FADE IN.
INT. CLUB HOUSE - DAY
Relaxing on a sofa with phone in hand, PETER taps the Quora App and scrolls down the screen and reads.
We see in bold type a question:
If the Chinese troops currently at the border storm into Hong Kong to crush the protests, what message will that send to Taiwan?
PETER (V.O.)
This Quora questioner
requested my answer
to his question on Aug
16. A week is already
too long in politics.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I didn't have the time
to respond timely. It's
bad not to reply. See
if I can find a creative
angle.
EXT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY
Peter swims leisurely.
PETER (V.O.)
Yes! I've got an angle!
He gets out of the pool, grabs his bag, sits in quiet beach chair, takes out his phone and begins to type:
The message. The hypothetical message would be that China is highly sensitive, emotive and unthinking. And anything can happen.
Boat people. As Hong Kong protests are planned and organized, Taiwan should be ready to receive tens of thousands of protesters fleeing from Hong Kong.
Taiwan emergency. China would ride on its urge to reunite China once and for all, using force to overwhelm Taiwan, ignoring all the rational considerations.
Lose-lose. With all its defence capability and allied support, there is the possibility that Taiwan might be occupied and its people have to flee to another island.
Safe haven. As US is far away and Taiwan was a Japanese colony. Taiwan should work out its exit plan to a nearby Japanese habitable island eg Miyako.
Having inserted a scenic and tranquil photo, Peter taps: Submit
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Although it is just a
hypothetical situation,
if I can imagine about
it, it might happen too.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Instead of thinking about
escalating conflicts all the
time, people should think
about peace. My Miyako
photo speaks a thousand
words.
As he smiles, Peter checks the screen and sees the number of views mounting up.
As he smiles again, Peter sees a lifeguard approaching. He takes a look of the time on his phone.
PETER
(Nodding)
I'm leaving now.
INT. CLUBHOUSE - DAY
Peter checks his phone.
PETER (V.O,) (Cont'd)
Oh, the next requested
question on my waiting
is also about war...
We see the question:
Is Hong Kong's protesting going to result in a local war?
Peter types his answer:
Local war. Local war is an armed conflict between groups with a country. Hong Kong protests impact on Hong Kong, but bot Mainland China.
Armed conflict. Hong Kong front-line protesters are armed in their own ways, sufficient to cause grievous bodily harm or death to Police officers.
Armed Police. Hong Kong Police are armed but they would not pull out their guns lightly. So far, just one warning shot was fired. Not one protester was killed.
Hong Kong Garrison. For defence matters, the Chinese military has been garrisoning 5000 active personnel of army, navy and air force in Hong Kong since 1997.
District riots. Using guerrilla tactics, several hundreds of rioters roam from one district to another to confront the Police on weekends or selected days.
Silent majority. Hong Kong has a population of 7.4 million. By whatever measures, the protesters in Hong Kong have always been in the minority.
Unarmed assault. Recently, an organiser of weekly protests leading to recurrent Hong Kong riots was beaten up by masked men. And that was it.
Law enforcement. Without killing any protester, the loyal Hong Kong Police are in control, Hong Kong does not have to trouble the Hong Kong Garrison.
Civil unrest. Not only that Hong Kong protesters do not dare to provoke the Hong Kong Garrison, they do not even dare to cross the Mainland China border.
Dwindling numbers. About 900 front-line protesters have been arrested and some are detained. Hong Kong Police have stepped up the enforcement actions.
No war. As the support and scale of armed conflicts in Hong Kong are negligible, the protesting will not result in any local war in Hong Kong, or in China.
Peter taps: Submit.
EXT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY
Peter relaxes in a beach chair.
PETER (V.O.)
I don't have much stress.
Having worked hard for
decades, life has become
easy for me. I've peace
within myself.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I believe many Hongkongers
are selective in handling
conflict. Very often, peace
is better than right.
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I try not to argue with my
wife.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)
If we've peace within
ourselves, we can have
peace with others.
Peter gets down to the pool to swim.
FADE OUT.
THE END