AMBASSADOR RAISES BURMA WITH VFM WU DAWEI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 013795

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP WICKBERG AND EAP/MLS BARRASSO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2021
TAGS: PHUM SNAR UNSC CH BM NP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RAISES BURMA WITH VFM WU DAWEI

REF: A) BEIJING 12532 B) STATE 88973 C) BEIJING 11177

Classified By: Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr. Reasons
1.4 (b/d)

Summary
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1. (C) China does not want to see its differences
with the USG over Burma exposed at the UN, Vice
Foreign Minister Wu Dawei stated when the Ambassador
expressed USG concerns over Burma and urged China to
support, or at least not block, a UN Security Council
resolution on the situation in that country. VFM Wu
said he would instruct the Chinese Permanent
Representative in New York to discuss the matter
further with his U.S. counterpart. Wu said China has
problems with Burma over border and drug-related
issues, but does not believe the situation in Burma
threatens the region. End Summary.

Ambassador Raises Burma Issue
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2. (C) The Ambassador took the opportunity of a June
28 meeting with Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei on
other issues to express USG concerns about the
steadily deteriorating situation in Burma and to urge
China to support, or at least not block, a UN Security
Council resolution on Burma. VFM Wu said China takes
note of the USG message and the U.S. and Chinese
Permanent Representatives in New York are in close
contact on the matter. VFM Wu said he would report to
Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and instruct the Chinese
Permanent Representative in New York to discuss the
matter further with his U.S. counterpart. China does
not want to see its differences with the USG over
Burma exposed at the UN, VFM Wu stated.

Border and Drug Problems
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3. (C) VFM Wu observed that China and Burma share a
2,200 kilometer border. China manages 60 percent of
both sides of the border because Burma is unable to
manage its side. Drugs are a difficult issue and a
threat to China's interests. China and the Burmese
central government are having in-depth discussions on
the matter. China is supporting crop substitution
efforts to induce farmers in Burma to shift away from
opium production.

Should Not Interfere in Internal Affairs
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4. (C) VFM Wu said China is no less concerned than
the United States about Burma. China believes,
however, that countries should not interfere in the
internal affairs of other countries. Whether
developments in Burma are good or bad, Burma's
domestic situation is Burma's concern. The U.S. view
may differ, but China's view is that the situation in
Burma is not a threat to the region or the world.

Sympathy for Military Government
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5. (C) VFM Wu noted that a trip he had once made to
Burma had changed his impressions of the country. For
five decades since independence Burma has not known
peace. The military government has tried all means to
address the situation, including turning military
forces into political parties and pursuing
constitutional government, but without success. The
current military government does not want to deal with
the outside world "in uniform," but it has no
alternative. Only a military government can maintain
the status quo. "I have sympathy for them, more than
you do," VFM Wu stated.

U.S., China Should Exchange Views, as on Nepal
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6. (C) VFM Wu said the United States and China should
exchange views on Burma as they do on Nepal. The
United States and India and China and India also have
good exchanges on Nepal. These exchanges may not
yield concrete results, but they produce better
coordination of policy, which contributes to peace and
stability in the region. U.S.-China exchanges on
developments in countries of mutual interest also help
prevent developments in those countries from affecting
the positive trend in the development of U.S. China
relations, VFM Wu said.

UNSC Resolution Needed
--------------


7. (C) The Ambassador agreed that the United States
and China should continue to exchange views on Burma.
He stressed that the situation in Burma is affecting
the region. A UN Security Council resolution is
needed to support the diplomatic efforts of the
Secretary General and U/SYG Gambari and to urge the

SIPDIS
Burmese Government to implement genuine reform, he
emphasized.
RANDT