bookrandom Chapter 427 OCBC Bank’s Gold Reserves (1)
Chapter 427 OCBC Bank’s Gold Reserves (1)
Inside and outside the port of Yangon, the afternoon sun cast golden ripples on the sea. A cruise ship was slowly approaching the shore. The sound of whistles, mixed with the accents of the port porters and the creaking sound of the old cranes, made this port city, which had just awakened from the war, full of vitality.
Following the sound of a whistle, a cruise ship over a hundred meters long docked and the gangway on the ground immediately moved up.
The "Dawn" came from Mumbai via Chittagong, with the flag of the British Oriental Shipping Company hanging on the bow and the Union Jack flying high at the stern.
After a long sea voyage, the passengers on the ship were obviously eager to get off the ship.
As the news of the complete liberation of Singapore hit the newspapers, the photo of General Doihara committing suicide by seppuku deep in the fortress, in which the An Min Jun only found his body doused in gasoline and burned to charcoal, became the recent front-page headline.
Knowing that the situation was hopeless, the Japanese headquarters simply posthumously awarded Doihara the rank of marshal, but they were still not very happy about it.
After all, due to Doihara's misjudgment, the Anmin Army successfully completed an amphibious landing, cut off the retreat of the main force of the Japanese army, and almost wiped out more than 100,000 Japanese soldiers of the 7th Area Army. Only a small number of remnants were still fighting guerrilla warfare in the rainforests and mountains of the Malay Peninsula.
However, this is great news for the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia who fled to Sindhu because of the war.
The passengers on the "Dawn" that arrived at Yangon Port this time were mostly Chinese and natives who were trying to return to their hometowns with their families.
Others are Indians who come here looking for well-paid jobs.
That's right, since Pegu, Malay, Singapore and other places have developed well in the Asian colonial system of the Indians and require a large amount of labor, the Indians have had a tradition of going east to work for decades.
According to current statistics, excluding Siam, there are more than one million low-caste Sindhu people doing manual labor in the territories controlled by the Anshun Army alone.
He dodged sideways to avoid several short and dark Indians who were stopped by the guards. In the crowded and bustling environment, a middle-aged young man wearing a neat navy blue double-breasted suit, a light gray felt hat, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his nose slowly walked down the ladder.
Following closely behind him was a male secretary who was also well-dressed and carrying a briefcase.
Reception staff were already waiting at the port.
Behind several internal security personnel in black suits, a pretty woman in a light blue cheongsam and a light gray woolen shawl walked up quickly.
She had a dignified face and capable movements. She was Zhang Chi's secretary Liu Shengnan.
"Mr. Chen, you've come from afar and must have been exhausted by the journey. I'm Liu Shengnan, and I'm here to pick you up on the orders of Commissioner Zhang." Liu Shengnan smiled and stretched out her hand.
In addition to the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Anmin Army, Zhang Chi also held the title of member of the Pegu Anti-Japanese Autonomous Committee. When receiving a banker like Chen Zhenchuan, he naturally had to use the latter title.
"Secretary Liu, thank you for your hard work." Chen Zhenchuan bowed slightly when shaking hands, his tone calm and humble.
You can't tell at all that he is a wealthy Chinese businessman who holds enormous wealth and serves as a member of the Singapore Parliament.
He was born in Singapore in 08. His father is a well-known overseas Chinese businessman in the local financial and real estate industries.
In 33, the local Chinese Commercial Bank in Singapore merged with Hwa Hong Bank and OCBC Bank, and Tan Chin Chuan officially joined OCBC Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC) in Singapore as a manager.
In 42, the 34-year-old young man became the youngest managing director in the history of Lion City Bank.
"Do we need to go through customs this time?" Chen Zhenchuan's official language has a distinct Nanyang accent, but his pronunciation is clear, with a calmness and warmth that has been tempered by long-term business negotiations.
Today, the Port of Yangon and even the entire Pegu are no longer within the colonial system of the John people. Naturally, this cross-border crossing requires passing through customs. Chen Zhenchuan, who came by boat from Mumbai, therefore asked this question.
"You're Commissioner Zhang's guest, so naturally, special treatment will be given." Liu Shengnan smiled politely and pointed to a black Spontica sedan nearby. "Please get in this way. Commissioner Zhang is waiting for you."
"Thank you," Chen Zhenchuan nodded with a smile, and then boarded the car with his secretary. The port staff took care of their luggage and delivered it directly to the arranged accommodation.
Soon, the black car drove directly out of the port and had a smooth journey.
This was naturally due to the unique identity of this guest, Chen Zhenchuan. Before the Japanese invaders advanced south, this far-sighted young banker had already perceived the risks and secretly transported the gold reserves of the Overseas Chinese Bank in Singapore to Mumbai to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Japanese.
Today, this gold worth tens of millions of dollars is stored in the underground vault of the Overseas Chinese Bank in Sindhu. With the liberation of Singapore by the People's Army, this gold belonging to the major individual and corporate depositors in Singapore has naturally become a hot commodity in the eyes of various forces.
Zhang Chi also knew that if he wanted to quickly restore the local business environment after the liberation of Singapore, this gold and the help of business and banking elites represented by Chen Zhenchuan would be indispensable.
Outside the car window, the street scenes of Yangon slowly passed by.
The dock area has been renovated, the yard is neatly arranged, cranes are everywhere, and a line of trucks loaded with wood and rubber are heading towards the warehouse area.
The streets are dotted with tea shops and small stalls, with a bustling crowd of people and the sound of peddlers shouting their wares.
Chen Zhenchuan couldn't help but nod slightly. "I can't believe that in just a few months, this place has recovered so well. It would be great if Lion City could recover quickly too."
"Commissioner Zhang said that Yangon Port is the gateway for Bago to communicate with the outside world. The future world will be connected by sea transport, so this gateway must be repaired first." Liu Shengnan smiled. "Now that supplies are flowing in and out of the port by sea, all industries will naturally recover."
"Mr. Zhang is indeed far-sighted." Chen Zhenchuan sighed, looking at the shops on the street filled with weaving cloth, kerosene stoves, and general merchandise. He also saw two insurance companies and exchange houses that had just resumed business and hung up Chinese signs, and his eyes lit up.
"To be honest, Secretary Liu, I set foot on this land with quite complicated feelings." He gently stroked the Lion City passport issued by the John in his hand and said with a wry smile, "When I transferred the gold to Mumbai, I was prepared for the worst. I didn't expect that it would become such a difficult matter now."
"It's 'strategic prediction,'" Liu Shengnan said seriously. "Commissioner Zhang said you're the most prepared person in the Nanyang banking community."
Chen Zhenchuan smiled lightly and did not respond.
He certainly understood that the current gold issue not only involved OCBC Bank's assets, but was also the focus of political games among all parties.
Bombay is under the control of the Johns, while Singapore has been taken over by the People's Security Army. Who will claim the ownership of the gold will affect the future financial landscape of Southeast Asia.