As Dong received the report, Political Officers in subordinate commands learned of the American provocation and informed Party officials of this reckless act of war. An Aegis cruiser operating in Chinese waters was a serious threat, especially because Tomahawk cruise-missiles could be launched in minutes, well within range of sensitive military targets on the mainland. Through lightning-fast unauthorized channels, Politburo officials learned of this aggressive and uncalled-for American action even before Dong was informed.
Dong Li had begun as an army infantryman. He had seen action in Vietnam forty years earlier as a young officer, and commanded combat units engaged in border skirmishes in the western provinces. His expertise was the frontier steppes on the “roof of the world” in Tibet and Central Asia, far from the multitudes of the coast and along the Yangtze Valley. Dong was no seafarer, but he knew enough about the Americans to know they were unpredictable as they stumbled through the world spreading instability and aggression in their thirst for empire. While their vaunted navy was to be respected, they were far from invincible, and had even acquiesced to Chinese demands to report their illegal movements in Chinese waters.
He placed a call to Admiral Qin Chung, Commander of the People’s Liberation Army (Navy). When Admiral Qin was on the line, Dong’s adjutant handed him the phone.
“Comrade Admiral Qin, I hope you are well. What do you know of the American action in our near seas?”
“Marshal Dong, please accept my warm regards. We are monitoring American movements with patrol aircraft and soon a submarine operating off Luzon. Their Aegis guided-missile ship was on a scheduled transit of the Southern Sea near the Zhongsha Islands when it turned hard and accelerated toward the mainland. After a period of minutes it stopped, and we do not know their intentions. Intercepted American communications and human sources indicate increased American command activity. Comrade Marshal, there is another twist — an American aircraft carrier is inside our territorial waters.”
“What? Where?” Dong said, his tone revealing his surprise.
“Hong Kong, on a scheduled visit, accompanied by an escort ship. However, with this unexpected development I am concerned the carrier could be a Trojan Horse. In effect, they have an aircraft carrier inside the fence.”
Dong was uncomfortable with Qin’s tone. The commander of the PLA(N) was not one to express anxiety, but the sea was Qin’s world, not his, and Dong detected concern. Could this be an American ruse? Tipper information of an imminent surprise attack? Miscalculation? A mistake?
“Admiral, their carrier is in port? Surely the American crew is on land drinking alcohol and buying trinkets. Arrest them; without a crew the ship is as useless as a battle tank with no driver.”
Just then the red phone rang. It was the Party Chairman. Without a goodbye, Dong hung up on Qin and picked up the receiver.
“Comrade Chairman, Marshal Dong at your service.”
“Comrade Dong, what are the Americans doing in our waters?”
“We know of three vessels, Comrade Chairman. One is a cruise-missile-equipped warship behaving erratically off our frontier island group claimed by the Philippines. Another is an aircraft carrier — in Hong Kong harbor with an escort ship. We do not yet know of their intentions, but the warship deviation from its approved track is troubling, and we detect increased American command activity.”
“I see. What are your intentions?”
“Comrade Chairman, we are going to intercept and shadow the American in the Southern Sea to prevent further aggression, and I have orders to PLA(N) commander Admiral Qin to arrest the American crew and block the carrier so it cannot escape.”
“Marshal, our trade agreement with the United States is in a difficult phase, but why would they take aggressive military action? To send a signal? We will not be bullied.”
“Comrade Chairman, we serve the People’s Republic to think through the worst options and prepare to meet them head on. We are dealing with aggressive action by a dangerous threat warship with an aircraft carrier inside our national boundaries that could strike us without warning. Their missile submarines could be anywhere, and the Japanese and Australians are close American allies who could be colluding with them to shut down trade in our southern waters. My inclination is to act while we can — as time is not on our side.”
“Act? What do you propose?”
“Stop their ships in our waters, beginning with the Aegis ship that veered off course, a violation of our approved permissions. Detaining their aircraft carrier crewmen, an easy task which is occurring as we speak, will prevent their ship from escaping port, and placing our defenses on alert will shield us from inbound missiles. We have numerous shadowing vessels in our southern waters that can relay the slightest hostile intention by the Americans and provide targeting information to our surface-to-surface missiles that will neutralize any attack before it can commence.”
“The People’s Republic has spent vast resources on your Army, Comrade Marshal. We do not seek war with the United States. We must deter them from further action, to make them see this is a war they will lose.”
Dong listened to the Chairman, and fought the urge to respond. He and his senior generals in PLA Headquarters knew that as capable as the PLA had become in the past two decades, the United States was still superior in weapons and training. However, they were not invulnerable, and their two Achilles heels were the distances they had to travel to bring arms to bear and their dependence on technology that could be taken from them. China had some surprises if the Americans pushed too far, and in the short term he could take swift actions to discourage Washington from a disastrous overreach.
“We will take actions to deter, Comrade Chairman. I am confident in our forces.”
“As am I, Marshal Dong, as am I.”
CHAPTER 3
“Holy fuckin’ shit!”
Commander Joe Littleton, Command Duty Officer aboard USS John Adams, tried to control his emotions as the frantic words of the carrier’s captain churned in his brain. Get underway? Now! With almost 2,000 sailors ashore? From his position on the carrier’s fantail he looked at the lights of Hong Kong two miles across the water and blinked disbelief. The man who delivered those orders, John Adams’ Commanding Officer, Captain Jay Paganelli, was standing someplace on that shore.
“Joe, do you understand?” Paganelli continued. “Right fucking now! Raise steam, get Number 2 on line, weigh anchor, and go! We gotta sortie out of here now with Marvin Shields. Get the helo alert crew to launch everything they have and come to fleet landing to transfer critical personnel. I want the RHIB with two armed SEALS to pick me up at Fleet Landing ASAP.”
“Aye, aye, sir!” Littleton stammered, looking at the guided-missile destroyer Marvin Shields 4,000 yards to starboard.
“If I cannot get aboard, keep going through the channel to open water, at a flank bell. General Quarters, Joe. This is no drill.”
Littleton couldn’t believe his ears. He had been watching the last of the sailors load onto the hired 300-passenger ferry to take them ashore. He had to stop them.