously, but Wang Xiao rolled his eyes at the sky, expressionless.

He quickly interrupted his friend: "So?"

“Okay.” His friend stopped beating around the bush and told him the truth: “The state government thinks you have money and should be able to develop the oil and gas fields.”

So many down jackets, and they have absolutely nothing to do with them, yet they just change them whenever they want.

Oh, by the way, can the ones from the Far East be exchanged? A colleague in his department bought one for his wife, but it's completely unwearable.

"Change it, change it, send it over. Oh well, just tell me the size, color, and style you want. We'll just bring it with us when we go."

Such a big deal can't be decided over the phone; we have to go and investigate on-site.

My friend perked up and excitedly agreed, "I'll ask right away and let you know."

After hanging up the phone, Ivanov apologized to Wang Xiao first: "Sorry, my friend, uh..."

He didn't know what to say.

Regarding the history of Sakhalin Island, he certainly couldn't share the brainwashed notion that it was first discovered by the Russians.

That's right, once you've swallowed something, you can't spit it out.

In this respect, he was a Marxist, not a communist.

At the very least, like all Russians, he never considered returning Sakhalin Island, the Outer Manchuria, or Vladivostok to the Chinese.

Because Russia's history is a history of expansion. Putting aside other factors, Russia has acquired almost a third of its territory from China, all of which were seized in this way.

Even during the Soviet era, in 1929, the Soviet Red Army seized Heixiazi Island.

In the 1950s, when relations between the two countries were close, the Soviet Union never even considered returning the money.

Moreover, this applies to Russia today.

Wang Xiao simply made a stop gesture, indicating that discussing these matters was pointless.

Because everyone knows that unless there is another war, it is absolutely impossible to reach a satisfactory conclusion to a territorial dispute through simple talks.

So let's put aside things that are destined to lead nowhere and do something practical.

Ivanov was more than happy to agree and quickly focused on the oil and gas field.

He was particularly cautious, and his opening statement was: "Sakhalin Island, we need to carefully examine whether it is worth investing in."

The current situation is quite delicate. In September of this year, the president, who was drunk for at least half the day, was originally scheduled to visit Japan.

However, the state visit was postponed due to the territorial dispute between the two countries.

The Russian president told the Japanese foreign minister that if Japan did not set aside the territorial issue and directly aid Russia, the current Russian federal government would collapse.

As a result, the Japanese Foreign Minister refused to budge an inch, emphasizing that if the territorial issue was not resolved, Japan would begin aiding Russia, and Prime Minister Miyazawa would be finished.

If the two countries can reach an agreement on this point, there is no doubt that the development of Sakhalin Island's oil and gas fields will be a sure thing for the Japanese.

"Your Majesty, do you think there's any chance they can reach an agreement?"

"That's impossible."

Without hesitation, Wang Xiao said, "This is a typical irreconcilable contradiction."

Japan, or rather the entire Western world, does not want to see a powerful Russia.

And you, are you willing to back down? To back down to Japan?

To put it bluntly, if it were a territorial dispute with the United States, you might actually consider it.

As for Japan, I think it's unrealistic.

Ivanov covered his mouth and chuckled, "This is a very delicate issue of national sentiment."

Although most of Russia's territory is in Asia, it considers itself a European country.

It possesses a strong sense of national superiority in the eyes of Asians.

Especially Japan, it's not like we haven't fought them before, they're defeated by them.

Wang Xiao couldn't help but complain again: "Actually, I really don't understand what your national leaders are thinking."

Have the West gone mad? Why would they provide aid to you and help you become stronger?

Don't forget, you possess formidable military strength. Even if all your weapons were destroyed, your soft power would still remain. Besides, these weapons are still here.

For Russia, and indeed for all the CIS countries, the biggest problem is the economy.

If the economic crisis is resolved, how will our threat level against them differ from that during the Soviet era?

This isn't a question of whether you want to threaten them, it's a question of whether you can!

How can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed?

The United States supported Japan in order to increase its allies in Asia and to counter the Soviet Union.

What is the US's motive for aiding Russia? To make them stronger so they can confront Russia itself?

Believing in Western economic aid is not naive, it's foolish.

Ivanov, already numb, shrugged and said expressionlessly, "Who told us to have a group of truly stupid and truly shrewd national leaders who pretend to be ignorant when they know the truth?"

Okay, we can all agree on this: relations between Japan and Russia may cool down in the short term.

This is probably their chance.

However, this lukewarm period should not last too long.

Due to its geographical advantage, Russia has a strong advantage in exporting oil and natural gas to Japan.

For Japan, importing energy from Sakhalin Island is the best option compared to the distant Middle East.

Most importantly, one was short of money, while the other was flush with cash. One needed to export, and the other needed to import, so they quickly reached an agreement.

Therefore, they need to finalize this matter as soon as possible.

However, before setting off, the two still divided the work.

Ivanov first used his social skills to try to obtain relevant data on Sakhalin Island's oil and gas exploration from within.

Investing in oil and gas fields carries a strong sense of adventure.

It's not surprising that you spend a lot of money and time, and everyone says there's oil and gas there, only to find out there's nothing there.

The most infuriating thing is that you throw money at something until you can't keep up and have to quit, then the next person who joins does a little tweaking and suddenly, wow, the oil is coming out and the gas is coming out; it's not some miracle, but something that could happen at any time.

This kind of investment is all about the thrill.

Therefore, in order to reduce the probability of loss, detailed first-hand information is essential.

Wang Xiao was busy dealing with matters related to the wholesale market.

She could arrange for her subordinates to handle the other follow-up work, but the most crucial task of bringing the speculators over had to be done by her personally.

Because this is equivalent to attracting investment.

Wang Xiao emphasized that the advantage of this military barracks wholesale building is that it can integrate warehousing and sales.

No one disagreed with this, because that's how the Ritan Hotel in Beijing operates.

What Mr. Wang is doing in Moscow now is just a variation of it.

But the problem is, isn't your rent a bit too high? Three hundred US dollars for a single room, that's almost the price of a storefront on the street.

Wang Xiao smiled and said, "This is a storefront. How can opening a storefront for business not be considered a storefront?"

"But with three hundred dollars, I could rent a very large apartment, a detached house with at least two rooms."

Wang Xiao retorted without backing down: "But can you run a business in the house you rent? Even if your landlord doesn't care, will customers come to you on their own? No."

She tapped the table, reminding everyone, "This is the clustering effect. When everyone lives together and runs a business, whether people are buying goods or wholesale, they will prioritize you."

Those who still make a living in the free market today have suddenly realized the truth.

So it turns out that the reason this patient wholesale market is valuable is because of their existence.

Isn't this like being sold out and still helping the seller count the money? I feel like I'm going to vomit blood.

Wang Xiao reminded everyone, "I'm not just taking this three hundred dollars without doing any work. First, I need to arrange a patrol team to prevent theft and trouble from the Mafia. Second, I need to cultivate relationships to avoid being extorted by the police. Third, I need to hire people to clean, cook, and do laundry. All of these things cost money. If you don't believe me, ask Third Sister and Master Zhuang. How much do you all spend each month just on cultivating relationships if you run a shop?"

The third sister immediately complained, "Oh dear, let me tell you, I have to spend at least half of my money every month on greasing palms. Those Russians can be ruthless when they get greedy."

Fearing that people might not understand, she specifically emphasized, "It's even darker than in China."

Everyone in the room laughed, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

Wang Xiao took the opportunity to promote the product: "This wholesale market also offers a service: if you have any products that sell well and want to send samples to China for manufacturing, we can provide air freight express service."

ah!

That's a bombshell.

For resellers, keeping up with trends is very important.

They want to be the first to get their hands on whatever is selling well in the market.

But if I go back to China to find the goods myself, not only will the round trip take a long time, but my business in Moscow will also have to stop after I leave, and I will lose a lot of money.

"If you have a factory with which you have a long-term cooperative relationship, please provide the address and we will send the samples to you."

If there are no partner manufacturers, we can provide samples and have a contract manufacturer produce from 100 pieces or more.

This made the explosions inside the house even more intense.

Indeed, right now, only a small percentage of people in Moscow are acting as resellers for manufacturers. Most are still sourcing goods from wholesale markets.

Sometimes, they know perfectly well that there is a particular style of clothing that is very popular and sells very well, but they can't find it no matter how hard they search in the domestic wholesale markets.

If a factory could do it directly, it would save a lot of trouble.

Immediately, people started inquiring about the OEM prices. After learning that the more orders placed, the greater the discount, people with good relationships began discussing whether to combine orders.

At worst, one person can pull the cart to the free market to sell the goods, while the other waits for customers to come to the room.

Wang Xiao then reminded everyone: "Currently, there are only three barracks, each five stories high. You can count for yourselves how many rooms there are for the maximum number of people, and how many beds can be accommodated. As I said before, first come, first served."

Combine those who snore and those who don't.

Of course, my personal suggestion is this: one room can be used for storing goods, and another room can be used for sleeping.

Otherwise, the leather jacket would smell absolutely awful.

Many people laughed and teased her, saying, "You girls are so particular about this, we can't be."

Wang Xiao nodded: "Sure, you can choose whatever you want. If you want to come, just sign up so we can make arrangements quickly. There's a deposit of five thousand US dollars per person, that's the old rule, it's the same in Bucharest."

The world of resellers has its own way of communicating, which is something most people have heard of.

Someone else asked, "Mr. Wang, when will we set up a container market so we can buy goods directly from wholesalers?"

The room is still too small; it can't compare to a shipping container.

He has a cousin in Bucharest who rents container space for wholesale. When business is good, he sells two boxes of sneakers in a single day.

He felt that Moscow could do the same thing, as Moscow's conditions were actually very suitable for large-scale wholesale.

Currently, foreign traders are doing most of the work in this area. After all, they got started earlier.

However, Chinese businessmen have a geographical advantage and can completely catch up and surpass them.

"Let's wait until it gets warmer," Wang Xiao thought to himself. "It's too cold now, and it's unbearable to be outside. I'll see if I can find a place that shelters me from the wind and rain, so that I can at least stay inside."

Sigh, I didn't think things through last year and oversimplified the problem.

Otherwise, it would have been better to just acquire the land and build a large market back then.

Oh well, what's done is done.

The priority now is to find a way to acquire more dormitory buildings.

While Wang Xiao had a preliminary plan, Ivanov also received the internal documents faxed over.

Sakhalin Island is indeed rich in oil and gas resources, has a long history of development, and is highly sought after internationally.

However, investing here is not without its drawbacks.

First of all, its climate conditions are extremely harsh. Just how harsh?

Tsarist Russia didn't occupy it because it had good conditions and wanted to develop and utilize it properly.

After the occupation, Russia used it directly as Ningguta, specifically for exiling criminals.

Besides the unfavorable climate, it is also prone to frequent earthquakes. Once an earthquake occurs, the losses are incalculable.

Even if you're lucky enough to avoid an earthquake or if the earthquake is relatively minor, the destructive power of storms, sea storms, and ice storms should not be underestimated.

All of these require additional investment to improve the reliability and safety of offshore platforms.

Wait, why an offshore platform?

Because the oil and gas fields on land have been almost completely exploited, the only places left for you to develop are at sea.

Once the oil is extracted, do you have to transport it away?

How do you transport it? You need to lay oil and gas pipelines.

Oh, and we also need to build an LPG plant, as well as an oil and gas export terminal and complete production and social facilities.

Every step and every project requires a lot of money.

How much money do they have? Let's calculate it in units of 1 billion US dollars.

This level of investment has no shortcuts, no chance of making big profits with small investments, and involves huge risks. Without sufficient financial strength, it's simply impossible to enter the market.

Ivanov hesitated, "Your Majesty, what if there's no oil or natural gas at all?"

Of course it's possible.

Wang Xiao vaguely remembered that there were eight or nine oil and gas development projects on Sakhalin Island. One of them was a project in which China participated. They spent tens of millions of US dollars on surveying, but the results were not ideal, and they had to return empty-handed in the end.

As for the tens of millions of US dollars that were spent, it was nothing but a waste of money.

But can you afford not to take this risk? If you don't, once the oil and gas are extracted, you won't be able to steal it even if you want to.

“If we don’t give it a try, who knows if there’s any oil or gas down there?” Wang Xiao encouraged him. “Let’s just consider it our retirement project.”

Those who are lucky enough to make money by taking advantage of the times are particularly afraid of one thing: what will happen when the period of opportunity is over and they will not be able to survive?

Yes, yes, the money I earned before was indeed enough to last a lifetime.

But that drastic sense of loss can easily break a person.

"Let's invest." Wang Xiao made the decision first. "I think this project is worth considering."

Ivanov took a deep breath and made up his mind: "Let's go take a look first."

But he couldn't help but worry: "What if the cash flow dries up?"

Honestly, he originally thought he was a billionaire, quite wealthy.

As a result, after investing in oil and gas fields, I suddenly felt like I had become penniless, the kind of person who is dirt poor.

Sigh, I'm still too poor. I need at least tens of billions of US dollars to feel secure.

Wang Xiao didn't take it seriously and pointed outside: "Don't forget, we still have tens of thousands of Chinese businessmen."

Business is good in Moscow now, and there are many Chinese businessmen who earn several thousand dollars a month and hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

Assuming each person contributes $50,000, and a total of 20,000 people invest, that would amount to $1 billion.

Wang Xiao explained to him, "Chinese people are very enthusiastic about investing right now. Whether it's speculating on stocks or stamps, it's essentially financial investment. Asking people to invest half of their annual income in oil and gas fields is quite attractive."

Because of the Gulf War, ordinary people know that oil is valuable.

Spending half a year's income in one go is indeed a bit heartbreaking.

However, once the oil and gas are extracted, all investors can simply sit back and wait for dividends.

Wang Xiao was envious: "Where can you find such a good thing?"

She also wished someone would deliver it directly to her, but unfortunately, no one did; she had to struggle on her own.

Ivanov's eyes widened. He had originally planned to bring his friends on board and was still wondering if he could raise ten million US dollars.

After all, it's not easy for someone to come up with a million or two hundred thousand US dollars these days.

Unexpectedly, his vision was too narrow, and his partners extended their reach—or rather, their investment opportunities—to the entire Chinese business community.

but--

Ivanov was also worried: "What if we can't drill out oil or produce gas?"

"Not so good," Wang Xiao said matter-of-factly. "Isn't it normal for stock prices to drop?"

Even someone as fortunate as her, who seems to have a knack for making money, still got stuck with stocks.

What can she do? Smash the Wuliangye distillery?

Investing, frankly speaking, inherently involves risk, and you have to accept the consequences.

They'll start by conning you, saying you can definitely make a lot of money with absolutely no risk.

Alright, enough talk, let's get out of here. That's definitely a Ponzi scheme.

"Don't worry, Chinese stocks have plummeted like dogs this year. Chinese businessmen know that stocks go up and down."

In short, the market has already dealt everyone a heavy blow.

However, if there are investment opportunities, people will still actively participate.

Why?

Because in Moscow, Chinese businesses urgently need investment.

Because Russia has very strict foreign exchange controls, it is quite difficult to successfully take money out of Russia.

If you don't want your hard-earned money to be confiscated, it's best to invest it.

However, investment opportunities in Moscow are very limited. It's not like you, as a foreigner, can easily and smoothly buy property or land.

With language barriers and ever-changing policies, it's easy to get scammed without realizing it.

Furthermore, to date, the vast majority of Chinese people have no concept of investing in real estate. After all, the land-based fiscal model has not yet been established.

Despite the fact that Hainan's real estate market has been so hot, it's mostly about making quick money; nobody who gets involved has any intention of holding the property long-term.

Compared to real estate, financial investment models are more appealing to everyone.

The stock market boom of 1991-1992 shows that people had an urgent need for investment.

After pondering for a while, Ivanov began to worry about practical issues again.

"If they invest 1 billion US dollars, they'll be the biggest spenders. What if they then turn against us?"

That's the despicable nature of capitalists.

He took your money to make more money, but he doesn't want you to tell him how to spend it or give him any advice.

Capitalists are a species that doesn't discriminate between men and women.

Wang Xiao not only didn't criticize him for going too far, but also helped him patch the problem without hesitation.

"These shares are non-transferable."

Simply put, it is not a stock in the strict sense; it is just a dividend certificate and cannot be freely traded on the market.

Doesn't that sound a bit much? But it's nothing serious.

In the early 1990s, the Chinese stock market was a complete mess.

Many organizations issue their own internal stock, and they decide how to manage it. Moreover, no one hides their motives for issuing stock; they just openly tell you that the organization is short of funds and needs to raise money.

Therefore, under such circumstances, the public's acceptance of the value of various coupons is frighteningly high.

It might even surprise those in the know: Why don't you protect your own rights at all?

But that's the reality.

Wang Xiao should make good use of the current situation.

The shares cannot be transferred. If you absolutely must transfer them, you can only transfer them to Huaxia Commercial Street.

Why not allow transfers, and only let everyone receive dividends?

To ensure everyone's safety.

This stock is intended for future dividends from selling oil and natural gas. Unless you're extremely unlucky, it's highly likely you'll make a lot of money.

As the saying goes, wealth can move people's hearts.

What if others see this stock as a goldmine and get greedy, and end up killing and robbing people?

To avoid such a tragedy, it was decided from the beginning that no one other than the first person to buy the stock would receive dividends.

How can we ensure this?

People who buy stocks need to register their detailed information, especially their valid identification documents, and leave a copy. Each shareholder has their own set of detailed information.

When it's time to receive dividends in the future, I will receive them by presenting my valid ID along with the shares.

What if he/she has an accident and is unable to withdraw money by himself/herself?

It's okay, just write your will when you register.

In the unfortunate event that you pass away, please clearly state who in your family will inherit your stocks.

Don't worry, this whole process will be handled by lawyers. We will keep it confidential and won't cause any family conflicts for you.

If you later regret your decision and want to change the order of heirs, remember to contact us, and we will arrange for a lawyer to go through the process for you again.

Regarding the question of how dividends will be distributed, profits will be allocated proportionally. You can choose to take the money or reinvest the dividends in future investments, in which case the proportion will increase accordingly.

If the project requires further investment in the future, the original shareholders will have priority. Unless it's a portion that cannot be purchased by everyone, no new shareholders will be added.

In short, this pot of meat is what we're going to eat.

No matter how good the others are, if they arrive late, it's all for nothing.

Russia's actual level of marketization is currently at a level roughly equivalent to that of China in the early 1980s. Ivanov listened in astonishment, finding it all quite remarkable.

He only mentioned it briefly, how come she already has a complete plan?

And it sounded so promising that it made his heart flutter, and he couldn't resist taking out his wallet.

Sure enough, no matter how outrageous something sounds, as long as you arrange the details enough and are thorough enough, and consider every step, it will work.

Even the most unreliable project will seem highly credible.

Alright, now that the reservoir is in place and funding is no longer a concern, they are finally qualified to sit at the table and eat.

Let's go, don't delay, let's finalize the Sakhalin Island matter quickly.

Sakhalin Island is in the Far East, separated from Moscow by more than two-thirds of Russia.

To get to the island, you naturally have to take a plane.

Wang Xiao had already prepared herself mentally, because she had read Chekhov's "Travels in Sakhalin" and knew that the island was extremely cold.

But when she got off the plane, she couldn't help but exclaim: "Oh my god!"

It's cold, really cold.

Even from the moment she got off the plane to the moment she got into the car, a short distance, she felt as if the whole world had frozen.

You know, she also came from the icy, snowy city of Moscow.

Ivanov's friend Gagarin laughed heartily and boastfully emphasized, "There's no place colder than Sakhalin."

He only dared to say this after he got on the bus, because it was too cold to speak outside.

Contrary to the common perception that the north is dry and cold, Sakhalin Island has a damp and cold climate with howling winds, making it truly not a very livable place for humans.

Gagarin nodded and sighed, "If it weren't for the young people responding to the country's call and coming from the prosperous western regions to the east to develop the frontier, there would be no Sakhalin Island as we know it today."

Ivanov asked, "Are they still around?"

Gagarin sighed, "They've run away, a lot of people have run away."

Sakhalin Island used to be doing quite well in all aspects because of the support of central government policies.

New immigrants enjoy various benefits, including housing, land parcels, and tax breaks, as well as substantial cash allowances, free travel, and government loans for farmers to purchase livestock such as dairy cows.

Sure enough, even though Sakhalin Island was indeed harsh, remote, and had a bad reputation (it was a place of exile), it still attracted many Soviets.

Interestingly, after the Soviet army took over Sakhalin, they embarked on a vigorous construction project, and according to the policies at the time, they did not mistreat the remaining Japanese. They ensured they received an eight-hour workday and were paid their due wages.

At that time, postwar Japan was in extremely poor living conditions, and many Japanese people actually forgot their fear of the Soviet Union and smuggled themselves across the border from Hokkaido in groups.

At that time, the Soviet border guards had an important task: to intercept these illegal immigrants.

Gagarin remarked, "It's clear that ordinary people are the most pragmatic. They don't care about any ideology; they only care about who can make their lives better."

Unfortunately, as the international situation became increasingly complex, this peaceful coexistence between the Japanese and Soviet people did not last long, and the Japanese on Sakhalin Island were eventually repatriated one after another.

On the contrary, the number of Soviets on the island is increasing.

However, Sakhalin Island, lacking central policy support, is gradually declining, just like most other parts of the Far East.

Young people, unable to find more opportunities and unable to endure the harsh winter conditions, began to leave one after another.

Whether a place is developing well or poorly can be seen by looking at where its young people go.

Ivanov had been secretly observing Wang Xiao's expression, and seeing that his eyes were only looking out the window, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Wang Xiao was actually wondering, "Why aren't there any trees?"

Much of Russia’s territory can be described as forest, and even the capital, Moscow, has its own urban forests.

The Sakhalin Island, a vast and sparsely populated, extremely remote area, is surprisingly barren, with hardly any trees in sight.

There weren't even any dense trees along the roadside.

This is absolutely incredible.

Gagarin's nationalistic sentiments began to swell again: "It was the Japanese, those damned Japanese! When they invaded Sakhalin Island, they brutally cut down large amounts of forest. At the time, they encountered fierce resistance from the indigenous Oroqen and Nivkh people, but it was to no avail. Fortunately, in 1945, we liberated Sakhalin Island, otherwise, I don't know how much it would have been ruined."

Ivanov had never felt so uncomfortable sitting in a domestically produced car; he even felt as if there were needles sticking out from under the seats, making it impossible for him to sit comfortably.

Haha, you're telling Chinese people that Sakhalin Island was invaded by the Japanese.

But to them, the Russians were the real aggressors.

Realistically speaking, if it weren't for the Russians occupying Sakhalin Island, China, as a victorious nation, would have been able to smoothly reclaim Sakhalin Island from the Japanese after World War II.

They're lucky they don't hate you now, do you expect them to empathize with you?

hehe.

Ivanov quickly changed the subject: "Hey, are those Japanese people up ahead?"

The car had already entered the city, and there were more people on the road. From the half-faces of the figures and the road, it was clear that the person walking in front was of East Asian descent.

“Koreans,” Gagarin explained. “In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, a quarter of the population is Korean.”

Ivanov immediately perked up: "There must be a lot of mixed-race people then."

Mixed-race individuals often possess striking good looks, and one of their models is of mixed race. Her appearance is indeed stunning, and the posters she shoots are incredibly impressive.

She went to Huaxia to shoot commercials and was very popular with the manufacturers. She even received an invitation to shoot a TV series.

If they could find a suitable group of models on Sakhalin Island, they could at least earn some extra money, which would soothe their anxious hearts that had been spending money recklessly without knowing when they would reap the rewards.

Gagarin burst out laughing: "No, no, no, don't dream, my friend. They don't intermarry with Russians."

Ivanov was embarrassed again.

Living together for a long time, and with a considerable number of people, yet not intermarrying, can only mean one thing: the so-called equality is probably just talk.

Indeed, this is true; on Sakhalin Island today, the social status of ethnic Koreans is relatively low.

However, their presence has attracted a large number of South Korean tourists and businesspeople to the island.

After the car arrived in the city center, when they got out to use the restroom, Wang Xiao saw a counter for Korean light industrial products in a large department store, which was complemented by a counter for Japanese small commodities.

The goods inside were dazzling and looked quite exquisite, but the prices were also quite astonishing, definitely enough to easily scare away the locals.

The store also sells Russian-made industrial products, which are generally crude in appearance, but are cheap and attract many buyers.

Outside the store, there were also vendors selling Chinese-made clothing. The quality was so-so, but because the styles were relatively novel and the colors were bright, and the prices were much cheaper than Japanese and Korean goods, it attracted quite a few customers.

Wang Xiao then went to the nearby food store to take a look, where Chinese products made up half of the shelves.

There are canned fruits and meats, instant noodles, beer, and wine; quite a few people are buying them.

An elderly Russian woman saw her and smiled at her, praising the canned meat on the counter: "Very good, it's pure meat, top-quality meat."

Wang Xiao immediately switched to his diplomatic skills, emphasizing earnestly, "We always reserve the best for our good friends."

The old woman chuckled.

Ivanov and Gagarin came looking for someone after they finished using the toilet.

They were about to go to the state government to meet with state leaders and discuss the development of the oil and gas field.

Upon arriving at the state government, Gagarin repeatedly emphasized, "My dear friend, I went to great lengths to secure this meeting."

He pointed to the reception room and said, "Look, some of the people sitting here have been waiting for a week and haven't seen any leaders yet."

The reception area of ​​the state government was not large, only about ten square meters, with five chairs, all of which were occupied by people.

The female secretary kept going in and out, but didn't take anyone with her.

Gagarin went over and said a few words to her.

Then the female secretary looked embarrassed, but finally nodded and reluctantly walked over to Wang Xiao and Ivanov: "Come with me, wait a little while, the deputy governor is still meeting with the previous guest."

This is actually quite an interesting story.

Even though the Soviet red flag has fallen, whether out of nostalgia or simply out of habit, many Russian officials, whether in the military or government, still address each other as "comrade" when referring to their superiors and subordinates.

“It’s alright,” Ivanov quickly reassured her, then blinked his charming eyes and began to praise his female secretary, “You look absolutely radiant.”

The female secretary remained expressionless and completely ignored him.

Gagarin chuckled to himself, then reassured the guests, saying, "Our Deputy Governor is a kind and approachable lady. I'm sure talking to her will make you feel like you're basking in a gentle breeze."

No sooner had he finished speaking than everyone had reached the front of the meeting room, where a woman roared, "The contract must be renegotiated immediately, do you hear me?!"

Everyone was startled, and Wang Xiao and Ivanov both looked at Gagarin simultaneously.

Kind, friendly, like a gentle spring breeze?

My dear, this must be the biting Siberian wind.

————————

However, ^O^, the deputy governor of Sakhalin Oblast at the time was indeed a woman. Yes, Akin has obsessive-compulsive tendencies when researching.

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