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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- - BEIJING 00013795 002 OF 002 ¶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