Hong Kong by Stephen Coonts Read Free Book Online Page B

that Jake was here for a reason and
    uldn't leave.
    She tried to forget riots and bodies and her husband's nose for trouble and concentrate on the conference.
    Unfortunately, one of the attendees was a government of-
    ial, a political officer sent to take notes of the questions ad answers and jot down the names of any Chinese who light be "undermining the implementation of the laws," in
    the phrase the official used to explain his presence to the faculty.
    This official was a bald, middle-aged party apparatchik, a generation removed from most of the attendees, who were students in their early to mid-twenties. The first day Callie Grafton found herself fixating on the man's facial expressions when any student stood to ask a question.
    Angry at herself for feeling intimidated, she still had to carefully phrase her comments. While she could not be prosecuted for political deviancy, her participation in the conference could be terminated by this official on the spot. That sanction was used the very first day against a political science professor from Cornell. Callie was ready to pick up her notebook and follow him out the door, then decided a precipitous leave-taking would not be fair to the students, who came to hear her comments on American culture.
    That first evening Callie remarked to Jake, "Maybe taking part in this conference was a mistake."
    "Maybe," he agreed, "but neither of us thought so when the State Department came up with the invitation." State had procured a conference faculty invitation for Callie as a cover for the Graftons' presence in Hong Kong. "Don't be intimidated," Jake continued. "Answer the students' questions as best you can, and if the organizers give you the boot we'll see the sights for the rest of our stay. No big deal."
    Today after the break, the questions concerned the American banking system. Hu Chiang had asked questions often during the last three days, and he was ready when the room fell silent.
    "Mrs. Grafton," he asked in Chinese, the only language in use during the conference, "who decides to whom an American bank will lend its money?"
    Hu was tall, more muscular than the average Chinese youth, Callie thought, which made him a fairly typical Hong Kong young adult, most of whom had enjoyed better nutrition while growing up than their mainland Chinese peers.
    "The bank lending committee," Callie answered.
    "The government gives the committee guidance?"
    "No. Government sets the financial standards the banks must adhere to, but with only minor exceptions, the banks loan money to people and enterprises that are most capable of paying back the loan with interest, thereby earning profits for the owners of the bank."
    This colloquy continued for several minutes as the party boss grew more and more uncomfortable. Finally, without even glancing at the listening official, Hu asked, "In your opinion, Mrs. Grafton, can capitalism exist in a society that lacks political freedom?"
    The official sprang from his seat, turned to face Hu, and
    ointed his finger. "I can sit silently no longer. That question
    (a provocation, an insult to the state. You attempt to destroy
    : which you do not understand. We have the weapons to
    i those who plot evil." He turned toward Callie. "Ignore
    provocations of the criminal elements," he ordered per-
    orily, closing the discussion. Then he sat heavily and
    a cloth to wipe his face.
    Callie was trembling. Although she could speak the lan-
    ge, she felt the strangeness of the culture acutely. She
    also worried that she might somehow say something to
    rdize the conference or the people who had invited her.
    "Mr. Hu merely asked my opinion," Callie said, trying to
    her voice steady. "I will answer the question."
    The official's face reddened and his jowls quivered. "Go,"
    s roared at her, half rising from his seat and pointing toward
    s door. "You insult China with your disrespectful attitude."
    Callie gathered her purse and headed for the door. As she
    she addressed her