MEDIA REACTION: FINANCIAL CRISIS, WEN JIABAO'S EUROPE TRIP

UNCLAS BEIJING 000237 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 SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: FINANCIAL CRISIS, WEN JIABAO'S EUROPE TRIP -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. FINANCIAL CRISIS "U.S. sways Iran to deal with Taliban" The official popular newspaper Beijing Youth Daily (Beijing Qingnianbao) (01/30): "Senior U.S. officials have recently extended an olive branch to Iran seeking cooperation on the situation in Afghanistan. The two countries have common interests in containing Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Analysts believe that the possible cooperation is subject to a number of factors that make it difficult to realize. The U.S.'s friendly gesture to Iran is closely related to the Afghanistan situation. U.S. Defense Secretary Gates takes the war in Afghanistan as the biggest military challenge for the U.S. military. ...American analysts believe that even if Iran agrees to cooperate with the U.S., such cooperation will be based on Iran's own interests. Analysts also point out that President Obama is deliberately trying to change former President Bush's policies and adopt a new approach on Iran. However, Obama will not be able to make substantial adjustments to Iran policy given U.S. strategic interests and limited cooperation with Iran." ¶2. WEN JIABAO'S EUROPE TRIP "Wen Jiabao's visit to Europe conveys China's confidence to the world" The Beijing-based newspaper sponsored by official intellectual publication Guangming Daily and Guangdong Provincial official publication Nanfang Daily The Beijing News (Xin Jing Bao) (01/30): "The Premier's European trip has conveyed China's confidence to the world and China's opinion to restructure the world. In the Davos Economic Forum, China has conveyed China's confidence to beat the global financial crisis. China insists on 'first managing well its own economy.' China's stance may have frustrated certain countries eager to seek money from China and sell goods to China. However, it is beneficial for slowing down the speed of financial crisis. In mentioning China's opinion, Premier Wen stressed opposing trade protectionism, increasing developing countries' voices in international financial organizations and strengthening international financial supervision. In addition to China's confidence and opinion, Premier Wen has also had broad exchanges with various European leaders. He has signed a series of cooperation documents. This shows that China has started to actively promote a new global economic order and has tried to achieve a certain balance between its economic RELATIONS with Europe and its RELATIONS with the U.S. The substance of the trip has transcended economic matters to include a POLITICAL dimension." PICCUTA