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'd　been　forced　to　allow　capitalism　to　blossom　within　the　borders　of　their　country；　because　that　country　needed　money　to　grow　into　something　more　powerful　than　the　failed　experiment　in　the　Democratic　Republic　of　Korea。　China　had　experienced　its　own　killer　famine　around　1960；　and　slowly　learned　from　it　and　the　Chinese　also　used　it　as　a　launching　point　for　the　Cultural　Revolution；　thus　gaining　political　capital　from　a　self…imposed　disaster。
　They　wanted　their　nation　to　be　great。　In　fact；　they　already　regarded　it　as　such；　but　recognized　the　fact　that　other　nations　lacked　this　appreciation；　and　so　they　had　to　seek　out　the　means　to　correct　the　misimpression　foolishly　held　by　the　rest　of　the　world。　That　had　meant　money；　and　money　had　meant　industry；　and　industry　required　capitalists。　It　was　something　they　had　figured　out　before　the　foolish　Soviets　to　their　north　and　west。　And　so　the　Soviet　Union　had　fallen；　but　the　People's　Republic　of　China　remained。
　Or　so　they　all　believed。　They　looked　out；　when　they　bothered　themselves　to　do　so；　at　a　world　that　they　pretended　to　understand　and　to　which　they　felt　superior　for　no　better　reason　than　their　skin　and　their　language…ideology　came　second　in　their　self…reckoning；　amour　propre　starts　from　within。　They　expected　people　to　defer　to　them；　and　the　previous　years　of　interactive　diplomacy　with　the　surrounding　world　had　not　altered　their　outlook　very　much。
　But　in　this；　they　suffered　from　their　own　illusions。　Henry　Kissinger　had　e　to　China　in　1971　at　the　behest　of　President　Richard　Nixon　not　so　much　from　his　perceived　need　to　establish　normal　relations　with　the　world's　most　populous　nation　as　to　use　the　PRC　as　a　stick　with　which　to　beat　the　Soviet　Union　into　submission。　In　fact　Nixon　had　begun　a　process　so　lengthy　as　to　be　considered　beyond　Western　capabilities…it　was　more　the　sort　of　thing　that　Westerners　thought　the　Chinese　themselves　capable　of　conceiving。　With　such　ideas；　people　merely　show　ethnic　prejudices　of　one　sort　or　another。　The　typical　chief　of　a　totalitarian　government　is　far　too　self…centered　to　think　much　beyond　his　own　lifetime；　and　men　all　over　the　world　live　roughly　the　same　number　of　years。　For　that　simple　reason；　they　all　think　in　terms　of　programs　that　can　be　pleted　in　their　own　living　sight；　and　little　beyond；　because　they　were　all　men　who'd　torn　down　the　statues　of　others；　and　such　men　had　few　illusions　over　the　fate　of　their　own　monuments。　It　was　only　as　they　faced　death　that　they　considered　what　they　had　done；　and　Mao　had　conceded　bleakly　to　Henry　Kissinger　that　all　he'd　acplished　had　been　to　change　the　lives　of　peasants　within　a　few　miles　of　Beijing。
　But　the　men　in　this　ceremonial　room　were　not　yet　close　enough　to　death　to　think　in　such　terms。　They　were　the　magisters　of　their　land。　They　made　the　rules　that　others　followed。　Their　words　were　law。　Their　whims　were　granted　with　alacrity。　People　looked　upon　them　as　they　once　looked　upon　the　emperors　and　princes　of　old。　All　a　man　could　wish　to　have；　they　had。　Most　of　all；　they　had　the　power。　It　was　their　wishes　that　ruled　their　vast　and　ancient　land。　Their　munist　ideology　was　merely　the　MAGIC　that　defined　the　form　their　wishes　took；　the　rules　of　the　game　they　had　all　agreed　to　play　all　those　years　before。　The　power　was　the　thing。　They　could　grant　life　or　take　it　with　the　stroke　of　a　pen…or　more　realistically；　a　dictated　word；　taken　down　by　a　personal　secretary；　for　transmission　to　the　underling　who　squeezed　the　trigger。
　Xu　was　a　man　of　average　everything…height；　weight；　eyes；　and　face　。。。　and　intellect；　some　said。　Rutledge　had　read　all　this　in　his　briefing　documents。　The　real　power　was　elsewhere。　Xu　was　a　figurehead　of　sorts；　chosen　for　his　looks；　partially；　his　ability　to　give　a　speech；　certainly；　and　his　ability　to　front　the　occasional　idea　of　others　on　the　Politburo；　to　simulate　conviction。　Like　a　Hollywood　actor；　he　didn't　so　much　have　to　be　smart　as　to　play　smart。
　〃rade　Premier；〃　Rutledge　said　in　greeting；　holding　out　his　hand；　which　the　Chinese　man　took。
　〃Mr。　Rutledge；〃　Xu　replied　in　passable　English。　There　was　an　interpreter　there；　too；　for　the　more　plex　thoughts。　〃Wele　to　Beijing。〃
　〃It　is　my　pleasure；　and　my　honor；　to　visit　your　ancient　country　again；〃　the　American　diplomat　said；　showing　proper　respect　and　subservience；　the　Chinese　leader　thought。
　〃It　is　always　a　pleasure　to　wele　a　friend；〃　Xu　went　on；　as　he'd　been　briefed　to　do。　Rutledge　had　been　to　China　before　in　his　official　capacity；　but　never　before　as　a　delegation　leader。　He　was　known　to　the　Chinese　Foreign　Ministry　as　a　diplomat　who'd　climbed　his　way　up　the　ladder　of　his　bureaucracy；　much　as　they　did　in　their　own…a　mere　technician；　but　a　high…ranking　one。　The　Politburo　chief　raised　his　glass。　〃I　drink　to　successful　and　cordial　negotiations。〃
　Rutledge　smiled　and　hoisted　his　glass　as　well。　〃As　do　I；　sir。〃
　The　cameras　got　it。　The　news　media　people　were　circulating　around；　too。　The　cameramen　were　doing　mainly　what　they　called　〃locator〃　shots；　like　any　amateur　would　do　with　his　less　expensive　mini…cam。　They　showed　the　room　at　an　artificial　distance；　so　that　the　viewers　could　see　the　colors；　with　a　few　close…ups　of　the　furniture　on　which　no　one　was　supposed　to　sit；　with　somewhat　closer　shots　of　the　major　participants　drinking　their　drinks　and　looking　pleasant　to　one　another…this　was　called　〃B…roll；〃　intended　to　show　viewers　what　it　was　like　to　be　at　a　large；　formal；　and　not　overly　pleasant　cocktail　party。　The　real　news　coverage　for　the　event　would　be　by　people　like　Barry　Wise　and　the　other　talking　heads；　who　would　tell　the　viewer　what　the　visuals　could　not。
　Then　the　coverage　would　shift　back　to　CNN's　Washington　studio；　down　the　hill　from　Union　Station；　where　other　talking　heads　would　discuss　what　had　been　leaked　or　not　leaked　to　them；　then　discuss　what　they　in　their　personal　sagacious　wisdom　thought　the　proper　course　for　the　United　States　of　America　ought　to　be。　President　Ryan　would　see　all　this　over　breakfast；　as　he　read　the　papers　and　the　government…produced　Early　Bird　clipping　service。　Over　breakfast；　Jack　Ryan　would　make　his　own　terse　ments　to　be　noted　by　his　wife；　who　might　discuss　it　over　lunch　with　her　colleagues　at　Johns　Hopkins；　who　might　discuss　it　with　their　spouses；　from　whom　it　would　go　no　further。　In　this　way；　the　President's　thoughts　often　remained　a　mystery。
　The　party　broke　up　at　the　predetermined　hour；　and　the　Americans　headed　back　to　the　embassy　in　their　official　cars。
　〃So；　what　can　you　tell　us　off　the　record？〃　Barry　asked　Rutledge；　in　the　sanctity　of　the　stretch　Lincoln's　backseat。
　〃Not　much；　really；〃　the　Assistant　Secretary　of　State　for　Policy　replied。　〃We'll　listen　to　what　they　have　to　say；　and　they'll　listen　to　what　we　have　to　say；　and　it'll　go　from　there。〃
　〃They　want　MFN。　Will　they　get　it？〃
　〃That's　not　for　me　to　decide；　Barry；　and　you　know　that。〃　Rutledge　was　too　tired　and　jet…lagged　for　intelligent　conversation　at　the　moment。　He　didn't　trust　himself　to　speak　under　these　circumstances；　and　figured　Wise　knew　that。　The　reporter　was　leaning　on　him　for　just　that　reason。
　〃So；　what　are　you　going　to　talk　about？〃
　〃Obviously；　we'd　like　the　Chinese　to　open　their　markets　more；　and　also　to　take　a　closer　look　at　some　issues　we　have；　like　patent　and　copyright　violations　that　American　business　has　plained　about。〃
　〃The　Dell　puter　issue？〃
　Rutledge　nodded。　〃Yes；　that's　one。〃　Then　he　yawned。
　〃Excuse　me。　The　long　flight。　you　know　how　it　is。〃
　〃I　was　on　the　same　airplane；〃　Barry　Wise　pointed　out。
　〃Well；　maybe　you're　just　better　at　this　than　I　am；〃　Rutledge　offered。　〃Can　we　postpone　this　discussion　a　day　or　so？〃
　〃If　you　say　so；〃　the　CNN　reporter　agreed。　He　didn't　much　like　this　preppy　asshole；　but　he　was　a　source　of　information；　and　Wise　was　in　the　information　business。　The　ride　was　a　brief　one　in　any　case。　The　official　delegation　hopped　out　at　the　embassy；　and　the　embassy　cars　took　the　newsies　back　to　their　hotels。
　The　embassy　had　sleeping　acmodations　for　the　entire　official　party；　mainly　to　ensure　that　anything　they　said　wouldn't　be　recorded　by　the　MSS　bugs　in　every　hotel　room　in　the　city。　This　was　not　to　say　that　the　acmodations　were　palatial；　though　Rutledge　had　a　fortable　room。　Here　protocol　failed　Mark　Gant；　but　he　did　have　a　fortable　single　bed　in　his　small　private　room　and　a　shared　bathroom　with　a　shower。　He　opted　instead　for　a　hot　bath　and　one　of　the　sleeping　pills　the　physician　who　acpanied　the　official　party　had　issued　him。　It　was　supposed　to　give　him　a　solid　eight　hours　or　so；　which　would　just　about　synchronize　him　with　local　time　by　the　morning。　There　would　then　be　a　big　working　breakfast；　much　like　the　astronauts　got　before　a　shuttle　launch；　and　as　much　of　an　American　tradition　as　the　Stars　and　Stripes　over　Fort　McHenry。
　
　Nomuri　caught　the　arrival　of　the　trade　delegation　on　Chinese　TV；　which　he　watched　mainly　to　hone　his　language　skills。　These　were　improving；　though　the　tonal　nature　of　Mandarin　drove　him　slightly　nuts。　He'd　once　thought　Japanese　was　hard；　but　it　was　a　walk　in　the　park　pared　to　Guoyu。　He　looked　at　the　faces；　wondering　who　they　were。　The　Chinese　narrator　helped；　stumbling　badly　over　〃Rutledge；〃　however。　Well；　Americans　murdered　Chinese　names；　too；　except　for　simple　ones　like　Ming　and　Wang；　and　listening　to　an　American　businessman　try　to　make　himself　understood　to　a　local　was　enough　to　make　Nomuri　gag。　The　mentator　went　on　to　talk　about　the　Chinese　position　on　the　trade　talks；　how　America　owed　the　PRC　all　manner　of　concessions…after　all；　was　not　China　generous　in　allowing　Americans　to　spend　their　worthless　dollars　for　the　valuable　products　of　the　People's　Republic？　In　this；　China　sounded　a　lot　like　Japan　had　once　done；　but　the　new　Japanese　government　had　opened　up　their　markets。　While　there　was　still　a　trade　deficit　in　Japan's　favor；　fair　petition　on　the　playing　field　had　muted　American　criticism；　though　Japanese　cars　were　still　less　wele　in　America　than　they　had　been。　But　that　would　pass；　Nomuri　was　sure。　If　America　had　a　weakness　it　was　in　forgiving　and　forgetting　too　rapidly。　In　this；　he　greatly　admired　the　Jews。　They　still　hadn't　forgotten　Germany　and　Hitler。　As　well　they　shouldn't；　he　thought。　His　last　thought　before　retiring　was　to　wonder　how　the　new　software　was　working