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<DIV>"The World on Benders"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>President Xia Hong</DIV>
<DIV>The People's Republic of China</DIV>
<DIV>May 6, 2014</DIV>
<DIV>========================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sometimes the world really did seem to act, every individually
collectively, as if it were a crack whore coming down off an incredible high and
badly hurting for another hit, willing to put out to anyone or do anything just
for a little more.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Substitute crack whore for big business, and hit for oil, and bam you had
part of the many new problems facing the world today.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Xia was really getting annoyed. No matter what she did, lady luck
seemed to be a complete bitch, her invisible hand constantly swatting at Xia no
matter what she did. Unfortunately that was life some times. The
only thing you could do is pull that bitches hair until she screamed.
Failing that option, one had to address the individual symptoms facing one's
nation.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Therefore she got to work, following a full day of lengthy discussions with
everyone from the Ministry of Interior's Bureau of Energy Chief, to the Ministry
of Justice and Ministry of Security and Intelligence's Joint Cyber Crimes Task
Force (JCCTF) head, and several potential prospects to head what would be a
Bureau of Agriculture to serve as an independent executive agency should the
legislation be passed. After getting all the facts, the relevant studies,
and the risks together, she and her advisors were ready to try their hand at
solving things.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The first thing to be handled would be the apparent problems with the
internet. Apparently it hadn't been heard since she said it the last time,
but she DID NOT GIVE A DAMN about what people did or didn't do on the internet,
so long as they did not break the law. On that note, she'd gathered
together China's top Experts in the fields of Computer Science, E-Business,
International Law, and other related fields to revise China's outdated internet
laws and bans on material. Their report would be issued to a select
committee in the People's Congress who would then pass them on for her
signature. If they were going to open up, they would do so under their own
terms, not at the hands of a bunch of teenage pranksters with too much time on
their hands and internet access. When she had taken a summer course at Cal
Tech back in her college days, there was a boy there who'd taken a shine to her
that fit the 'hacker-geek' portrait very well. Someone very awkward,
physically unappealing, and really could only get laid if they paid for
it. Needless to say she was highly insulted when he offered her $350 an
hour... and even more so when he thought her offense was because his price was
too low. In either case, it was time to do something about the nonsensical
and pointless cyber terrorism going on.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In addition to liberalizing China's internet laws, the JCCTF would have the
go ahead to begin hunting down and tracing back the hackers. They already
had good information where most the attacks were coming from, but once a hacker
was pinned down there was normally very little they could do of use. The
new laws would include legislation allowing the JCCTF to communicate with other
policing agencies around the world, informing them of the nature of the crime
committed and providing evidence. In places like Germany, the United
States, etc. there were already laws in place which prevented this kind of
operation regardless of the users. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>That being said it was quite likely the 'host' nation would be hesitant to
do anything. To molify this a little, Xia had let the Ministry of State
make it diplomatically clear that China considered these egregious crimes, and
would need to pull policing agents away from crimes such as breeches of
Intellectual Property or Opium export if they were to be left dealing with these
kind of crimes on their own.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Internet out of the way, she now turned her attention to the failed
wheat and rice crops this year. The danger was seeing many country farmers
lose their few possessions because of bankruptcy, and thus be unable to replant
for the next harvest. Therefore along with her Prime Minister she ordered
the Ministry of Government Affairs to assist in the creation of a new and
independent executive agency which will oversee agricultural affairs. The
Bureau of Agriculture would be charged with analyzing agricultural trends, and
providing what information and technical advice farmers needed to be as
productive as possible. They would provide low-interest loans and grants
to farmers to acquire better techniques and more efficient technologies.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Likewise a National Academy of Agricultural Science (NAAS) would be
established under the Bureau, with the sole purpose of making available to all
Chinese farmers (large and small) the best agricultural education available, bar
none. The Academy will be charged with advising on government policy with
agriculture, educating farmers, and working with the Ministries of Health and
Education in developing new standards and technologies for implementation to
increase yields. The issue of subsidies to keep farmers afloat during off
years would also be resolved. To accomplish this mission, a $3 Billion
budget would be assigned.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>She had also instructed the Ministry of State to take the lead, with
advisors from the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Health, in establishing
commercial links for food products from other nations. In particular, they
would target South East Asian, Eastern European, and African markets which
relied upon agricultural produce for a great majority of their income. If
China needed the food, and they needed the money, why shouldn't they come to an
agreement if the food was healthy and the price was reasonable?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Finally, the issue of Iran, and Oil. She'd already seen to the
diversification of China's energy industry. An agreement with Canada to
share CANDU technology was enabling China to build the initial reactor
(purchased from Canada) and could lead to other contracts should they want to
expand their nuclear power base. Likewise, along with Japan, China had
begun innovative programs targeting the thirst for oil by developing alternative
fuel capacity and possibilities, be it ethanol, clean coal, hydrogren,
solar, geo-thermal, hydro, what have you. The technology and knowledge
sharing had advanced their programs considerably, but yet oil still, so far,
remained the primary source of power. They needed to light a fire under
things.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So the Bureau of Science and Technology would be made an independent
executive agency, like the Bureau of Agriculture. China's top Universities
would be combed for the greatest minds, and a National Academy of Science and
Technology (NAST) second to none in the world would be created. China
would move on alternative power sources the way the United States once moved on
the atomic bomb, with a massive development program that would hopefully cut
China's need for non-synthetic oil not in a matter of decades, but in a matter
of years. It was a lot to ask for, but it was a national priority, and
Chinese were nothing if not patriotic. Until then, pursuant to expert
suggestions, China will shape policy towards vast efficiency improvements that
can be made short term, including gas rationing, oil rationing, etc. until
things returned to normal. Xia would be asking for $10 Billion to fund
this effort this year, but nobody who knew anything was likely to argue about
it's necessity. Stooped in thought, she pondered about visiting a few
universities herself to ask specifically for the brightest students in
engineering, technology, science, and other fields to consider applying for jobs
in the alternative fuel program.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The fact that the Iranians had not even bothered replying to her request
for an audience disturbed her greatly.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>She had set a meeting of her cabinet for tomorrow to discuss China's
options, but there were two things she knew would happen regardless. In
that spirit, she recalled her Embassy staff from Tehran, and authorized China's
Security Council representative to table a resolution that would call for 3
things.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. International condemnation of the Iranian invasion of Azerbaijan
based on unfounded claims.</DIV>
<DIV>2. A demand of proof and evidence of terrorist activities passively
or aggressively supported by the Azerbaijani government, or a complete
withdrawal of all Iranian forces from Azerbaijan within 72 hours of passing the
resolution.</DIV>
<DIV>3. An international commitment to the return of Azerbaijan to it's
people, the reconstruction of Azerbaijan by an appointed United Nations
authority, and an observation and peacekeeping force to oversee the withdrawal
of Iranian troops, or the maintenance of human rights should Iran be deemed to
have a legitimate reason for the invasion.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Finally with Iran, she'd already ordered the PLA, PLAF, and PLN to come up
with plans to incorporate a force into a larger international response should
that kind of effort be necessary. The Ministry of State would still be
authorized to talk to Iran should the Iranians come around, but would focus on
'prepping the field' by speaking with it's neighbors.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Last but not least, the issue of North Korea. The last week or two
things seemed to have calmed down, which was a good sign. It meant that
the insurgency was finally either being snuffed out, or agreeing to become law
abiding citizens of North Korea. More importantly, it paved the way for
China to begin turning full authority over to North Korea as far as it's
defenses go. She would have to address the situation more formally, but
already she was requesting the withdrawal of approximately 200,000 troops over
the next two months, and rather the development of a Rapid Reaction Force for
regional deployment on Chinese soil should it be necessary. She would have
to remind the North Koreans they were not on their own, that China valued their
friendship, would continue to support them in whatever decisions they as a
people made, and despite her own problems would not stop the continuous flow of
humanitarian aid still necessary to their survival. It was none the less a
positive sign however that perhaps the PRC, and the new DPRK, were slowly
approaching the end of this nightmare.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>========================================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>ACTIONS</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. Create an Expert Panel (as outlined above) to liberalize and
modernize China's Internet laws. Their suggestions and proposals are to be
given to a select committee of technology and communications in the People's
Congress. It should be made clear that the President wishes these laws
passed, including an end to government filtering programs of news and other
sites. Likewise it should be made abundantly clear that although the
current government has no desire to monitor lawful Internet activities, it will
police the net in the same standards and customs laid out by other
nations. (IE No Child Porn)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. Ministry of State to make it clear (and state politely) that China
expects cooperation from those nations hosting those committing cyber attacks
against it. These nations should punish these people themselves as
they would like to see China punish it's nationals were they to hack, say, US
Military sites. If this cooperation is not received, we will have to draw
resources away from protecting IP rights and the war on drugs. (Hint,
hint)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3. The Bureau of Agriculture, as well as the National Academy of
Agricultural Science (NAAS) are to be created as outlined above. NAAS will
be a part of the Bureau of Agriculture, which will be an independent government
agency to provide necessary guidance, technical reference, and enhancements to
China's agricultural sector. Grants and low interest loans will be
provided so that failed farmers can enhance their knowledge base, and increase
the yield and quality of their crops next year, as well as survive this
year. Techniques and new technologies are to be investigated for
usefulness, and the experts can determine along with the requisite oversight
what policies are best for implementation. $3 Billion to be budgeted this
year for immediate action. Price controls to be instituted if believed
necessary.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4. For immediate relief, China will reach out to the rest of Asia,
Eastern Europe, and Africa. They have largely agricultural economies and
need money, and we are in need of food. If the quality is good, and the
price is reasonable, why not make a deal?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>5. Bureau of Science and Technology (BST) to be created much along
the lines of the Bureau of Agriculture, and a National Academy of Science and
Technology (NAST) is to be constructed, satellite programs to be instituted at
China's top Universities as outlined above. It's to be a Manhattan Project
like endeavor called the Alternative Fuel Program (AFP) aimed at getting us
off the Texas Crack... errr... Tea. To be funded to the amount of $10
Billion this year, and billed as a patriotic endeavor to better life for all
Chinese, and eventually the entire world. President Hong to make personal
visits to China's leading universities and request the help of China's best and
brightest in this great endeavor.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>6. China to submit a UN Security Council resolution as outlined above
regarding the Iran-Azerbaijan invasion. Highlight China's repeated appeals
for discussions with Iran, and Iran's lack of a response, as suggesting Iran may
not have legitimate reasons for it's invasion. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>7. The PLA, PLN, and PLAF to stand ready to be committed to an
international effort should the need arise.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>8. Ministry of State to continue it's efforts to apply pressure to
Iran, or at least stoke regional powers into acting, even if only
passively. (See previous post)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>9. To North Koreans: We have not forgotten you! Xia will
make an official address (in another post), but planning to begin for the
reduction and eventual withdrawal of Chinese forces. The flow of
Humanitarian Aid necessary for North Korea's short term survival will not be
disrupted despite China's agricultural difficulties. We are in this
together, and although we will expect you to begin taking a more independent
stance, you will always have a friend north of the
Yalu.</DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? <A title="http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001" href="http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001" target="_blank">Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food</A>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>