(Encrypted line. Early morning in Beijing. Late evening in Washington.)
川 : Big night. Biggest speech. Everyone loved it.
习 （国师在旁）: 总统先生说的是国情咨文吧。
川: You watched? Ratings were tremendous. Even better than my first one. Standing ovations — globally, I would say. No one got tired of clapping.
习: 我注意到，你多次影射中国。 “竞争”，“公平”，“重建美国工业”…… 措辞强烈。
川: Strong is good. I said we're bringing supply chains home. Chips, steel, rare earths — we're not depending on anybody anymore. Especially not you.
习: 相互依存， 并非依附。
川: Interdependence? That's what globalists call it. I call it leverage. And I don't like other people having leverage over America.
习: 杠杆是相对的。 你限制芯片出口， 中国也在加快自主研发。 封锁，往往催生突破。
川: You're talking about innovation. I like innovation. America will dominate AI, quantum, biotech — all of it. We're putting billions in. How exciting! By the way, the brain drain must be keeping you up at night.
习: 科技竞争， 不应演变为科技围堵。
川: Nobody is “containing” you. We're protecting national security. Big difference. You build military-civil fusion; we respond. Simple.
习: 安全概念若无限扩大， 贸易空间将无限缩小。
川: Trade space? I gave you a great deal once — remember? Phase One. Beautiful deal. Farmers were happy. Then came the pandemic. Not my fault.
习: 历史自有评价。 但当前问题更紧迫。 你昨夜提出新的关税审查机制。 是否意味着全面升级？
川: It means reciprocity. If you charge us, we charge you. If you subsidize, we counter. Level playing field. I said it clearly — the era of America being taken advantage of is over.
习: 公平，应由规则定义， 而非单边宣布。
川: Rules? The WTO rules were written when you were still “developing.” You're the second-largest economy now. You don't get developing-country treatment forever.
习: 中国仍有十四亿人口， 发展不平衡。 但我同意， 责任随实力增长。
川: 1.4 billion people! You guys are creative statisticians. Listen, Indo-Pacific alliances are stronger than ever. Japan is now a huge fan of mine. And China?
习: 联盟政治， 容易制造阵营对立。
川: Or stability. That's how I look at it. If nobody pushes boundaries, nobody gets pushed back.
习: 边界问题， 在台海尤为敏感。
川: I didn't even mention Taiwan that much. Very disciplined of me.
习: 未提及， 不等于不在暗示。
川: Look, I support the status quo. America doesn't want conflict. But we'll defend our interests. That's not new.
习: 中美若误判， 代价巨大。
川: Agreed. That's why we're talking. See? Responsible leaders.
习: 昨夜你还提到“价值观竞争”。 这种表述， 易将经贸问题意识形态化。
川: Values matter. My voters care about jobs, borders, freedom. They don't want surveillance balloons floating over Montana.
习: 个案不应定义整体关系。
川: Tell that to Congress.
(Brief pause. Papers shuffle. )
习: 总统先生， 有中情局招募广告， 在中国互联网上流传， 直接影响阁下四月访华之行。
川： Ohhh. “A disillusioned official seeks new opportunity”? I saw that. Very dramatic. Like a spy movie trailer.
习: 它直接呼吁中国体制内人员 “为更高理想服务”。 你在国情咨文强调竞争。 这是竞争的新形式？
川: Look, I like good marketing. Yes, it's CIA doing marketing, beating Madison Avenue. Relax. "Recruitment Videos" don't topple civilizations.
习: 这关乎渗透与动摇啊！
川: Come on. You've got your own messaging. You think TikTok dance videos are just dance videos?
习： 平台算法 不等于情报机构。
川: Tell that to Congress.
(A faint exhale from Beijing.)
习: 还有一事。 卢比奧……鲁比奥提出什么“自由”工程， 意在突破中国防火墙。 他公然以技术手段 协助中国网民“翻墙”。
川: Marco. He's always proposing something. Freedom something, security something. Yes, he's my guy. What's your problem, exactly?
习: 此类项目， 已被中国网络安全部门关注。 你如何看待？
川: Well, first of all, I love the word “freedom.” Hard to be against it. Second — I didn't build your Great Firewall. You guys are Great Wall builders, by all way.
习: “防火长城” 是中国的主权边界。
川: Quite a lot of bricks. Digital bricks. Very expensive, I imagine.
习: 党国维稳 不计成本。
川: Everything has a cost. Ask my budget people.
习: 若美国政府支持 干犯中国网络主权， 中方将绝对不会坐视的。
川: Interference? You're accusing me of interference? I'm flattered. If your firewall is so strong, why worry about a few laptops?
习: 技术竞赛 没有“几台电脑”之说。
川: True. Cyber is the new battlefield. I said that last night — didn't use the word "battlefield," but everyone knew. AI, cyber, space. The whole shebang.
习: 竞争若无底线， 会侵蚀互信。
川: Trust? In espionage? That's adorable.
(Silence. Then Xi resumes, tone steady.)
习: 美国公开鼓励中国公民 绕过法律限制。 这与“负责任大国” 是否一致？
川: Absolutely.
习: 国安至上，国安至上，国安至上！
川: Security and freedom are not, I repeat, not mutually exclusive. Frankly, freedom gives us more leverage than you guys think. If your people want access to the free world, that's not exactly my fault.
习: 美国不比中国自由。 中国人民绝对有自由团结 在党中央的周围， 绝对有自由依法 专用党的信息空间。
川: Quite a mouthful.
习: 维稳至上，维稳至上，维稳至上！
川: Whatever. About the CIA ads — I don't personally storyboard those. But I won't apologize for my intelligence agencies doing intelligence. You've got yours. We've got ours. Meet when we can. Do otherwise when we have to. Fair?
习: 制度不容颠覆，制度不容颠覆, 制度不容颠覆!
川: Whose system you are talking about?
(Unexplained silence on the Beijing side.)
习: 不稳不行……不行，不行！
川: Let's say this: America competes. We compete economically, technologically, ideologically. But overthrowing governments? That's messy. Very messy. Bad for markets.
习： 鲁比奥那个“自由‘’工程呢？
川: Marco likes headlines. I like headlines even more — I just prefer the ones with my name in larger font. Meanwhile, Congress likes tough talk on China. You have your domestic audiences; I have mine. Reality, my friend.
习： 总统先生， 中美关系已进入 高度敏感阶段。 网络空间 可能成为误判的源头。
川: "Cyber miscalculation" — yes. A hack here, a leak there, suddenly everyone is pointing fingers. Nobody wants that.
习: 若美国政府 纵容突破防火墙， 中国或将采取 技术反制。
川: Retaliation spiral. I get it. Didn't I mention I like competition?
习: 好。
（The line disconnects.）
作者：纫秋兰 |
