MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIP, CHINA'S SOUTH

UNCLAS BEIJING 002214

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: PREL ECON KMDR OPRC CH

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIP, CHINA'S SOUTH
CHINA SEA POLICY

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Editorial Quotes
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1. U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIP

"On the global energy dialogue: let's first discuss what the U.S.
should do"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (08/04): "China should not remain passive
when the question of 'responsibility' is brought up in discussions
about global energy issues. China claims 'the right to life and
development' is more important than energy conservation and
emissions reduction; however, these two 'rights' are not actually
directly related to energy conservation and emissions reduction.
China needs to find a more delicate statement to clarify its
standpoint. China should stress a principle of 'right to emissions'
in order to put the U.S. under the limelight since the U.S.'s per
capita emissions are among the world's highest. In addition, in
negotiations with Western countries other than the United States,
China should try to isolate the U.S. by differentiating between
those countries' responsibilities for global energy problems and the
U.S.'s responsibility. When every energy dialogue in the world
focuses on 'what the U.S. should do' (rather than on what other
countries should do),the U.S. government will treat this problem
with more caution."

"Don't have high hopes for the promises made by the U.S."

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (08/04): "The safety of China's U.S. dollar
assets is not just an economic issue; it reflects the fact that the
China-U.S. relationship still lacks equality and mutual trust and,
therefore, lacks genuine respect. Keeping up domestic consumption
and fast economic growth in China will effectively increase the
security of China's assets abroad. The Chinese public finds it
beyond comprehension that the West is exploiting China (selling
national debts and assets to China to finance their own economies)
and helping separatists, while promising the safety of China's
dollar assets. China should not be just a crutch for the U.S. to
get out of its current economic plight; China should become the real
engine of the world economy."


2. CHINA'S SOUTH CHINA SEA POLICY

"China prepares to face the most complicated situation"

The China Radio International-sponsored newspaper World News Journal
(Shijie Xinwenbao) (08/04): "Experts say China needs to take a
flexible approach in dealing with the tense situation in the South
China Sea, specifically by doing the following three things. First,
China should strengthen and expand friendly cooperation with ASEAN
countries. China should stick to the principle of resolving South
China Sea island disputes through peaceful means. Second, China
should prevent the formation of an 'anti-China Nansha (a.k.a. the
Spratly Islands, a chain of islands in the South China Sea claimed
by several countries, including China) Group,' especially a group
involving the U.S. Third, it should beef up its military capability
and speed up the development of its AIRCRAFT CARRIER so as to handle
the most complicated situation in South China Sea."


GOLDBERG