Chapter 1409: Take the initiative
Later that day.
Capital city.
Robert Gates, who had just completed his morning trip, pulled his dark blue tie and stepped into the International Club Hotel with a group of entourage.
This place is extremely high and close to the city center, so it has gradually become one of the standard places to stay for senior foreign leaders when visiting China.
They can be said to be familiar with this type of reception business.
While the crowd stepped onto the steps, someone helped to open the glass door reflecting the noon sunlight, and the marble floor in the front hall reflected the tense figures of dozens of security personnel.
Everything has been arranged just to ensure the smooth and safeness of this important itinerary.
But even so, after entering the top presidential suite, Gates reached out to stop Major General Andrew Schell, the military officer who wanted to speak:
"There will be an embassy vehicle to pick us up later. I'll talk about anything later."
Gates was born in an intelligence department, and monitoring foreign visiting delegations was a unique skill on both sides of the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, and even he himself had personally performed similar tasks.
So although no similar behavior has been found in China, the Minister decided to be more careful out of the consideration of putting his heart in mind.
Schell has been staying in China for many years and knows that this method is not the other party's style of conduct, and Gates' ex-girlfriend and ex-exe didn't pay much attention to these aspects, so he actually felt it didn't matter.
But after all, it was his superior who spoke, so he still said nothing and secretly recorded the new leader's personal preferences in his heart.
Because of the awkward relationship between the two sides of the Pacific, the envoy to China is actually a very laborious and unpleasant job, but the relatively inconspicuous military officers do not have such concerns.
It is obvious that Schell is able to spend multiple term in this current position of fat and shortage, which is obviously not worthy of being used by outsiders.
One of them is to analyze the personalities and habits of each superior.
Soon, several high-end cars with black license plates stopped at the back door of the hotel and picked up several core figures of the delegation who had changed into casual clothes.
It was not until after getting in the car that Gates finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Andrew, why do you think the other party wants us to visit such a unit?"
He looked at the street scenes on both sides of the road outside the window and asked Major General Schell next to him:
"I mean, in this case, shouldn't we show us their highest level?"
After getting off the plane in the morning, the delegation was arranged as usual for a welcome ceremony and an internal visit to the Army troops.
Gates was originally very interested in the latter, but before leaving, he was informed by experienced entourages that they would most likely go to a unit specially used for external display by the People's Liberation Army. The equipment was about the average level and could not truly reflect the technological progress of China in the past decade, so the reference significance was limited.
Now after watching it on the spot, he found that it was really the case, which made him feel disappointed.
"Maybe it is to prepare us to relax our vigilance first, and then wait until necessary before launching a sudden attack, which will make us in a hurry?"
Schell made up a reason casually—
In fact, he certainly knew that China did not have such complicated ideas, because the 6th Armored Division was the most powerful unit equipped twenty or thirty years ago. Although it did not keep up with the dressing pace, its habits had been preserved.
But the defense minister, who was born in the intelligence official, obviously would not like this simple answer.
Sure enough, after hearing this, Gates nodded thoughtfully, but did not continue to ask, but quickly changed the subject:
"So, what do you think about the afternoon routine meeting and tomorrow's first round of talks?"
Compared to the topic of simple chat just now, this question is obviously more sensitive and involves essence.
Out of professionalism, Scher could not have uttered a nonsense answer, but he was worried that rashly speaking would not match the above meaning.
During his campaign last year, the current president also clearly stated that he hoped to temporarily ease relations with China so as to get help from China to overcome the financial crisis, but according to his observations, his attitude seems to have changed again.
So I had to test it first:
"Your Excellency, this may not be answered in one or two sentences... and the actual result depends on the purpose we hope to achieve through this talk."
This sentence seems to be an answer, but it is essentially a rhetorical question.
Gates said as expected:
"The White House is not sure at the moment... The impact of the financial crisis will definitely require China's help to transition smoothly, otherwise it will only turn into a disaster for the whole world, but it is not yet determined whether this will be achieved through tough means or gentle means. This meeting also means to survey it."
Now, Scher understood.
Probably, I have to ask someone for help now, but I haven’t decided whether it is “I’ve knelt down for you” or “You knelt down, I’m begging you for something.”
However, this sentence basically did not reveal any useful information, especially the tendency of the Defense Minister himself. Sher could not ask again, so he had to say something according to his own ideas:
"I think you should already know that the Chinese army has made great progress in weapons and equipment in recent years. With the premise of relying on local advantages, it has even shown a trend of competing with us. But I also want to emphasize that their improvements in software, that is, training and organizational levels have been underestimated, or have been greatly ignored."
He said while watching Gates' reaction beside him. However, the latter was from an intelligence background and had few flaws in this regard, but he just signaled the former to continue.
"It doesn't take too long. Just over a decade ago, the Chinese army was still an armed force with relatively backward management and command levels. Perhaps they had a strong fighting will and some wonderful tips, but they objectively lacked sufficient ability to organize a large-scale modern military operation. This can be seen from the process of responding to flood disasters in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Although it was still a successful emergency task example, the execution level still relies more on the number of people and willpower."
Schell sensed a moment of impatience from Gates's eyes, so he quickly switched to the status quo:
"However, last year, when facing a similar task without warning and much more urgent, the Chinese army could organize coordination and cooperation between multiple services in an orderly manner, and formed an emergency command and communication network in a very short time. In one month, nearly 5,000 helicopters and more than 400 military transport aircraft were dispatched to transport more than one division's troops and equipment to areas with inconvenient roads. It can be said that it is second only to, or even very close to our level..."
“…”
It was not until the car stopped again that his analysis finally came to an end.
In addition to the tricks, Schell's professional ability is indeed in place.
The military officer is already responsible for collecting military intelligence in the country, but because the identity card is more difficult to operate, this information is almost all judged by him through public information and personal observations.
Gates was not a soldier, but fortunately he didn't know anything about military affairs. After hearing Schell's conclusion, he did not show any objection or impatience. He just asked again:
"So you think we should try to avoid conflicts with them?"
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"This may not be."
Schell decisively chose or in the yesorno's question:
"I mean, if we want to put pressure through tough means, then now may be the last window of time. If we go in the next few years... I'm afraid even if we still have the advantage, it will be difficult for the other party to surrender."
Gates showed no objection to this. He finally revealed his thoughts when he pushed the door and got out of the car and walked all the way to the main entrance of the embassy:
"In fact, it is best to successfully reach cooperation and let the Chinese take a debt to help us overcome the crisis. The Chinese themselves actually have similar ideas... But my consideration is that if the means are too soft, it will probably not be easy for future interactions, and the whole process will completely become the stage of the Secretary of State and the Ministry of Commerce, which has nothing to do with us..."
Seeing this, Scher followed his intention and continued to say:
"From the current time window, we still have the initiative to negotiate based on our strength. Even if it is impossible for the other party to fully accept our request, we can still obtain a relatively advantageous exchange condition."
The so-called "starting from strength" means "whose fist is the final decision."
Hearing this, Gates finally smiled and put on his clothes and pushed the door into the embassy.
However, before he could speak again, he saw an entourage walking out of a small door next to him.
There was still a piece of paper in his hand.
"What's wrong, Marina?"
Gates subconsciously turned his head when he heard the footsteps.
"Your Excellency, there is urgent news."
The female secretary named Marina handed the thing in her hand to Gates.
The latter took it and glanced, and his face changed drastically.
Scher was curious, but he couldn't tell whether he could speak.
But Gates took the initiative to hand over the telegram:
"Major General, you are worthy of living in China for many years. Your judgment just now is very accurate..."
"Huh?"
Sher didn't understand at all, and was confused about which judgment the other party was talking about.
The result was carefully looked at—
[Air Force Space Command Reconnaissance Center: It is confirmed that at around 10 am local time this morning, China completed the first flight of its fourth-generation fighter jet, and more specific information is still being confirmed]
Although Scher believed that he had been in China for many years and had known the Chinese army and expected the enemy to be lenient, he couldn't help but feel trembling when he saw this news.
At the same time, it was a little embarrassed-
It turned out to be the guess that I guessed at the beginning.
It's really a sudden attack?
(This chapter ends)