"I have this plan."
Chen Feng did not deny it.
"Chen Feng, my meaning is, can we slow down a bit? The US dollar has indeed been getting weaker day by day over the past few decades, but a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. If the Chinese Yuan deals the final blow to the US dollar, will it backfire? There's an old Chinese saying, 'Do not chase a cornered foe.'"
Wang Jianshan advised.
"China does have the saying, 'Do not chase a cornered foe,' but China also has the saying, 'Beat the dog when it's down.' The US dollar is now tottering; a gentle push will send it crashing down. Such a heaven-sent opportunity, it would be too regrettable not to seize it."
Chen Feng replied truthfully.
"Chen Feng, I understand how you feel. To be honest, having served as a high-level official in China for so long, when have I not wished for the US dollar to be dead and gone? But the problem is, bringing down a superpower financial nation like the United States, which has been dominant for a century, is not a simple matter. Therefore, we must plan carefully."
Wang Jianshan continued to persuade.
"Old Wang, I think that..."
Chen Feng said teasingly.
"Chen Feng, you are my son-in-law, there's no need for any circumlocution between us. Say whatever you want to say."
Wang Jianshan urged Chen Feng.
"Old Wang, what I mean is, Chinese people, including you, are still thinking in an outdated way."
Chen Feng calmly explained.
"My thinking is outdated?"
Wang Jianshan was taken aback.
He was now a member of the five-person core leadership of China; how could his thinking be outdated?
"Yes, your thinking is a little outdated, in that it hasn't kept pace with the times. China's development over the past few decades has already caught up with the United States. There's no need to consider matters with the mindset of a weak nation like China in the past. Think about it, the United States has ten aircraft carriers, and we already have fifteen of them. Moreover, we have five, which are the largest in tonnage worldwide. It's no exaggeration to say that the tonnage of one of our carriers is twice that of a US carrier. Such military strength is completely capable of supporting the Chinese Yuan's status as a replacement for the US dollar."
Chen Feng explained with a serious expression.
"According to what you say, that's how it is. But the problem is..."
Wang Jianshan was still somewhat uncertain.
In Chen Feng's words, the Chinese people had knelt for too long, and standing up suddenly made them uncomfortable.
"Old Wang, please state any concerns you may have."
Chen Feng said with a smile.
"My meaning is, the United States still has a group of junior partners. If we deliver the final blow to the US dollar, will those junior partners stab us in the back?"
Wang Jianshan asked with concern.
"There's a possibility, but there's no need to fear it at all."
Chen Feng replied calmly.
"The European Union, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, India... these are all loyal allies of the United States. If we were to deliver the final blow to the US dollar, they wouldn't stand idly by. If our rear is attacked by them, the development of China over the past few decades will be in vain."
Wang Jianshan said with a frown.
"Old Wang, there's really no need to worry about this. We can resolve it with one move."
Chen Feng replied with a relaxed smile.
"One move?"
"Yes, just one move is enough."
"What move?"
"Establish the Chinese Yuan International Bank. As long as they align with China, loans can be unlimited. Once this policy is introduced, all countries will immediately stand with China. Money is a powerful thing; it can make even ghosts work."
Chen Feng calmly explained.
"The method is good, but the problem is, do we have that much money to lend out? And even if we have that much money to lend, what if they don't repay?"
Wang Jianshan said with concern.
"Old Wang, your perspective is still too narrow."
Chen Feng replied with a slight smile.
"What? My perspective is narrow?"
"Yes, your perspective is narrow. Old Wang, think about it, if the US dollar collapses, who will be the financial overlord? It will definitely be China. Once China becomes the world's financial overlord, will there still be a shortage of Chinese Yuan? They can print as much as they want. Besides, if they dare not repay, China's fifteen carriers are not to be trifled with."
Chen Feng calmly explained.
"Chen Feng, hearing you say this, I feel a lot more confident. What goes around comes around. Today's China indeed has no reason to fear the United States anymore. The question is, how do we deliver a fatal blow to the US dollar?"
Wang Jianshan asked excitedly.
If the US dollar falls, then that something will return.
It had to be said that Chen Feng was his most capable right-hand man.
Undeniably, over the past few decades, Chen Feng had grown from a deputy mayor of a county-level city to a deputy mayor of a directly administered municipality, and his father-in-law had contributed considerably to this.
Conversely, Chen Feng, as his son-in-law, had also helped his father-in-law a great deal.
Just to mention one thing, without Chen Feng's strategic suggestions over the past decade or so, he would have remained at the top of the political arena in the capital and would never have entered the five-person core leadership of China.
The higher echelons of power required extraordinary political acumen.
He was the top figure in the capital's political arena and possessed political acumen, but it was far from enough.
To put it this way, those who could enter the five-person core leadership of China's political arena had to be the most shrewd among the shrewd.
Chen Feng was precisely that.
Over the past twenty-odd years, Chen Feng had provided many valuable opinions, allowing him, the top official in the capital, to enter the five-person core leadership of China without incident.
Decades ago, he had considered Chen Feng a potential asset, and the facts had proven him to be so.
Delivering the final blow to the US dollar was an extraordinary historical event. Even the five-person core leadership of China could not handle it; it required Chen Feng.
"Seize the vital point."
Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Seize the vital point? What do you mean?"
Wang Jianshan asked, feeling somewhat bewildered.
He could instantly understand the words of most leaders in China's political arena.
However, in front of Chen Feng, he could not achieve instant understanding.
Not only could he not achieve instant understanding, but he was often left in a fog.
Chen Feng's thinking was too profound to grasp easily.
"Old Wang, what do you think is the biggest problem with the US dollar?"
Chen Feng did not rush to reveal his method.
Wang Jianshan was a member of China's five-person core leadership and the least senior among the five. If Wang Jianshan wanted to remain in his position, his thinking had to be more profound than that of the other four.
To achieve profound thinking, there was no other way but to train and guide slowly.
"The biggest problem with the US dollar is debt."
Wang Jianshan blurted out.
As a member of China's five-person core leadership, he had access to the most up-to-date and crucial domestic and international information, so he naturally knew what problems the US dollar was facing.
"Old Wang, you are absolutely right. The US dollar's biggest problem currently is debt. It is precisely because of its enormous debt that the US dollar is killing itself. Therefore, to make the US dollar completely dead, we must give it even more debt. This way, the US dollar will be beyond redemption."
Chen Feng calmly explained.
"Americans are not fools. Knowing that they are being ruined by debt, how could they fall into such a trap and borrow another large sum of foreign debt?"
Wang Jianshan asked with confusion.
"Old Wang, your point is very reasonable. At this moment, Americans are indeed very cautious about foreign debt. Especially when Chinese are involved, Americans will be even more cautious. This is the time to showcase the Chinese as ancestors of stratagem. Thousands of years ago, the Chinese were already playing stratagems, and today, China has mastered the art of stratagem."
Chen Feng said calmly.
"Then what stratagem do you plan to employ?"
Wang Jianshan asked with anticipation.
"Create a shocking grand deception, and then the United States will unknowingly fall into the trap. Once it falls into the trap, the United States will have to increase its US dollar debt. If this is done, the US dollar will be irrevocably dead within half a year."
"Ah? It will take half a year? Isn't that too long?"
Wang Jianshan said, feeling a bit dizzy.
"Old Wang, there's an old Chinese saying. 'Haste makes waste.' The United States is not a small and insignificant country; it cannot be brought down in a few days. After all, the United States was once a century-long hegemon. Although its strength is on the verge of collapse after twenty years of consumption, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. It's impossible to bring it down in a few days. It will take at least half a year. Moreover, if it's too rushed, the United States will quickly discover the trick. Therefore, we must set the trap step by step, and make the trap thorough and realistic. Why did that major power disappear so suddenly in the 1990s? It was a fifty-year setup by the United States that led to its downfall. Since we are setting up a trap, we must have patience."
Chen Feng calmly explained.
Wang Jianshan was convinced.
This was Chen Feng's greatest strength.
Whether it was when he was a deputy town mayor's driver in the past or the mayor of a directly administered municipality now, Chen Feng always remained calm.
To accomplish great things, one must be calm and composed.
"Chen Feng, tell me in detail, what kind of setup do you plan to create for the United States?"
Wang Jianshan asked excitedly.
"Deliberately release a smokescreen, claiming that China will vigorously develop hydrogen energy technology and gradually abandon oil and natural gas energy."
Chen Feng said unhurriedly.
"Develop hydrogen energy? Is that feasible? For decades, we have been trying to develop hydrogen energy, because water contains a large amount of hydrogen. However, decades of practice have shown that it's not feasible. As a science graduate, you should know that with human technological levels today, it is difficult to extract hydrogen energy from water at low cost."
Wang Jianshan asked with confusion.
"Old Wang, what I want is the characteristic of hydrogen. It appears to have promising prospects, but it's not achievable. It can fool people even more than a perpetual motion machine."
Chen Feng said calmly.
"Chen Feng, I must say, hydrogen does have that characteristic. Many countries have been persistently developing hydrogen energy over the years, but there has been no breakthrough. Honestly, if there were any substantial breakthroughs in hydrogen research, there would be no need for oil, natural gas, or electricity. We would have a continuous supply of clean energy."
Wang Jianshan agreed.
"Old Wang, the US dollar's hegemonic status was achieved by firmly controlling oil. In the past, the United States controlled most of the world's oil, which is why the US dollar was strong. Over the past few decades, due to massive debt issues, the US dollar has gradually lost its control over global oil. At this point, if the US government learns that China is developing hydrogen energy, they will be thrilled and want to 'overtake from a bend.' The meaning is simple: currently, the situation regarding global oil is set in stone, with China and other major oil-producing countries gradually squeezing the United States out. To regain glory, the United States will undoubtedly be eager to achieve a 'bend overtake' in hydrogen energy."
"Chen Feng, I want to ask, what if the United States truly achieves a 'bend overtake' in hydrogen energy? If they suddenly crack the technology for low-cost hydrogen development, won't the United States be revived?"
Wang Jianshan asked with concern.
"Old Wang, you don't need to worry about that. I'm from a science background. Low-cost development of hydrogen from water will take at least another hundred years. Currently, we can extract hydrogen from water, but the problem is that the energy consumed in extracting hydrogen is greater than the energy obtained, so it's not worthwhile. Therefore, we still haven't listed hydrogen energy as a common energy source. Conversely, cold nuclear fusion will undoubtedly become a common energy source before hydrogen energy. In recent years, China's cold nuclear fusion technology has already reached advanced world levels. Once China completely masters cold nuclear fusion, China will undoubtedly be the undisputed world overlord. However, it's not quite ready yet. Taking advantage of this time, let's launch a 'Century of Hydrogen Energy Deception' to bring down the declining United States."
Chen Feng said confidently.
"Chen Feng, your vision is becoming increasingly grand. Although you are only the mayor of a directly administered municipality, your strategic vision is already global."
Wang Jianshan couldn't help but praise Chen Feng.
Decades ago, when Chen Feng was just a deputy town mayor's driver, he felt that he was an once-in-a-century talent in the political arena.
Decades later, his initial judgment was indeed validated.
To be honest, at this moment, Chen Feng's vision was truly expansive.
If it weren't for the age restriction, Chen Feng would definitely be qualified to enter the five-person core leadership of China.
"Old Wang, you flatter me."
Chen Feng replied humbly.
"By the way, Chen Feng, how can we make the United States believe in this 'Century of Hydrogen Energy Deception'?"
Wang Jianshan asked with confusion.
On other matters, Wang Jianshan quickly developed insights.
But when it came to dealing with the United States, Chen Feng truly had no ideas.
To be honest, deep down, he was still deeply wary of this former world hegemon.
Strangely, Chen Feng did not have such subconscious apprehension.
"If you don't sacrifice your child, you won't catch the wolf. We will have to sacrifice a year's fiscal revenue."
Chen Feng said calmly.
"What? Sacrifice a year's fiscal revenue? Isn't that too extreme?"
Wang Jianshan instinctively shivered.
China's total GDP was now comparable to that of the United States, meaning China's annual fiscal revenue was an astronomical figure.
To waste such an astronomical sum of money just to make the United States fall into the trap was, to be frank, too great a price and too unrewarded.
"It's not extreme at all. Let me put it this way, the United States is at its weakest moment now. We must strike it with all our might. If we are unwilling to spend money and strike it hard, the United States can easily make a comeback. The United States' talent system, military system, economic system... they are all still there. As long as there is an opportunity, a comeback is not impossible. Therefore, for China to truly become number one in the world, we must completely eliminate the United States. We must make the United States believe in the 'Century of Hydrogen Energy Deception.'"
Chen Feng said calmly.
"The logic is sound, but the problem is, sacrificing China's annual fiscal revenue is something that cannot be passed by the five-person core leadership of China. What can be done?"
Wang Jianshan sighed deeply.
"This requires sophisticated political maneuvering."
Chen Feng continued calmly.
"Sophisticated political maneuvering?"
Wang Jianshan asked with great interest.
"Yes, sophisticated political maneuvering. To put it this way, the higher one goes in the political arena, the more essential political maneuvering becomes. And not just any kind of political maneuvering. In the lower echelons of politics, as long as you have a strong background and support, everything is negotiable. However, at the highest levels of Chinese politics, everyone has strong backgrounds and support, so the tactics used in the lower echelons are clearly not suitable for the higher echelons."
"This is interesting, please continue."
Wang Jianshan said with a smile.
Having known Chen Feng for decades, Chen Feng's greatest characteristic was his ability to keep up with the times.
When he was a deputy town mayor's driver, Chen Feng's thoughts were those of a driver, perfectly reflecting the petty thoughts of those in the lower echelons of politics.
Now, as the mayor of a directly administered municipality, he exuded the demeanor of a big shot.
Although Chen Feng's age did not match that of a seasoned leader, his temperament and thinking were undoubtedly those of a qualified big shot.
It had to be said that Chen Feng's ability to keep up with the times was remarkably well executed.
"China's political arena is vast and profound, with many excellent methods worth our attention. For example, the discussion within the five-person core leadership of China regarding the expenditure of nearly one year's fiscal revenue can be easily passed by leveraging factional struggles."
Chen Feng said confidently.
"Factional struggles?"
Wang Jianshan was stunned for a moment.
"Yes, factional struggles. As far as I know, the higher echelons of China are divided into two factions: the Hawks and the Doves. The Hawks advocate for toughness, while the Doves advocate for moderation. Within the five-person group, if we can unite two people, we can form an overwhelming advantage to pass the decision to make the final strike against the United States, which requires immense financial resources."
Chen Feng explained.
"Chen Feng, to be honest, although I am part of the five-person core leadership of China, I truly don't know whether the other four individuals are Hawks or Doves."
Wang Jianshan said, feeling somewhat bewildered.
"Old Wang, it doesn't matter if you don't know. I do."
"What? You know?"
"Yes, I know. I am already intimately familiar with the detailed situations of every member of the five-person core leadership of China. I know what I should know, and what I shouldn't know."
Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Chen Feng, it seems I have underestimated you. Your methods are far beyond my imagination."
Wang Jianshan couldn't help but praise him.
"Old Wang, you flatter me. To survive in the highest political circles of China, one must know oneself and one's enemy to win a hundred battles."
"Then tell me, which of the other four are Hawks and which are Doves."
Wang Jianshan pressed further.
"The Eastern Leader, the Southern Leader, and you, the Northern Leader, are all Doves. The Western Leader and the Central Leader are both Hawks. My intention is to unite with the Doves to pass the decision to make the final strike against the United States."
"Wait a minute, what did you say? Unite with the Doves?"
Wang Jianshan asked, confused.
"Yes, unite with the Doves. Are there any problems with that?"
"Of course there are problems. The Doves are the moderates; how could they possibly agree to such a massive undertaking that consumes nearly a year's fiscal revenue?"
Wang Jianshan continued to ask, still confused.