MEDIA REACTION: SECRETARY CLINTON IN AFRICA, NORTH KOREA,

UNCLAS BEIJING 002247

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: SECRETARY CLINTON IN AFRICA, NORTH KOREA,
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

--------------
Editorial Quotes
--------------


1. SECRETARY CLINTON IN AFRICA

"Clinton advances into Africa"

The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao) (08/06): "Liu
Naiya, an expert on African and Asian affairs at the Chinese Academy
of Social Sciences, noted that the nations Secretary Clinton visited
in Africa are either rich in oil rich or have a large population,
revealing the U.S.'s 'comprehensive engagement' with Africa.
Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, these
countries' strategic importance to the U.S. is more obvious. The
U.S.'s current Africa policy is 'carrot and stick': offering
economic aid to African countries it deems to be 'democratic' and
issuing warnings to those it deems to be 'undemocratic' based on the
U.S.'s definition of 'democratic.' Experts argue that Chinese-
African relations will not be affected by Secretary Clinton's visit,
and China will be pleased to see the implementation of U.S. economic
and technical aid to Africa. However, objectively speaking, China
and the U.S. have competing national interests in Africa."


2. NORTH KOREA

"Any breakthrough in the North Korean nuclear issue must be
substantive"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (08/06): "The diplomatic drama produced by
the United States and North Korea has come to an end. Not many
Chinese people are interested in whether or not President Clinton's
visit will become the turning point for U.S.-North Korean relations.
Neither are they concerned about whether or not the U.S. and North
Korea will hold bilateral talks; the Chinese are even willing to see
reconciliation between the two countries. What the Chinese are
really worried about is whether this type of bilateral engagement
will marginalize the Six-Party Talks. China insists that this is
the only proper forum to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula. If the U.S. and North Korea are really sincere about
this issue, they should take substantive action rather than just
putting on a show for the Chinese people."


3. U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

"The U.S. should be 'smarter' in leading the world"

The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao) (08/06): "Yuan
Peng, Director of the American Studies Center at the China Institute
of Contemporary International Relations, argued that Secretary
Clinton's reference to 'a multi-partner world' in her opening
remarks at the S&ED does not indicate that the U.S. is giving up its
leadership role in the world. This statement is in fact an overview
of the Obama Administration's foreign policy, and presents both an
opportunity and a challenge for China. According to this statement,
China is as an important of a partner to the U.S. as Japan and the
EU. However, this statement also poses the following challenges.
First, it stresses development, which may indicate that the U.S.
will increase aid to poor countries in Africa and Latin America.
This will put pressure on China's diplomacy. Second, if not dealt
with appropriately, there might be some kind of antagonism between
the 'multi-partner world' the U.S. promotes and the 'multi-polar
world' China endorses."


GOLDBERG