BEIJING-BASED G-5 CHIEFS OF MISSION ON JAPANESE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 002617 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2029 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF ECON CH FR JA GM UK SUBJECT: BEIJING-BASED G-5 CHIEFS OF MISSION ON JAPANESE ELECTION, CLIMATE CHANGE AND FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR. Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) At the regular meeting of G-5 Ambassadors in Beijing on September 11, Japanese Ambassador Miyamoto stated that while the recent elections in Japan were "significant," he does not expect major changes in Japan's foreign policy. British Ambassador William Ehrman said the United Kingdom was "dismayed" by Premier Wen Jiabao's recent statement on China's unwillingness to comply with carbon emission reduction caps. German Ambassador Michael Schaefer reported that PRC Vice President Xi Jinping will visit Germany in mid-October. French Ambassador Ladsous reported that in a recent Sino-French informal "strategic dialogue," PRC Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi indicated that China was reluctant to see action on UN Security Council reform at the current UNGA. End Summary. Participants -------------- ¶2. (C) French Ambassador Herve Ladsous hosted the DCM, Japanese Ambassador Yuji Miyamoto, German Ambassador Dr. Michael Schaefer and UK Ambassador Sir William Ehrman September 11 for the regular gathering of Beijing-based G-5 Chiefs of Mission. Japanese Elections -------------- ¶3. (C) Ambassador Miyamoto commented that the recent election results in Japan were the "first real change in government" since the 1993 elections. Ambassador Miyamoto described incoming Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, a regular visitor with personal ties to China, as a "man of principle" and a "fundamentalist." He indicated that the full impact of the election results on relations among the United States, China and Japan was unclear, but he did not expect drastic foreign policy changes with the new government. Okada was expected to visit China September 27 to meet with PRC Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. VFM Wu Dawei's visit to Japan -------------- ¶4. (C) Ambassador Miyamoto reported that PRC Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei traveled September 7 - 10 to Japan as China's leading "Japan expert" to oversee initial discussions with the new government on bilateral relations. He added that the substance of the "strategic, mutually beneficial relationship" between the two countries might be "altered." According to Ambassador Miyamoto, VFM Wu did not discuss DPRK security issues with his interlocutors during his trip. Sino-UK relations -------------- ¶5. (C) British Ambassador William Ehrman noted the recent visits to Beijing of Foreign Secretary David Miliband and First Secretary of State Lord Mandelson. He further reported that there were "no surprises" during Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis' recent visit to Tibet and that State Councilor Dai Bingguo was expected to visit the UK in late October. Commenting on bilateral market access as well as cooperation between insurance and banking industries in the UK and China, Ambassador Ehrman reported that PRC Vice Premier Wang Qishan recently approved a merger deal between the Bank of China and Standard Life Insurance. Copenhagen and Climate Change -------------- ¶6. (C) Touching on climate change issues and the December 2009 UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Ambassador Ehrman commented that China did not support specific numerical caps on carbon emissions, calling them "unrealistic". The UK was dismayed by PRC Premier Wen Jiabao's recent statements that foreign countries "should not expect" China to abide by proposed treaty limits on emissions by 2020. Ambassador Ehrman questioned China's commitment to dialogue and discussion in Copenhagen, given that the PRC appeared to have already taken a firm policy stance. French BEIJING 00002617 002 OF 002 Ambassador Ladsous disagreed, suggesting that China should make known its environmental position public before the conference. Sino-German relations -------------- ¶7. (C) Ambassador Schaefer reported that around 1,500 visitors from China, including the author Dai Jing, would participate in the October 14-18 Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's largest. The German government was not concerned about problems arising from the possible attendance at the fair by the Dalai Lama, who apparently was a close friend of Frankfurt's provincial governor and transited through the city frequently. Vice President Xi Jinping was expected to arrive in Germany on October 13. Sino)French relations -------------- ¶8. (C) Ambassador Ladsous reported that France and China had just completed their "informal" strategic and economic dialogues. French President Sarkozy's Diplomatic Adviser Jean-David Levitte had led the French side, and in discussions with PRC Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Yang had indicated that China did not support reaching final decisions on UN Security Council reform during the upcoming UN General Assembly (UNGA) and wished to wait until "next time" for a decision. He further noted that PRC President Hu Jintao and President Sarkozy had scheduled bilateral discussions on the margins of UNGA, and that President Hu was expected to visit Paris in 2010, with a return visit by President Sarkozy after the Shanghai World Expo. ¶9. (C) Ambassador Ladsous raised the issue of nuclear power plant security in China. France's Prime Minister Francois Fillon was expected to visit a nuclear power plant in Guangzhou when he visited China. Ambassador Ladsous reported upcoming visits by two senior French financial ministers and French Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo, who planned to visit China toward the end of October. HUNTSMAN