Chapter 273: France is forced into a corner

"Professor, long time no see. The last time we met was five years ago. I never thought it would be five years since we last met."

In recent years, France has organized delegations to visit China for exchanges almost every year, claiming to enhance friendship between the two sides, but in fact it is to promote cooperation and push for more cooperation between the two sides.

America has poisoned Europe too deeply. The stronger China becomes, the more difficult it will be to cut it off, and Europe will inevitably be the one to get hurt.

The center of European space travel has shifted from Brussels to Paris, and Brussels is now a mere name.

In short, France has gained a lot of benefits from China. In order to further promote exchanges between the two sides, France sent out their trump card, Mongi Bavendi, Chen Yuanguang's mentor at MIT, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, and one of the founders of the field of perovskite batteries.

"Wright, would you believe me if I said I had thought of it?" Mongi Bawendi was obviously much older than he was five years ago, and his hair had turned from gray to almost completely white.

After Joseph was assassinated, Mungi Bavendi almost suddenly decided to return to France. He was a Frenchman and did not even have time to deal with the house near MIT. He returned to France with his family, taking the box containing his manuscripts.

Of course, France also mediated, which enabled them to return successfully.

"Ah? You thought of it?" Chen Yuanguang was a little surprised. He did think of it that he would never go to America again.

Going to America was like getting a gilded experience, but subsequent developments made him realize that gilding was of little significance.

Of course, another reason was to meet with Lin Jia frequently. The combination of these two reasons led him to get a doctorate degree at MIT, but before leaving, Chen Yuanguang knew that he would never be able to return to this land again.

Even if China won and America returned to isolationism and gave up its global interests like England, he would never set foot on American soil again.

"Of course, I thought about it. I had a feeling at that time that you were just like the money in China. He never went back after leaving Caltech.

I think you are very similar to him. You have made many great achievements when you were at MIT alone.

With these achievements, even if you are Chinese, you can still get a lot of honors and financial rewards in America.

America has never been stingy with its gifts to outstanding Chinese scientists.

But you chose to go back without hesitation. I had this feeling at the time."

Bawendi has French, American and Tunisian ancestry. In his early years, he traveled between Tunisia and France. This identity background led to Bawendi not having much concept of his country.

What he cares about is whether the environment is suitable for academics. As for which country it is or whether it is his homeland, it is not important.

Of course, it is precisely because so many Chinese people have studied abroad and always have the idea of ​​serving the country that the Americans are so wary.

People from other countries would never enjoy the same treatment as the Chinese.

Letting go now is a last resort.

"Professor, didn't you choose to return to France?" Chen Yuanguang did not dwell on the issue of returning to his country.

"I went back to France because I was shaken by Joseph's death and I thought things were out of control in Washington. I knew Joseph, and he was a good man, and he was every bit as capable as any NASA official I knew.

However, such a person was assassinated just for making the right decision.

I don't think I can work in such an out-of-control environment.

Wright, you have driven the Americans crazy. They have all lost their minds." Bawendi said helplessly.

"Professor, do you also think that the cooperation between France and Guangjia Aerospace is the right choice?" Chen Yuanguang was really surprised.

"Of course, just like there are competitions between Airbus and Boeing in the field of passenger aircraft, it is a good thing that there are two companies, SpaceX and Light Armor Aerospace, competing in the field of reusable rockets.

For France and the European Space Agency, they are seeking a balance between the two companies, which is of course in their best interests.

Wright, monopoly is always the worst option for customers.

Later, after I returned to Paris, I heard that you were willing to transfer technology to France, which made France's decision even more correct.

It's a pity that Joseph died." When he said this, Bawendi sighed, and a few more wrinkles appeared on his face.

“Joseph’s death may seem like a small matter, but it actually had a profound impact. After his death, scholars from Europe began to think about returning home.

Everyone realized that America was no longer a good place to be.

But not everyone can go back. You know, there are obviously fewer teaching positions in Europe than in America.

Those who can return are all relatively good professors with many achievements. A very interesting reality has been formed in the past two years.

European professors who have achieved success in America choose to return to Europe, while it is difficult for European postdoctoral fellows to get teaching positions at universities in good cities. Many of them choose to go to more remote areas in Europe or to America.

And these scholars who went to America all wanted to achieve success and then return to Europe.”

Chen Yuanguang was a little confused. When did America become so hated? Isn't it a country on the top of the mountain that attracts talents from all over the world?

Although China's technological development is far beyond expectations and China is constantly encroaching on the American market in some core technology fields, shouldn't Europe be even worse off? Could Joseph's death have such a big impact?
“Professor, I’m afraid Joseph can’t have such a big impact?
He is just the director of the French Space Agency, and only a few people should know him." Chen Yuanguang asked.

Bawendi nodded: "Of course, his death was just a prelude.

Essentially, it is because of the problems within America itself that everyone chooses to leave.

America is becoming radicalized, you know?

I know the Chinese media very well. The Chinese media likes to report on the educational problems in California, where extremists passed legislation to prevent parents from deciding the gender of their children.

The education that children receive in school may very likely cause them to have some cognitive deviations, making them think that they are gay or that they should undergo sex change at an early stage.

This is of course very bad.

But at the same time, there is another side that the Chinese media will not report. In states dominated by the far right, they have abortion bans that prohibit women from having abortions.

On one side, the extremists deny parents the right to decide the gender of their children, while on the other side, the extremists deny parents the right to decide whether to have an abortion for their children. On this side, even the children themselves cannot decide whether to have an abortion. It is obvious that there are more and more extremists, and the two sides are becoming more and more extreme, because only extremes can win over voters.

This is not a good thing. Although Europe also has various problems, from the perspective of the next generation, America's problems are obviously bigger.

Of course, the European scholars I just mentioned went back because of this. I went back not because of the child, but because I am your mentor, and this identity is too sensitive. "

After hearing this, Chen Yuanguang laughed and said, "Professor, there is no way.

When I chose my mentor, I couldn’t have predicted where I am today.

When I was in America, it was hard to imagine that in the future America would do everything it could to get rid of me.”

Bawendi also smiled and said, “Yeah, so I had to leave America too.

Professor Levitt also left America, and returned to England shortly after I left.

But I don't think you didn't predict this day. When you were in American, you didn't make any friends and hardly interacted with people in the lab.

I heard from Indian students in the group that many Chinese students wanted to make friends with you, including some from well-connected families, but you never paid any attention to them. "

After listening to them, Chen Yuanguang said: "I ignored them not because I felt I would be targeted in the future and was afraid of getting them into trouble.

I ignored them simply because I am socially anxious and I don’t like wasting time socializing with strangers.”

After a round of greetings, Bawendi told the real purpose of his visit: "Wright, China's photovoltaic technology has advanced to the third generation. Are you willing to transfer your previous perovskite synthesis technology?

This is the mission given to me by France, and they want me to talk to you about it.

From my personal point of view, I also hope that you can transfer the technology to France.

America has achieved a technological breakthrough and will soon compete with Chinese companies through non-market means.

In this lower-tier market, it is good for Guangjia Aerospace to have France share the pressure.”

What Bawendi said was a bit obscure. The commission method of Guangjia Aerospace is similar to that of Qualcomm. Guangjia Aerospace will take a commission based on the number of photovoltaic modules you ship.

Therefore, Guangjia Aerospace's profit in this regard is linked to the shipment volume of photovoltaic modules.

America's technology is comparable to Guangjia Aerospace's second-generation photovoltaic technology. America will use a series of measures to prevent China from selling its products to America's allies.

China cannot sell it, but France can, and America cannot stop France.

Therefore, this is beneficial to Guangjia Aerospace, but it is not good for the entire Chinese photovoltaic industry. America's one competitor has become America and France's two competitors.

Seeing Chen Yuanguang thinking, Bawendi continued: "Wright, France hopes to gain markets in Europe and French Africa."

(The blue part of the picture belongs to France's former colonies, protectorates and trusteeships in Africa, and the yellow part belongs to Belgium's former colonies, which are also French-speaking areas. Therefore, France has a very large influence in the blue and yellow areas.)
"Africa doesn't have the money to buy French products," said Chen Yuanguang.

What this means is that, first of all, photovoltaic modules equipped with perovskite cells have never been cheap, and secondly, European products are more expensive than Chinese products.

“Of course, France will choose to operate Europe’s photovoltaic power plants itself.

The prerequisite is that we can obtain photovoltaic technology from China."

In the past, France’s strategy towards Africa was very simple: plunder, take your minerals, and introduce your population.

As for running the business well and helping to develop the local economy, that doesn't exist.

Things changed fundamentally after China began to get involved in Africa.

France realized that if it continued to dig up its former colonies in this way, it would lose these places sooner or later.

The reason they can become one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council is because of Africa. If France only had its homeland, their situation would not be much better than that of England.

What is even more deadly to them is that America is also extending its tentacles into Africa.

America is intervening deeply in Africa through the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Compared with the French plunder, the Americans are better. At least they will leave jobs and industries in Africa instead of mines.

Among them, Ethiopia's garment industry alone has increased its exports to America by US$2000 million from 2021 to 2.73, creating 12 jobs.

The country that has been most obviously poached by America is Ghana, a place where France has been operating for more than 20 years. Since 1999, France has pledged to provide Ghana with US$3400 million in aid every year. In 2004, France even announced the cancellation of Ghana's 1.16 million euros debt.

In short, just two words: make money like crazy.

But this kind of money transfer essentially does not reach the grassroots people, let alone create any substantial benefits.

This is about buying off the upper class in Ghana and infiltrating the lower class through cultural influence.

After America arrived, it reached out directly to the grassroots. The food and security initiative "Feed the Future" funded by the American Agency for International Development (USAID) and America provided a total of US$25000 million in financial assistance to about 2 companies in Ghana, generating more than US$9800 million in agricultural product sales.

These are measures that directly create benefits and income for grassroots farmers.

Under the operation of American, the American-Ghana Commodity Exchange reached US$37 billion, increasing Ghana's trade surplus by US$18 billion.

If China is just building roads, America is directly targeting the grassroots farmers. France is digging its roots in Africa, and America is digging its roots in France.

In a word, France can no longer play the game the way it did in Africa.

They also have to do some construction, even if it's just superficial construction.

The United States and China are rapidly expanding their influence among the middle and lower classes with real money and a large amount of infrastructure, and France is not far from being driven crazy.

(End of this chapter)