NationStates Jolt Archive

With the collapse of the Japanese government and the subsequent deployment of 'peacekeeping' forces to the Home Islands as well as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, the United Eastasian Republic had found itself in a position it had never truly expected to reach. The Zhaoist government in Beijing had always played up the idea of unifing eastern Asia, but when it actually happened it was met by frantic planning. After a few days of intense activity by the governmental ministries, Premier Kristan Zhao held a cabinet meeting which would be one of the most important in the UER's history.

Beijing, UER

"Well, let's hear the plan, shall we?"

Premier Zhao was beaming from ear to ear as he sat back in his chair. His long journey was finally over, from local official in Singapore to the leader of an undeniable superpower. Interior Minister Huanren Yuan activated the large screen which dominated one wall of the cabinet room, calling up a map of the UER's new boundaries.

"We've cut loose any territories which were superfluous, none of them were of any real strategic value to us. So, the real business at hand. Say hello to Nihon State, Thai State, Lao State, Khmer State and Myanma State. All of which were previously ruled under one authority, thus making things much easier than we originally thought. For the most part we shall be able to assimilate previously existing administrative structures and keep them going until we replace them properly with our own standard local authority structure.

When it comes to Nihon State, I suggest treading carefully. It has just lost an empire, and we should try to ease their transition as much as possible. I recommend not condemning their imperialist past, but instead focus on the way that they were trying to unite Asia, thus making their imperialism look more sanitary."

Security Minister Jamil bin Hasan took over the meeting as Yuan handed him the remote for the screen.

"We've started co-opting local intelligence networks and the like, taking care to reassure them that they are Eastasian now, not an occupied area. Of course we are running checks as well as we can on them. As much as I would love to simply annex the old intelligence services, I think it would be better to start from scratch; I have no idea who is there due to ability ad who is there due to nepotism. We'll also try to save as many files as we can, but I'm not holding my breath on that one."

Premier Zhao nodded as Finance Minister Qiantian Wei began.

"Standard economic integration protocols should be well able to apply here, our new areas are not much different from previous liberated lands. Of course, with their acquisition we'll now have domestic production of resources that we didn't have before, so it should certainly help the economy once everything is in order. The Japanese ran a very tight economic operation, they should be congratulated for it."

Zhao applauded as Wei finished. "Excellent, truly excellent! I realise that everyone else has their own report, but I just want to make something clear. In accordance with Eastasian ministerial practise, I will be looking at possible new cabinet members from our new states. This is not to say that anyone here should start thinking about a new job, I have a very long process ahead of me. In fact, there may be one or two new ministries established very soon, but that is a matter for another day. So, Ruiyan, on to your report...."

The civilian authorities were not the only branch of the Eastasian regime to swing into action. The Eastasian armed forces began recruiting from the ranks of the former Imperial Japanese Army, taking in regulars as well as high-ranking officers. While the regulars began to receive immersion in Eastasian doctrine (both political and military), any high-ranked officers were brought to Beijing to meet with Defence Minister Wanfeng Qong. After confirming their service records and establishing their reasons for wanting to serve (just to weed out any monarchist tendencies), the officers were directed to one of several military academies across the UER. There they would receive a more in-depth indoctrination.

As with past deployments, the armed forces were heavily involved in the distribution of humanitarian aid. Although this was not in much demand due to the largely intact Japanese infrastructure, staged photo opportunities were still organised; the images were beamed around the new territories to reinforce the fact that they were liberated rather than occupied. This all went hand-in-hand with the immense propaganda initiative launched by Minister Daoyu Ma and his Information Ministry.

In accordance with Interior Minister Yuan's recommendations, the Information Ministry made much of the 'Japanese benevolent intention' regarding Asia. It was recognised that Japan had been seeking the unification of Asia just as the UER had done; the propaganda claimed that eastern Asia was united and that was the important thing. Although Japan had been a power in her own right, she would be even more influential as Nihon State of the United Eastasian Republic; able to choose her own government and enact her own laws while contributing to the prosperity of Asia as a whole. Of course, the local authorities in Nihon would be of good Zhaoist stock and would follow the party line at all times, but this was not seen as necessary information.

The propaganda in Thai State, Lao State, Khmer State and Myanma State followed a slightly different line. The populace were reminded of the numerous empires that had owned them in the past, glossing over the Japanese Empire as well-meaning fellow Asians. However, as citizens of the UER, they would no longer be subject to imperialism; as member states of the Republic, their cultures could flourish once again within the UER's protective structure. Local religious leaders were approached and recruited by Beijing to assist in the transition; although in the past religion had been suppressed as much as possible, the Zhaoist government were now considering a relaxation of their policies as long as the religious communities towed the government line.

As the assimilation of the four new states continued, Beijing turned to the issue of state governors. Although the governors were elected by their state population, the Eastasian Communist Party always tried to ensure that the ballots were filled with 'suitable candidates'. The usual practise with new states was to heavily support the campaign of one candidate who was the most willing to accept the party line while also being a capable administrator. This often meant that opportunist career politicians leapt onto the party bandwagon, but occasionally a true believer could be found.

Although the territories had not yet officially acceded to Republic statehood, Beijing had already selected, briefed and started funding the 'suitable candidate' for each area. Heiji Kihara had already adopted the Eastasian name form (with given name first, family name second) and was Beijing's choice for Nihon State; while not a fervent Communist, he did believe in the Pan-Asian ideals of the UER. Thai State's 'governor-in-waiting' was Sakda Theeravit, the popular former mayor of Bangkok who was more than willing to sell his soul to the Party in order to gain the position of governor. Sourith Vong was the idealist who would administer Lao State, while Samdech Monirak was a civil servant who found himself thrust into the fray in Khmer State; completely beholden to the Party for everything, he was a pliant individual who took orders like the best soldier.

In addition, Premier Zhao began pouring over intelligence dossiers on potential cabinet ministers. Zhao believed in surrounding himself with the best of every state in the Republic; whether they joined the cabinet or simply blended into Zhao's think-tanks, obedience to the Party came second to utilising their abilities. Zhao also began contemplating potential new government ministries; he was satisfied with his ministers at present, and saw no problems with creating new jobs for any new arrivals. Of course, he discussed his ideas with the existing cabinet; he had no intention of creating disgruntled ministers by suddenly taking some of their power and giving it to a complete unknown.

Beijing, UER

"So what's this I hear about official name changes?"

Premier Zhao smiled broadly at Vice-Premier Dinh. "Well, we always used to play down our ideology if we could, especially after the Grenada fiasco; it was safer to let everyone see us as just another nation, if a little eccentric. Anyway, some of the more hardline members of the Party want a bit more recognition of our ideological standpoint, and I'm inclined to agree with them. Once the integration is complete, there will be a couple of changes made to some organisations and maybe even the nation as a whole. Don't worry though, I'll be presenting them as a suggestion; if the cabinet don't like it, then it won't go ahead."

Dinh shook his head. "Since when do you listen to the hardliners? You birthed the revolution, there's a reason why we're called 'Zhaoists'. If it weren't for you, the hardliners wouldn't have anything to be hardline about."

"Perhaps, but for now it's best to appease them."

"What about in the future?"

Premier Zhao chuckled. "We shall see about the future. Right now I have an Emperor to worry about. I have respect for the Chrysanthemum Throne, but Nihon State cannot keep a monarch if they're going to be part of a republic. Besides, we overthrew the Chinese Emperor; we can't go soft on the Japanese equivalent."

"Well, at least he didn't shoot himself like he did. Maybe we could offer him a cushy lifestyle in return for his support; we give him a nice home, some staff, a monthly stipend, allow him to act like an Emperor in his own private little kingdom. In return, he abdicates and announces his support for the United Eastasian Republic. That way, the Japanese will be even more likely to embrace Eastasian citizenship, and we don't have to worry about him. Besides, if we can keep him unmarried then the family will die out when he snuffs it."

"Crude, but true. I'll arrange a meeting with him, though I think it best that we phrase things more delicately then you just did."

"So how did your big meeting with the anachronism go?"

Premier Zhao frowned at Ruiyu Xian disapprovingly. "Don't call him that. Actually it went fairly well, but I get the feeling that he's only cooperating because he has no other option. He seemed slightly put at ease when I explained about our plan to preserve the imperial palaces as historical museums; I've tried to reassure him that we aren't looking to obliterate Japanese culture or anything like that. However, the Chinese, Mongolians, Koreans, Filipinos, Malay, Vietnamese and others have all embraced the idea of a united Asia; it's time for the Japanese and those that they administered to do the same."

"I was thinking of trying a tour of the new states once they're officially signed up, sort of a 'welcome to the Republic' thing. What do you think?"

"Nice idea, but for now you have other concerns. The Information Ministry will be approaching you to headline a concert very soon; I would greatly appreciate it if you said yes. I'll be there as well, and so will a lot of our best musicians....but you'll be needed to complete the event."

"What exactly are we talking about here?"

Zhao grinned. "It's a surprise."

-----------------------------------------

As most Eastasian ministries began to solidify their control over their respective spheres of influence in the new territories, Premier Zhao received a flood of dossiers on individuals who were cited as potential ministerial material. With the assistance of his staff, Zhao was gradually working through them, weeding out those who didn't meet his particular idea what an Eastasian government minister should be. Any individuals picked out by Zhao were to be investigated by the security services to verify the details; once they had been green-lighted, Zhao would continue to whittle them down.

Beijing, UER

"Alright, status reports please, people. Where do we stand?"

Minister Wei started things off. "The majority of major companies have been brought into line, one way or another. In some cases they were nationalised, in others the government simply acquired controlling share and appointed a representative to the Board of Directors. The remaining corporations and the small businesses can be brought into line once the territories have acceded to statehood. I am also in the process of establishing a secure contingency fund which we will be able to access if needed, just as you asked, Comrade Premier."

Zhao nodded and gestured for Minister Yuan to speak.

"Comrades, the local authorities have been thoroughly reorganised and brought into harmony with our existing framework; there are still a few tweaks to make but we should be good to go in about two weeks. I have also located a residence for the now-abdicated Emperor; he has provided an initial favourable review of it, so we are now furnishing it according to his desires."

As the other ministers detailed the progress of their efforts, it became obvious that the Eastasian government were moving up the timetable for accession. Many ministries had done what they could to integrate the new territories into the various systems of the Republic, but there were several areas which could only be worked on once the territories were official states. To this end, the ministries had been working with the soon-to-be-held elections in mind. The elections would be used to get Beijing's favoured candidates into power; these candidates would then sign the Beijing Compact and their territories would become full-fledged states of the UER. The elections could easily be rigged if necessary, but the Eastasian government were hoping to win the hearts and minds of the incoming populations; to this end, the ministries had also been producing short-term successes to woo the populace, ready for the campaigns of the pro-Republic candidates.

The Eastasian Republic boomed like a star reaching its red dwarf phase. It had grown by leaps and bounds and absorbed the Asian Commonwealth in and instant. The Empire had negotiated for the transition of Wake Island and Minami Torishima but only the former was given. That was fine, for now. The Empire had a basing point that much closer now to the Eastasian Republic, allowing for increased trade, and a standing point to Nauru and Baker Island, which had recently come from the Russians. Whether or not the Empire would hold Baker Island had to be determined. It was in very poor condition and whether or not it was feasible to repair it had yet to be determined. Worst came to worst it would be returned to the Spizanis. While the Eastasian Republic began to solidify its power over its newly acquired territories, the Empire watched, with curiosity, to see how things would develop.

Zhongnanhai, Beijing, UER

Vice-Premiers Dinh and Maglacas relaxed with their drinks as Premier Zhao gestured to the diagram depicting the new cabinet composition; after searching through prospective candidates, Zhao had selected his new ministers, who would be the cabinet representation for the UER's newest territories. Although he had not found positions for all of them in the cabinet itself, Zhao had no problem creating new high-ranking administrative posts to accomodate them.

"Okay, this is Sousuke Yoshida; he will be our new Federal Minister. The Federal Ministry is designed to ensure optimum cooperation between the states by mediating disputes and improving interstate infrastructure in cooperation with the Transportation and Environment Ministries."

Dinh nodded approvingly. "Sort of an internal Foreign Minister? I like it."

"Of course you do. Anyway, moving on.....I've decided to have a third Vice-Premier. Sanaphol Phunmany will be joining your ranks, he supports the ideals of Zhaoism and is a pretty good public speaker. Now finally, I'm establishing a Ministry of Accountability. The minister in charge will answer to me only, and will operate outside the existing government structures. The purpose of the Ministry of Accountability is to investigate and examine for signs of governmental corruption; it is a harsh thing to say, but it is time for spring cleaning. It would look for things such as bribery, slush funds, embezzlement, that sort of thing. All information would be presented to me so that I can ensure that the ministry is not abusing its own power; if the cases are valid, then everything will be passed onto the judiciary. The best part is that I found the perfect woman for the job."

Zhao pressed a button to activate the intercom. "Show her in please."

The door opened and a fairly young woman entered, dressed in a Zhao suit and with a pair of spectacles perched on her nose. Between two of her glove-clad fingers was a lit cigarillo, and she peered over her glasses at the Vice-Premiers as she introduced herself.

"My name is Apsara Supachai, comrades. Premier Zhao has entrusted me with a great honour, one which I will see through to the end. The United Eastasian Republic is the greatest state on the planet, and it will not be brought down by worthless corrupt politicians who are in it for the power! Believe me when I say that I will haul you over hot coals and roast your balls over a raging fire if you deserve it. I'll have a lot of fun investigating all of the officials we're about to acquire from the new territories, but don't think that I'll be oblivious to any happenings elsewhere. I shall do my duty for the people and for the Republic; impede me in any way and you'll be hanging from the Bank of Eastasia Tower by your genitalia."

The election campaigns in the territories could be easily categorised; either unstoppable juggernauts or virtually non-existent. The Beijing-backed candidates were receiving heavy funding from the coffers of the Eastasian Communist Party, as well as the assistance of party activists and campaign experts who were shipped in to provide maximum effect. Meanwhile, the Security Ministry worked with the Interior Ministry to quietly clamp down on potential opposition parties; pro-Republic parties were permitted to continue, but suffered occasional problems with the bureaucracy (demonstration permits were lost, accidental arrests, unfavourable fire inspections on party buildings, etc.).

As the campaigns continued unabated, the two new governmental ministries were established with great ceremony. Sousuke Yoshida spoke of his great pride at being the first Nihonjin to hold a cabinet position in the UER, and declared his desire to not be the last. Carefully choosing his words, Yoshida continued by stating that he would work hard to fully integrate the former Imperial territories if they voted to join the UER as constituent states. Apsara Supachai promised that she would work tirelessly for the people of Asia to ensure fair and just government for them; any sign of corruption would be dealt with swiftly and transparently. After praising Premier Zhao for having the courage to create such a ministry, Supachai proudly declared that it was time to 'take out the trash and show the world how to do things'.

Sanaphol Phunmany's appointment as Vice-Premier was to be conducted after the territorial elections; appointing ministers from the new territories was seen to be acceptable by Beijing, but they did not want to seem too cocksure about the election results. Of course, in private, the cabinet was planning the victory celebration already. After the revolution which saw the end of the Zhonghuan Empire, the UER had assimilated neighbour after neighbour in their dream to unite eastern Asia under one flag and one government. With that dream about to be finally achieved, the party was going to be one to remember.

Eastasian People's News Network Broadcast

"Greetings comrades! Our top story tonight features the landslide election results in the Former Imperial Territories. In a show of support for the ideals of the United Eastasian Republic and Premier Kristan Zhao, all four territories elected representative leaders who campaigned on the promise to sign the Beijing Compact and join us in Asian unity. These leaders will be travelling to Beijing for talks with Premier Zhao in the coming days regarding the fine detail of accession to the Republic."

Ruiyu Xian chuckled as the newscaster moved onto other stories.

"Well, go on. Just how rigged were those elections?"

Premier Zhao smirked. "If anyone checks the records, they won't find any actual electoral fraud. Those candidates received the most votes because they were essentially running against no-one. The other candidates failed to keep themselves out of trouble, that's all. Anyway, how are the rehearsals going?"

"Great, spot on. The actual night itself will be one to remember; Daoyu tells me that it'll be broadcast as far and wide as possible."

"The Information Ministry is busy installing screens throughout the territories so that they can watch it in town centres and such if they want street parties. There'll be announcements of various things in the days before it, so that everyone knows to watch; all of our channels are going to switch over to it, so no-one can watch anything else. This will be the most significant day in Asian history since the United Eastasian Republic was formed, and we won't let anyone forget it."

The talks went smoothly and without incident. For the sake of appearances they were stretched out for two days so that it looked like actual discussions were taking place; in reality the time was spent watching movies, singing karaoke and indulging in similar activities. The date of the accession ceremony was announced, with any and all media welcome to cover the event.

--------------------------------------

The ceremony was also entirely for public consumption and formality, as the territories were already Eastasian states in all but name. The governors of the existing states were in attendance, as well as the entire Eastasian cabinet. One by one the 'representative leaders' signed their nations into the Beijing Compact, the treaty of union originally signed by the constituent territories of the Zhonghuan Empire, Vietnam and the Philippines; the document being signed would be put on display at the Museum of Revolutionary Struggle, and would be replaced if any changes were made to the territorial holdings of the Republic.

Premier Zhao resided over the ceremony, maintaining his composure while inwardly leaping for joy. The Zhaoist doctrine of 'East Asian Brotherhood' had been created to give the nation something to dream about; now that the dream had been achieved, it was time to think of new ambitions. The coming weeks and months would see a great deal of consideration about the UER's next long-term strategy.

As the ceremony came to a close, all participants sang a fervent rendition of 'Shining Eastasia', the Eastasian national anthem; the televised broadcast then cut away to a reminder of the celebratory events that would be taking place later that evening....

Analysts in the Ministry of Intelligence were engourged with the proceedings in Eastasia. The spectacle of democracy was a joke to them but the Eastasian people ate it up as if it were free bread. Eastasia was solidifying itself and though it was already a superpower, its power only grew. The Eastasian people were happy with their government and the government was happy with the people, it seemed. Little could really be said of the spectacle, it was to be expected and everything went off as would be expected. The Premier was a popular figure there and though the morality of the Empire contradicted his lifestyle, the Emperor had already said, numerous times, that the morality of the Empire only worked within the confines of its own borders. Who was the Empire to tell the Eastasians how to live? It wasn't their duty. The Empire respected the borders and sovereignty of the world so that the world would respect the sovereignty and the borders of the Empire. It was fitting, many of the analysts noted, that one nation was solidfying its power, make itself a beacon of the future while another was beginning to crumble apart after doing the same thing just twenty-seven years earlier.

Premier Zhao had ordered a spectacle, and the ministries delivered.

At precisely six o'clock in the evening Beijing time, every form of media station in the United Eastasian Republic broke with regular programming to bring the Celebration of East Asian Unification, which was broadcast to every corner of the nation via large screens erected in every city, town, and village. With great pride, the presenters described the format; celebratory concerts were being held in the capital of every Eastasian state, with the Republic's digital broadcast system allowing viewers to select which concert they wished to watch at any time. All of the state capitals were decked out in banners proclaiming the greatness of the Republic, and all state governors had mandatory attendance enforced on them.

Each state showcased artists from within their borders, ranging from heavy rock to childrens choirs; throughout the night there were rest breaks during which the path to unification was presented in the most sanitary way possible. Of course, the cabinet ministers could not stay away from such an event; gradually through the night they appeared on the stage of their home state to make a sugary speech about the greatness of the UER. Everything was building towards the appearance of the man everyone wanted to hear from; the ministers played up his upcoming appearance, and the presenters paid homage to him as frequently as possible.

Finally, at eleven o'clock, Premier Kristan Zhao stepped onto the Beijing stage to a rapturous ovation; the broadcast made sure to show the wild reaction that erupted in every state capital. He flashed his trademark boyish grin at the crowd before beginning a speech that he had never thought he would make.

"My fellow Eastasians....."

He stopped until the applause died down.

"We stand at the most momentous point in our history. All of you who are here today, all of the proud citizens of this great nation, remember and cherish this day, for this is the day when we celebrated ourselves. Our determination, our strength, and our achievements. When measured against the rest of the world, we stand tallest and proudest.

We stand as a beacon of prosperity, stability and security. We represent what harmony can bring. We enjoy greater freedoms than most, we do not discriminate according to antiquated ideas of 'morality', we embrace diversity in all its forms. That is not to say that we do not have morals, of course. We simply do not use our morals as an excuse for oppression. The Eastasian people have great say in the leadership of their nation, and I am proud to be your elected representative.

However, unity does not happen overnight. We still have some barriers to bring down internally, we are by no means a perfect nation.....but we are closer to it than most. We must also maintain our vigilance against those who see us as a threat to their defined order of things; we are not as loved as we would wish, for reasons that we have no control over. We still have challenges to overcome, but as a united people I know that we can do anything we set our minds to.

Enough talk though. This is a celebration of our nation and the accession of our brothers and sisters to statehood. With that in mind, allow me to introduce the only man who can do this next song justice. Comrades, I give you Ruiyu Xian!"

Ruiyu stepped onto the stage, waving and blowing kisses to the crowd before planting a kiss on Premier Zhao, causing the Eastasian leader to blush slightly. Ruiyu grabbed the microphone as his backup artists took their positions, and he smiled at the crowd.

"Everyone, give some love for the greatest leader this world shall ever see!"

Premier Zhao tried to act bashful as the crowd roared for him once again, then Ruiyu silenced them with a gesture of his hand.

"There's only one song left that hasn't been performed yet, and it's one that we all love. We all know the words, we all know the tune, and we all know that only we could get away with a song like it. Comrade Premier, would you like to join me?"

Ruiyu extended a second microphone to Zhao, who eventually 'gave in' to public pressure. Ruiyu began stamping his foot, with the crowd soon joining him.

"Let the whole world hear this one!"

Across the entire United Eastasian Republic, crowds joined in as Ruiyu and the Premier began singing 'Shining Eastasia', the national anthem.

Several Months Later


The Golden Age. The Eastasian Miracle.

These are just a sample of the terms used within the United Eastasian Republic for the period after unification; it seemed like there was no stopping them. The economy was booming, the military was stronger than ever, and the people were reaping the benefits of a government which seemed invincible. Premier Zhao's reputation was unassailable, as he was heralded as the greatest statesman in history (by Eastasian historians at any rate); even the cabinet ministers were being greeted by spontaneous cheering crowds, whereas before the only crowds they received were state-organised.

The new territories were now fully integrated into the state systems, providing more materials, more workers and new cultural phenomena. Anime and manga began filtering in from Nihon State before being 'acquired' by the Ministry of Information; most of it remained as originally intended, but 'voluntary guidelines' asked for more media that dealt more with the UER. A notable few members of the cabinet began taking their vacations in Thai State, where the burgeoning sex industry had been nationalised along with everything else. This did not lead to a legalisation of prostitution across the UER though; it simply lead to the expression "Do what you want in Thai State, just make sure you don't bring back any hidden souvenirs".

Of course, with the unification achieved, the Eastasian Communist Party had to come up with a new doctrine for the nation. Ideas were thrown around such as targeting Australasia or Central Asia, while a few hardliners advocated a buildup in preparation to invade Russian lands. Premier Zhao was unimpressed with these ideas, and instead pitched the doctrine of the 'Shining Superpower'; the nation would dedicate itself to becoming a example to the rest of the world, free of constant military campaigns and diplomatic hostilities. This way, the hardliners would get their 'world revolution' when other nations adopted the ECP's systems, while the mainstream Zhaoists were given their reprieve from aggressive rhetoric and posturing.

Foreign Ministry, Beijing

"Out of the way, out of the way! Make way for the Premier!"

Premier Zhao smirked to himself as his new aide-de-camp strode down the corridor before him, sweeping his arms at anyone who might possibly get in his leader's way. Wa Yang was fawningly sycophantic towards Zhao (and, to a lesser extent, Ruiyu Xian), excessively polite towards the cabinet members and patronisingly pleasant to everyone else. They finally arrived at Ruiyan Bei's office, at which point Wa Yang dramatically swung the double doors open before stepping to one side, snapping his heels together and announcing Zhao's arrival. Minister Bei rose from his seat with a smile as Zhao strode over.

"Glad you could make it. We have something to discuss regarding the 'Shining Superpower' doctrine."

Ruiyan sat back down, while Zhao settled into the chair that Wa Yang had movied into position. "So what's up?"

"Well, the Premier of Free Palau wants clarification about his nation's status with us; he wants to know if we're still as committed to defending him as we once were."

"What's brought this on?"

"Well, since the unification he's been concerned that we would be too focused on our own internal development to remember about him and his people. I've tried reassuring him but...you know. I can see why they call him 'Premier Clone' behind his back, he's adopted your hairstyle now."

Zhao chuckled. "I'll have a word with him. I love the Palauans, they're so eager. Admittedly it might be because of their mighty Eastasian cousins...anyway, Wa Yang, when's the next timeslot I have open?"

Wa Yang produced the Premier's diary and rapidly flicked through it. "Tomorrow morning, 10:30am. I shall see to it as soon as I can."