Chapter 541 The Ming Empire Free Trade Zone (Please subscribe!)

Author: Linjiangjun

Chapter 541 The Ming Empire Free Trade Zone (Please subscribe!)

The local businessmen who were trying to persuade him to drink looked at each other and shook their heads.

Xu Dehai, an upstart in Yingtian, spoke up and tried to persuade him: "Mr. Zhang is too drunk! Let the servants bring you a bowl of sobering soup. Come on, Mr. Edward, Mr. Jin Jingheng, me, let's continue drinking!"

Zhang Tingyu lay down at the table, feeling as if she was about to fall asleep.

The aroused Edward and the French businessman Lalock exchanged glances with each other and suddenly understood.

Edward was smiling all over his face and his voice was extremely soft. He said in his proficient but weird Yingtian Mandarin: "Mr. Zhang, it's incredible that you are the county magistrate at such a young age! There are also secrets that we don't know.

This is impossible."

It has to be said that Edward's provocation method seems extremely superficial.

But Mr. Zhang, who was about to fall asleep, just did this. He slammed the table and shouted clearly with a big tongue: "You still don't believe it, I, Zhang Tingyu, am the county magistrate of Shanghai, personally appointed by His Majesty!"

"This Shanghai County is a special area, and it is not comparable to ordinary cats and dogs counties!"

"Let me tell you Westerners, the emperor himself has said that he will develop Shanghai into the largest port in the Ming Dynasty, and plans to announce the establishment of a tariff-free trade zone next month. Whether you come to trade or set up factories in the trade zone,

They are all tax-free. If I hadn't had the capital, I would have quit my job and turned to business."

Edward was extremely shocked!

This is big news!

If Ming Dynasty had a tariff-free free trade port, the future of this place would be extremely bright.

Edward calculated in his mind that with this kind of policy, even a small fishing village would become a behemoth in just five years of development.

Since the wonder of Wusong Lighthouse was under construction, Zhu Kezang wanted to add fire to this place!

In his vision, there will be no tariffs on general goods. All goods imported and exported will only have to pay a small amount of management tax and ad valorem tax. The cost will be reduced a lot, and the relevant customs inspection procedures will also be reduced.

Much simpler.

Zhu Kezang knew that in future generations, even the small isolated island of Hong Kong, a place where birds do not poop, would be able to develop thanks to the benefits of no tariffs.

Shanghai County is located in the center of Jiangnan, the richest area of ​​the Ming Empire, and has access to a large port with Yangtze River water conservancy.

There are also shipping lines along the northern and southern coasts, and various railways are being built. This is far from comparable to the small Hong Kong Island, which is poor in materials and completely dependent on Guangzhou.

Historically, when Hong Kong Island was first opened as a trading port, the businessmen who went there to invest and do business have made enviable profits for more than ten years.

These businessmen are very smart. Although they cannot see as clearly as Zhu Kezang, they can still see the huge opportunities contained in this model!

Edward became excited when he thought about it, clenched his fists, and secretly said that he must seize this opportunity!

Early the next morning, Edward and the French businessman La Locke quietly went to visit him, but were told: That's not what happened. He was just talking nonsense after being drunk last night, and it should not be taken seriously.

But the two of them couldn't believe it, and they increasingly believed that what they said before was true.

It was a pity that Zhang Tingyu refused to let go. In the end, he was so entangled that he had no choice but to say: Why don't you register your intention and wait until the official news comes out next month? Then you can come to the government to register a company or open a factory.

Zhang Tingyu just told them that foreigners had better invest in light industrial labor-intensive factories such as cotton textiles and shoe factories, because foreigners would definitely not be able to open heavy industrial factories. As a brother, he could only reveal so much.

The two were unwilling to give in and bribed everywhere, but they were rejected and could not get any detailed information.

In desperation, Edward ran out of ideas. After discussing with La Locke, he decided to wait for a while until the news comes out next month, and then quickly go to America and Tianzhu to purchase a batch of cotton!

Fortunately, just a few days later, the news came out.

On this day, as usual, Edward and Locke came to the consulate together. As soon as they entered the door, they heard Mingren's translator eagerly telling them: A notice has been posted outside the gate of Shanghai.

The two of them and several other European merchants who heard the news hurriedly came to the North City Gate. Edward had stayed in the Ming Dynasty for a year, so he was naturally familiar with those square characters:

"Notice"

The subjects of the Ming Empire (Holy Ming Alliance) and friendly people from other countries: In order to develop the economy of the Ming Empire, enhance the industrial base of the empire, and successfully complete the first five-year plan, the Zhenru University Scholars Conference made the following decision.

1. Open and establish three specific areas as free trade zones: Zhuhai Town, Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture, Pudong Town, Shanghai County, Songjiang Prefecture, and Dagu Town, Tianjin County, Tianjin Prefecture, namely Guangzhou Zhuhai Special Economic Zone, Songjiang Pudong Special Economic Zone, and Tianjin Dagu Special Economic Zone.

2. For all kinds of foreign shops, factories and workshops with a registered capital of more than one million silver dollars in the above three free trade zones that have been registered before July 1 next year, they will be exempted from tariffs in the first year and in the second year.

Start with 50% off tariff.

Third, for companies, factories, workshops and other business entities established within the Free Trade Zone, land rents can be discounted by 30%.

A map was also posted next to it, indicating the scope of the Shanghai Pudong Special Economic Zone. All Shanghai counties east of the Huangpu River are classified as the Pudong Special Economic Zone.

There is also a detailed plan, which divides the area along the Huangpu River into heavy industrial operating areas, light industrial operating areas, bank operating areas, commercial areas, etc.

When they saw the preferential conditions, they were overjoyed and knew that their wait these days had not been in vain. This was a good opportunity to make a fortune.

They immediately decided to set up a foreign bank each. However, according to the notice, the registered capital must be more than one million silver dollars.

But how can they have one million silver dollars?

This requires actual cash verification.

At this time, Edward had an idea and discussed with La Locke: "The local merchants in Yingtian seem to have strong funds. If we can partner with them, wouldn't we have enough funds? We have the raw materials, and they have the technology and funds, wouldn't it?

Wonderful!"

La Luoke also agreed very much, and immediately found a few wealthy people in Yingtian to discuss making money together.

Two days later, a few people went to the Bureau of Commerce in Shanghai County together, and saw that Qian Jue and Zhang Tingyu were both there. They smiled and ordered their subordinates to help them complete the registration procedures.

After a few procedures and filling out documents, the "HSBC Commercial Bank" was registered, and they quickly raised the funds and deposited them into the Shanghai Branch of the Royal Bank of the Ming Dynasty!

Edward was satisfied. Ming Dynasty was simply a paradise. Although it was only free of tariffs for the first year, the 50% discount in the following years was also very good.

Because, the newly established customs of the Ming Empire collected quite a lot of customs duties.

At present, the Ming Dynasty wants to establish customs in various sea trade ports. The customs are directly under the central court of the Ming Dynasty. The first customs director of the Ming Dynasty was Qu Dajun, a bachelor. The personnel of the customs in various places are composed of soldiers who were injured in various wars and retired.

These people have good discipline and obedience, and are loyal to Zhu Kezang and the Ming Dynasty. It is more safe to use them to manage customs.

Customs is a good thing. In addition to collecting money, they also have the important task of regulating supply and demand in the Ming Dynasty.

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