MEDIA REACTION: SECRETARIES' CHU AND LOCKE VISITS TO CHINA,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 002061 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: SECRETARIES' CHU AND LOCKE VISITS TO CHINA, U.S. POLICY, DALAI LAMA -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. SECRETARIES' CHU AND LOCKE VISITS TO CHINA "The two U.S. Secretaries: visit to China under a 'green cloak'" The independent Chinese weekly business newspaper distributed in major cities throughout China, Economic Observer (Jingji Guanchabao) (07/20): "The main agenda of Secretary Locke's visit to China was cooperation on new energy. His intension of using the technology in market exchanges was very obvious. Secretary Chu expressed earlier that the U.S. Government will impose a "carbon tariff" on the governments that have not yet implemented the mandatory measures of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The carbon tariff will openly and directly take China and other developing countries' wealth and put it into the treasury of developed countries, all in the name of environmental protection. An officer from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce says that the approval of the American Clean Energy and Security Act will disturb the international trade orders and bring a trade war. The analysts think that the purposes of the two Secretaries' visits to China are to sell American products, especially its advanced clean energy technologies, by utilizing their good relations in China. Lin Boqiang, head to the China Centre for Energy Economics Research in Xiamen University, agrees with this view. He explains that, after all, China is the biggest market for the application of clean energy. But Lin says that America should put their focus on providing China with more technologies and capital assistance rather than purely "selling their technologies". Lin points out that developing countries faced many problems in their development process, including environmental and income disparity issues, therefore, they may make their own choices in the area of energy consumption. China sets itself against the approval of the "carbon tariff" Act. Chinese spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, Yao Jian, expressed on July 15, that the "carbon tariff" policy is against the basic rules of WTO and the tendency of trade protectionism lies behind this Act under the cover of environment and energy issues, which may result in serial trade revenge. It is bad for the recovery of global economy." �00A;¶2. U.S. POLICY "Don't let space be full of the smell of gunpowder" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(07/20): " Although the 'Apollo mission to the moon' has gained praise, it is a cold war product and it stems from the need to control the world. The military is the origin of the science of space exploration. After the Apollo Mission, America's space plans had more clear targets. After the Cold War, America's absolute advantages in space exploration increased its ambitions in taking its hegemony into space. According to the American way of thinking, in the 21 century, the one who controls space can control the world. If America had put its strong advantages in scientific technologies into solving the problems that the entire world is facing, such as sea water desalination and global warming, it would have gained tremendous achievements. However, unfortunately, like all the hegemonic countries in history, the U.S. wouldn't make this choice. America is developing large scale space weapons, which strengthen the military space competition among global power countries and seriously threatens the peaceful usage of space resources. It can be forecast that, with more countries being involved in space resource exploration, there will be more voices against space hegemony and militarization. The international society will more urgently call for a mechanism that can effectively prevent space militarization." ¶3. DALAI LAMA "Indian media claims that Obama is interested in meeting the Dalai Lama" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(07/20): "Meeting with the Dalai Lama is a conventional method used by western politicians to put pressure on China and to interfere in the internal issues of the Chinese. According to the Times of India, the Obama administration is in contact with the Dalai to prepare for a meeting during the Dalai's U.S. visit between September and October. Chinese experts respond that the U.S. and China have had good bilateral relations since Obama took office. If Obama really steps on this "red line" [meet with Dalai], it will inevitably lead to tensions between the U.S. BEIJING 00002061 002 OF 002 and China. Whether Obama will meet with the Dalai Lama is a widely controversial topic in the U.S. Some analysts say that Obama is seeking China's support to combat the global financial crisis. Obama doesn't want to aggravate Beijing. However, during the past 10 years, the U.S. has offended China on the issues of Dalai Lama many times. Professor Yin Hong from Renmin University told Global Times that President Obama was in contact with the Dalai during his election. The two sides have exchanged support for each other via letters. Besides, there are anti-China pressures in the U.S. It is very likely that Obama will meet with the Dalai, but the location of their meeting may not be in the White House. Yin continues that when the Dalai met with the German Premiere and French President, it brought tension to their bilateral relationship with China. If Obama doesn't learn from Germany and France's experiences, bilateral ties between the U.S. and China will be tense for at least two months. Hang Liping, from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says that Obama may wait until he finishes his Asian trip this November. Obama is not willing to see China's cold back at the APEC meeting in Singapore this November." GOLDBERG