The audacity of destiny. It is indeed the champion of the future that had deferred all odds. Jonathan Chang is a 40 year old man that was born in the then British controlled Honkong. His father worked at the street farmers market selling fresh fruits and fresh edible vegetables to tourists. Because Honkong was then part of the British territory, the Chinas one child policy enacted by the communist regime did not apply to them. His parents seized the opportunity to have four children, three boys and one girl. Jonathan is the oldest. His three younger siblings attended the local prestigious unversities with graduate degrees. His baby sister took a quantum leap to medicine. She became a cardiologist and a surgeon. For Jonathan, he won full academic scholarship to attend Oxford University where he took degrees in economics and law. He later went to M.I.T. to complete his doctorate in economics. With prestigious academic credentials, he was an easy pick for Goldman Sacks to head the Honkong branch of their international retail banking division, focusing on global mergers and acquisitions. It made him a muted millionaire. Meanwhile, the political arena was unfolding as China was pressing hard to take back Honkong from the British at Honkongs centennial birthday as British territory. It was an agreement with China at the turn of 19th century for Britain to hand over all of Honkong to Beijing without any material cost to China. No one could have anticipated the turn of events, how developed Honkong was going to be at her centennial birthday. By then, Europe, and especially the British, were the highly celebrated world power during that era. There was no United States of America at the visible radial. America was busy locally gaining territories from the Indians, Mexico, France and the immediate Atlantic and Pacific corridors. World War one was Americas first taste at the international stage as a formidable world power, and that was at the virgin of the 20th century any way. The British signers were advised to negotiate for an outright purchase of Honkong, but they opted for a cheap and loaned gift which cost them pratically nothing. It was with the believe the Chinese will never rival nor out smart Britian, nor will they ever be strong enough to face Britain in an all out war for the control of this forsaken parcel of land and the Pacific rim. Why did the British want Honkong so bad? For obvious reasons. Honkong, with its very harsh weather condition, nevertheless, was located at a strategic post in the Pacific Ocean. It has a natural harbor, a made for formidable world power control of navigation especially in commerce and during wars. In fact, Chinas agreement was with enormous reservation. It was either Honkong or the colonization of China by the British. Having fanned off Japan as a colonial master, the Chinese went for the safer bet and handed over Honkong to the British, with the believe their future generations may get their way. It was a dream that finally came to pass. It also cost the sitting British prime minister her job. Margret Thacher had no choice but to give in. An accord is an accord, words frequently used by her to safe face. It was humiliating to see the mighty Great Britain practically powerless to face up with the Chinese. The fact is, Honkong had become a first class developed region and a formidable economic power house for world exchange of goods and services and especially finance. The other more important fact is China is now more populated, with enormous grounds gained in military, academic, technology, socially and yes, economically. Without a doubt, China has become a developed economy to the point of taking over second place from Japan as worlds second biggest economy. Chinese insisted that this time around the ball must be played in their court, with them firmly in control of the stage. America, under George H. Bush, believed the original document signed out of greed and stupidity, had handicapped America, hence decided to exercise muted involvement as not to provoke Beijing. A lot was riding on the enormous trade between the two countries, as well as the never finishing military business with the Koreans, Japan and the entire pacific rim. The era of Europe and the British visibility were over. Now, there are new and bigger players on the stage. They have bigger guns too. Without Americas backing and the Euro-zones go it alone attitude, Thacher had no choice but to give in. To cut Britain some slacks, it was agreed that all the people of Honkong born during British control will remain British citizens of choice. They were also free to relocate to England or other British territories. It was also agree that Honkong will remain autonomous, self ruled from China. However, Beijing will have veto over military and pressing unrest. This aspect of the agreement troubled Jonathan a great deal. Without a clear and detailed stipulation of the use of force, the fear was Beijing may fish for excuses to interfere with the social and political marketing of Honkong. He also believed it was a matter of time Beijing will accumulate enough excuses to land a final merge of Honkong into the communist regime. It prompted him to write series of letters to the negotiating delegates which he was one of the appointed officers. Kim Chang, of no relative of his, was part of Chinese delegation overseeing the review of all written materials sent to the negotiating team from abroad. In reviewing millions of letters, the name Jonathan Chang stroke a cord with her. She was curious, as the distinguished nature of his writings practically consumed her. She decided to make it personal and contacted him on a more personal note. Kim Chang was the only child of her parents, a victim of one child policy by the communist regime. Remarkably, at 36 years of age, she had reached an enviable position in the communist party. A first class brain with a Ph.D in law and Psychology, from the highly celebrated University of Beijing, she was materially lettered for the communist partys courtship. Kim was still single, which was some what less canning for Chinese women at her age. The problem was, she had always seen herself as unattractive and down right ugly. As a little girl at the age of 12, one day she looked at herself at the standing mirror in her bedroom and invited her Mom to see what she saw, a very ugly little girl, as she puts it. Her mother left the room in tears. She relayed the disturbing issue to her father with her live-in uncle listening. Her father asked her if her mother is ugly and she replied no. Her uncle told her that beauty will take her to bed, but it is character and brain that will keep her there. He told her she had all the three attributes covered. She went back to her room unsatisfied with their answers, but made up her mind to accept her uncles advise. She concentrated on character and brain. Her self awareness unfortunately muted her visibility with men for over 36 years until Dr. Jonathan Chang showed up one day at the door of her Beijing three bedroom apartment. It was a surprise visit. Kim had decided to keep their conversation on the phone and email fearing that this interested fellow must be even more ugly than she, or at worst, a left over meal nobody wanted. She believed she cant be that desperate. I mean, at 40, what is keeping all the attractive women of this world from grabbing him. She imagined him fat and run down, which was typical with most high intellects and bankers. To compound the situation, Jonathan told her that all his siblings are married with children. As a matter of fact, her assumption of Jonathans diminishing appearance gave her some comfort as to, Im better than someone. She was deadly wrong. Jonathan was a very good looking man by any standard in the world. She is also, indeed, a very attractive girl. May not pass for Miss World, nevertheless, a quantity any man, including this writer will be glad to have any day for a life mate. Jonathan on seeing her for the first time, had an equal sigh of relieve. His first words were girl, you are beautiful. The first time she had sincerely believed words like that coming from somebody. Her reply was thank you, you are indeed a dream come true. Jonathan pressed to know what she meant by such compliment but her answer was buried in their conversation. On November 10th, 1990, they were married, moved to New York, where they had four children, two boys and two girls. At retirement, both parents moved to New York with them. They have remained model tenants. Of course, accommodation is free. Try to be good to each other. Have a blessed day.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 04:33:52 +0000
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