DAS CHRISTENSEN'S MEETINGS WITH AFM HE YAFEI AND

S E C R E T BEIJING 019404 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016 TAGS: PREL PHUM CH KN SUBJECT: DAS CHRISTENSEN'S MEETINGS WITH AFM HE YAFEI AND NORTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS DG LIU JIEYI CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR DANIEL SHIELDS. REASONS 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER HE YAFEI EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER PRESS REPORTS THE USG MAY SELL TAIWAN F-16S AND OVER THE POSSIBILITY THAT CHEN SHUI-BIAN MAY SEEK TO CREATE A CROSS-STRAIT CRISIS WHEN AFM HE MET EAP DAS CHRISTENSEN. DAS CHRISTENSEN SAID U.S. POLICY ON TAIWAN, INCLUDING WITH REGARD TO ARMS SALES, REMAINS UNCHANGED. AFM HE SAID HE PLANS TO VISIT WASHINGTON OCTOBER 12-13. MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR NORTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS LIU JIEYI, IN A SEPARATE MEETING WITH DAS CHRISTENSEN, EMPHASIZED THE STRONG PROGRESS IN BILATERAL RELATIONS. DAS CHRISTENSEN CITED RECENT COOPERATION AT THE UNITED NATIONS ON NORTH KOREA AND LEBANON AS SIGNS OF COMMON INTEREST AND URGED BEIJING'S SUPPORT ON SUDAN, BURMA AND IRAN. DG LIU REQUESTED U.S. SUPPORT FOR MARGARET CHAN'S CANDIDACY TO LEAD THE WHO, URGED THAT USG OFFICIALS NOT MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON HONG KONG'S DEMOCRACY, URGED THAT CONGRESS NOT GRANT A MEDAL TO THE DALAI LAMA AND SUGGESTED THAT FALUN GONG ACTIVIST WANG WENYI HAD VIOLENT PLANS. DAS CHRISTENSEN RAISED HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES. END SUMMARY. MEETING WITH AFM HE YAFEI -------------- ¶2. (C) RECENT TAIWAN NEWS REPORTS THAT THE USG WILL SELL TAIWAN F-16S ARE "ALARMING," ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER HE YAFEI SAID IN A SEPTEMBER 12 MEETING WITH EAP DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY THOMAS CHRISTENSEN. AFM HE URGED THE USG NOT TO SELL ADVANCED WEAPONS TO TAIWAN. CALLING TAIWAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS "CHAOTIC" AND A POTENTIAL THREAT TO PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE REGION, HE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT CHEN SHUI-BIAN, IN THE "GREATEST TROUBLE OF HIS POLITICAL CAREER," MIGHT MAKE MOVES ON CROSS-STRAITS ISSUES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE A CRISIS. ¶3. (C) DAS CHRISTENSEN EMPHASIZED THAT U.S. POLICY ON TAIWAN HAS NOT CHANGED. THE UNITED STATES FROM TIME TO TIME SELLS ARMS TO HELP TAIWAN MEET ITS DEFENSIVE NEEDS, CONSISTENT WITH THE U.S. ONE CHINA POLICY BASED ON THE THREE COMMUNIQUES AND THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT. THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT SUPPORT TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE AND OPPOSES EFFORTS BY EITHER SIDE TO UNILATERALLY CHANGE THE STATUS QUO. PEOPLE IN TAIWAN CLEARLY UNDERSTAND U.S POLICY. AS FOR POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS, THE UNITED STATES IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THEM AS LONG AS THEY REMAIN PEACEFUL, HE NOTED. ¶4. (C) AFM HE SAID HE PLANS TO VISIT WASHINGTON OCTOBER 12-13, THEN PROCEED TO CANADA. DAS CHRISTENSEN WELCOMED THE VISIT. MEETING WITH DG LIU JIEYI -------------- ¶5. (C) MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR NORTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS LIU JIEYI, IN A SEPARATE MEETING WITH DAS CHRISTENSEN ON SEPTEMBER 12, EMPHASIZED THE STRONG PROGRESS IN BILATERAL RELATIONS. BEIJING AND WASHINGTON HAVE A SOLID BASIS FOR COOPERATION, EXEMPLIFIED BY THE RECENT VISITS TO THE UNITED STATES OF CENTRAL MILITARY COMMISSION VICE CHAIRMAN GENERAL GUO BOXIONG AND MINISTER OF PUBLIC SECURITY ZHOU YONGKANG, AND THE VISITS TO CHINA OF CODEL STEVENS, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE SCHWAB AND WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY CHAIRMAN CONNAUGHTON. BEIJING HOPES THAT PRESIDENT BUSH AND PRESIDENT HU WILL MEET AGAIN ON THE MARGINS OF THE APEC LEADERS MEETING IN HANOI. CHINA LOOKS FORWARD TO THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENTS REPRESENTATIVE SECRETARY PAULSON FOR THE STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DIALOGUE. STATE SIPDIS COUNCILOR CHEN ZHILI WILL BE VISITING NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON AT THE INVITATION OF THE FIRST LADY, LIU SAID. DAS CHRISTENSEN SAID HE HOPES CHINA WILL WELCOME A VISIT BY UNDER SECRETARY BURNS TO CONTINUE THE SENIOR DIALOGUE. LIU SIPDIS RESPONDED POSITIVELY, RECOGNIZING U/S BURNS,S POSITION AS THE SECOND HIGHEST RANKING OFFICIAL IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT. LIU SAID SECRETARY RICE AND FM LI SPEAK OFTEN BY TELEPHONE AND ARE EXPECTED TO MEET AGAIN AT THE UNGA ON SEPTEMBER 18. CHRISTENSEN THANKED LIU FOR CHINA'S SUPPORT FOR UNSC RESOLUTIONS ON NORTH KOREA AND LEBANON, STATING THAT RESOLUTIONS LIKE UNSCR 1695 ON NORTH KOREA SHOW THE BENEFITS OF U.S.-CHINA COOPERATION. NUCLEAR HOTSPOTS: IRAN AND NORTH KOREA -------------- ¶6. (S) THE UNITED STATES IS FRUSTRATED, HOWEVER, BY NORTH KOREA'S REFUSAL TO RETURN TO THE SIX-PARTY TALKS, CHRISTENSEN SAID, NOTING THERE ARE OPPORTUNITY COSTS FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED IF THIS MULTI-LATERAL APPROACH TO REGIONAL SECURITY FAILS. RESPONDING TO LIU'S COMMENT THAT U.S. FINANCIAL MEASURES AGAINST THE DPRK COULD IMPEDE RESUMPTION OF TALKS, CHRISTENSEN SAID PYONGYANG'S OBJECTIONS ARE JUST EXCUSES, A CONTINUATION OF THE DPRKS REFUSAL TO IMPLEMENT THE SEPTEMBER 2005 JOINT STATEMENT. THAT REFUSAL PREDATED THE FINANCIAL MEASURES. LIFTING CURRENT FINANCIAL MEASURES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ENFORCE U.S. LAWS WOULD BE REWARDING PYONGYANG FOR RECENT BAD BEHAVIOR AND WOULD SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE. THE USG WOULD VIEW ANY FUTURE MISSILE OR NUCLEAR TESTS AS EXTREME PROVOCATION. BEIJING SHOULD MAKE ALL EFFORTS TO PERSUADE PYONGYANG TO RETURN TO THE SIX-PARTY NEGOTIATING TABLE, CHRISTENSEN SAID. LIU SAID BEIJING HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO PERSUADE PYONGYANG TO RETURN TO THE SIX-PARTY TALKS. ¶7. (C) CHRISTENSEN SAID IRAN'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THE P5-PLUS-1 PACKAGE IS ALSO FRUSTRATING. EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR PREMIER WEN JIABAO'S STATEMENT THAT THE PACKAGE IS REASONABLE AND PRESENTS THE BEST WAY FORWARD, THE DAS SAID WASHINGTON HOPES CHINA WILL SUPPORT A NEW, TOUGHER RESOLUTION ON IRAN THAT INCLUDES CHAPTER 7 SANCTIONS. LIU SAID IRAN WAS UNHAPPY OVER THE TOUGH CHINESE MESSAGE AFM CUI TIANKAI BROUGHT TO TEHRAN. LIU SAID CHINA BELIEVES IT IS IMPORTANT TO IMPLEMENT ALL UNSC RESOLUTIONS, INCLUDING THE LATEST RESOLUTION ON IRAN. HUMAN RIGHTS -------------- ¶8. (C) THE UNITED STATES IS INTERESTED IN RE-STARTING A HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE WITH BEIJING, CHRISTENSEN TOLD LIU, BUT THIS REQUIRES CHINESE PROGRESS ON PROMINENT HUMAN RIGHTS CASES. CHINA'S RECENT ACTIONS AGAINST ACTIVISTS AND JOURNALISTS NOT ONLY CONTRAVENE INTERNATIONAL NORMS, BUT SEEM TO CONFLICT WITH CHINA'S OWN LAWS. --REBIYA KADEER'S FAMILY MEMBERS: CHRISTENSEN SAID THE DETENTION OF MS. KADEER'S SONS FOR TAX EVASION APPEARED TO BE RETRIBUTION FOR THEIR MOTHER'S POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. LIU RESPONDED THAT THE ARRESTS ARE RELATED TO ECONOMIC CRIMES AND ARE NOT RELATED TO MS. KADEER'S ACTIVITIES. --ZHAO YAN PRISON SENTENCE: CHRISTENSEN CRITICIZED THE SENTENCING OF THIS NEW YORK TIMES EMPLOYEE ON A MINOR FRAUD CHARGE, DESPITE THE COURT'S DECISION TO CLEAR HIM OF LEAKING "STATE SECRETS." LIU CITED THE CASE AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE RULE OF LAW WORKS WELL IN CHINA, NOTING THAT, ALTHOUGH ZHAO "DID COMMIT" ALL CRIMES HE IS ACCUSED OF, THE COURT FOUND INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF THE "MAJOR CHARGES" AND DISMISSED THEM. --CHING CHEONG: AS WITH ZHAO YAN, THE SENTENCING OF THIS REPORTER RAISED CONCERNS IN THE UNITED STATES ABOUT CHINA'S COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, CHRISTENSEN SAID. --CHEN GUANGCHENG: CHRISTENSEN SAID THAT AMERICANS FIND HARD TO BELIEVE THE CHARGES OF DISTURBING PUBLIC ORDER LEVELED AT A BLIND ACTIVIST WITH NO HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. LIU SAID THAT THE CRIMES CHEN WAS CONVICTED OF INVOLVE DEEDS, NOT JUST WORDS, AND ARE NOT A FREE SPEECH CONCERN. TAIWAN: BEWARE OF CHEN SHUI-BIAN -------------- ¶9. (C) CALLING CHEN SHUI-BIAN "UNTRUSTWORTHY," LIU SAID CHEN WOULD TRY TO DAMAGE CROSS-STRAITS RELATIONS IN ORDER TO SAVE HIS OWN POLITICAL FUTURE. LIU COMPLAINED THAT ALLOWING CHEN TO TRANSIT THE UNITED STATES AND SELLING TAIWAN ADVANCED WEAPONRY SEND THE WRONG SIGNAL TO BOTH TAIWAN AND CHINA. HE URGED WASHINGTON TO CONSIDER THE DANGERS OF THESE ACTIONS. CHEN IS USING THESE ACTIONS BY THE UNITED STATES TO IMPLY U.S. SUPPORT FOR CHEN'S INDEPENDENCE AGENDA, ACCORDING TO LIU. CHEN WILL "GRAB ANYTHING AND TWIST EVERYTHING" TO SUIT HIS OWN AGENDA, LIU SAID. ¶10. (C) THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CLEAR AND CONSISTENT IN ITS ONE CHINA POLICY, SAID DAS CHRISTENSEN. CHEN'S TRANSIT AND THE U.S. SALES OF DEFENSIVE WEAPONS ARE CONSISTENT WITH U.S. POLICY, INCLUDING THE THREE COMMUNIQUES AND THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT. PRESIDENT BUSH HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT SUPPORT TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE. THE UNITED STATES OPPOSES EFFORTS TO UNILATERALLY CHANGE THE STATUS QUO FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE STRAIT. AS LONG AS THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PROCESS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE SUCH A CHANGE IN THE STATUS QUO, THE UNITED STATES TAKES NO POSITION ON WHETHER TAIWAN SHOULD UNDERTAKE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS. DAS CHRISTENSEN NOTED THAT THERE IS WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR SUCH REFORMS WITHIN ALL SECTORS OF TAIWAN SOCIETY. SUDAN -------------- ¶11. (C) CHRISTENSEN EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT THAT BEIJING DID NOT SUPPORT UNSCR 1706 ON SUDAN, SAID CHRISTENSEN. LIU SAID HE WOULD PASS ALONG CHRISTENSEN'S REQUEST FOR A BRIEFING ON THE VISIT TO CHINA OF PRESIDENT BASHIR,S AIDE. LIU SAID WHILE BEIJING IS IN FAVOR OF THE UN TAKING OVER FROM THE AFRICAN UNION, WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT OF THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT ANY PEACEKEEPING MISSION WILL NOT ACHIEVE UN OBJECTIVES AND WILL SET A BAD PRECEDENT. THE DAS REPLIED THAT TAKING NO ACTION AT ALL WILL LIKELY RESULT IN A HUGE HUMANITARIAN COST. HE ENCOURAGED BEIJING TO REVISIT THIS URGENT, SERIOUS ISSUE. BURMA -------------- ¶12. (C) LIU SAID THAT WHILE WASHINGTON AND BEIJING HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVES FOR BURMA, CHINA CONSIDERS BURMA'S PROBLEMS AN INTERNAL BURMESE ISSUE NOT WARRANTING A UNSC RESOLUTION. MANY ASEAN COUNTRIES AGREE WITH CHINA. BEIJING WANTS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO ACHIEVE PEACE IN BURMA AND BELIEVES CONTINUED OUTSIDE PRESSURE WILL MAKE IT HARDER. AS BURMA'S CLOSE NEIGHBOR, CHINA IS CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL CHAOS IF THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT IN RANGOON FEELS COMPELLED TO TAKE EXTREME ACTION. CHRISTENSEN, POINTING TO NARCOTICS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SAID THAT BURMA'S PROBLEMS ARE NOT JUST INTERNAL BUT AFFECT REGIONAL STABILITY. WASHINGTON HOPES CHINA WILL SUPPORT, OR AT LEAST NOT OBSTRUCT, EFFORTS TO PUT BURMA ON THE UNSC AGENDA AND PASS A BURMA RESOLUTION, CHRISTENSEN EMPHASIZED. MARGARET CHAN, THE WHO AND HONG KONG -------------- ¶13. (C) LIU ASKED FOR U.S. SUPPORT OF MARGARET CHAN'S CANDIDACY TO LEAD THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. CHRISTENSEN NOTED THAT CHAN'S RECENT VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. WASHINGTON HAS A POSITIVE VIEW OF CHAN, BUT THIS IS A CONTESTED RACE AMONG SEVERAL EXCELLENT CANDIDATES. ¶14. (C) LIU CRITICIZED A RECENT SPEECH OF THE U.S. CONSUL GENERAL IN HONG KONG, SAYING THAT HE HAD MADE INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS THAT COULD HARM THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA BOTH WANT FOR HONG KONG. CHRISTENSEN REPLIED THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS THE CONSUL GENERAL'S PRO-DEMOCRACY REMARKS. THE CONSUL GENERAL IS SIMPLY DOING HIS JOB. THE UNITED STATES FIRMLY BELIEVES AND HISTORY SHOWS THAT CREATING AND SUPPORTING DEMOCRACY IS THE SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROMOTE SECURITY AND PROSPERITY, CHRISTENSEN EMPHASIZED. DALAI LAMA AND FALUN GONG -------------- ¶15. (C) LIU URGED THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PERSUADE CONGRESS NOT TO AWARD THE DALAI LAMA A MEDAL DURING HIS UPCOMING VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES. CHRISTENSEN RESPONDED THAT THE DALAI LAMA IS WELL RESPECTED IN AMERICA AS A RELIGIOUS LEADER. MOREOVER, THE UNITED STATES EXECUTIVE BRANCH CANNOT AND DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO TELL THE CO-EQUAL LEGISLATIVE BRANCH TO WHOM IT CAN OR CANNOT AWARD A MEDAL. ¶16. (C) LIU CLAIMED THAT NEW EVIDENCE HAS EMERGED THAT FALUN GONG ACTIVIST WANG WENYI, WHO HECKLED PRESIDENT HU JINTAO ON THE SOUTH LAWN OF THE WHITE HOUSE DURING HIS APRIL VISIT, IS WORKING WITH OTHER ACTIVISTS TO TAKE "VIOLENT ACTION." LIU URGED THE U.S. TO PUNISH HER APPROPRIATELY. CHRISTENSEN ASKED THAT CHINA PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ITS ALLEGATION. ENHANCED ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION -------------- ¶17. (C) LIU, NOTING THAT U.S. EXPORTS TO CHINA WERE UP BY 25 PERCENT FROM JANUARY TO JUNE THIS YEAR, SAID CHINA WANTS MORE BALANCE IN ITS TRADE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES. TO ENHANCE COOPERATION, DG LIU URGED FEWER U.S. RESTRICTIONS ON HIGH-TECH EXPORTS TO CHINA AND NO CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ON THE VALUE OF THE RENMINBI. CHRISTENSEN URGED CHINA TO INTENSIFY ITS EFFORTS TO INCREASE IMPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. MIL-MIL COOPERATION -------------- ¶18. (C) THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA HAVE FRUITFUL AND INCREASING MILITARY-TO-MILITARY COOPERATION, AS EVIDENCED BY THE UPCOMING VISIT OF PLA NAVAL SHIPS TO SAN DIEGO, SAID DG LIU. DAS CHRISTENSEN SAID HE HAD PERSONALLY WITNESSED THE JUST-CONCLUDED PORT VISIT OF CHINESE SHIPS IN HAWAII AND WAS PLEASED TO SEE CHINESE SAILORS ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF HONOLULU. COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION AND NONPROLIFERATION -------------- -------------- ¶19. (C) LIU URGED THE UNITED STATES TO TAKE SERIOUSLY BEIJING'S REQUESTS TO RELEASE TO CHINESE CUSTODY CHINESE CITIZENS HELD AT GUANTANAMO AND TO SUPPORT INCLUSION OF THE EAST TURKISTAN LIBERATION ORGANIZATION (ETLO/SHAT) ORGANIZATION ON THE UN LIST OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. CHRISTENSEN REPLIED THAT IF BEIJING HAS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT ETLO/SHAT, THE UNITED STATES STANDS READY TO REVIEW IT. ¶20. (S) IN RESPONSE TO LIUS REQUEST NOT TO SANCTION CHINESE COMPANIES THE UNITED STATES DEEMS TO BE PROLIFERATORS BUT TO LET THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DEAL WITH SUCH COMPANIES, CHRISTENSEN EMPHASIZED THAT THE UNITED STATES CONSIDERS THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN SANCTIONED TO BE SERIOUS VIOLATORS OF EXPORT CONTROL RULES AND DOES ALL IT CAN TO PROVIDE CHINA WITH SPECIFIC AND TIMELY INFORMATION BEFORE TAKING ACTION. ENERGY, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION -------------- ¶21. (C) LIU SAID CHINA WOULD WELCOME UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION IN THE PROPOSED FIVE-COUNTRY (U.S., CHINA, JAPAN, ROK, INDIA) ENERGY MINISTERS MEETING TO BE HELD IN CHINA. CHINA WILL HOST THE 12TH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOINT COMMISSION AND THE FIRST SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY FORUM. CHINA LOOKS FORWARD TO THE VISIT OF NASA ADMINISTRATOR GRIFFIN AND THE 2007 VISIT OF STUDENTS PRESIDENT HU INVITED TO CHINA DURING HIS APRIL SPEECH HE GAVE AT YALE UNIVERSITY. ¶22. (U) DAS CHRISTENSEN CLEARED THIS MESSAGE. RANDT