Chapter 1597: April Fool's Day

April 1, 1996, according to Western customs, this day is April Fool's Day.
On this day, people often cheat and tease each other in various ways, making some innocent jokes, and even newspapers will publish some sensational "fake news" for the general public to laugh.
But there are some things that are not joking.
Creighton got up very early today. In fact, in these days, he has been getting up very early, because although he has just reached the 50-year-old threshold this year, according to the current life span of human beings, he is only a middle-aged man. He was young, but the problem of insomnia came to him early.
The doctor said that his insomnia was caused by some minor problems in certain functions of the body, and he was given a prescription, but Clayton himself did not think so. He felt that it was because of the recent annoyance. It's too much.
From last year to this year, troubles have happened one after another. Prime Minister Rabin of Isaac, who was pushing for reconciliation with Barrestein, was assassinated, causing the situation in the Middle East to fall into chaos again. Barre, who has just shown signs of relaxation. The relationship between Stan and Isaac fell back into a trough, the Middle East peace process was seriously frustrated, various protest demonstrations and terrorist attacks against Isaac and the United States became more and more rampant; the largest outbreak in Europe that began in 1992 due to the division of Yugoslavia Although the "Civil War in Bosnia and Herzegovina" under the vigorous "mediation" of European countries and the United States, the "Dayton Agreement" was signed at the end of last year, which nominally ended the state of war that lasted for three years, but the actual situation there But it is seriously not optimistic. The Balkan Peninsula has always been the powder keg of Europe. Various religious, political, and ethnic issues are complicated and intertwined. The end of this war also means that the next war is about to begin. Maybe those few The Europeans are right. There is only one way to solve this problem-divide it into multiple countries that cannot be smaller, so that even if they fight again, the scale can be controlled and the overall security of Europe can be obtained. Guarantee-but that's your European business, why must we drag our country into the water?
Also, don't think that we in the United States don't know those little actions that you Europeans secretly engage in secretly!
None of the gang is worry-free.
The least worrying thing is that guy from Iwasato, who is a pawn, so you are a pawn. Why don't you have the consciousness of being a pawn? Can't you rest a bit? It's all right now, you are the one who picked the head, and you are the one who caused the trouble. Now that the trouble is big, you are not even on your own, but you want us Americans to wipe your butt, Nima, can this be wiped casually? The opponent is China, it is China that made countless famous soldiers of the United States smashed, and made tens of thousands of soldiers lost their lives in the Far East.
Thinking about it now, this shouldn't have listened to the bewitching of some people, and use this incident to test the bottom line of the mainland China on the Strait issue!
After breakfast, Clayton walked to the Oval Office with some distractions, ready to start the day's official business, but he did not expect that he was stopped by a hurried man just when he walked to the door.
It is John Mark Deutsch, the current director of the CIA.
Deutsch held a briefing in his hand with an anxious expression on his face. The first time he saw Clayton, he hurriedly said: "Mr. President, something has happened."
For some reason, Clayton felt his heart sinking flickeringly. This feeling is more than that of the year he first entered the White House when he heard Deutsch’s former Director Wu Erxi reported to him that the Somalia operation failed. It feels even stronger!
"What's the matter?" He asked calmly.
"According to the news just now, China Mainland has taken over Taiping Island."
"What? Taiping Island? John, aren't you kidding me on April Fools' Day?"
"No, Mr. President, this is not a joke, this is a major crisis that we must deal with right away!"
...
Taiping Island, located in the northwest corner of Zhenghe Group reefs in the northern part of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, covers an area of ​​0.43 square kilometers. It is the largest island in the Nansha Islands and has been an inherent territory of China since ancient times.
The island is about 3.1 nautical miles (5.7 kilometers) away from Zhongzhou Reef in the east, 7.1 nautical miles (13.2 kilometers) away from Dunqian Sandbar, and 16 nautical miles (29.6 kilometers) away from Nanxun Reef to the southwest. It is located on the east side of the west channel of the South China Sea. Strategic location is very important.
The natural conditions on Taiping Island are relatively good. The groundwater level in the island is relatively high. There is a well in the east of the island, which can provide fresh water all year round, which can meet the basic needs of human survival.
After 1949, the island was actually controlled by the Wandao authorities, and Kaohsiung City took the administrative management on its behalf. There is a company of garrison troops stationed on the island all year round, responsible for the defense of Taiping Island and the surrounding islands, and the Wandao main island sends ships twice a month for replenishment. .
Although there are troops stationed all year round and equipped with patrol boats, the Bay Island authorities have seriously insufficiently paid attention to the island. In addition to sometimes shouting "Sovereignty is with me, no one's land", they are actually taking action. In 1971, they have been indifferent to the encroachment of Nansha’s islands and reefs by countries around the South China Sea. For example, in 1971, the Bay Island defenders stationed on Zhongye Island evacuated their garrison in the name of "evading typhoons." As a result, the island was stolen by the Filipinos, and afterwards, the Wandao authorities completely left it alone. For example, in 1974, the Dunqian sandbar was invaded by the Nanannan people in the same way, and the Wandao authorities did not even use their farts. Did not put one!
It can be said that the situation in the South China Sea has deteriorated step by step, and the Bay Island authorities cannot shirk the blame!
It is precisely because of the laissez-faire and irresponsible attitude of the Bay Island authorities that countries around the South China Sea have increasingly rampant encroachment on islands and reefs, and the Nansha Islands have been invaded more and more. In the surroundings, the Annan people have controlled Dunqian Sandbar and Bolan Reef in the east and Hongxu Island in the south, forming a 3 to 1 encirclement to Taiping Island. If it were not for the "3.14" naval battle, the Chinese mainland had taken control. Nanxun Reef at the southwest end and Anda Reef at the east end have constructed an anti-encirclement circle and vigorously reclaimed the sea to build islands and sent people to garrison them. This is because the Bay Island authorities "brave infighting and fear foreign wars, open territory with maps, and manage politics with guns." Virtue, the fall of Taiping Island, I am afraid it is only a matter of time.
It cannot even be ruled out that the Bay Island authorities may use Taiping Island as a bargaining chip in exchange for political benefits!
After all, no matter how great a nation is, it is inevitable that there will be a few unscrupulous descendants, "I would rather give foreigners than domestic slaves" this shameless nonsense?
"There are three advantages to taking Taiping Island," Tan Zhenhua said: "First, Taiping Island's defense force is weak, with only one company, and no decent fortifications. Our army attacked Mount Tai with an aircraft carrier formation. Going down, basically there will be no decent resistance. It can guarantee that this battle will be won, and the morale of the army will be greatly encouraged."
"Secondly, the capture of Taiping Island is the most severe warning to the Wandao authorities and the Americans who are attempting to intervene in Strait affairs. They clearly and clearly told them that our mainland will never bow our heads under any threat of force. Yes, we will not use sovereignty and territorial integrity as a bargaining chip. Anything that touches the bottom line will inevitably suffer the fiercest counterattack from our side. We hope that the cross-strait issue can be resolved peacefully. War is not the means we hope to adopt, but war will always Will not be excluded from our options!"
"Thirdly, unlike Kinmen Island and the Penghu Islands, Taiping Island is small in size and isolated from the island, and has little strategic value. The biggest role of the island is to declare the sovereignty of the Nansha Islands and guard the South China Sea. The Western Passage, but the people on the Bay Island actually didn’t want to guard the Nansha Islands, so relatively speaking, their sensitivity was slightly lower. We landed on the island in the name of taking over the defense of the island, and did not say anything to death or do anything. Absolutely, it still gives the Americans a little bit of face and room to turn around. This will allow us to take the initiative in the upcoming negotiations."
General Liu nodded slightly, pondered for a moment and then asked: "So Zhenhua, in your opinion, how will the Americans react next?"
"I guess the Americans will soon invite you to a friendly visit."