MEDIA REACTION: ADMIRAL ROUGHEAD'S VISIT TO CHINA,

UNCLAS BEIJING 001044 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 PREL ECON SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ADMIRAL ROUGHEAD'S VISIT TO CHINA, U.S.-CHINA TRADE RELATIONS, BOOK: UNHAPPY CHINA -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. ADMIRAL ROUGHEAD'S VISIT TO CHINA a. "The U.S. fears China's anti-warship capabilities" The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(04/20): "A former U.S. chief of naval operations once mentioned that China's research into an anti-warship ballistic missile is the largest concern for the U.S. in recent years. During the anniversary celebration of the Chinese navy, the U.S. has begun to comment on China's military threat. In these conversations, China's anti-warship capabilities have become a hot topic. It is an old topic. The U.S.' '2008 report on China's military strength' stated that China has possessed ballistic missiles capable of attacking American aircraft carriers. The report in 2009 once again mentioned this issue. The U.S. military has upgraded this concern of from 'tactic level' to 'strategic level'. The U.S. aircraft carrier and combat troops possess the 'absolute command over the sea.' However, concerning ballistic missiles, the U.S. navy does not yet have the ability of a counter attack. This is, in fact, a weakness of the U.S. navy. What's more, by emphasizing the threat from the Chinese navy, the U.S. navy can obtain more funding and, at the same time, ensure the U.S. navy's dominant' position." b. "The world focuses on China's naval operations; warships from fourteen countries gather in Qingdao; the U.S. closely observes the Chinese navy" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/20): "U.S. Chief of naval operations, Admiral Roughead, held a press conference yesterday at the U.S. Embassy in BeijingQe mildly expressed that the U.S. destroyer attending the celebrations is one of the most advanced destroyers available. Possessing an aircraft carrier is an ambition of the Chinese navy. The U.S. will not change their strategy accordingly. The U.S. is more concerned with how China will use their aircraft carrier and what their end-goal in acquiring the ship is. Chinese experts believe there is a big difference between westerners and Chinese people concerning the Chinese navy. Western countries worry that the rising of the Chinese navy will threaten them. Both the Western countries and China have two different value systems when it comes to oceanic affairs. Different from China's ethic thinking, western countries believe in interests and benefits. The troop viewing will manifest China's peaceful and harmonious might. It also shows China's confidence and openness." ¶2. U.S.-CHINA TRADE RELATIONS "China sues American law # 727 in the WTO; Poultry ban" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/20): "Chinese experts suggest that at the very beginning, the U.S. and China reached an agreement that the U.S. and China would be equals in exporting poultry to the world. However, the U.S. has betrayed the rules in this game. This is typical trade protectionist behavior. In fact, the exported poultry meat by China did not have any problems. China is fighting this trade protectionist behavior by appealing to the WTO. In the current backdrop of the financial crisis, the U.S. law #727 will definitely cause a chain reaction; other industries may imitate it, and it provides a negative example. However, the effect on China of law NO. 727 is, in fact, limited. The dispute between the two is just an independent case. It will not have a large impact." ¶3. BOOK: UNHAPPY CHINA "With things unpleasant, can't we be unhappy?" The official English-language newspaper China Daily (04/20): "The ongoing debate over the book Unhappy China is as amusing and controversial as the book itself. What is really intriguing is that commentaries published in some influential Chinese newspapers seem to dismiss the book as 'too extreme and nationalistic', but netizens and scholars not associated with those publications have openly supported these authors' views. That means that people who try to gauge public opinion on an issue by reading those newspapers, or people who assume that they mirror society's view in total, could be misled. But if things constantly make us unhappy, I'm afraid nationalism - irrespective of how 'dangerous' or 'poisoning' it may sound to elitists' ears would require solid ground to prevail in this town." PICCUTA