[War] China/Japan/Russia: "The Beijing Conference" Part One

[Chazenesq2b at aol.com]

"Shaping    Asia"

President  Xia Hong
People's Republic of China

President Nemerenko
Russian Federation

Prime Minister Shunichi Sato
Japan
================================================

(Estate  Room-  Executive Residence)

The Estate Room was perhaps the largest  single room in the Chinese Executive 
Residence.  Fashioned  after  an old fashioned ballroom right out of European 
history... but like so many  western inspired products   in the country, with 
a distinctly Asian  flare.  Rather than hosting a traditional ball however, 
it would be  the     setting for a major international conference... it's  
originally intended purpose.

A heavy, elaborately hand-sculpted marble  and stone table sat at the far 
edge of the room, making space for the  requisite media entities and the various 
staff members each delegation was  likely to bring with them.
Security was understandably tight, even by China's  already strenuous 
standards.   The MSI and Executive     Security teams were coordinating well, and 
even America's Secret Service would  have been impressed by
the amount of precaution and technical skill  showed.

It was arranged that the official meeting would begin precisely  at 1:00 PM 
local  time, which was why Xia      showed up  at 12:30.  She preferred having 
the leeway of organizing things  herself, or at least over seeing
them.  The Ministry of State had  exceedingly capable staffers, but there was 
nothing like  feeling prepared.
***

Sato felt prepared.  Even with concern  laying heavy on his mind regarding 
the plane crash at Midway, he felt he  was ready for what today and the 
following days would bring.  Though just  to be safe he went over his
notes again, in hard copy, he was a dinosaur when  it came to technology, and 
then closed them up in his    briefcase and  passed it to his daughter Akeme 
as the Japanese motorcade arrived at the  Chinese Executive
Residence.

Katsuo, his director of Public  Affairs, leaned over and adjusted his tie.  
"No smiling," he reminded  Sato as he did so.

Of course he couldn't smile as he exited the car,  there had been a plane 
crash, hundreds were dead, he knew enough not to  smile for the media in a time 
like this.

"He knows," Akeme  said.

Katsuo bowed his head in apology and retreated back to his  seat.  Sato 
finished adjusting his tie as the car came to a  stop.

Yamazaki, the leader of his personal team of bodyguards opened the  car door 
for him and he got out while   Akemi followed and Kazuo  stayed in the car.  
An official from the Ministry of State came down and  greeted
him.  "Mr. Prime Minister welcome to China."

Sato bowed  his head and gave an earnest if not exuberent look of greeting to 
the  official.  "Thank you, may  I say the residence is lovely, I am  afraid 
pictures have not done it justice."

They continued small talk up  the stairs and were lead through immaculate and 
tastefully decorated corridors  to the Estate room, which was simply 
cavernous and it was clear even though most  of the Chinese
delegation was in the room, it could hold considerably  more.

Sato was impressed; somewhere in the dark tunnel of communism the  Chinese 
had remembered their sense of style, even if it  was in this room at least 
heavily borrowed from the West, but what wasn't these  days?

Still taking in the room Sato let himself, and it was only himself,  as his 
daughter and the aides who had  come in the second car took their  places by 
the conference table, be led by the official to where
President Xia  Hong stood.

He bowed formally, just slightly deeper than what an equal  would receive 
after all President Hong was,    *President* Hong, and  thusly of a higher rank 
than himself, a head of government.

"President  Hong, pleased to finally meet you," he offered in English.  As he 
 said, who didn't borrow from    the west?"

"Prime Minister  Sato."  Xia allowed a small smile, and returned the bow in 
equal  fervor.  After all, President,  Prime Minister, or what not,  they were 
all equally leaders of their respective nations,  and in that  sense were
all equals.   Besides, for as much as Asia had developed  technologically, it 
was still a continent and a cluster of peoples highly  indulgent in 
tradition.  "Welcome to Beijing.  I've been looking  forward to finally
meeting you."  The man hadn't even been given a  chance to settle in before 
photographers and videographers started their  particular bombardments, not 
missing a beat in getting portraits of the leaders  of the two    greatest Asian 
nations and long time rivals side by  side, and actually greeting each other 
warmly.  "I hope
that all the  accommodations have been acceptable?"  It was impolite to get 
immediately  to business, even  in Asian politics.

Sato nodded.  "More  than acceptable, thank you," he said cordially.  "And I 
must say, the  Executive Residence is spectacular.  I hope our schedule will 
permit  time to better examine it."

Xia chuckled, Prime Minister Sato seemed to  be the only leader other than 
North Korea's Wi Cheng that she might actually  find easy to work with.  It 
would be nice to guarantee the region's two  most dominant powers
had a decent relationship.  "Consider your  delegation and yourself as guests 
of the Chinese people Prime     Minister, you are all welcomed to remain as 
long as you like."  Her  childhood Californian accent shone  through just a bit 
as they conversed in  English.  "You may even be surprised at how many of the 
 appliances
here you may find familiar."  She was referring of course to  the large 
number of appliances Japan exported,   or Japanese companies  made in China with 
their own brand names.

"Always a pleasure to see  our work is appreciated,"  Sato said allowing a 
slight smile as the  President was laughing. "And we will take you up on your 
invitation to remain  for a time, it is good to see we are welcome
in China."

"The city  may be forbidden, but the rest can be quite welcoming."  She 
joked,  pouring each of them a cup of authentic green tea.  "You are always welcome 
 in China, Mister Prime Minister.  "I have nothing but respect
for  your country and your people.  Japan has certainly earned it's status as 
a  world leader."

"It certainly has," came a voice tinged by a Slavic  accent.  Nemerenko 
approached the two other leaders.      "Prime Minister Sato,  I am pleased to 
finally meet you in person.   And greetings to you also, President
Hong.  Your government has done a  commendable job of organizing this 
conference."

"You flatter me, Mister  President."  Xia gave a respectful nod to Nemerenko 
before immediately  pouring him a cup of the same tea.  They may have their 
differences, but  Russia's commitment had helped them keep
North Korea stable from a  humanitarian standpoint, and as such he certainly 
warranted an invitation  to a  conference where North Korea was likely to be a 
major issue.   "Please, make yourselves comfortable.   Minister Cheng the 
leader of  the current North Korean government should be here  shortly."




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