Chapter 310
Chapter 310: Aid to Africa
The production of weapons in Mbeya would lead to a significant enrichment of industries and the potential growth of a large city. However, Ernst preferred to avoid the creation of a massive metropolis, as he believed that extremely overpopulated cities were not livable, and underpopulated ones couldn't fully utilize their resources.
Ernst's vision for Mbeya City was to promote its role as a transportation hub, connecting various regions, and fostering collaboration between smaller cities within the Lake Malawi Industrial Zone. This approach aimed to prevent overpopulation in Mbeya while facilitating industrial cooperation and development across the zone.
Meanwhile, in the Far East, Richard, the ambassador of the Kingdom of East Africa, approached the Qing government with an unusual request. He sought assistance in learning the "advanced" medical skills of the Far East and asked the Qing government to send medical personnel to "assist" East Africa in dealing with various challenges, including droughts, floods, wild animals, and epidemics.
In response to Richard's request, Yixin, one of the ministers of the Prime Minister's Office, conveyed the proposal to Tongzhi, the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Tongzhi found the request intriguing and asked whether this East African kingdom was the same nation that had recently established an embassy in North Korea.
Yixin confirmed that it was indeed the same kingdom and explained that East Africa's origins could be traced back to Zheng He's expeditions, which had led to the establishment of the kingdom by the Prince of Western Prussia. She also mentioned that Prussia's focus on military strength had left the country struggling economically.
Tongzhi was interested in the unusual request, given that Western countries often displayed arrogance. Yixin explained that East Africa was different, as it admired the flourishing culture of the Qing Dynasty and sought assistance from China despite being a non-Western nation.
While Tongzhi found the request intriguing, he remained cautious and wondered if there might be a hidden agenda. Yixin clarified that East Africa was relatively underdeveloped and had faced challenges such as wildlife, natural disasters, and plagues, making the country's situation dire.
Tongzhi was pleased that a foreign nation was seeking assistance from the Qing Dynasty and saw it as an opportunity to regain some sense of superiority for his empire, which had faced humiliation from British and French forces in the past.
Tongzhi made a generous offer, allowing East Africa to send officials and students to study Chinese medicine at Tai Hospital. Additionally, he offered to recruit hundreds of doctors from the Qing Empire to provide medical assistance to East Africa, promoting China's goodwill and grace on the international stage.
This humanitarian aid to Africa was a formal project endorsed by the Qing government, and Tongzhi was determined not to allow any charlatans to take advantage of it. The selection process for the medical personnel sent to East Africa would be rigorous to ensure that the aid provided was genuine and effective.