CDA AND MFA DG ZHENG ZEGUANG: DPRK, MIL-MIL,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001547

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2034
TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV CASC SENV CH
SUBJECT: CDA AND MFA DG ZHENG ZEGUANG: DPRK, MIL-MIL,
CLIMATE CHANGE, SNED, AMCIT PRISONERS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Dan Piccuta. Reasons 1.4 (b/d
).


1. (C) In a June 9 luncheon hosted by the Charge, MFA North
American and Oceanian Affairs Department Director General
Zheng Zeguang said that senior officials who met with Deputy
Secretary Steinberg had been impressed by his seriousness of
purpose and by his explanation of the U.S. position on how
best to respond to North Korean provocations. In a free
flowing conversation Zheng also pledged to continue to follow
closely the case of two detained Americans in North Korea and
expressed optimism that China and the United States might
bridge gaps on climate change prior to the December UN
Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Zheng plans to
visit Washington in July to prepare for the Strategic and
Economic Dialogue and promised to have comments to the U.S.
draft agenda soon. The Charge raised the cases of two
arrested American citizens. End Summary.

DPRK Nuclear Issue
--------------


2. (C) In a June 9 luncheon hosted by the Charge, MFA North
American and Oceanian Affairs Department DG noted recent
close bilateral collaboration on the DPRK nuclear issue and
said that the U.S. delegation to Beijing led by Deputy
Secretary Steinberg had clearly laid out the U.S. position
and the need for a strong UNSCR. Zheng said that all of
Steinberg's Chinese interlocutors had noted his seriousness
of purpose and now had a clear understanding of the U.S.
position. Zheng suggested that upcoming speeches by
Ambassador Bosworth and by Deputy Secretary Steinberg would
be read with interest in Beijing and that both speeches would
be opportunities to underscore the need for a multilateral
effort to solve the impasse with Pyongyang. Zheng
characterized the difference in positions between the U.S.
and Chinese positions at the United Nations as something that
might be closed "with enough last ditch effort."

AmCits Detained by North Korea
--------------


3. (C) The Charge thanked Zheng for the assistance China had
provided in encouraging North Korea to treat the two AmCit
journalists detained there properly and asked for continued
help in winning their release. Zheng said that the PRC had
done everything within its power to win their release and
pledged to continue to do so.

Military-Military Cooperation
--------------


4. (C) The Charge briefed Zheng about the June 23-24 visit
to Beijing of Under Secretary of Defense Flournoy for the
Defense Consultative Talks (DCT). Zheng agreed that the DCT
was an excellent opportunity to improve bilateral military
relations. "The only way we will improve the present
situation," Zheng noted, "is to increase the number of
exchanges between our militaries." Zheng also said that,
with the large number of upcoming high-level exchanges
between senior American and Chinese leaders, he hoped we
could continue to avoid "incidents" between our two
militaries.

Climate Change
--------------


5. (C) Zheng told the Charge that he had attended meetings
our special envoy for climate change Todd Stern had attended
with Chinese counterparts. Zheng expressed optimism that
Washington and Beijing could reach a bilateral agreement that
would help to make the December COP-15 UN Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen a success. He was particularly
enthusiastic about the prospect of a joint U.S.-China
research institute and other types of technical cooperation
between U.S. and Chinese experts.

Strategic and Economic Dialogue
--------------


6. (C) Zheng offered no official comment to the U.S. sample
agenda for the upcoming SnED but did promise a response
"soon" to U.S. requests for clarity on a number of points
including China's views on how breakout sessions on climate
change would be organized. Regarding the question of a SnED

BEIJING 00001547 002 OF 002


joint statement, Zheng said he hoped the U.S. would offer a
draft soon for China to consider. Zheng also said that he
planned to travel to Washington in early July to facilitate
preparation for the SnED and would provide the Embassy with
his itinerary shortly.

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


7. (C) Zheng praised the President's recent speech in Cairo
and agreed that Iranian officials had not yet responded
favorably to his overtures for talks. Zheng suggested that
Iranian preoccupation with domestic elections might be
responsible and suggested the United States remain patient,
drawing a parallel with North Korea.

American Citizen Prisoner Cases
--------------


8. (C) The Charge asked Zheng to look into two arrest cases
of American citizens. He explained that Dr. Hu Zhicheng was
an American citizen detained in Tianjin as part of a trade
dispute. The Charge also briefed Zheng on the case of Dr.
Feng Xue, being held by the Ministry of Public Security in
Beijing for suspicion of spying and stealing state secrets.
Zheng promised to look into the cases.
PICCUTA