“Admiral Sun has already given me the details,” Jiang said. Chin could not help but shoot a deadly glare at Sun for going over his head and reporting directly to the minister of defense and the president. “And do not think,” Jiang added, “that Comrade Sun violated the chain of command — because I ordered him to take the initiative in case the Americans should try to interfere with our plans to occupy Quemoy Dao.”
“You… you ordered him to act on his own, without my permission and without an approved plan from the General Staff?” Chin stammered.
“General, as Admiral Sun has so accurately pointed out, it has become apparent that the Americans are waging a war of terrorism against us,” President Jiang said by way of response. “The Americans are choosing to use their stealth aircraft and guided standoff missiles to destroy our forces and keep our government off balance. They could have destroyed our ships and killed thousands of People’s Liberation Army Navy soldiers and sailors, just as they did in their skirmish with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“It is now obvious that the Americans hold the Mao Zedong carrier battle group at risk with their stealth bombers,” Jiang went on. “This situation has become intolerable, and drastic action must be taken immediately. In keeping with my wishes and those of the people to rid our waters and our legacy of illegal and harmful foreign influences, Admiral Sun has developed a plan to do just that — first isolate, then cripple, then destroy the American air and naval forces operating off our shores.”
General Chin’s mind was spinning with confusion. Was he being replaced? Was his career in jeopardy from this young idealistic philosopherquoting upstart? “Comrade President, I agree with everything you say,” Chin said. “It is indeed the time to act. But are you proposing to place the forces of the world’s largest military power in the hands of Admiral Sun Ji Guoming? He does not have the experience or the training. He possesses only rudimentary knowledge on how to deploy and command large naval forces, and very little knowledge or experience in commanding large ground and air forces.”
“We will not place our military forces in Admiral Sun’s hands, General — you will retain your command,” Jiang said. “Admiral Sun will take command of certain… irregular forces.”
“Irregular forces? What do you mean, sir?”
“In time, you will be briefed on the deployment of his forces,” Jiang said, rising from his chair and heading for the door. “In the meantime, Admiral Sun has full authority from the Central Military Commission and my office to conduct whatever maneuvers or operations he sees necessary. He is obliged to notify you prior to the start of operations, and he is encouraged to seek your guidance and support, but he has no obligation to do either. Admiral?”
“Thank you, sir,” Sun Ji Guoming said, bowing deeply to Jiang Zemin. He then bowed to General Chin and said, “General, you will order the Mao carrier battle group to withdraw from its attack on Quemoy and proceed at best speed to Xianggang.”
“Xianggang? Xianggang?” Chin repeated in disbelief. Xianggang, formerly known as Victoria, was the capital and main port city on the island province of Hong Kong, which was set to return to Chinese control on the first of July. “Why should we sail it all the way to Hong Kong when it may be a critical weapon in the defense and occupation of Quemoy Dao?”
“The Mao and its escorts will be used to help celebrate our Reunification Day festivities,” Admiral Sun said. “We shall stage fireworks demonstrations from its decks, invite guests and the international media aboard, even give cruises around Hong Kong on it.”
“Use our aircraft carrier, our most powerful naval vessel… to give rides?”
“After that,” Sun said calmly, “it will be deployed for an extended shakedown cruise to Lushun.”
“Lushun? Why sail it to Lushun, sir?” Chin protested again to Jiang. Lushun, once known as Port Arthur, was an important international shipping and naval facility located on the tip of the Liaotung peninsula, between the Bohai, or Gulf of Chihli, and Korea Bay, 250 kilometers west of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. “Do you plan to involve it in any attack operations in defense of North Korea, in case the Americans or South Koreans invade? If so, I think that is a foolhardy plan. The carrier will be more vulnerable to air attacks from South Korea, Japan, even Alaska. If anything, we should send it back to the Nansha Dao to defend our rights to access to the South China Sea.”
“Comrade General, it is so ordered,” Minister of Defense Chi Haot- ian interjected. “Withdraw the carrier battle group from Quemoy Dao and have them proceed to Xianggang at best possible speed.”
Chin looked at Chi, then Jiang, with a stunned expression, but at the moment there was little he could do. He bowed and said, “Yes, Comrade Minister. Immediately. Any other demands?”
“No, sir,” Sun replied, bowing respectfully. “My thanks to you.” General Chin Po Zihong ignored the gesture. He stood as the president and the defense minister departed, then stopped Admiral Sun as he headed for the door. “So,” Chin said haughtily, “you now have the ear of the president. I see that spouting all that ancient military crap has paid off for you.”
“Yes, sir,” Sun responded simply.
“You may speak freely now, Admiral,” Chin said. “We are practically colleagues, contemporaries.” Suns eyes narrowed at that very sarcastic remark. “Please. Tell me about your plan.”
Sun Ji Guoming hesitated, not knowing whether or not to trust Chin’s sudden friendliness; then he responded, “Sir, my staff has prepared a briefing for you and the general staff, outlining my ideas and suggestions. But this operation is not under my command, sir. I am merely advising the defense minister and Paramount Leader as to—”
“You are nothing more than a bold, loudmouth upstart,” Chin said, “tossing about ancient maxims that no longer apply, to old men who were spoon-fed that crap since they were young boys and who long for a time when Maoist psycho-mystical garbage could conquer the world.”
Admiral Sun smiled and actually appeared to relax when he saw the anger rising in Chins words. “You do not believe in applying the teachings of Master Sun-tzu to today’s challenges, General?” Sun asked. “We have spoken on this many times.”
“Forget that Art of War shit, Sun,” Chin interjected angrily. “What will you do against the Americans? I must know! ”
“I am going to humiliate them, sir,” Sun replied hotly. “I am going to show the Americans that they cannot roam freely over our waters and our region. I am going to make their allies turn against them, isolate them; then I am going to make the American people isolate and hate their own military forces.”
“How? How will you do all this? What forces will you need? How many ships, planes, divisions?”
“This is not a mission for conventional military forces, sir,” Sun said. “My forces will be everywhere, but nowhere; they will be as light as ghosts, but as powerful as the largest ships and the most powerful bombs in the world.”
Chin saw he was going to get no more concrete information than that from Sun, so he shook his head and turned to leave. “It shall be a pleasure for me to see you collapsed and disgraced,” he said over his shoulder at Sun Ji Guoming. “Quoting a bunch of dead philosophers will not help you when the American stealth bombers head over the horizon to decimate our cities and armies.”
“They will not be able to launch anything against us, because they will have no targets on their radarscopes or sonars to attack,” Sun said. “They will see nothing but empty ocean — and their own allies, out of control.”