Chapter 408: Chapter 392: The demeanor of a Great Nation_1
As the words fell, journalists from the domestic and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions began to applaud. Even many European journalists joined in, expressing admiration for Nie Zhenbang’s agility and wittiness. The journalist who asked the question knew he was in the wrong and slunk back shamefully.

At this time, a Dongying journalist raised his hand. Nie Zhenbang frowned slightly, as he had the least fondness for these Dongying people.

Influenced by his grandfather since childhood, Nie Zhenbang could be described as having a touch of nationalism. However, being no ordinary man, he wouldn’t show his dislike. He pointed to the Dongying journalist and said, “Alright, you.”

The Dongying journalist stood up, bowing in respect, “I am Watanabe Kojiro, a correspondent for Readers News stationed in China…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Nie Zhenbang interrupted him. His face turned stern as he said, “Is this the level of English spoken by all Dongying people? The correct translation for Huaxia is China. To respect a country and a person, the least you could do is pronounce correctly. Also, you can speak Chinese if you’re not good at English. If this is the attitude of all Dongying people, I’m sorry, but I’ll refuse to answer your question.”

Nie Zhenbang was pretending not to understand. He knew that the term the Dongying reporter used was a derogatory term for Huaxia, but he did not speak it out loud. Saying it out would be a negative reflection on the country’s image.

At this moment, Watanabe Kojiro’s face flushed in resentment as he glared at Nie Zhenbang, once again retalking, “I apologize, my Chinese is not very good. I have read the report you issued, Mayor Nie. As I understand it, your government did not sign a clear agreement with the three corporations, including Wilgang, insisting on strict pollution control. Isn’t what you’re doing now a breach of contract? Also, in my opinion, this pollution is normal for these corporations. What’s the big deal?”

Another one trying to spin the narrative, Nie Zhenbang thought, cursing under his breath. These Dongying lackeys never change, clinging tightly to the coattails of their American masters. He returned to Watanabe Kojiro the stern look and said, “Mr. Watanabe, I believe you are being misleading. Firstly, a corporation must have a sense of social responsibility. The three corporations, including Wilgang, surely maintain advanced pollution facilities in their own countries. Now, if there was no clear agreement, does that mean they all discharge pollutants this way, not only in America but also in other countries? If the aforementioned three companies promise to treat everyone equally, I assure you, they will be allowed to resume production immediately, and we will compensate for the losses. Now your last point is laughable. Are you saying it’s normal for the polluted area to show no signs of life? That rivers originally clear have become black water is also normal? If you find it normal, I’m willing to fund the relocation of all three companies to your country. What do you think, Mr. Watanabe?”

Nie Zhenbang’s choice of words were sharp, and his tone icy, giving off a strong presence. This was a stark contrast to Huaxia’s government’s usual pacifist approach. In Nie Zhenbang, these foreigners saw the elegance of a powerful country.

At this moment, a European journalist stood up and said, “Respected Mayor, I am a journalist from Reuters Club in Germany. I have read the report you provided, and I am stunned. This is a crime. May I ask, what measures will you take regarding these three corporations?”

Nie Zhenbang’s gaze turned to the Prime Minister sitting next to him. The Prime Minister returned the gaze, with a clear look of approval. It was clear that Nie Zhenbang was given the green light to represent the state.

Nie Zhenbang thought for a moment. While he and the Prime Minister had discussed follow-up measures, the ideas were not systematic. Now, asked to make a sudden statement, he had to tread carefully. This might be the toughest test yet.

After considering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang held up three fingers and said, “My demands are simple. First, the headquarters of the three companies, including Wilgang, must apologize publicly. This kind of slander and defamation should not have happened in a responsible company. Second, the three companies must immediately reform their waste disposal systems, provide detailed treatment plans, and pass our environmental department’s inspection. Each company must pay a fine of three hundred million yuan as mitigation costs and compensation to the local population. Third, the US government and the U.S. Embassy must apologize for the adverse consequences of this protest.”

With the conclusion of his words, there was a commotion. The first and second points were acceptable, although the fine was triple the previous amount. Regarding the pollution system, Nie Zhenbang made a valid point – it was a necessary facility. The third point, however, was shocking. Nie Zhenbang, the mayor, was truly daring, putting forth such a demand. It was conceivable that the White House would pay it no attention.

As soon as the words fell, some American journalists, those who always acted as superior citizens of a superpower, began to protest loudly, “No, this is not possible. We are a superpower, the only superpower in the world. Are you representing Liangxi City or Huaxia, Mayor? Can we consider this a provocation against our great United States? Are you trying to start a war? We will never apologize to any country or region.”

Nie Zhenbang frowned and looked at Prime Minister Yun. At this moment, he noticed the Prime Minister subtly nodding. Reassured, Nie subsequently exuded an air of command as he fixed his gaze on the journalist. “May I ask, can you represent the U.S government, can you represent President Kerwin?”

After a moment’s pause, Nie spoke again. “We are clear on this point; it does not matter whom I represent, may it be the nation or Liangxi City. This is our stance. As a major power, our dignity is not to be infringed upon. Granted, as you mentioned, the U.S. indeed holds the status of the world’s sole superpower. Yet, when President Kerwin rushed to confront us without even conducting an investigation, such a decision must be deemed hasty and irresponsible. As the facts have revealed, you have been misinformed. A great power, especially a superpower, should exhibit the courage to take responsibility for its actions. If the U.S. government cannot even show such basic respect, I express my disappointment. This behavior does not befit a great power. That concludes our press conference for today. I thank our journalist colleagues for their time.”

…

The day after the conference, every leading newspaper around the world featured the same top story on their front page, all titled differently but echoing with a unified message – the grace and dignity of a great nation. Not only did these articles underscore the rise of Huaxia, but they also sparked debates questioning whether the U.S., the world’s superpower, indeed exhibited the character befitting of a great nation.

That same afternoon, U.S. Ambassador Hamilton, stationed in Huaxia, personally visited Foreign Minister Hu Yunlong. Hamilton suggested forming a joint commission of experts from both Huaxia and the U.S. to inspect the three U.S. funded enterprises in Liangxi City. The tone significantly subdued compared to previous protests, signaling a shift in the U.S. government’s stance.

Prime Minister Yun naturally agreed to the proposal and promptly organized renowned environmental experts from Huaqing University, Jingcheng University, and other known domestic institutions to head to Liangxi City. The U.S. expert group would fly directly to Jiangzhou City from the United States.

Nie Zhenbang, representing Huaxia, would return to Liangxi City with U.S. Ambassador Hamilton.

The American response was speedy this time. By the second afternoon, the U.S. expert group arrived in Jiangzhou City. After a night’s rest to adjust for jet lag in Liangxi, the joint Huaxia-U.S. expert team began the inspection of the three enterprises the next morning.

After witnessing the current situation, Hamilton made a point to go up and scrutinize the cement ditch on both sides of the effluent discharge point. Although an outsider, even he could deduce the discharge outlet had not been altered. Witnessing the dark polluted water under the embankment left Hamilton shocked.

The expert commission released an unbiased report detailing how the three enterprises had not undergone any environmental processing, dumping industrial waste and residue directly into the environment. The estimated loss downstream surpasses thirty billion yuan, with the subsequent cleanup process predicted to be exceedingly prolonged.

Upon receiving this news, Hamilton immediately reported the results back to his home country. The following day, newspapers in both the U.S. and Huaxia printed a public apology from the three American-funded enterprises. Simultaneously, the three companies dispatched senior management to Liangxi City to discuss future remediation.

The most startling and concerning aspect was the anticipated apology from the U.S. government. Initially, the citizens believed securing an apology from the Americans was impossible. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang was confident, believing that if President Kerwin was not foolish, he would apologize.

As it turned out, after three days, the U.S. government finally responded. President Kerwin sent an apologetic telegram to the Huaxia State Council on behalf of the U.S. government.

After seeing this, Prime Minister Yun nodded slightly and smiled. He then told his secretary, “Shangjin, I want you to arrange for this telegram to be published immediately in the ‘Hope Daily,’ the Huaxia TV station, and other national media outlets.”

Upon hearing this, Qian Shangjin’s eyes revealed a glint of admiration. Nie Zhenbang’s reputation in the country would most likely make him a national hero. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to qidian.com to vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation.)