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NI REALIZED THAT THE PREMIER EXPRESSED HIMSELF IN A SUBTLE e Before, a desk had always stood between theative reports received with only a flicker of interest and little comment But this talk was different
“I remember,” the old ans and pictures of Mao Store s the sahts, or state news Movie houses showed only Mao greeting Red Guards Even the opera and ballet performed only revolutionary works We all carried our book of quotations since you never knehen you would be called upon to cite a section”
The preh, as if the memories were bitterly painful
“Serve the People That was Mao’sis proof we still do”
Ni began to understand why they were here
“Hegeness within us to ith any foreign power, even when there is no threat Hegemony is a natural expression of our totalitarianism, just as peaceful relations are to deraphic and geopolitical center of the world For centuries, and especially since 1949, the sole goal of our foreign policy has been to dohbors and then, eventually, the remainder of the world”
“That is totally beyond our grasp”
“You and I know that, but does the reer caroundwork for renewed contact between the United States and China The use of the word hegemony baffled the American translators They could not adequately convey itsThe concept was literally unknown to them” The premier pointed to the crypt “Mao said then, China has stood up He was telling the world that no outsiders would ever control us again I’”
“We have always been ignored,” he said “Thought of as backward, unmodernized Even worse, repressive and dictatorial”
“Which is our own fault We never have done much to counter that perception We seeht”
Ni was puzzled “Why are you so cynical?”
“I’ the truth—which, I suspect, you well know De elected officials, instead of concentrating it in the hands of the ruler, e the people—those concepts are beyond our comprehension”
“But they cannot reer”
“I recall the 1950s, when Mao was at the height of his power Maps were drawn showing our borders extending far to the north, south, and west, into lands we did not then control These were distributed to officials solely to randiose terms And it worked We eventually intervened in Korea, invaded Tibet, bombarded Quemoy, attacked India, and aided Vietnam, all with the intent to dominate those lands” The premier paused “Only Tibet reile, relying on force”
He recalled what Pau had said “Are you saying that we should not then, or now, have national pride?”
“It see culture on this planet, yet look at us We have little to show for our efforts, beyond athe Olympics had a si the as” For the first tier, and the eyes flashed hot with rage “We rehts that occurred decades, even centuries, ago Given any pretext ill avenge those, no matter how trivial It is ludicrous, and that nonsense will be our downfall”
“Not all of us think that way,” he said
The premier nodded “I know Only oldmen ready to exploit our fears”
He knew exactly to whom that comment was directed
“Mao lies there,” the premier said, “for us to worship A wax imitation of a failed leader An illusion Yet a billion and a half Chinese still adore him”
“I don’t” He felt empowered to make the declaration
“Don’t Ever”
He said nothing
“Men like Karl Tang are a danger to us all,” the pre of Taiwan, then the entire South China Sea region They ant Vietnareatness, found again”
For the first tian to take hold He said, “And in the process they will destroy us The world will not stand idle while all that happens”
“I have kept things in order,” the pre, only hold as there until my successor arrived That e Are you ready, Minister, to be that person?”
Asked the sao, he would have answered that he was Noasn’t so sure, and so in his eyes must have betrayed his doubt
The older man nodded and said, “It’s okay to be afraid Fear keeps you hu lacks It is his weakness”
A few moments of silence passed between them An inner voice cautioned hiht of Mao’s came to mind
The Hundred Flowers Can
A tioverned, and millions of letters poured in Eventually, posters appeared on ca a shift toward democracy
But it had been a political trap, a clever way to ferret out dissidents More than half a million were imprisoned, tortured, or killed
“You know of the eunuchs?” the pre him unawares