BEIJING-BASED CHIEFS OF MISSION ON POSSIBLE HU-ABE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 020987 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE PLEASE PASS TO NSC FOR WILDER E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2026 TAGS: PREL PGOV CH FR GM JA UK EUN SUBJECT: BEIJING-BASED CHIEFS OF MISSION ON POSSIBLE HU-ABE MEETING, CHINA'S OFFER OF COMBAT TROOPS TO UNIFIL, XINHUA REGULATIONS NOT GOING INTO FORCE Classified By: Charge d'Affairs David S. Sedney. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Hopes are high for a pre-APEC meeting between President Hu Jintao and newly-elected Prime Minister SHINZO Abe, Japanese DCM Shinyichi Nishimiya said. No specific agreements are in place. However, the Japanese viewed Hu's recent acknowledgement that both countries needed to improve relations as a good sign. China's initial offer to UNIFIL included combat troops, UK Ambassador William Ehrman said, but the offer was declined by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). China is prepared to offer helicopters in the future for UN peacekeeping operations. State Council Information Minister Wang Xudong indicated to visiting UK Minister of Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt that the new Xinhua regulations regulating financial news services would not come into force, Ambassador Ehrman said. End Summary. Participants -------------- ¶2. (C) German Ambassador Volker Stanzel, UK Ambassador William Ehrman, Japanese DCM Shinyichi Nishimiya and the Charge d'Affairs met September 28 for the bi-weekly G-5 gathering of Beijing-based Chiefs of Mission. (Note: The Ambassador was out of Beijing. The French Ambassador and his DCM were both out of Beijing and did not send a replacement. End Note.) (C) Hu and Abe, Roh and Abe: Meetings Imminent -------------- - ¶3. (C) Hopes are high for a meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister SHINZO Abe in the run up to APEC, Japanese DCM Shinyichi Nishimiya said. The Japanese have proposed to reopen dialogue between Japan and China at the top level and Nishimiya hinted strongly that a visit was even possible earlier than "pre-APEC." While there is not yet agreement, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki are sending positive signals for the resumption of high-level dialogue. Hu's congratulatory teegram to ABE after the election placing responsibility on both parties to improve the relationship is viewed by Japanese officials as an encouraging improvement. ¶4. (C) PM ABE called South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun two days ago and they agreed to meet at an early occasion, possibly at APEC. Nishimiya said that earlier options are quite possible. (C) China Offered Combat Troops to UNIFIL -------------- ¶5. (C) A working-level UK Ministry of Defense delegation visiting to talk defense policies was told that China's initial offer to UNIFIL included combat troops, Ambassador Ehrman said. This was the first time China had offered combat troops for UN peacekeeping efforts, however, the UN DPKO did not need any Chinese combat troops at the time. The PLA confirmed the report to the UK attache that this was the first time China had offered the UN combat troops and added that China is prepared to offer helicopters for future UN peacekeeping operations. The UK is considering training Chinese helicopter pilots in English, as their inability to speak English is a major impediment to their participation in UN peacekeeping efforts. (C) Draft Xinhua Regulations May Not Come into Force -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) UK Minister of Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt asked State Council Information Minister Wang Xudong during September 19-22 bilateral meetings in Beijing whether Premier Wen Jiabao's public and private comments in London September 12 reassuring international financial news agencies -- and more specifically, Reuters -- that new Xinhua regulations would not affect their existing business in China were accurate, Ambassador Ehrman said. Wang told Hewitt that BEIJING 00020987 002 OF 003 Wen's comments reflected the policies of the Chinese government as a whole and that the new regulations would not affect Reuter's existing business or practices. Hewitt pressed Wang, noting that as written the regulations would clearly interfere with Reuter's business in China. Hewitt asked if this response meant the Xinhua draft regulations would not come into force. Wang again repeated his prior statement. Chen's Dismissal, Bo's Rise and other Rumors -------------- ¶7. (C) Attendees discussed the recent sacking of Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Liangyu, touched on the upcoming plenary session of the CPC Central Committee, Premier Wen's continuance in office and whether or not President Hu is firmly in control. Nishimiya said that former Shanghai Party Secretary and Politburo Standing Committee member Huang Ju SIPDIS was ill and unlikely to be arrested, despite his own involvement in the corruption scandal. ¶8. (C) All had heard various rumors that Bo Xilai was on the way up or not likely to be promoted, though all agreed the source of these rumors appeared to be Bo himself, including Japanese reports that he would be the next Foreign Minister. The Japanese and Germans reported that Bo was viewed as too aggressive and self promoting and is widely disliked. Some Chinese contacts say Wen's tenure as Premier after 2007 is in question, if not up for grabs. Japan Delivers at Hunan Exposition -------------- ¶9. (C) In his final act as Japanese Trade Minister, Toshihiro Nikai brought 1,000 Japanese businessmen to the International Investment and Trade Exposition in Changsha, Hunan Province, according to Nishimiya. The exposition was hosted by Vice Minister Wu Yi and Trade Minister Bo Xilai. As a nod to his friendship with Bo, Nikai delivered the large Japanese presence at the exposition in Wu's home province. The next day Nikai flew to Tokyo and handed in his resignation. German Transportation Meetings End Prematurely -------------- - ¶10. (C) Ambassador Stanzel related the details of the truncated visit by German Minister of Transportation Wolfgang Tiefensee September 19 to 22. Tiefensee's meeting with Chinese Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun took place at the exact time as the fatal maglev train accident near Lathen, Germany. Tiefensee's staff repeatedly interrupted with updates and eventually Tiefensee decided to cut his trip short, returning to Germany that night. During the meeting, Liu chided a Siemen's representative accompanying Tiefensee for Siemen's inability to provide the right pricing for the new maglev line currently being considered in Hangzhou, stating that the Japanese were more ready to give a good price. (Comment: Nishimiya informed the group that the Chinese had also accused the Japanese of the same thing, stating that "the Germans were more ready to give a good price.") Other Upcoming High-level Visits -------------- ¶11. (C) Ambassador Stanzel noted that following a number of recent low-level visits to China from German parliamentarians and state secretaries, German Minister of Defense Franz Josef Jung would visit in December, accompanied by Former Minister of Defense Andreas Vonbuelow. ¶12. (C) Ambassador Ehrman noted a series of high-level UK visits, including: UK Environmental Minister Elliot Morley who is currently in Beijing for the first session of the Sustainable Development Dialogue. On October 22, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will meet with State Counselor Tang Jiaxuan, both of whom are co-chairs of the Bilateral Task Force Commission which covers all aspects of their bilateral relations. In November, the UK Transport Minister Alistair Darling will be in China for the Joint Economic and Trade Commission with Trade Minister Bo Xilai BEIJING 00020987 003 OF 003 ¶13. (C) Nishimiya said that an October 17-18 visit to Beijing by Oogi Chikage, President of the Upper House of the Japanese Parliament is almost set. Chikage may be joined by Former Foreign Minister and current Speaker of the Lower House, Yohei Kono. Also, from October 17 to 18 Central Committee International Department Minister Wang Jiarui will be in Japan for the Ruling Party Dialogue. His likely Japanese interlocutor will either be Hidenao Nakagawa, second in command to ABE in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),or Shoichi Nakagawa, the Chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council. SEDNEY