MEDIA REACTION: A/H1N1 VIRUS, TIBET, NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS BEIJING 001587

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: A/H1N1 VIRUS, TIBET, NORTH KOREA

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Editorial Quotes
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1. A/H1N1 VIRUS

"Alert level of H1N1 is raised to the highest. This is the first
time in 41 years"

The Shanghai-based Shanghai Media Group (SMG) publication, China
Business News (Diyi Caijing)(06/12): "The World Heath Organization
is expected to announce that H1N1 is pandemic. This is the first
time the WHO announced an influenza pandemic in 41 years. The
decision will promote drug makers to speed up the production of H1N1
vaccine and promote all countries to invest more in the vaccine
development. The WHO states that at the early stage, the pandemic
is just spreading around the globe but the fatality rate is not too
high. The WHO urges countries not to implement limitations on
tourism and trade. They emphasize that currently the H1N1 cases are
still mild and don't need special treatment, but they are concerned
that the hospitals in developing countries can not deal with the
rising number of infected people."


2. TIBET

"U.S. Congress approves setting up a Tibet section in the U.S.
Embassy in China"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(06/12): "According to Voice of America the
U.S. Congress has approved creating a Tibet office at the U.S.
Embassy in China. The U.S. move will bring a negative influence to
U.S.-China relations. It shows American attention on Tibetan
politics and affairs have been upgraded. There will not be
substantial results of the American action with a strong human
rights denotation. What is more the behavior is completely opposite
to Obama's general gesture of advocating positive cooperation with
China. China does not need to place too much emphasis on the move
currently. It depends on whether the two governments can actively
and practically deal with controversies and how much their measures
will influence the bilateral relations. The U.S. move obviously has
created this office to interfere in the Tibet issue and China's
internal affairs."


3. NORTH KOREA

"China cannot change its tone on North Korea policy because of the
nuclear test"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(06/12): "Because of the second nuclear test
pursuing the stability and peace of Northeast Asia under a
multilateral framework has become the general trend. It is
necessary to reconsider the strategy of North Korea for China.
North Korea intends to become 'a power' which is a fixed policy of
North Korea. As a country acting independently of ideology, North
Korea will not change its strategic will due to any influence of the
world. At the same time, the U.S. has been continuously ignoring
North Korea's security needs and finally caused North Korea to
possess nuclear weapons. America asking North Korea to give up
nuclear programs first then go to peace talks, does not show
sincerity towards North Korea. There is no mention of earning trust
from North Korea. A stable North Korea will benefit the Northeast
region of China.

The change in China's North Korea policy is due to North Korea's
nuclear program's threat to China and may cause China-North Korea
relations to deteriorate. But China cannot change its tone on North
Korea just because North Korea possesses nuclear weapons.
Maintaining friendship with North Korea and keeping a harmonious
environment with neighbors, stabilizing North Korea, is still
China's primary choice. When the U.S. is not in a rush to solve the
North Korean nuclear issue, China has no need to express the
intention for an urgent resolution. China should pay close
attention to the possible evolution of the U.S. policy in the future
in view of North Korea possessing nuclear weapons."

PICCUTA