MEDIA REACTION: CHINA'S MILITARY EXPENSES, U.S. POLICY,

UNCLAS BEIJING 000588 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: CHINA'S MILITARY EXPENSES, U.S. POLICY, NATO -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. CHINA'S MILITARY EXPENSES "China's military officer talks about China's defense budget" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(03/06): "Recently, China announced that it will increase its defense budget by 14.9%. This arouses great suspicions from Western media and scholars. Chinese PLA officers have said that these doubts are connected with the various standards concerning the calculation of military expenses by different countries. The deeper reason lies in the lack of POLITICAL mutual trust. A Chinese officer further explained the reasons why China has increased its defense budget. China still faces threats of territorial separation, like the independence of Taiwan and Tibet, and Eastern Turkish extremists, etc. The increased defense budget has also been used to fill up last year's expenses, outside the budget, which were used during emergencies and incidents. What's more, the increased budget is mainly used to improve the income and benefits of military officers and soldiers. The expenses for the development of nuclear weapons, the U.S. counts as a part of its defense budget and a part of the energy department's budget. The Chinese's defense budget is not counted this way. What's more, the Chinese military's expenses also include fees for civilian positions in the military, for example relocating them after demobilization." ¶2. U.S. POLICY "Americans should also be cautious with their words" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(03/06): "A small local newspaper, the New York Post, recently issued a cartoon involving a chimpanzee as a way to show the irony of Obama. During the Bush administration, various U.S. media outlets compared Bush with a gorilla. However, in this administration it is different. The reason for this is, the cartoon is in breach of the U.S.' POLITICAL correctness. 'Political correctness' is a balance between freedom of speech and social interests; it ensures cultural, social, moral and public order in U.S. society. POLITICAL correctness has influenced school education, the can be no criticism against government, religion, different races and no obscene language, etc. In this way, POLITICAL correctness interferes in academic freedom and freedom of speech. It also influences various aspects of the American people's daily life. This White-people's newspaper can mock Bush, the White President, but mocking Obama triggers the sensitive nerves of the American people. Thus cautious speaking and actions are important in American society." ¶3. NATO "What does it mean that NATO wants to take a route through China?" The China Radio International sponsored newspaper World News Journal (Shijie Xinwenbao)(03/06): "Because NATO has always treated China as a potential opponent, NATO's request to open a supply line at the China-Afghanistan border has shocked many people. The reports on China-NATO RELATIONS have shown that the U.S. and Europe may actually be changing their tactics concerning their China strategies. The reports have also manifested various new thoughts concerning the U.S. and Europe on their China-Russia strategic partnership. All the facts have proved that the current international situation has been increasingly changing due to the financial crisis. Under the crisis, all countries seek to maximize their own interests. Exploring new combinations of power countries has become a general trend in today's international relations. Thus it is reasonable that NATO has requested to pass through China in order to send supplies to Afghanistan." PICCUTA