MEDIA REACTION: TIBET, FINANCIAL CRISIS

UNCLAS BEIJING 004467 DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, C HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR (J007) SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR CH SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: TIBET, FINANCIAL CRISIS -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. TIBET a. "Sarkozy provokes France-China storm" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(12/08): "The World's MEDIA is feeling the storm in the China-France diplomatic feud. Public opinion suggests that China will take actions in order to sanction France. A complicated wrestling between China and France concerning wills, strength and diplomatic measures will happen. The World will have a more careful evaluation on China during this process. Chinese experts indicated that it is undoubted that both France and China will be harmed if China takes sanctions against France. But the Tibet issue concerns China's sovereignty. China can't make a compromise on the issue, even if it has to endure economic loss. In the recent years, the U.S. and Japan seem to have been aware of where China's red line is, but Europe, it seems doesn't." b. "An unacceptable affront" The official English-language newspaper China Daily (12/08): " Nicolas Sarkozy's meeting with the Dalai Lama hit Chinese nerves hard. But, the French president probably was betting on the assumption that China and France will have to do business anyway. ...He broke this country's clearly defined bottom-line for maintaining friendly state-to-state relations. For whatever the consequences of his stunt will be, the arrogant French president has only himself to blame. He asked for it. ...Government preference may determine the purchase of Airbuses, or Boeings. But it cannot force people to travel to places they dislike, be it Paris, or Provence. Nor can it make consumers buy from brand names they feel bad about, be it Louis Vuitton, or Carrefour. ...he ignored the Chinese side's special sensitivities on matters of sovereignty. He made reconciliatory gestures after the unpleasant pre-Olympic episodes, and was forgiven by the Chinese. But there is a limit to everything. What happened Saturday calls into question all his previous efforts to repair ties, and his personal credibility as well." ¶2. U.S. DIPLOMACY "Former American official suggests Obama to go to China on the first oversea visit" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(12/08): "An article in Newsweek suggests that Obama should visit China on his first presidential trip. Some American experts indicate that holding a U.S.-China summit is an urgent task for Obama. Chinese experts think that the idea of Obama visiting China first is unlikely. This suggestion reveals the willingness of certain people in the U.S. to improve U.S.-China relations. But it is still not the mainstream idea and has aroused great disputes in the U.S. However, in the U.S. scholars circle, holding the U.S.-China talks has gained many supports. Chinese experts believe that Obama's first presidential visit will be Europe to improve the U.S. image. Relations with China are not the most urgent issue on the U.S. diplomatic agenda. Even if the U.S. President chooses Eastern Asia as his first visit, normally Japan will be the first stop. What's more, Japan has already started to worry about the heated-up relations with China exceeding the relations with Japan. Last week the Strategic Economic Dialogue just ended. European MEDIA has witnessed the changes of U.S.-China strength status." PICCUTA