A closed meeting, a secret agenda. That was all that was being said about the Conference of Quang-sow, a secret meeting between diplomats from the Empire and East Fancainia. It was a meeting so secret that diplomats were first sent to Sri Lanka, a month before the meeting was set to take place and, from there, leisurely made their way to Quang-sow, the Fancainian capital. It was a meeting held behind closed doors, far away from the press and the prying eyes of the governments of the world, a meeting so secret that not even the Cottish, the Empire's closest and strongest allies knew it was taking place. Security was kept to a bare minimum and secrets were stored in heads rather than briefcases. Now that was over though, the cloak and dagger routines were unnecessary, it could be announced to the world and it would be, on the steps of the capitol in Quang-sow. Underneath the beating, tropical sun, with humidity thick enough to cut with a knife, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs stepped up to the podium after an introduction and began to address the entire world. "On this day, the Empire and the people of East Fancainia have established a long-lasting peace. We are to become benefactors of one another, a great honor to the Empire and its people. Here, in Southeast Asia, the Empire will be a beacon of hope, light, and prosperity for the Fancainian people. Just minutes ago, I, as representative to the Emperor, appended my signature to what will be known as the Treaty of Quang-sow. In this treaty, the East Fancainian government has leased land to the Empire between the cities of Phangnga and Surat Thani, across the Kra Isthmus, to begin the immediate construction of a massive, infrastructure project. In return, we promise peace, prosperity, and stability not only to the East Fancainian people but also the region as a whole. Within this project, we shall construct what will be known as the Thai Canal, a massive canal that will open the South China Sea up to the Indian Ocean, by way of the Andaman Sea. No longer will ships have to transit the narrow, dangerous, and easily closed Strait of Malacca. Vessels as large as supertankers and aircraft carriers will sail alongside merchant vessels and allow the Special Economic Zone of Hainan to be connected with the heart of the Empire's Western Republic. This is a glorious day for both of our nations and our people and we go forward, in this future, stronger and safer than we ever have before." She stepped down before applause and questions drowned out her speech. The Thai Canal was a massive project that would span three to five years and cost around §26 billion or a little over $50 billion but it would open up the Kra Isthmus and allow the Empire to reach Hainan at all times. The canal would be completely under the control of the Empire, be fully funded by the Empire, and the Fancainians would reap the benefits of it. They would have unrestricted and uncharged access to it, since it was severing their country in half. In turn, the Empire would strategically dominate the region. This would be a one hundred and twenty-five kilometer canal capable of supporting ships as long as five hundred and fifteen meters, as wide as seventy-six meters, as heavy as four hundred thousand tonnes, and drafts of up to twenty-five meters. It was a shot in the face of the Empire's enemies but it was absolutely necessary.
Treaty of Quang-sowArticle I
The Empire guarantees that it will not impede or infringe upon the sovereignty and independence of East Fancainia.Article II
East Fancainia grants the Empire, for the duration of ninety-nine years, the use, occupation, and control of a zone of land and land under water for the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitation, and protection of said Canal of the width of eighteen miles extended to the distance of nine miles on each side of the center line of the route of the Canal to be constructed; the said zone beginning in the Andaman Sea, one and a half miles south of Phangnga extended northeast across the Kra Isthmus to a point one and a half miles north of Surat Thani in the Gulf of Thailand with the proviso that the cities of Phangnga and Surat Thani and the harbors adjacent to said cities, which are included within the boundaries of the zone above described, shall not be included within this grant.
East Fancainia further grants to the Empire, for the duration of ninety-nine years, the use, occupation, and control of any other lands and waters outside of the zone above described which may be necessary and convenient for the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitation, and protection of the said Canal or of any auxiliary canals or other works necessary and convenient for the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitation, and protection of said enterprise.Article III
East Fancainia grants to the Empire all the rights, power, and authority within the zone mentioned and described in Article II of this treaty, and within the limits of all auxiliary lands and waters mentioned and described in said Article II which the Empire would possess and exercise, if it were the sovereign of the territory within which said lands and waters are located to the entire exclusion of the exercise by East Fancainia of any such sovereign rights, power, or authority.Article IV
East Fancainia grants to the Empire, for the duration of ninety-nine years, a monopoly for the construction, maintenance, and operation of any system of communication and transportation throughout said Canal zone.Article V
The Empire grants to East Fancainia that all citizens living within said Canal zone will remain citizens of East Fancainia.Article VI
The Empire grants that East Fancainia's ability to traverse through said Canal zone, whether by air, land, or sea, shall not be interfered with or impeded upon for the duration of this treaty.Article VII
East Fancainia agrees that there shall not be imposed any taxes, national, municipal, department, or any other class, upon the Canal, means of communication and transportation, auxiliary works, tugs, and other vessels employed in the service of the Canal, store houses, work shops, offices, quarters for laborers, factories of all kinds, warehouses, wharves, machinery and other works, property, and effects appertaining to the Canal, means of communication and transportation, and auxiliary works, or their officers or employees, situated within the cities of Phangnga and Surat Thani, and that there shall not be imposed contributions or changes of a personal character of any kind upon officers, employees, laborers, and other individuals in the service of the Canal, means of communication and transportation, and auxiliary works.Article VIII
The Empire agrees that any usage of the means of communication and transportation by East Fancainia shall not be impeded, infringed, or interfered with by the Empire nor shall any means of eavesdropping be used upon East Fancainia.Article IX
The Empire agrees to permit the employment of Fancainian citizens for the purposes of construction, maintenance, operation, sanitation, and protection of said Canal zone.
The government of East Fancainia shall permit the immigration and free access to the lands and workshops of the Canal and its auxiliary works of all employees and workmen of whatever nationality under contract to work upon or seeking employment upon or in any wise connected with the said Canal and its auxiliary works, with their respective families, and all such persons shall be free and exempt from military service of East Fancainia.Article X
The Empire may import at any time into the said zone and auxiliary lands, free of custom duties, imposts, taxes, or other charges, and without any restrictions, any and all vessels, dredges, engines, cars, machinery, tools, explosives, materials, supplies, and other articles necessary and convenient in the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitation, and protection of the Canal and auxiliary works, and all provisions, medicines, clothing, supplies, and other things necessary and convenient for the officers, employees, workmen, and laborers in the service and employ of the Empire and for their families. If any such articles are disposed of for use outside of the zone and auxiliary lands granted to the Empire and within the territory of the Republic, they shall be subject to the same import or other duties as like articles imported under the laws of East Fancainia.Article XI
As price or compensation for the rights, powers, and privileges granted in this treaty by East Fancainia to the Empire, the Government of the Empire agrees to pay East Fancainia the sum of five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) in gold coin of the Empire on the exchange of ratification of this treaty and also an annual payment during the life of this treaty of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in like gold coin, beginning nine years after the date aforesaid. The provisions of this Article shall be in addition to all other benefits assured to East Fancainia under this treaty.Article XII
If it should become necessary at any time to employ armed forces for the safety or protection of the Canal, or of the ships that make use of the same, or the means of communication and transportation, and auxiliary works, the Empire shall have the right, at all times and in its discretion, to use its police and its air, land, and naval forces or to establish fortifications for these purposes.Article XIII
No change either in the Government or in the laws and treaties of East Fancainia shall, without the consent of the Empire, affect any right of the Empire under the present treaty, or under any treaty stipulation between the two countries that now exists or may hereafter exist touching the subject matter of this treaty.
If East Fancainia shall hereafter enter as a constituent into any other Government or into any union or confederation of states, so as to merge her sovereignty or independence in such Government, union or confederation, the rights of the Empire under this treaty shall not be in any respect lessened or impaired.