After all, anyone could see that Huaxia's aircraft carrier was already combat-ready. Though it was only one carrier and would still be isolated and without support when deployed far from home, Huaxia's coastal waters were no longer someone else's backyard. Other nations had become cautious.
After all, if a behemoth like an aircraft carrier could appear out of nowhere, what else might be lurking unseen?
Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, which had been in turmoil, suddenly became orderly. Everyone was speculating about when Huaxia would make its move, and the atmosphere grew extremely tense.
Many overseas Chinese living abroad also began returning home. They brought large amounts of capital, equipment, and technology, helping domestic light industry develop rapidly. The problem of rising prices caused by shortages of goods eased almost overnight.
Wang Yue had always been thorough in his work. Once the aircraft carrier appeared, plans for destroyers and other vessels to support the carrier were already in place. The focus had simply been tilted toward the carrier, so it was the first to emerge. But soon after it was launched, all kinds of new ships followed.
With military power at sea, the safety of domestic merchant ships was also assured. Cheap everyday goods were shipped back from Southeast Asia, greatly easing supply problems caused by the population boom. Whatever goods were in short supply could be brought in by sea, and Huaxia's shipping industry developed rapidly as well.
The dramatic increase in military strength also brought a major change at home: with the overall environment improving, there was no longer such an urgent need to transition to a market economy.
The country continued to rely on the planned economy as its mainstay, with the private economy as a supplement. This combination of public and private enterprise stabilized the domestic