ARF: CHINA SUPPORTS MOST U.S. INITIATIVES FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 003245

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/RSP, EAP/CM AND ISN/RA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2017
TAGS: PREL KNNP ARF CH
SUBJECT: ARF: CHINA SUPPORTS MOST U.S. INITIATIVES FOR
UPCOMING SOM

REF: STATE 64134

Classified By: Pol External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)
.


1. (C) China's Foreign Ministry will consider carefully the
United States' proposals for the May 25 ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF) Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Manila, Asia
Department Regional Security Division official Yang Shichao
told poloff May 14 in response to delivery of reftel
demarche. As co-chair of the proposal for a nonproliferation
intersessional meeting, China definitely supports the U.S.
draft statement and agrees that the focus of nonproliferation
efforts should remain on capacity building, Yang said.


2. (C) China supports all structures that are consistent with
the ARF's purpose and capacity-building, he said, noting that
China urges the United States to work with Indonesia to reach
consensus over areas of difference. Consistent with those
principles, China supports the creation of working groups and
the modifications that the United States has made to that
draft paper. It will provide comments promptly by the
requested deadline.


3. (C) China continues to await American responses on its
third draft of the General Disaster Relief guidelines, a
Chinese priority item for the upcoming meeting, Yang said,
noting that Beijing's May 11 deadline passed without American
comment. China will also seek to follow up with American
officials about the possibility of shifting discussion of
political and security topics away from APEC and into the
ARF, a venue China considers more appropriate for
non-economic themes.


4. (C) China will be represented at the SOM by AFM Cui
Tiankai, Yang said, although he noted that there is a
"one-third" likelihood that Cui will be unable to attend due
to the press of other business in Beijing.
RANDT