Chapter 5 Chapter Four "Special Operations Team"

This is a particularly important plan in the evacuation plan reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Central Committee, that is, to send a "special operation team" when it is most needed.This action team is mainly composed of staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, professionals from the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Commerce and other departments are dispatched to participate in the incident. They will represent the Chinese government or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deal with the situation on the spot. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls them "working groups." , in fact the Special Operations Group.

However, my country's special operations team is not the same as the "special operations team" usually sent by the United States and other Western countries.In movies and TV shows, we often see special operations teams sent by the United States, basically armed personnel, who go deep into the country or region where the incident occurred to carry out armed operations, such as rescuing hostages.Some special operations teams are aimed at gathering intelligence and overthrowing the regimes of hostile countries.Our country's diplomatic special operations team mainly deals with the evacuation of overseas Chinese. They undertake peaceful missions and are all civilian personnel.

"The current world situation is very complicated. The political situation in some countries is unstable, and regime change may occur at any time. National turmoil may occur overnight. It is the mission and responsibility of a country to rescue its own overseas Chinese. In recent years, China has dealt with similar situations many times. For example, a coup took place in Tonga in 2006, gunshots broke out in the streets, local residents fled everywhere, and Chinese expatriates were even more frightened. In this situation, the expatriates thought that the only safe place was our embassy. The embassy thought there were only a few expatriates based on the information they had. Early the next morning, a large crowd of expatriates suddenly appeared at the gate of the embassy! The embassy was taken aback. Why did so many people appear at once? Chinese citizens are leaving the country at an astonishing speed and scale, and it is increasingly difficult for the Chinese government to make accurate statistics on the huge floating population. Among the many Chinese who came to Tonga, some entered legally, and some entered through third countries Yes, some of them entered illegally at all, and some of them simply did not understand what was going on. Most citizens did not have the habit and awareness of registering with the Chinese embassy after entering foreign territory, and they quickly dispersed. The embassy The situation of the overseas Chinese is too different from the actual situation, which is also an embarrassing problem faced by our embassies and consulates in various countries. But once the incident occurs, it is the mission of our diplomatic front to protect and rescue our own citizens. Rescue the overseas Chinese, guarantee Their personal safety has become the top priority at this time. When encountering such emergencies, the embassy itself is in danger, and no matter how smooth the domestic connection is, it is often easy to fall into a passive situation. Moreover, the establishment of the Chinese diplomatic team is basically It is still the same as it used to be, which forms a huge contrast with the rapidly rising national power and the situation of opening up to the outside world. For example, from 1949 to 1978 before the reform and opening up, the total number of people who went abroad in China was only 280,000, while in 2011, Chinese citizens went abroad The number of people has exceeded 75 million, but the Chinese government has less than 500 overseas consular protection professionals. Therefore, it has become a common practice to send a working group to the scene of the incident to carry out special missions. On the one hand, they Accurate grasp of domestic intentions, and strong execution on the other hand. In recent years, China has dispatched such working groups many times in evacuation operations, and the effect is very obvious.” Deputy Director of the Consular Protection Center who participated in the formulation of the evacuation plan Zhang Yang introduced the functions and effectiveness of the special operations team in this way.

At noon on the 22nd, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told Song Tao after returning from Zhongnanhai to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Immediately set up a special action team and select the most capable comrades to participate!" "We must do our best to protect them," Secretary Zhang Zhijun urged. "En." The answer was just a simple word, but Song Tao's heart was full of waves. Every time such a task force is dispatched, it is a very painful thing for the leaders of the ministry.Those who participated in the special operations were young and promising lads with high political quality and strong professional ability. They must complete the task at all costs and be prepared to sacrifice at any time...

"Of all the evacuation missions, Libya is facing the most dangerous situation this time, and the task is the heaviest. Who should we send?" Song Tao couldn't help feeling a headache. "Xiao Peng, call Huang Ping here." He said to the secretary. When the knock on the door sounded, Song Tao took a deep breath.When Huang Ping was seated, Song Tao glanced at his favorite general, and said slowly but firmly: "Now, the situation in Libya is special, and the country knows very little about the complicated situation ahead, and the relationship between the Gaddafi regime and the opposition The tactics are changing rapidly, and we have too many personnel in Liberia, so we must consider dispatching a special operation team.”

In fact, Huang Ping already had three points in his heart on the way here: "I understand, leader, we've been thinking about this for a long time." "That's good! You will immediately draw up the list with the cadre department, the general office and other units. It will be completed within three hours. The list must be sent to me for review!" The list came out soon, a total of 21 people, divided into three groups.Among them, in addition to those selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission each selected three personnel to join.

When Huang Ping came with the list, Song Tao looked at their resumes and asked, "Do these comrades have any difficulties and requirements?" "No. Everyone expressed their determination to complete the task without asking for anything." "Everyone is doing well. I will see them off tomorrow!" Song Tao's eyes gradually glistened with tears... "Okay, I'll arrange it." Huang Ping's tone could not hide his seriousness, and he immediately ordered Guo Shaochun and the others to quickly notify all the people on the list that they must report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the morning of the next day, the 23rd. Ready to go anytime.

It is even more necessary to explain the two urgent matters that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is carrying out at the moment: one is that Guo Shaochun and the others notify the identified special operations team members and ask them to prepare for action immediately; the other is to coordinate with relevant departments and contact them to handle Permission to fly. Time: 00:10 "Civil Aviation Administration, please dispatch two planes immediately and prepare to fly to Tripoli, the capital of Libya." The crew of the Consular Protection Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an instruction to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Time: 00:20 "The embassy in Libya, please get in touch with Tripoli Airport immediately and inform us that we have two chartered planes going to Libya tomorrow to carry out missions. At the same time, contact us as soon as possible to obtain the flight permit. We must report the implementation of this matter as soon as possible." The leader of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Liaison Group of the Insurance Center issued an instruction to our embassy in Liberia. Time: 00:30 "The embassy in Mongolia, the embassy in Russia, the embassy in Kazakhstan, the embassy in Turkey... Please pay attention, two chartered planes will be sent to Libya tomorrow, passing through the country where you are stationed. Please complete the transit in the country where you are stationed Flight permission." The Liaison Group of the Consular Protection Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an order.

Time: 01:00 "The Civil Aviation Administration reports that two Air China charter flights are ready to take off at any time according to the dispatch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." Time: 01:50 "Ambassador Wang Wangsheng in Libya reported that people have been sent to Tripoli Airport, but the airport is in a state of chaos and cannot land normally. It is suggested that I charter a flight and postpone my flight to Libya." When Huang Ping and Guo Shaochun saw the report, their hearts suddenly turned cold.According to the action plan, the reason why the special operation team is divided into three groups is based on the current distribution of my personnel in Libya.They will go to three places: one is Tripoli in the north, the second is the eastern seaport city of Benghazi, and the third is Sabha in the southern desert.The front airport cannot land, and the special operations team has not been dispatched yet, so the operation has been blocked.

"What should I do?" Guo Shaochun asked Huang Ping with his eyes. "Wait and see." Huang Ping suppressed his anger, he knew that there were more than one or two difficult things ahead.Calmness is a necessary quality for a frontline commander, and he must remain calm in front of dozens of people in the consular security center.Guo Shaochun knew he should do the same. "Have all the team members been notified?" Huang Ping asked. "All notifications have arrived, report to the Ministry early tomorrow morning." Guo Shaochun replied. ... 6:30 am on the 23rd.Just as Huang Ping wiped cold water on his face and opened his eyes, someone stood upright in front of him—it was Fei Mingxing, the leader of the special operations team. "You came quite early! The task is clear?" The competent Fei Mingxing nodded: "Yes." "Immediately familiarize yourself with the situation over there, and prepare to fly at 11 o'clock." Huang Ping pointed to a pile of prepared relevant materials on the table and said. "yes." Fei Mingxing later introduced to me that when he was working in the ministry the day before, he knew something about Libya, and when he was having dinner with a friend at night, he murmured that the ministry might send a working group to Libya to carry out a mission.But it never occurred to him that he would be sent again. "Actually, I should have thought of it." Fei Mingxing said.He said that there is a basis for this, because Fei Mingxing is a diplomat who has participated in the actual combat experience of evacuating overseas Chinese three times. "In April 2000, riots broke out in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Local mobs smashed and looted shops opened by Chinese people. The lives of overseas Chinese were in extreme danger. my country has no diplomatic relations with Solomon Islands, but there are Chinese citizens there. It is the responsibility of the country to protect their lives and property. So our government urgently asked the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and other countries to help protect our nationals. At that time, I was in the embassy in Australia and went to Solomon as a member of the domestic working group One thing was particularly impressive. A female refugee who looked like a Chinese ran to my place and begged to save her. Later, when I asked her, she was not a Chinese citizen and we could not take her away. She scolded angrily After a swear word, he said: 'I wish I were Chinese!' During the riots in Solomon, the local Chinatown was looted by rioters, and there were scenes of burning everywhere, and our country took back a total of 310 overseas Chinese who were in danger." Fei Mingxing also had another experience of evacuating overseas Chinese, which was the coup in Tonga in 2006.At that time, he was already the counselor of the embassy, ​​and cooperated with China to complete the evacuation of 193 overseas Chinese. "The ministry considered sending me to Libya this time because I had some practical experience. At that time, Guo Shaochun asked me if I could bring a team to Libya. I said no problem. My wife kept tossing and turning all night without speaking. Before dawn, I quietly got up to pack my things. I was shaving in the bathroom. When I turned my head and saw my wife got up too, she found me a toothbrush in a plastic bag with red eyes. We have been together for more than ten years, and she knows my What does work mean? Although I don’t know where I’m going, I know that this will definitely be another test of life and death..." There is a saying in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that has been circulating for decades. It was established when Premier Zhou Enlai was concurrently the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He said that Chinese diplomats are "People's Liberation Army" who do not wear military uniforms.In the early days of the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, many senior generals joined the diplomatic team, and Premier Zhou asked them to continue to maintain the fine style of revolutionary soldiers.Over the past 60 years, although the composition of the Chinese diplomatic team has undergone great changes, this tradition has been passed down from generation to generation. Now, Fei Mingxing and the others are going to fight in that distant, war-torn foreign country as the "People's Liberation Army" again!If it is the People's Liberation Army participating in the war, each of them should have weapons in their hands.However, as diplomats of the "People's Liberation Army in plain clothes", they cannot carry weapons with them. They can only use their flesh and blood and a sincere heart loyal to the country to meet the battle under the hail of bullets. What a tragic test this is! This is the special mission of a diplomat! Fei Mingxing and his special operations team solemnly accepted the mission of life and death entrusted to them by the country-to save tens of thousands of compatriots caught in the war, they would go through fire and water! At 7 o'clock on the 23rd, the Consular Protection Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a report from our embassy in Turkey that the air permit for the special plane flying over the country was completed.Then, the flight permit procedures of the special plane passed through Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries were completed one after another.Friendly countries are really awesome at critical moments! At 7:30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs obtained passports for 21 members of the special operations team. At 8 o'clock, Huang Ping called a meeting of all the special operations team members who had arrived one after another to explain the tasks.This was a solemn, passionate and tragic meeting. The young men on the expedition did not know it, but Huang Ping and Guo Shaochun knew that Yang Jiechi had privately confessed to Song Tao: The mission of the Libyan working group was arduous and full of dangers, and all preparations had to be made. "Although the leader didn't say what was said later, we knew what it meant." Huang Ping told me that according to the situation at the time, the Ministry was prepared for the members of the working group not to come back.The situation is so grim, there will be sacrifices in war. At 11 o'clock, the South Gate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The members of the special operations team stood in three rows, and the team leader stood at the head of the row.Deputy Minister Song Tao issued a mobilization order for these young and calm faces with eyes full of anticipation: "Comrades, this evacuation operation from Libya is unprecedented in the history of our country's diplomacy. Your mission is a great responsibility and a glorious mission! You carry the great trust of the People's Republic of China on your shoulders, and you entrust the lives of more than 30,000 families. I hope, please bring your compatriots in trouble back with victory, unscathed! When you come back, I will definitely go to the airport to greet you!" "Guaranteed to complete the task!" The answer was magnificent. Just when the 21 team members were about to set off, Song Tao suddenly proposed that he wanted to take a photo with each team member, so the young team members cheered, because they usually don't have many opportunities to take pictures alone with the department leaders.Comrades from the Consular Department, such as Huang Ping and Guo Shaochun, who were watching the photos, had a sore nose. Several female colleagues had a premonition and either walked away or turned around, because their eyes were full of tears...