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<DIV>OOC: Just like everyone else, something short and simple to get back
into the swing of things.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Beijing Tech-Expo"- A Domestic Tour</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>President Xia Hong</DIV>
<DIV>The People's Republic of China</DIV>
<DIV>21 November 2014</DIV>
<DIV>=========================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(The Executive Residence, Beijing)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Executive Estate was in the midst of yet another normal working
day. The offices were abound with activities as information passed from
analyst to analyst, manager to manager, department to department. Even
when the President wasn't in her office, the work of the People's Republic
continued, particularly with the experimental wave of PNC elections about to
hit. For the first time ever, fully half of the PNC would be standing for
election... that number determined simply because of the need to keep 1/2 a
Congress in session should an emergency arise that Hong could not deal with
alone... a peculiarity in Chinese politics which, although rare, was within the
realm of possibility now that the Executive was slowly conceding powers to it's
Legislative and Judicial counterparts. Slowly and deliberately, that was
the Chinese way.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And to the outsider without access, one would never have known the kind of
Earthquake that shook China's political world in August ever occurred, let alone
that the 'clean-up' had yielded considerable political fruit and influence... as
well as other benefits. Without having to worry about political rivals,
Xia was free to, for a short while, actually enjoy some of the benefits of being
the most powerful 'woman' on God's green Earth.</DIV>
<DIV>======================================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(Airborne and Air Assault Warfare Training Center- Lanzhou, a while
ago)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Unlike the West, up until the North Korean Stabilization Operation (now
known in the Chinese media and MoD as NKSO or 'neekso'), China had never used
Airborne forces in a major way. They were largely used for ceremonial
purposes, the existence of small, elite, highly trained and specialized units
completely antithetical to the mass-wave and heavily armor reliant tactics and
strategies that had been the mainstay of Soviet style forces such as China's...
yet the Chinese Airborne troops had a history of their own. It was rumored
that a USMC officer, discussing things with British and South Korean
counterparts once said "the only thing that keeps me up at night is the
possibility that, if I wake up, I'll find myself stuck in Seoul
and surrounded by Chinese paratroopers." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>High praise to be sure from an officer in one of the worlds most elite
military forces.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Whether the statement was said or not, there was good reason for the
sentiment. China had built up a Rapid Response Force policy dating from
the mid 90's, of which the Airborne was a considerable component. They had
distinguished themselves in combat, be it restoring order in Tibet after certain
CNP officials overstepped their bounds, or leading the way into North Korea or
Iran. In North Korea they battled terrain and hostile forces to secure and
shut down the 8,000 plus artillery pieces aimed at Seoul before they could be
turned on North Koreans by North Koreans... a feat even the Americans never
thought possible. In Iran, they were part of the Special Operations Forces
that captured dozens of top-level Iranian officials now standing trial at an
international court... and stunned the world with their speed, proficiency, and
efficiency.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And just as the Americans looked on their soldiers with pride as the
valiant defenders of freedom, the Chinese had come to look upon their soldiers
as the heroic avenging angels of justice... always doing what was right, whether
it was popular or not. The Airborne proved it could do more than just
scare the shit out of just about any military force out there... they were the
first troops redeployed to the Yalu area of operations following the natural
disaster there, rescuing North Korean and Chinese citizens from the rubble of
ruined cities, and bringing in water, food, and shelter for the survivors.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Troops like China's Airborne forces were often used to criticize the
country as a whole. Their existence seen as 'threatening' or 'ominous' or
'foreboding' somehow... despite the fact NATO and Warsaw Pact Nations, and many
3rd world countries, all had airborne troops of their own. And like the
Americans did when their troops were criticized, the Chinese seemed to take
'pride' in being 'the bad guys'. Xia had long given up trying to prove she
wasn't the villain she was often made out to be. If they were going to
talk about China, China was determined to give them something to talk
about.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So her month long tour of the nation started out by joining China's elite
forces at the relatively new Airborne and Air Assault Warfare Training Center in
Lanzhou. Under Xia, the Airborne had begun to be reorganized from it's
battalion centered structure. China now retained 75,000 Airborne troops,
including 2 full Airborne Divisions (1st and 10th) under the Sino Airborne Corps
(SAC) of the PLA. Additionally, every Province and independent zone had
Independent Airborne Regiments (IARs) at the beck and call of the military
regional command. There was also the Airborne Training Brigade (ATB) based
here in Lanzhou, and the National Rapid Reaction Force... an even
more elite Brigade of 5,000 stationed in Nanjing... this was the unit US
Intelligence followed as a sign that invasion of Taiwan might be imminent, since
they were expected to be the first ones in. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>She joined them just in time for the Airborne Survival Training
Regimen. Following basic training, those recruits that distinguished
themselves sufficiently were offered the opportunity to elect into Airborne
training, the first step towards entering China's Special Operations or Special
Forces communities. Airborne training was an additional 6 months above and
beyond what the normal soldier had to endure, and culminated with (often) brutal
hazing rituals. Rumors of what was required became so prevalent that even
Jane's, the military publishing think tank, began picking some of them up.
Not all of them were accurate, but then not every rumor was. As it stood
though, the training was ferocious... considered 'strenuously difficult' under
the best of circumstances, and 'brutally inhumane' by some... though most agreed
it was severe enough as to be virtually intolerable if not unconscionable
by Western standards. It's goal was to 'adapt' the normal soldier,
used to strict regimentation and reaction, to be far more
independent, far smarter, and far more capable than his opponent, or even fellow
soldiers. This included a 6 week Survival program, 2 weeks in the jungle,
2 weeks in the desert, and 2 weeks in the Alpine and mountains.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Xia was fortunate enough to join them in the mountains. Bitter cold,
frozen ground, unforgiving terrain, heavy burdens... trapping live animals
for food, starting fires by hand, building shelters, land navigation
and situational exercises... it was 'hell' to put it bluntly. The fact
that military photographers had taken kind to catching her in less
than 'photogenic' positions, clad in dirty fatigues with frazzled hair
eating a rabbit she had to skin herself, didn't exactly help things
either. It did feel good, finding out she was tough enough to bear a pack
that weighed pretty close to half of what she did... and living out
in nature for a bit did help her relax mentally, if not
physically.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>======================================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(National Convention Center- Beijing, also a while ago)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For coolness, few things equaled opening a 4 month-long festival in one of
the world's greatest cities. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Since 2010, Beijing had hosted a world class Technology Expo, and this year
Xia joined Beijing's mayor in the opening ceremony. Companies from all
over the world, in hopes of soliciting interest (and thusly, sales) showed up
with all kinds of goodies ranging from the bizarre and futuristic (such as a
R2D2 like robot with a flat head called 'serve-bot' and showed off by Beijing
Technical University) to the near-future modernity of more advanced versions of
currently existing technology (such as Shanghai Rail's 'Hyper Maglev' which
promised to reach speeds between 600 and 800 km/h.) The Hyper Maglev was
the star of the opening ceremony, a demonstration being arranged in which the
train made fairly short work of the Shenyang, Qinhuangdao, Beijing commuter line
at a relatively 'low' cruising speed of 650 km/h... faster than any current
train in the world. Shanghai Maglev's CEO marveled, speaking of the
possibility of a trans-national line which could literally move people from East
to West in hours... and maybe even a link to go from Beijing to Moscow in a
day. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Xia didn't know about any of that, and while the CEOs were busy showing the
international media team around, she decided to take the time out to sit down
with Cai Qinghua, one of the leading news personalities.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Madame President, thank you for your time." The reporter started
with a smile. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"It's my pleasure, Cai."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"First of all, allow me to express my, and I'm sure the nation's, gratitude
for your service despite well publicized personal problems, not the least of
which was the revelation of your husband's infidelity and death. That must
be a traumatic experience."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Not one you'd want to have, no." Xia gave a weak smile.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"How is it you've perceivered?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"I am fortunate to be blessed with a loving family, and the support of a
great many people. Wen's death was not easy, nor were the revelations of
his many... infidelities. It was deeply painful, but you have to be able
to move beyond these personal tragedies for the good of the people, as well as
for your own sanity. It was deeply touching to have so many
representatives, from so many nations, attend his services. I've thanked
all those who've attended, and will always remember their kindness."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cai nodded. "Do you feel that experience has impacted the way you've
lead as President?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Xia took a sip of tea and thought. "I believe it may have changed the
way I accept things, but not the decisions I make."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"How so?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"You can't live through something like that, without being forever
changed." Xia clarified. "If you're asking me how what I've
experienced would alter the decisions I've already made if I had to make them
again, all I can say is it would not."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Even knowing the international backlash for decisions such as North Korea,
Iran, or Tibet?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"North Korea was a necessity. Other nations of the world were quick
to judge our actions, but would America not send troops to restore order in
Mexico should a coup devolve into a Civil War? Would the Europeans be
blamed for sending troops to Yugoslavia when that nation fell apart? The
fact of the matter is all nations on this planet mind their neighbors because
that which effects their neighbors inevitably effects them. That is an
inescapable truth of history, and although I regret the loss of lives of
innocent, and not so innocent, in Korea... however I am grateful that things
were not worse for the Koreans and for our southern countrymen, which is what
the rest of the world seems to have desired. I would be remiss in my
duties as President to protect my people if I did not act."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"What of Iran, or Tibet?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Tibet was a tragedy for China, a self-inflicted one. It was created
by a failure of training and preparedness on the part of our police forces, and
by the zealous disregard for human life and public order demonstrated by the
protestors. I make this statement clear and unambiguously, Tibet is a
province of China. People who live in Tibet, are Chinese.
Separatists will be tolerated so long as their protests remain peaceful.
When people are hurt, when buildings are burned and police attacked, that is
unacceptable and will be responded to. I am sorry that so many people were
wounded, that some were killed, and my government has taken drastic steps to
assure there will be no reoccurrences. I can not change the past, but we
can guarantee the future for China is brighter, and that's what my reforms to
the CNP and the military are intended to do. As far as Iran goes, I was
not willing to let the Americans and their allies invade a sovereign nation
without mandate nor cause. Chinese troops are in Iran to protect Iranians,
and to provide a buffer between the belligerent parties in Iran."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Those being the west and the insurgents?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Correct." She sighed. "President Williams, before the
invasion, while we met in America had promised to me, personally and directly,
that the fate of Iran should be determined by the Iranians. I agreed, and
China upheld it's side of the bargain. Unfortunately President Williams
and his allies did not. That is the reason that we were forced to
establish the safe zone... to prevent a humanitarian disaster in a strategically
critical area of the world. Oil may be important, but I believe Iranians
deserve better than to be mugged by the West for oil."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Is it your belief that President Williams and his allies as you put it,
instigated this war for oil?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Yes."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Madame President, some here in China criticize you for 'bowing' to the
West, particularly after Canada's attack on China. How do you
respond?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"I certainly was not 'bowing' to the west. Canada's actions were
horrendous and illegal. They killed one of our citizens to accomplish
their criminal task, and in turn freed dozens of criminals now on their
shores. Those criminals were not worth starting a third World War over,
though should such an event occur again you can rest assured we have the
military means to retaliate."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Are there any plans to retaliate militarily against Canada?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"I will not speak on possible military plans or actions."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Very well madame President. Your son Chan is a member of the PLAF
stationed in North Korea. Recently your administration announced plans to
withdraw all but 50,000 troops from North Korea, 25,000 of which will be
combatant. Is your son's presence in a war zone a motivating factor behind
that decision?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"I love my children deeply, but the plan for the next phased withdrawal was
not mine alone. The Minister of Defense believed the security situation in
North Korea sufficiently stable for us to put faith in North Korean authorities
and return their country completely to them. The 50,000 to remain in North
Korea are keeping in line with our recently signed mutual defense pact, and will
be there to provide training, technical assistance, and to continue the relief
mission. Active Chinese combat operations in North Korea are essentially
over, and despite publicly exposed foreign efforts to the contrary, we've
emerged victorious."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It was a milestone that wasn't lost on the upper echelons of Chinese
society. They'd essentially defeated the United States, albeit by proxy,
in a new age war. If there was anyone alive who still doubted China's
ability to effectively counter US leverage, they changed their minds
today.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Your critics and supporters alike opine openly on the constantly reversing
fortunes you and Prime Minister Sato of Japan seem to have. On one day
you're allies for a greater Asia, on the next you're split by allegiances.
Has Wen's relationship with Prime Minister Sato's daughter contributed to this
ebb and flow?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Xia blinked, as if she was having trouble catching up with those
words. "Excuse me?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Well a North Korean combat photojournalist has reported on their time
together in North Korea, complete with photographic evidence..."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>There was an announcement over the intercomm. "Ladies and gentleman,
this train is now approaching Beijing central terminal. The current time
is 13:26. Please remain seated until the train has slowed to less than 50
km/h, a speed indicator is located on the digital board in every car..."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Thank you for your time, Madame President." Cai smiled, taking the
stunned woman's hand. "Please send my regards to Chan and Mei
Lu."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Xia was left in shock. He 'had' mentioned someone named Akemi... but
it wasn't until now that she thought of the possibility that it could be 'Akemi
Sato'... that was just... wrong, on 'so' many levels.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As she was accustomed to though, Xia put on a stoic front and actually
ended up enjoying herself at the Expo, where her daughter Mei Lu met up with her
after the maglev sliced through the ceremonial red tape. There were games
and exhibits for everyone, from the next generation video game consoles to fully
automated automobiles that were expected to be viable consumer products in the
next 5 to 10 years. Green was the color of the Expo, with almost every
gadget there optimized for minimal ecological impact. Many of the
automobiles, boats, planes, etc. on display were powered by ethanol, or
electricity, or hydrogen, or some other clean power source. The exhibits
included Law Enforcement, and even some military contractors... though the main
events were predominated by civilian fairs. The Expo was expected to bring
some $2 billion to the Beijing economy in tourism alone, forget about the
revenues from prospective sales.</DIV>
<DIV>======================================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(Sanya Executive Retreat- Yalong Bay, Hainan China)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>One never knew it given the popular images of China, but it's geographical
features were quite diverse. That diversity included some of the finest
beaches in the world, the equal of anything you'd find in Hawaii or
Europe.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The most popular was in Sanya on the island of Hainan, just off the
mainland and overlooking scenic Yalong Bay. If you were to set Sanya akin
to any world famous beach resort, it would be unlikely you could differentiate
between the two. The massive environmental clean up efforts of the last 20
years had paid off on Hainan. The skies were beautifully blue, the wind
wonderfully refreshing, the water warm and inviting, the beaches clean and the
nature breathtaking. The people were likewise kind and accommodating,
leading to a great deal of FDI and domestic investment. A great deal of
the southern coast of the island had become a massive resort paradise... it was
actually where Wen and she had their honeymoon.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a more secluded part, a few kilometers away from the utopian vacation
spot and well off the beaten path, was the Sanya Executive Retreat... the 'Sino
Camp David' as some called it The 8th Independent Airborne Regiment had
it's base only 25 kilometers away, a hop and skip for a heliborne force.
The Chinese Marines had an Expeditionary Unit about 20 minutes away by
helicopter, and an elite Special Security Garrison (SSG) maintained nominal
security of the facility. The CNP had some of their best precincts on
Hainan, and as always the ESS bore actual responsibility for the President's
security. The Retreat included a central Dacha, support facilities for the
SSG, ESS contingent, and staffers, an ESS security building, office
space, a vehicle depot, a hotel for special staff, about a dozen
independent houses for extremely high-level guests, a golf-course, wooded areas
for hunting or picnicking (or horse-riding in Xia's case), an observatory, an
aquarium, a zoo, and recreational and sports facilities. It ranked
favorably with Camp David, and like the famed American installation was one of
'the' most secured places on the planet. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It was also the only place on the planet one could spot Xia and her
daughter in two piece bathing suits, taking in the sun, swimming, and otherwise
enjoying themselves.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The perfect way to end a trip.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>======================================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>ACTIONS</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. Introduce some more background information about China's military
reforms, specifically about the Airborne revisions and their recent,
distinguishing service. For those who are interested, SAC consists
of...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2 Airborne Divisions (1st and 10th), 20,000 Troops Each</DIV>
<DIV>28 Independent Airborne Regiments, 1,000 Troops Each</DIV>
<DIV>1 Airborne Training Brigade, 2,000 Troops</DIV>
<DIV>1 Rapid Reaction Force, 5,000 Troops</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. Xia to complete the 2 week 'Alpine and Mountain' survival training
course with a class of Airborne troops. Military photographers likely to
get a bit of change for forking over photographs to Xinhua and the West, but it
is okay.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3. After getting a clean bill of medical health, Xia to return to
Beijing and open the Beijing Tech Expo- 2014. Showcase all the new goodies
from all over the world in the National Convention Center. </DIV>
<DIV> A. Xia gives a brief, personal interview with
a reporter from Xinhua. A few questions over tea and danishes.</DIV>
<DIV> B. China shows off it's new fancy civilian
goods. We're not all about developing weapons like some think</DIV>
<DIV>we are :-p</DIV>
<DIV> C. Have Xia get blind-sided over the
Chan/Akemi relationship. No way better to find out than from a reporter
:-p</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4. Finally, a nice break!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>======================================================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>SOURCES</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx">http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.china-defense.com/pla/brigade_reform/brigade_reform04.html">http://www.china-defense.com/pla/brigade_reform/brigade_reform04.html</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx">http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/69-29424.aspx</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Transrapid">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Transrapid</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.smtdc.com/en/gycf3.asp">http://www.smtdc.com/en/gycf3.asp</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.bwmaglev.com/technology/default.htm">http://www.bwmaglev.com/technology/default.htm</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://en.invest.china.cn/english/travel/219436.htm">http://en.invest.china.cn/english/travel/219436.htm</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV CLASS="aol_ad_footer" ID="53e40043f22dda9f1a4023b7eb161ca6"><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"><b>One site has it all.</b> Your email accounts, your social networks, and the things you love. <b>Try the new <a href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212962939x1200825291/aol?redir=http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp%26icid=aolcom40vanity%26ncid=emlcntaolcom00000001">AOL.com</a> today!</b></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>