MEDIA REACTION: U.S. POLICY, NORTH KOREA, CHINA-JAPAN

UNCLAS BEIJING 002863 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. POLICY, NORTH KOREA, CHINA-JAPAN RELATIONS -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. U.S. POLICY "Looking into the hidden truth about Obama's first Asia trip" Elite Reference (Qingnian Cankao),a newspaper affiliated with the official Communist Youth League China Youth Daily (10/13)(pg 14): "On Obama's first trip to Asia, his attendance at the U.S.-ASEAN summit in Singapore is meant to show the U.S.'s return to East Asia in all aspects and it indicates the fact that East Asia plays important role in Obama's new diplomacy. He will stay in China for three days, the longest stay during his visit to Asia. However, why does not Obama visit Indonesia, his step-father's hometown? The U.S. and Indonesia have not reached an agreement on establishing a bilateral strategic partnership. The Indonesia-U.S. relationship has not yet been raised to a strategic level. At the same time, Obama realizes that currently there is strong anti-U.S. sentiment in Indonesia, so he may wish to wait and visit later. Obama may visit Indonesia next year to establish a strategic partnership, which will have far-reaching influence on U.S.-East Asia relations. Better relations with Indonesia, a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, can help the U.S. to improve its image in the Muslim world and may help in resolving the Afghanistan and Israel-Palestine issues for the U.S." ¶2. NORTH KOREA "The U.S. media believes North Korea is not a paper tiger" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(10/14)(pg 16): "The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said that China believes the launch of five short-range missiles by North Korea will not impact steps to alleviate the situation on the Korean peninsula. Dai Xu, a Chinese military expert, said that North Korea is only conducting regular military activities to show its independence and to express its feelings, which reveals the complexity of the North Korea nuclear issue. The launch will not negatively impact the international situation. Lu Chao at Liao Ning Academy of Social Science believed that North Korea was not purposefully trying to increase tension. North Korea's motive may have been to demonstrate its might to South Korea, however the timing of the missile launch is odd and makes people wonder about North Korea's true motive." ¶3. CHINA-JAPAN RELATIONS "It is very important for China to maintain good relations with multiple Japanese parties to promote a strategic and mutually beneficial Sino-Japanese relationship" Guangdong 21st Century Publishing Company Ltd.'s business newspaper 21st Century Business Herald (21Shiji Jingji Baodao)(10/14)(pg 3): "Lu Yaodong, deputy director of the department of Japanese studies at China Academy of Social Science, commented that the Communist Party of China has been dedicated to developing good relations with Japanese political parties, both the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan, whether in office or not, and has successfully established formal exchange systems with both. Maintaining good relations with multiple Japanese parties is very important for pushing forward a strategic and mutually beneficial China-Japan relationship. Professor Sun Zhongtao, at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, said that Japan is the only victim of nuclear weapons in the 20th century; therefore, it is understandable that Japanese politicians consciously promote a nuclear-free world. However, China is different from Japan which is under the protection of U.S. nuclear umbrella, and needs to have the most basic nuclear deterrent force. Therefore, nuclear disarmament is not an issue for China." HUNTSMAN