"It was some preliminary contact, negotiations, and public relations."
Wang Yan said, "Jinling has sent some people to the Soviet Union to conduct inspections and meet with certain key figures. I'll be leaving next month as well, to negotiate in person. The goal isn't too lofty—just bring back one Soviet city for our Jinling."
"Is that even possible, brother-in-law?"
"Read more history. Never mind the integrity of scholars and officials in the old days—don't you know what things were like in modern times? You've read plenty of history books. Traitors, spies, compradors, lackeys—how did they exist, and how did they survive? You should understand that.
"The Soviet situation is chaotic now. Everyone is panicking, and that vast Soviet Union is about to fall apart. At a time like this, what's impossible? If something can't be negotiated, it only means the benefits offered aren't enough. As long as we can get our hands on it, never mind whether it's good or bad, and never mind whether it's military or civilian—bring it all back first. Even if we sell it as scrap metal, it'll still be worth money.
"What are we paying? If they want goods, we give them goods; if they want U.S. dollars, we give them U.S. dollars. In the end, it's just shoes, clothing, and other fast-moving consumer goods. We're not only bringing back equipment—we also need to recruit some talent. If we don't recruit them, they'll all run off to Europe and the United States."
"Are we buying planes and cannons too?"
"Aren't those military products? We can buy them back and park them by the roadside, let the children see those weapons and equipment, give them some basic military education. Isn't that a good thing? If we can get some large cargo planes, that'll be hugely beneficial