Common Ground

[Fulanistan]

The Grand palace of the achievements of the people was one of the most prominent buildings in Pandong. It was a long building done in Brutalist style, similar to many of the other buildings in thye city. On the roof flew several Taishanese flags, with the largest hoisted at the centre of the building. The Grand Palace is where the 2 Councils meet, and the office of the speaker is there as well.

Zhang Wei walked down the hall towards the west wing of the building where the International Friendship hall was. The Friendship hall was where the speaker and the council would meet with foreign countries to discuss relations. Mr. Zhang remembered the last time meetings were held there, which was quite a while ago. He knew most western countries would ignore Taishan, so its use was limited to other authoritarian countries as well as friends of Taishan.

Mr. Zhang approached the Friendship hall. It was an impressive meeting room, with high ceilings. One entire wall beared the Emblem of the country. It was a large sculpture mounted high up a marble wall, and on either side was long tall windows which looked over the Pandong river system. Below was a long table with six chairs on either side. This is where the meeting would take place.

 

[Minhdao]

It has been many years since General Khan last visit to Taishan. The last time he could recollect going to the northwest was in the early days of the Chuthe revolution against the former government of Minhdao. The coup, as it was called. General Khan had gotten his permission by the Taishanese governmment to land his plane in a private area where large crowds would not bother him. At his age and in his position, it was best to keep low-key. Wearing his regular green attire with medals perched on each side and a sash across his chest, Khan removed his generals' cap and whiped his forehead before placing it back atop his head.

Accompanying him was one of his most trusted ministers and closest friends, Minhdese Foreign Relations Minister Gen. Li Loi Duyet. The other man was the director of the elite Dai Ly Police of Minhdao Gen. Thanh Nguyen. Li was a very lanky lad with barely any meet on his bones, but he was tall and towered over his High Chairman. Thanh was an average man with an incredible physique as his job demanded it. He was however, ver serious and never joked around. Three of the most powerful men of Minhdao were being brought to Taishan; a communist country. Communism and Minhdao have never gotten along before which prompted a few Dai Ly Police to follow the High Chairman for his own protection.

Now in the tinted-window mode of transport aiming to bring the Minhdese dictator to his destination at the Grand Palace, General Li took it upon himself to give the High Chaiman a briefing on the governmenbt and inner-workings of Taishanese politics. General Khan hated to be uneducated on the counterpart he was to meet.
The vehicle pulled into the gaurded palace. General Nguyen and the other Dai Ly Police peered across the entrance to monitor the Taishanese guards' moves meticulously yet carefully. It was all protocall. Now parked, the doors of the vehicle open, everyone exits. Khan is the last to emerge from the vehicle. Polishing his shades, he looks at the fine craftsmenship of the eidifice and can only imagine what the inside looks like.

 

[Fulanistan]

Mr. Zhang was always a perfectionist, and he preferred his meetings to go extremely well. He planned to showcase a moderate-sized military parade for the guests from Minhdao, but first the actual meeting would have to go well. Mr. Zhang was seated beside two people from the foreign peace and friendship council which was responsible for foreign affairs, what little the country had.

"Our region is one of turmoil. Our beautiful homelands corrupted by western and Oikawan imperialism, causing many people to flee their homes. However, I feel that despite this, Taishan, Minhdao, and other revolutionary countries have succeeded in achieving true independence. The fathers of our revolution came here because the Oikawan imperialists decimated our homeland to expand their despicable regime, but we have come out strong and the people are grateful we have risen from the ashes."

Mr. Zhang sat down and took a drink of his water glass.

"Now, Mr. Khan, where should we start?"

 

[Minhdao]

General Khan began by introducing his panel of surroundings for the visit. Each of them shook Zhang Wei's hand and bowed slightly. All but Khan who simply shook his hand; no doubt. The General waved his entourage away so he and Mr. Wei may have a private head-of-state conversation. "First off, this is a beautiful palace. It really demonstrates the Serindian architectural genius of the far east." he smiled and sipped his water. "I wholeheartedly agree with you on western imperialism, or "colonisation" as they will have you call it. We've managed to get the most of them our of Serindia, but Himyar is still plagued. One can only hope the nations to the southwest may find their way into true independence, as you called it, as we have in Minhdao and here in Taishan."

The General removed his enormous specs and wiped them with a fine cloth he had stashed away in his left pocket. He placed them back on and then proceeded to making sure his generals' cap was placed and centered correctly. "As for Oikawa...I wouldn't worry about them. Nokanawa has its own problems up north. The only tragedy here is that we are being ignored to the south. But perhaps that is best for some of our cases." He sipped his glass once more and crossed his legs. "Now then, let's begin. Something has struck my curiosity, it's in my nature you see." he joked, "And that is, Taishan is the first communist nation to take interest and even not condemn Minhdao to the international community. And I, as well as the entire Chuthe, am curious as to why that is? It is much appreciated on Taishan's part, but you see, this is quite historical. You're the first leftist nation to make nice with Minhdao." he chuckled again.

 

[Fulanistan]

Mr. Zhang gave a brief smile, then edged in his chair. "General, our relationship is special. We are both neighbours, and we both oppose the advancement of western power into our countries. Thus, a time of turmoil has given us the opportunity to further our relationship and become great friends. We can both benefit from the spoils of cooperation, and we both have much to offer." Mr. Zhang eased off a bit. He was hoping to discuss the economic hardship of Taishan at some point, but he thought he could avoid it for todays meeting.

 

[Minhdao]

The General was almost hesitant about what he was about to discuss next. But as the world knew, old Mr. Khan held back on nothing no matter what the consequences. "Mr. Zhang, you realise that Tasihan is the first extreme lieftist country that Minhdao has ever come into contact with. To put it bluntly, we in Minhdao believe that communism simply doesn't work." He sipped his glass and took a deeper breath. "But when I say this, I'm looking out for the well-being of Tasihan. And that is: the member states of the Revolutionary Defense Treaty simply do not like me, the Chuthe or Minhdao. And that is why we think Taishan may come in to contact with deep hot water if you were to join the RDT as well as make economic deals with our nation." He then crossed his legs and placed his hands on his lap. "We are still on board for such deals, but we are concerned that this may attract some unwanted - pardon the expression - "red interference."