MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, GEITHNER'S VISIT, PELOSI'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001395 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: NORTH KOREA, GEITHNER'S VISIT, PELOSI'S VISIT -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. NORTH KOREA "20 Chinese experts are polled on North Korean nuclear issue" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(05/26): "Qing Hua University professor Sun Zhe believes, "North Korea's nuclear test is blackmail in nature. North Korea took advantage of the current situation; the former South Korean president had just committed suicide, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan had just arrived at his post and there is a lack of North Korean expertise, in order to further its strategic advantages, in the Obama administration's team. In spite of the military power and growth showcased by the nuclear test, the test itself is not enough to threaten powerful countries. What's more, military power alone cannot solve any global issues. North Korea's behavior is disrespectful to the world. However, because the test was conducted from inside North Korea, the U.S., China and the international society can't take any countermeasures. China should be aware that its North Korean policy should not continue unchanged. China doesn't have a pre-established stance on possible sanctions by the UN against North Korea. China will see who leads the voting and look to what most countries' opinions are." Shen Dingli of the international affairs institute of Fudan University says, "North Korea's development of nuclear weapons is also inevitable. North Korea's neighboring countries all have nuclear weapons. Russia, China, even the U.S. has nuclear weapons within the region; they provide nuclear protection to Japan and South Korea. China doesn't support North Korea's developing nuclear weapons but should not take their having nuclear weapons as an obstacle to normal bilateral relations." Ren Xiao who is also from Fudan University commented, "North Korea is trying to upgrade its position in the negotiations. The test symbolizes that its military, its strength, has risen." Ding Gang of People's Daily said "Many people believe that North Korea's nuclear test indicates the failure of the U.S.' nuclear policy. However, this is not the case; the test is an obvious result of America's connivance. How come after these years of the Six-Party Talks, other parties have taken side roles and had to lay their hope on the final resolution between North Korea and the U.S.? Resolving the North Korea issue, a legacy of the Cold War, still depends on the U.S."" ¶2. GEITHNER'S VISIT "Does Geithner's visit to China give up their 'complaint diplomacy'?" The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(05/25): "The attitude of Geithner, who will visit China, deserves our attention. At a Senate hearing Geithner defended the decision by the U.S. not to label China as a 'currency manipulator'. He stated that China's exchange rate policy, over the last few years, has obviously changed. It seems that this proves what the experts predicted, that Geithner's attitude during his trip to China would be moderate. During the visits of previous American Treasury Secretaries, they always complained about the RMB exchange rate, the large trade deficit and the IPR issue. They liked to pressure China. However the international situation has changed. It seems inappropriate for Geithner to continue the 'compliant diplomacy' of the U.S. Chinese analysts also indicate that Geithner is coming to China with a goal in mind. He may want to learn about why China always has been able to realize its economic growth goals; he may want to learn from China. Looking at the current situation, enhancing U.S.-China economic coordination and better dealing with the financial crisis will be the most important task of Geithner's visit to Beijing." ¶3. PELOSI'S VISIT "U.S. senior officials pay a collective visit to China this week" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(05/25): "The leader of the American House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has arrived in China for a week of visits with Chinese officials. A week of American visits has begun. After Pelosi there will be the U.S. envoy to the Sudan, Secretary of Treasury Geithner and the U.S.-China Working Group Delegations. Chinese experts suggest that these visits show that the U.S. needs China's help in more and more issues. This old-China policy needs to change. The Obama administration is making efforts to set the tone for the new U.S.-new-China policy. The U.S. and China will conduct direct dialogues on climate change, the Sudan issue and the BEIJING 00001395 002 OF 002 economic crisis. The intensity of the U.S. officials' visit to China is higher than their visit to any other one of China's allies. The visit fully manifests the numerous conversations that the U.S. needs to have with China. In recent years, the most severe criticism by the U.S. against China has come from the Congress. However, at a press conference recently, Pelosi refused to answer a question concerning China's human rights issue. This is the second time that a U.S. official has intentionally spoken about the issue in a casual way. It looks like Washington hopes to speak with China in a moderate way given the difficulties of the financial crisis. The U.S., by sending both its most pro-and anti-China officials, is obviously stepping up its study of China. The intensity of the visits by U.S. officials to China clearly conveys the message that 'the U.S. needs China.'" PICCUTA