Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SECTION02OF03EIJING483
2007-01-22 12:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

U/S HUGHES URGES INCREASED EXCHANGES, MEDIA

Tags:  PREL SCUL PHUM KOLY KPAO KIRF CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4330
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0483/02 0221209
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221209Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4022
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 02OF 03 EIJING 000483

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SCUL PHUM KOLY KPAO KIRF CH
SUBJECT: U/S HUGHES URGES INCREASED EXCHANGES, MEDIA
OPENNESS IN BEIJING VISITS AND MEETINGS


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BEIJING 01220483 002 OF 003


exchanges to further strengthen ties.


5. (SBU) State Councilor Chen cited the importance of
the bilateral relationship for China and stated that
successful and ongoing top-level exchanges between the
leaders of the two countries have laid the foundation
for constructive, cooperative strategic bilateral
relations for the 21st century. China is working hard
to prepare for hosting a top tier Olympic Games,
including hosting more than 10,000 journalists. In
addition to the new regulations on foreign
journalists, China is committed to providing
journalists with excellent facilities and service, in
keeping with its commitments and international
standards. China will try to show its achievements
and spirit, but won't color its difficulties, State
Councilor Chen said. China remains a developing
country, it is natural that it has some problems, and
China hopes that foreign journalists will understand
this.


6. (SBU) Chen said China hoped to emulate successful
U.S. efforts to popularize sport for all its citizens
and agreed with U/S Hughes that continued educational
exchanges between the two countries are very
important. The United States remains the number one
destination for Chinese students, Chen noted, and
China is happy to welcome more American students to
study in China.

SCIO's Cai on Media Freedoms
--------------


7. (SBU) U/S Hughes, accompanied by PD Envoy Kwan,
complimented SCIO Director Cai Wu on the recently
implemented rules that loosen restrictions on foreign
journalists and urged China to extend them beyond the
2008 Beijing Olympic Games. U/S Hughes noted that
increasing freedom of the press in China will help
Americans and Chinese alike to better understand
China's role in the world, including, for example,
China's active partnership with the United States on
difficult issues like nuclear programs in North Korea
and Iran. Pointing out that the United States and
China share so many interests, like being the number
one and number two energy users in the world, U/S
Hughes stressed the need for increased transparency
between the two governments, even in areas where we do
not agree. Commenting that she had just visited a
Chinese school where students recited part of Martin
Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, U/S Hughes
emphasized that a free press can highlight social
problems, such as those in Dr. King's speech, and
bring about positive change.


8. (SBU) Minister Cai responded that the revised
media rules indicate a new open-mindedness in
welcoming the world to China and have been smoothly
implemented for the past twenty days. Admitting that
prior Chinese policies could be viewed as "regulating"
foreign journalists, Cai argued the new view is to
provide "good service" to journalists. If the revised
regulations promote better understanding of China and
facilitate China's reform and stability, they could be
extended beyond the expiration date of October 17,
2008, said Minister Cai. In fact, Beijing is
currently putting on a conference with officials from
various municipalities and provinces to discuss how to
implement the revised rules, provide better service to
journalists and ensure better cooperation with
international media. When pressed about the expiry of
the relaxed rules in October 2008, Cai responded that
if the revised rules promote understanding, encourage
honest reporting and facilitate China's reform and
stability, "why would we change them?"


9. (SBU) Chinese recognize that China is not perfect,
said Cai, voicing his opinion that Chinese society is
currently at a stage of more frequent internal
conflict. Shielding internal strife from foreign
journalists will not make it go away, but Cai said he
hoped journalists would not only report China's
problems, but also China's unremitting efforts to
solve them. If reporting is objective and truthful,
then China is not worried that foreign journalists
will observe and report on social problems in China,
according to Cai. Cai complained about those who
write negatively about China without having ever
visited, citing in particular a BBC report alleging
that Chinese government hospitals harvested organs


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