African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 236: Chapter 225: Far East Ambassador

Far East.

”Mr. Richard!”

”What’s the matter, Wang?”

”It’s been just a few months, why did your side change the plaque again?”

”Hahaha, to be honest, I won’t be serving here anymore.” Richard said with a look of pride.

”Ah! Mr. Richard, are you going back to Europe?” Wang Enke asked with a hint of concern, as Richard was usually approachable, but what if his successor was difficult to deal with!

”Not at all, not at all, in your Far Eastern words, it’s called a promotion.”

”Congratulations then.” Wang Enke congratulated him with clasped hands.

”Mutual joy, mutual joy!”

”To what high position are you appointed?”

”This time, I will represent the East African Kingdom to establish diplomatic relations with your country, and will serve as East African Kingdom’s ambassador to the Far East in your capital.”

”East African Kingdom? Then you will be just like Great Britain and France.”

”Almost, almost.” Richard said with a trace of uneasiness.

This greatly elevates the status of East Africa, comparing it to the overlord of the seas and the second strongest country in the world.

...

”Mr. Li Fusi, there’s someone outside claiming to represent Prince Heixinggen of Prussian Germany seeking an audience.”

”Heixinggen? I’ll go take a look!”

The Prussian envoy to the Far East, Li Fusi, stepped out of the courtyard and saw Richard, who had come from Jiaozhou.

”May I know who you are?”

”Mr. Li Fusi, I am Richard, previously in charge of the Heixinggen commercial liaison office in the Far East.”

”Oh, I know that. May I know the purpose of your visit?”

”I have a letter from Prince Constantine.” Richard took out a letter from his pocket.

”A letter from Prince Constantine?”

Li Fusi hurriedly accepted the letter, opened it, and read it.

After a while.

”Uh, Mr. Richard, Prince Constantine’s request puts me in a difficult situation! Without confirmation from the Prussian government, I dare not make decisions on my own.”

”Mr. Li Fusi, you’re overthinking! Actually, the establishment of the East African Kingdom has the consent of the Prussian royal family and government, it’s just that the news hasn’t reached Europe at this time.”

”How did you receive the news then?”

”The establishment of the East African Kingdom was naturally prepared in advance, actually, I received authorization half a month ago, but at that time the kingdom hadn’t been established, so I didn’t come here.”

”Prince Constantine considered this thoroughly, but why didn’t he let the Prussian government send us advance notification? It would have helped us prepare early, now it’s putting me in a bind?”

”Mr. Li Fusi, actually all you need to do is arrange an introduction, you can use personal relations as an excuse, not representing the Prussian government.”

Li Fusi’s eyes lit up and said, ”That’s indeed a solution, then I’ll contact the Far Eastern government on your behalf in my personal capacity.”

In no time, the two arrived at a residence in the capital.

”Mr. Li Fusi! May I know the purpose of your visit today?” Qing Government minister Chonghou asked with some surprise.

”Your Excellency Chonghou, this is the envoy from the East African Kingdom, he has come to the capital to establish diplomatic relations with your esteemed country, for which I am making introductions.”

”East African Kingdom? Which place is that? Is it a Western country?”

”Perhaps let Mr. Richard speak to you! He understands better.”

”Hello, Your Excellency Chonghou, I am Richard, representative of the East African Kingdom.”

Listening to the voice with a Shandong accent, Chonghou asked, ”Hello, Your Excellency Richard, from where does your East African Kingdom hail? Why have I never heard of it, and your language carries the Shandong dialect, have you stayed in Shandong?”

”Hahaha, Your Excellency Chonghou is indeed smart, I did come from Jiaozhou, where I used to be responsible for Heixinggen consortium’s trade with your country!”

”Heixinggen! I know, it’s the newly established customs place in Jiaozhou! I heard Heixinggen is also a company from your German region? What’s its relation to the East African Kingdom?” Chonghou asked Li Fusi in puzzlement.

Upon hearing Richard came from the Heixinggen consortium, Chonghou instantly grasped the key point, isn’t Heixinggen from Germany, which is aligned with Prussia? Li Fusi often says Prussia leads Germany, isn’t this Heixinggen an alias of the Prussian government?

”I used to be an employee of Heixinggen Company, but now I represent the East African Kingdom. Though Heixinggen consortium is from Germany, it spans across Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the East African Kingdom, and conducts trade across Europe and worldwide.”

”I see! I have some understanding of Germany and Austria-Hungary, the East African Kingdom, forgive my ignorance, I haven’t heard of it.”

”Your Excellency, actually it’s not surprising, the East African Kingdom is a newly established state.”

”A new country? Is it also German?”

”Of course, but the East African Kingdom is quite special, it’s a nascent nation established in eastern Africa by our German Prince Constantine.” Li Fusi explained on the side.

”East Africa?”

”Correct. Its monarch is our Prussian Prince Constantine, now also King of the East African Kingdom.”

...

Richard sought Li Fusi’s assistance because the Austria-Hungary had not yet established diplomatic relations with the Qing Government in the Far East, whereas Prussia had already done so in 1861.

Even during the Second Schleswig War in 1864, the Prussian envoy Li Fusi intentionally caused a conflict with Danish ships in Bohai, privately captured three Danish vessels at Dagu as war trophies.

Eventually, under serious protest from the Qing Government based on international law, Li Fusi returned the ships and compensated 1500 US dollars. This was considered a rare diplomatic success for the Qing Government.

On May 13, the day the East African Kingdom was founded, under Chonghou’s introduction, Emperor Tongzhi received the East African Kingdom’s representative Richard.

May 15, 1870.

The East African Kingdom’s ambassador Richard and Qing Government representative minister Chonghou signed a treaty. It was historically known as the ”Treaty of the Two Easts,” between East Africa and the Far East.

With the signing of the ”Treaty of the Two Easts,” East Africa officially established diplomatic relations with the Far Eastern Empire.

The Treaty of the Two Easts contained fifty-seven clauses in total. The main content includes:

(1) East African Kingdom may send envoys to reside in the capital and travel across various Far Eastern locales; (2) Far Eastern ports open to trade allow the East African Kingdom to establish consulates, permitting East African citizens to trade, reside, rent land for construction, hire Chinese, buy and sell various books and goods; (3) Commercial taxes for East African businesses in China follow the usual practice, similar to major powers; (4) Qing side is responsible for protecting East African citizens’ property and claims in China; (5) East African Kingdom enjoys consular jurisdiction and unilaterally favorable treatment; (6) East African Kingdom may recruit Chinese laborers in the Far East, Qing Government shall not obstruct. Along with this treaty, the ”Trade Regulation and Customs Tariff” was also signed.

Overall, it is considered an equitable treaty, despite issues with the sixth clause, the Qing Government did not raise objections, therefore it was passed.

According to the treaty, besides establishing the East African Kingdom’s embassy in the capital, consulates were also established in Jiaozhou, Shanghai, Xiangshan County (Zhuhai), Xuzhou, and Kaifeng.

Qing Government minister Chonghou was not surprised by the first two locations, but was quite puzzled that this Western country was aware of Xuzhou and Kaifeng, and even Xiangshan, a small place he himself didn’t know. How did East Africans know?

Richard explained that these three locations were sites of East African Kingdom’s commercial trade, which in reality was the route for North China immigrants heading to East Africa.

Kaifeng and Xuzhou are important transport nodes in North China, Kaifeng gathers immigrants from Henan region and the northwest, while Xuzhou is at the intersection of four provinces, facilitating East African immigration efforts, Zhuhai and Jiaozhou were the earliest trade points established by Heixinggen consortium in the Far East, as for Shanghai, it is a place valued by almost all nations.