He Pengfei, the only son of He Long, bought the Varyag and sent it back to the motherland: this is the only chance for the Chinese nation

He Pengfei, the only son of He Long, bought the Varyag and sent it back to the motherland: this is the only chance for the Chinese nation

Looking back at the early days of liberation, the country's economy was not stable, and even building an aircraft was a huge challenge#high-quality author list#war, not to mention building a maritime force such as an aircraft carrier. At that time, the size and equipment of the navy were relatively backward, and the aircraft carrier was a distant dream.

At a time when the country was in turmoil, the Battle of the Paracels in 1974 became a painful lesson.

The frigates of the South China Sea Fleet are in disrepair, and the capabilities of the aviation are quite limited, which leads to the fact that the limitations and weaknesses of the actions of our military at sea are exposed. This battle deeply touched the leaders of that era, and made them realize that having a modern navy is an important guarantee of national security and development.

Even at such a difficult time, as early as ten years ago, General Liu Huaqing bravely proposed the "blueprint for aircraft carriers", which was almost an expression of pride and ambition for the people at that time. However, it was not until ten years later that he had the pleasure of seeing a real aircraft carrier up close for the first time.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States in 1979 marked the beginning of a new era for China. The old general witnessed the magnificent scale and advanced combat capabilities of the aircraft carrier, which was an incredible shock to the Chinese of that era.

The scale of more than a dozen floors inside and outside the aircraft carrier is by no means an easy task for General Liu, who is over sixty years old. But he persevered, climbed layer by layer, and spent a whole day visiting three major American warships in a row. Even in the face of the US side's secrecy restrictions, he still observed every facility with great concentration, humbly listened to the explanations of the US personnel, and was as humble as a student studying with an open mind.

At that time, the aircraft carrier was not only a piece of equipment, but also a symbol of national strength and glory. Who doesn't aspire to have an aircraft carrier of their own? But the reality is not so simple.

The United States strictly controls arms sales to China, and is unwilling to provide even a single military chip. They don't want China to become strong, and they use all kinds of means to contain and suppress it, making it difficult for China to obtain advanced technology.

The opportunity has finally arrived. With the passage of time, China has accumulated enough experience and technology, and the opportunity has finally arrived.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Nikolav Black Sea Shipyard in Ukraine became the focus of many people's attention. The shipyard was the only place in the USSR capable of building aircraft carriers, with three aircraft carriers, of which the Kuznetsov and Varyag were both at various stages of construction, while the Ulyanovsk was a large nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, but only 17% of the work was completed.

The Norwegians came up with a seemingly problem-solving idea: dismantle the abandoned nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and use its steel to build a cruise ship.

The Ukrainian shipyard accepted the proposal and painstakingly dismantled the abandoned aircraft carrier. However, when the shipyard finished dismantling and supplying the steel, the Norwegian company took only one plate and disappeared without a trace.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine faced many challenges, especially when it came to the fate of naval vessels. The three aircraft carriers owned by the Nikolav Black Sea Shipyard have become the focus of international attention, among which the fate of the Ulyanovsk has been particularly tortuous.

The U.S. government, out of its own interests, fears that Russia and Ukraine are cooperating, and that the Russian Navy's possession of this nuclear-powered aircraft carrier poses a potential threat to the United States. Therefore, they destroyed the aircraft carrier with despicable commercial fraud, in order to prevent this strategic resource from falling into the hands of Russia.

Interestingly, back at the beginning of the collapse of the USSR, the Chinese military showed great interest in the Varyag. General Liu Huaqing even sent people to Ukraine to inspect the aircraft carrier.

Trade in military equipment has always been one of the most sensitive and complex issues in international relations. In particular, large military equipment, such as aircraft carriers, has attracted much attention because its transactions involve national security and strategic interests.

The case of China's purchase of the "Melbourne" aircraft carrier from Australia shows the various restrictions and challenges in international military trade. The threat of economic sanctions against Ukraine by the United States demanded the dismantling of military equipment on the Varyag and prevented it from selling to China, which shows its concern and opposition to China's possession of such an advanced aircraft carrier.

In 1998, the Ukrainian government, under pressure, decided to dismantle the Varyag and sell it at a scrap price to avoid further economic losses. Although the aircraft carrier has been dismantled into empty shells, it is still seen as a good deal for China to acquire it.

The Varyag was one of the most advanced aircraft carriers of the Soviet Union, with a similar level of technology to the American aircraft carriers. Although the construction was not completed, its infrastructure is still well preserved. This is a rare opportunity for China. By using this aircraft carrier as a reference, China can avoid detours in the design and construction of aircraft carriers, saving a lot of time and resources. Its technical reference value is immeasurable.

The purchase of an aircraft carrier can be described as a debate involving many considerations and conflicting opinions. Aircraft carriers are expensive to build, and their high maintenance costs are one of the reasons why countries are discouraged.

Even though Thailand later spent 400 million yuan to buy the Nalubet, the world's smallest aircraft carrier, it did not ease the burden. Not only does the aircraft carrier need a crew of about 450, but its huge operating expenses are a huge burden.

In addition to the daily living expenses of the crew, the operation of the aircraft carrier requires a lot of fuel, regular maintenance and repairs. Aircraft carriers are never operated in isolation, each voyage needs to be accompanied by numerous ships, and the aircraft on the aircraft carrier need to be replaced regularly to maintain combat effectiveness. These expenses add up to a huge financial burden, consuming a considerable amount of money almost every second.

The Nalubet was officially handed over to the Thai Navy in 1997 and then began to enter service the following year. However, just after that, the financial crisis erupted, which led to a long-term downturn in the Thai economy, and the navy's military spending was too tight to maintain the operation of the aircraft carrier. This situation has made the economic pressure to keep the aircraft carrier operating even heavier.

The plan to buy the Varyag was not suspended after the top management was vetoed. The military remains anticipating this opportunity and is beginning to look for other ways and means to achieve it. In the face of international restrictions and obstructions, they must plan carefully to ensure the success of the deal.

Since the purchase of aircraft carriers involves political and military interests between countries, in order to avoid external interference, the military has to find ways to purchase in an individual capacity. However, finding the right buyer is not an easy task. This person needs to have feelings for the country and cannot be identified as "one of their own".

In this case, He Pengfei, deputy commander of the navy, became a key figure. As the son of Marshal He Long, he took on this heavy responsibility, looking for someone who could do the task. However, he approached two Hong Kong businessmen one after another, but they all refused because the risk was too high. This kind of sensitive transaction involving national security is undoubtedly an extremely challenging decision for them.

In the end, after this long-distance search, He Pengfei found Xu Zengping.

Xu Zengping, his life trajectory has been far away from Jinan since the 80s of the 20th century. Eager for greater opportunities, he and his family moved to Hong Kong, where they embarked on a long business journey. Although on the surface, he does not seem to be a candidate within the government, he has a heart for his country.

Xu Zengping, who had joined the army, had deep feelings for the army. Although he did not have the financial resources to compete with other competitors, he was willing to stand up for his country.

Xu Zengping is about to go to Ukraine to participate in the bidding, and this major decision has attracted He Pengfei's attention. When seeing him off, He Pengfei was grateful, holding Xu Zengping's hand tightly, expressing his confidence and importance in the unique opportunities of the Chinese nation: "This is the only opportunity for the Chinese nation. Because no one wanted to sell to us in the past, and there will be no ...... in the future If I miss it, I can't even forgive myself. ”

Full of expectation and pressure, Xu Zengping embarked on a journey to Ukraine.

In fact, relations between China and Ukraine have always been very good. Long before the bidding, the two sides had already negotiated the price.

In April 1998, Xu Zengping's Chuanglu Company successfully acquired the Varyag for $20 million through competitive bidding. Although officials claim that it will be remodeled on a large scale and turned into a maritime tourism complex, with facilities such as a ballroom, hotel and gaming facilities.

After Xu Zengping won the bid, he only paid a small part of the deposit, and then fell into a financial crisis and was unable to complete the remaining payment. The dilemma forced the military to send a representative to return home with Mr. Xu to raise funds.

They first sought the support of Ma Weihua, the governor of the People's Bank of Hainan, but Ma Weihua could not raise such a large sum of money at once. He decided to convene various financial institutions to discuss a solution, but due to the unjustifiable gambling business, the $20 million needed funds were also met with indifference.

With only one month left before the deadline, Xu Zengping and his team approached Shao Chun, then chairman of China Huaxia Securities.

Shao Chun didn't believe it at first, thinking that he could buy an aircraft carrier for $20 million? This seemed unlikely! Even an unfinished aircraft carrier would not be so cheap.

Xu Zengping handed over a document to Shao Chun for review. Although the content of the document is standardized, there is a lack of official red-headed documents.

Xu Zengping and his entourage were unable to provide official red-headed documents, so they could only try to request an "interview". When Shao Chun asked, "Who is the leader?", the other party replied that he was the deputy commander of the navy. At this time, He Pengfei personally came forward and talked with Shao Chun about this matter.

The deputy commander of the Navy mentioned only two key messages: first, the ship was available, and second, the Navy needed it. As for why the navy could not come forward directly and why the state could not provide money, Commander He did not explain in depth, but Shao Chun understood in his heart.

Eventually, Shao Chun managed to raise the required funds. After successful payment, the next step is to ship the aircraft carrier back home.

Unexpectedly, the most difficult stage turned out to be in the transportation of aircraft carriers.

During the return of the Varyag aircraft carrier to China, four countries on the way left a mark that cannot be ignored. Two of these countries are Ukraine and Greece, and the other two are Turkey and Egypt.

The power plant of the Varyag aircraft carrier has been completely dismantled and can only be towed by tugboats.

When the Varyag arrived in the waters of the Black Sea in northern Turkey and was about to pass through the Turkish-controlled Istanbul Strait, the Turkish government forcibly blocked the passage of the Varyag on the grounds that it was too large to interfere with the navigation of other ships, forcing it to return to the Black Sea by the same route.

Faced with Turkey's obstruction, China had to engage in diplomatic negotiations that lasted for a year and a half. During this period, the Chinese side paid $8,500 a day to the tugboat company and $17,000 a month to the Ukrainian port for berthing fees.

Although the Turkish Prime Minister and Foreign Ministry were initially inclined to allow the passage, Mirzaoglu, the Minister of State for Maritime Affairs, was adamantly opposed.

At the end of 1999, the U.S. intervention moved from behind the scenes to the forefront. Ambassador to Turkey Pearson met with the head of Turkish maritime affairs, Mirzaoglu, and clearly expressed the concern of the US government over the incident with the Varyag. This meeting marked the beginning of the United States' active participation and influence on the issue.

In the following March, the U.S. government invited Mirzaoğlu to visit the United States. The trip could be seen as an attempt by the U.S. government to influence Turkey's position on the issue further through its engagement with Mirzaoglu.

Under the "guidance" of the United States, Mirzaoğlu made a strong statement, declaring that if it wants to pass through the Turkish Straits, the Varyag must either have its own power or be dismantled and transported, otherwise it will not want to pass through Turkish waters.

In the face of US intervention and Turkey's hardline attitude, China had to continue negotiations with Turkey and make some concessions.

In 2001, the Turkish military elite was invited to visit Beijing and was received by the country's leaders. The visit seemed to have changed the dynamics, and the Turkish military relaxed its position and put forward a request for the transfer of weapons technology.

Next, the Turkish government went a step further, asking China to provide $360 million in economic aid, and asking China to open up tourism to Turkey, striving to bring at least 2 million Chinese tourists to Turkey every year, so as to bring $2 billion in foreign exchange to Turkey.

China accepted these conditions one by one in order to make a deal. However, the Turkish Maritime Agency has proposed 20 extremely demanding conditions for passage, one of which is that China must first pay a $1 billion "risk deposit".

The 20 conditions proposed by Turkey are excessively harsh when the purchase of the Varyag cost only $20 million. These conditions require a huge margin equivalent to several times the purchase price, leaving the Chinese government with a dire choice.

To address this dilemma, the Chinese government sent a delegation of officials from the Ministry of Transport and shipping experts to Turkey for negotiations in the following September. They held consultations specifically on the passage of the Varyag through the Turkish Straits and prepared the security measures requested by Turkey in a very short time.

However, the delegation categorically could not accept the condition of paying $1 billion in insurance premiums. At this critical juncture, Greece became China's savior.

Greece not only promised a free guarantee, but also sent the country's most powerful tugboat to assist China.

The complex historical entanglement between Greece and Turkey has led to this Greek aid to China. On the one hand, this assistance stems from the long-standing and intractable contradictions between Greece and Turkey, so Greece is ready to help Turkey's enemies, especially countries that are at odds in international relations, such as China.

On the other hand, China and Greece have always maintained good relations and there is no conflict of interest between them. As early as 1997, during the turmoil in Albania, China asked Greece to send warships to assist in the evacuation of Chinese personnel in Albania, and Greece did not hesitate to provide support.

The mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Greece is reflected not only at the political level, but also in economic and international affairs. When Greece faced a sovereign debt crisis, China reached out in a timely manner, publicly supporting Greece to stay in the eurozone and buying a large number of Greek government bonds.

In addition, China has taken the initiative to invest in and improve the operation of the thousand-year-old port of Piraeus, which was facing huge losses at the time, and which has been revitalized by Chinese investment and management. The port of Piraeus is now an important pillar of the Greek economy, creating a large number of jobs and contributing greatly to the Greek economy.

China has always pursued the principle of "reciprocating the favor", extending a helping hand to other countries when they need help, and at the same time striving to create a win-win situation in cooperation with other countries. This kind of sustained and mutually beneficial cooperation and assistance is not a one-time move, but a consistent practice in China's international cooperation.

On November 1, 2001, the Varyag successfully entered the Sea of Marmara on a sunny day in the Istanbul Strait, towed by 11 tugboats and escorted by 12 rescue and firefighting vessels.

The next afternoon, the aircraft carrier Varyag entered the Aegean Sea, but a sudden storm changed the situation abruptly. On November 3, the Varyag encountered an unprecedented storm in the Aegean Sea, when force 9 winds caused the towing cable connecting it to the tugboat to break.

The huge ship is like a wild horse that has lost control, jolting and rampage through the raging waves, unsteerable.

The seven sailors on board fought hard to withstand the storm, but bad sea conditions caused the Varyag to break away from the tugboat and eventually drift to a position only 80 kilometers from the Egyptian island of Evia.

Subsequently, the Greek side quickly launched a rescue operation, dispatched rescue helicopters, and successfully rescued seven sailors safely.

The rescue operation lasted six full days, and it was not until November 7 that the Varyag was successfully stabilized with a towline by three tugboats and a Greek ship. In the process, a sailor died in the line of duty while securing the towing line, paying with his life for the rescue operation.

After the Varyag managed to escape the storm, the rest of the voyage went relatively smoothly. However, since Egypt did not allow the Varyag to pass through the Suez Canal, the aircraft carrier had to choose a more detouring route. On March 3, 2002, the aircraft carrier Varyag finally arrived at the port of Dalian in China. The voyage cost a total of $30 million, far more than the cost of buying the Varyag.

On the same day that the Varyag arrived at the port of Dalian, the gaming license of Macau Chuanglu was revoked, and the company announced that it could not afford the berthing costs of the Varyag in the port of Dalian due to operational difficulties, so it gave up ownership of the Varyag to pay off its debts. This practice is legal and reasonable, and Western countries cannot blame it.

A year before the arrival of the Varyag, He Pengfei died of illness at the age of 55. He was not able to witness the day when the Varyag arrived safely at its destination.

In 2005, the Dalian Shipyard in China began a comprehensive restoration and reconstruction of the Varyag. This abandoned aircraft carrier from Ukraine has become an important cornerstone of China's aircraft carrier industry. The national industrial system is working together to continuously inject state-of-the-art military components into this empty shell, optimized according to the latest technology. This huge project marked the beginning of China's aircraft carrier business.

By 2012, after seven years of renovation work, the Varyag was completely transformed and was renamed the Liaoning. This marked the beginning of China's aircraft carrier fleet, and the Liaoning became China's first aircraft carrier to be built indigenously.

The acquisition of the Liaoning is of great significance to the construction of the Chinese Navy. Prior to this, China's shipbuilding capacity was relatively limited, limited to several thousand tons of destroyers. However, the introduction of the Varyag changed the situation, and suddenly China's shipbuilding capacity jumped to the level of being able to build a 60,000-ton aircraft carrier.

There is an important reason behind this leap: China has not only acquired the Varyag itself, but also all of its design drawings. This means that China suddenly has the economic and technological gains accumulated by the former Soviet Union in 26 years to build eight aircraft carriers.

The introduction of the Varyag was of epoch-making significance for China's naval construction. Unlike the previously acquired "Melbourne", the Varyag is a completely new ship with its power system intact, injecting a new vitality and strength into the Chinese Navy.

Without the introduction of the Varyag, China may need to start with the most basic raw materials and original designs, and gradually explore, experiment, and accumulate experience. This process can take at least 20 years, if not more, and can cost tens of billions of dollars in research funding. The arrival of the Varyag has saved China a huge amount of time and scientific research funds, and has provided an accelerator for the modernization of the Chinese Navy.

The Varyag is not just an aircraft carrier, but more like a seed that sowed and nurtured the growth of the Chinese Navy. Its introduction has enabled the Chinese Navy to gradually grow from a small sapling to a towering tree, enhancing the overall strength and influence of the Chinese Navy.

Since the Liaoning (the renamed Varyag) entered service in 2012, the Chinese Navy has shown a more assertive and assertive attitude on the South China Sea issue. This symbolizes the rise of China's navy and its increasing strength, and China plays a more important role in regional affairs.

As Mr. Qian Xuesen said, "There is a sword but not a sword and there is no sword to use, which are two completely different situations."

In the history of the purchase of the Varyag, this event fades into the memory of the people with the passage of time and the gradual death of the person involved.

It is worth emphasizing that the purchase of the Varyag was not a decision that could be unanimously approved at the time. The opinions of the top leadership are not completely unified, and this is a controversial and difficult choice.

At that time, the country was in a critical period of economic transformation, and the future was uncertain, and the large-scale military investment such as the purchase of aircraft carriers naturally caused many concerns and disagreements.

Despite their differences, once they decide to act, leaders are willing to unite for the common ideals and national interests, even at the expense of using the full power of the country to ensure that the task is accomplished. Without the full intervention of the state, whether the Varyag could be successfully transported to the country could have been completely different.

For those involved at the time, they were aware of the risks and liabilities that could come with buying such a large vessel. Once the matter is investigated, their future is not guaranteed, and they may even face the end of disrepute. However, for them, personal interests are not the primary consideration. More importantly, they have the national interests and the interests of the Chinese nation in their hearts.

In their view, personal gains and losses are not important, and the most important thing is to protect the interests of the Chinese nation. This spirit of sacrificing one's personal interests and taking risks to do things that are beneficial to the country is admirable. They put national interests first and are willing to take risks, even sacrificing their lives, in order to defend the interests and dignity of the Chinese nation.

This kind of spirit of sacrificing personal interests and sacrificing dedication for the interests of the country should always be remembered and respected by future generations.

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