[War] China: "Proportional Response"

[Chazenesq2b at aol.com]

"Proportional Response"
 
President Xia Hong
People's Republic of China
3rd of February, 2007
======================================
 
(Executive Residence, President's Office)
 
The Minister of State Dewei Li and the Minister or Defense Bing Zhou, or 
rather soon to be ministers as the official hearings hadn't been scheduled for 
another couple of hours.  Xia herself was still wearing the burden of the 
previous sleepless night on her face, going over the day's itinerary when the 
People's Liberation Army guard currently on duty ushered them in.  
 
"Gentlemen, please have a seat."  She greeted each as one might expect before 
sitting back down.  "We have a response from Russia?"
 
"We do... a peculiar one."  Bing, who had the advantage of a previous 
relationship with the President passed a ten page report to the Chinese leader.  
"Apparently due to... financial constraints... the Russian Federation is 
unilaterally withdrawing from the Joint Nuclear Attack Submarine project."
 
"Hmmm, when you say peculiar you are not exaggerating, hmm Bing?"  Xia 
glanced over the pages.  "This is the same program they themselves sought to initiat
e."
 
"Indeed."  Bing folded his hands in his lap.  "Given the amount Russia has 
recently spent in updating and modernizing it's police forces, I highly doubt 
financial constraints are the actual rationale behind the action."
 
"We believe the true reason rests with our response to the Non-Aggression 
Pact."  Li offered State's report.  Both men had received provisional clearance 
from her office pending their confirmations.  "The rejection may have set alarm 
bells off in Moscow, or simply irritated the present government."
 
"It would make sense, the proposal was the last thing in our communications 
that occurred before their current change."  Xia glanced over the memo.  "I 
must say, I find the lack of confidence in our attitude by our northern neighbors 
to be alarming."
 
Both men laughed, Xia's mannerisms indicating she was joking.  The Russians 
were never known for subtlety.  "How do we respond?"
 
"We can recall our diplomatic staff.  Call it personnel evaluation."
 
"With all due respect Madame President, I'd rather we didn't sever 
communications.  If the Russians are as 'jittery' as Minister Zhou believes, doing so 
may validate their fears and increase tensions in the region."
 
"We must express our displeasure in some fashion."  
 
"I agree."  Xia nodded in Bing's direction.  "But as Minister Li pointed out, 
such a measure comes with unacceptable risks.  I will not be the one to 
instigate a war today."  And knowing how Russians dramatized things throughout 
their long 'long' history, they may very well come to blows if the wrong action 
was taken.  "What other options are available?"
 
Bing was obviously prepared for his first idea to be shot down.  "We can 
always make a very public overture to acquire defense technologies elsewhere.  
Prove to the Russians that if they are unwilling to cooperate, we can find others 
who will?"
 
"That seems reasonable.  Minister Li?"
 
The Diplomat furrowed his brow.  "I suppose it's doable without overtly 
shunning the Russians."
 
"Good."
===============================================
 
Actions
 
1.  Accept Russian retreat from the combined Sub program, and go on a 
diplomatic initiative to seek access to other defense technologies.  Perhaps it is 
time China went it alone.



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