[War] China: "The Many Faces of Xia Hong"

[Chazenesq2b at aol.com]

"The Many Faces of Xia Hong"
 
President Xia Hong
The People's Republic of China
20, January 2013
=================================================
 
(The Executive Residence, The People's Estate in Beijing)
 
President Xia Hong was a different person depending on whom you asked, so  
different that it was quite easy to assume that there had to be more than  
one.
 
To the Democratists, where secretly her own political allegiance lay, she  
was the great hope for an end to centralized Tyranny and the institution of  
truly democratic, free ideals.  The Democratists had recently won  
recognition as a 'Sanctioned Political Activists Group", a title and designation  
Xia herself had designed and fought for passage in the PNC and by President  
Jintao years ago.
 
To the Hardliner Communists, Xia represented a throw back to the  past.  
She was her grandfather's grand daughter, the kind of person that  could 
restore order.  She might have been a Commissar (which meant she had  been 
educated in the 'traditional' fashion, always a good thing so they  thought) but 
her military jacket was impressive: she'd participated in the  transition in 
Hong Kong, and two tours as part of a special civil affairs envoy  in Tibet. 
 Before her military career was over, she was the spokeswoman for  the 2nd 
Artillery, and thus could understand the enormity of such  situations.
 
To women, she was a symbol of independence and strength, qualities admired  
in the portion of her heritage that was American, but no so much in the 
Sino  tradition.  This was the chance to change what was 'socially acceptable' 
in  China.  The funeral ceremony for dearly departed Wen was still fresh in 
the  minds of many... sad thing that.
 
To traditionalists, she represented the virtues adored in Chinese women  
from the dawn of time.  She was quiet, contemplative, had been a devoted  wife 
and an even more devoted mother; the way a proper woman should be.
 
There was a great power with being so many things to so many people.   The 
power that came with unity.  This didn't mean that Xia was deaf to the  
problems that came with playing so many roles, she had to walk extremely  
carefully in her public life; and as President that public life was your  'entire' 
life.  There wasn't a moment when you weren't on call... it's why  so many 
aged so horribly while in office.
 
And now, the woman who was the product of an American translator and a  
Chinese diplomatic attache, became the first occupant of the publicly dedicated 
 People's Estate, facing a wealth of economic, social, and political  
concerns.  She'd been a driving force behind 'the Quiet Revolution' which  saw a 
transition of power from the hard-core communist party to her more main  
stream realists; slowly but surely picking away at the restrictions on religion 
 and speech.  Her grandfather had been a driving force behind the  
modernization of China's military, a legacy which she saw fit to continue.   Then 
there was the eventual transition to a multi-party system which was coming  in 
fact if not in name; already the Communist Party had so many splits and 
sects  within it that it was barely recognizable as a single party.
 
Xia had a Ph.D. in Political Science, and if she stopped objectively to  
look where her country had come, from where it was in the days of Mao back 
when  her Grandfather was a young man, to now, it was impossible not to be 
proudly  awed by the successes they've made.  The tensions over Saipan had been  
judiciously managed, the world's largest population successfully 
transferred  over to a free market, and China had gone from a backwoods, old country 
to a  modern, youthful, regional power house and only 'real' potential rival 
to the  American hegemon.  The relationship with America had too been very  
carefully managed; they were not enemies, but both nations knew, and 
expected,  the other would act in its own interests whether they were the same or  
not.
 
"This is the main office, Madame President."  Her chief aide, Aaryn  Hue, a 
school friend and long time civil servant gave a small smile.  Every  
President had to get a tutorial, and Aaryn had started her new job six months  
early, when construction was still under way, just to prepare for this  
moment.  "Again, all communications are secured through the classified  executive 
network system, a PLA cyber-security unit is on hand along with  civilian 
computer and IT specialists to give you any assistance you may need..."  Aaryn 
watched Xia take her first few steps into the red and gold bow style room,  
immediately heading for the window.  "Incredible view, isn't it?"
 
"Breathtaking."  Xia murmured, a smile plastered onto her lips.   Though 
she couldn't see them, she knew that in secret locations out there were  
Executive Security Service members, Snipers, sharp shooters, sub-machine  
gunners, with the uniformed division standing out in the most visible areas, but  
although those bushes and trees may have concealed armed personnel, from 
where  she was they were as beautiful and gorgeous as any she'd seen in her 
entire  life.  
 
"Well then Madame President, I'll let you get settled in."
 
"Xia to you, Aaryn."  President Hong smiled.  "At least when  we're alone.  
You know me too well to call me anything else."
 
Aaryn returned her former roommates grin.  "Your schedule is available  on 
your computer as soon as you log in.  Your first security briefing is in  
one hour, a visit to the National Congress is scheduled for this afternoon at  
1:00 PM, and there is a reception scheduled tonight for the leaders of the  
PNC, ranking justices, and high officials and foreign dignitaries.  I will  
be available at about 5:00 to help you with your make up and dress."
 
That's when she would have to pull out her many masks, greeting different  
parts of her world in different ways.  But for now, she was content with  
just being where she was.  Xia took a deep breath... in five years the air  in 
Beijing had become considerably cleaner thanks to the Green City 
initiative,  but even if she was in a smoke filled bar she knew it would be just as  
refreshing.
 
In a few hours she would have to play masquerade ball, for now however she  
could be just herself.

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