Dragon Fire

Prime Minister’s Office, Tokyo, Japan

‘John, you can’t sit on the fence,’ said Prime Minister Wada, on the phone to the American President. ‘You have obligations both to Taiwan and to Japan. Matsu has fallen and within twelve hours they may have taken Kinmen. A carrier group arriving in twenty-four hours is just not enough.’

‘Taiwan has nothing to do with our treaty obligations to Japan,’ said Hastings.

‘To be frank, it does. Taken in isolation, I might be able to agree with you. But given what China is doing in India, it is imperative that its aggression be contained.’