Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BEIJING5323
2007-08-14 09:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

SENATOR LIEBERMAN ON FOOD SAFETY, DARFUR, IRAN,

Tags:  PREL PGOV PMUC PTER PHUM IZ IR KN TC TW CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 140914Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0757
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0134
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0143
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1812
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 005323 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PMUC PTER PHUM IZ IR KN TC TW CH
SUBJECT: SENATOR LIEBERMAN ON FOOD SAFETY, DARFUR, IRAN,
DPRK, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TRENDS AND TAIWAN

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 005323

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PMUC PTER PHUM IZ IR KN TC TW CH
SUBJECT: SENATOR LIEBERMAN ON FOOD SAFETY, DARFUR, IRAN,
DPRK, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TRENDS AND TAIWAN

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1.
4 (b/d).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) China has been unfairly vilified over recent product
safety scandals in U.S. media, National People's Congress
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Jiang Enzhu told visiting
Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) August 6. China is taking
action to identify and shut down unlicensed, non-compliant
firms exporting unsafe food products. China values its
cooperation with the United States and will continue to work
to implement UNSC Resolutions on Iran and Darfur. Diplomatic
efforts are now needed to resolve both crises, Jiang said,
rather than new sanctions on Iran or action without
Khartoum's consent in Sudan. China "strictly prohibits"
proliferation by Chinese entities and takes action when such
violations are discovered. China remains cautiously
optimistic regarding prospects for success in the Six-Party
process, and believes that the DPRK leadership is genuinely
committed to denuclearization and economic development.
Strengthening China's social safety net infrastructure will
"naturally" stimulate domestic consumption. Dogmatic Marxist
ideology is on the wane in China, and traditional Confucian
values are on the rise, Jiang said. End Summary.

Food Safety
--------------


2. (C) At a dinner hosted by Chinese National People's
Congress Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Jiang Enzhu on
August 6, visiting Senator Joseph Lieberman raised the import
safety issue. Regardless of the small percentage of products
involved, Senator Lieberman said, if American mothers begin
to doubt the safety of products labeled "Made in China" at
the grocery store, there will be major problems for
U.S.-China relations. Acknowledging that the problem may lie
with lax provincial-level regulation, Senator Lieberman urged

the Chinese central government to "take control." Jiang
asserted that China already has licensing requirements for
food exports and has taken action to shut down small,
unlicensed firms when they are discovered. Jiang claimed
that over 95 percent of Chinese food exports to the United
States from China are safe and that the same cannot be said
of U.S. imports from Mexico, India and the Dominican
Republic. To help make China's existing regulations more
effective, Jiang suggested, the United States should prohibit
American firms from importing goods from unlicensed Chinese
food sellers. Jiang complained that the U.S. media vilifies
China, claiming that reports of faulty Chinese tires were
false.

Iran
--------------


3. (C) China welcomes the recent encouraging progress of the
European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency's
recent technical-level negotiations with Iran. This shows
the value of dialogue in addressing Iran's nuclear program,
Jiang said. China is committed to implementing UN Security
Council Resolutions 1737 and 1747, but attempting to "expand"
the resolutions to address conventional weapons is "off-base"
and imposing additional sanctions "should not be our focus."
Senator Lieberman argued that though the United States values
China's cooperation on nonproliferation, we cannot ignore
evidence of Chinese companies supplying Iranian entities that
support ballistic and nuclear weapons programs, and China
should not ignore this either. Chinese sniper rifles turning
up in enemy hands in Iraq and Afghanistan are also cause for
grave concern. Iran is the single greatest threat to
American security and also a threat to peace and stability
worldwide, Senator Lieberman stated. Additionally, China's
perceived tolerance of this situation gives ammunition to
those in the United States who oppose close ties with China.

Darfur
--------------


4. (C) China views UNSC Resolution 1769 as "major progress"
on the crisis in Darfur and will continue to pressure
Sudanese President Bashir to accept a joint UN-African Union
peacekeeping force, Jiang stated. He added that sending in
peacekeepers without Khartoum's support will not be
effective. Senator Lieberman reminded Jiang of Bashir's
record of making and then breaking promises, urging China to
recognize its role as the "single biggest influence" on
Khartoum and use the full leverage of its investment in
Sudan's energy sector. China will remain actively engaged,

BEIJING 00005323 002 OF 002


Jiang promised, adding that China's commercial investments in
Sudan are actually a constructive part of the comprehensive
political, economic and humanitarian solution that all sides
should pursue. Citing ongoing Chinese humanitarian projects
in Sudan, he insisted that China is "not turning a blind eye
to the humanitarian crisis for the sake of oil." China must
take concrete measures to demonstrate that, responded Mrs.
Lieberman, also a guest at the dinner. As a powerful nation,
China's actions send important signals, she said. Senator
Lieberman said he opposes efforts to boycott the Beijing
Olympics over the Darfur issue, but noted that the activists
calling for such measures have sincere concerns which China
must address.

DPRK
--------------


5. (C) Senator Lieberman hailed the Six-Party Talks as an
example of the good work the United States and China can
achieve through cooperation on major global challenges. He
said some Americans remain suspicious that the DPRK will pull
out of negotiations without abandoning its weapons, as it did
in the 1990s. Senator Lieberman asked if China sees a real
intention to denuclearize this time. Jiang said the DPRK's
primary goal is economic developments. Visits to China by
Kim Jong-Il and other DPRK leaders have convinced them that
"reform and opening up" is the best path to that goal. While
there may be roadblocks in negotiations along the way, Jiang
said, ultimately the DPRK will denuclearize to earn its place
in the international political and economic system.

Chinese Domestic Trends
--------------


6. (C) Senator Lieberman said he considers himself a friend
of China but has concerns that China's economy relies
excessively on exports without sufficient domestic
consumption. This creates problems for China's trading
partners, but also threatens China's own sustained economic
growth, he said. Jiang acknowledged that the Chinese save
too much and spend too little. The Chinese government is
taking active steps to combat the problemby improvingsocial
safety net mechanisms, esecially in the poorest areas.
Government emplyees and workers at state-owned enterprises
ejoy good social security infrastructure, but rurl farmers
and many private-sector employee do not, Jiang said.
Improving this system wil alleviate Chinese people's fears
about "rainy day" financial burdens and free them to spend
more, he predicted. Senator Lieberman cited an article in a
U.S. publication on the resurgence of traditional Confucian
values in Chinese society and the decline of orthodox Marxist
thinking. Jiang acknowledged the trend and said the
government is pleased with the development, characterizing
the recent Party mantras of "stability" and "harmonious
society" as age-old Confucian values.

Taiwan
--------------


7. (C) Jiang reiterated familiar Chinese points on the
current "dangerous and delicate" situation in cross-Strait
relations. He urged Senator Lieberman to use his influence
as a "prominent American statesman" to convince both the
Administration and Congress to take a "more explicit" stand
against Taiwan independence and to "avoid sending wrong
signals."


8. (U) Codel Lieberman cleared this cable.
RANDT