PRC PROTESTS A/S HILL'S PLANNED MEETING WITH TAIWAN VICE

UNCLAS SUVA 000452 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV CH TW FJ SUBJECT: PRC PROTESTS A/S HILL'S PLANNED MEETING WITH TAIWAN VICE FOREIGN MINISTER IN FIJI Ref. Beijing 22496 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: China pressed on U.S. diplomats at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) summit in Nadi, Fiji, to cancel an informal encounter between Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill and Taiwan Vice Foreign Minister Chang Siao-Yue. Beijing's new special envoy for PIF affairs, Ambassador Wang Yongqui, requested a meeting with ANP Office Director Steven McGann to argue that a Hill-Chang meeting was too high-level to be regarded as "informal" and could have negative consequences for U.S.-China relations. He obliquely warned that the meeting could somehow impact on U.S.-China efforts to deal with the North Korea situation. McGann noted to Wang that the Forum and not the United States had invited Taiwan to Nadi, based on its role as a donor nation in the Pacific. McGann said the encounter would be in line with other such occasional meetings with Taiwan officials in informal settings, consistent with standing U.S. practices and policies, of which China is well aware. He dismissed any possible linkage to the North Korea issues. Chinese Ambassador to Fiji, Cai Jinbiao, also spoke to Ambassador Dinger by phone, pushing the same points. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) In a hurriedly arranged meeting October 25 in Nadi, Ambassador Wang met with ANP's McGann to deliver a demarche calling on Assistant Secretary Hill not to go ahead with a meeting with Vice Minister Chang, due to arrive the evening of the 25th in Nadi. Wang said the Chinese MFA's DG for U.S. and North American Affairs had directed him to deliver the demarche. He said the MFA would also approach the U.S. Embassy in Beijing on the matter (reftel). Wang highlighted common U.S. and Chinese interests in the Pacific, and accused Taiwan of using its aid to corrupt governments in the region. He noted recent improvements in international cooperation on "Taiwan Straits" matters and urged the United States not to meet with Taiwan officials at the summit, as this would "confuse" other nations as to the U.S. position and would support the Taiwan government's efforts to legitimize its policies. Wang insisted that a meeting with an official of Hill's stature is too high-level to be seen as "informal." ¶3. (SBU) McGann emphasized to Wang that any encounter with representatives of Taiwan would be in keeping with the longstanding USG policies of One China, the Three Communiqus and the Taiwan Relations Act. Beijing is aware that U.S. officials occasionally meet with representatives of Taiwan in informal situations, and the meeting in Nadi would be of this character. The United States would not discuss or mention the meeting to other delegates. Taiwan is present because the PIF secretariat had invited it as a significant donor, McGann said. He added that China and the United States have a common interest in donor coordination, good governance and the rule of law in the Pacific. The United States, he said, has no wish to be in the middle of competition between China and Taiwan in wooing Pacific Island States. He told Wang that the meeting with Chang would go ahead. He encouraged China not to focus on the Chang meeting, but instead to recognize the far greater significance of the U.S. invitation for China to attend a U.S.-hosted meeting of "Core Donor Partners" planned for October 26 in Nadi. The meeting will bring together representatives of China, Japan, Korea, the EU, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and France. ¶4. (SBU) Just prior to the McGann-Wang meeting, Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Cai phoned Ambassador Dinger on the issue and made the same plea that Hill not meet with Chang. The Ambassador drew on talking points provided by Washington in responding. Dinger