MEDIA REACTION: U.S. POLITICS, NORTH KOREA, SOUTH CHINA SEA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000754 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: U.S. POLITICS, NORTH KOREA, SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE,HUMAN RIGHTS -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. U.S. POLITICS 'A short honeymoon' 21 Century Business Herald (21Shiji Jingji Baodao) under Guangdong 21 century publishing company Ltd. (03/21): "According to a recent poll, Obama's support rate has dropped by 10% for the past two months. Trade policies brought forward by the Obama administration have inclined strongly towards protectionism. Policies to fight against global warming have not yet taken effect. Domestically, two of the major measures that he has taken, a large economic stimulus plan and a series of bank rescue measures, have both failed to bolster his reputation. A political honeymoon is always short. If Obama cannot meet the high expectations through his actions, the U.S. voters will realize that all his talk is nothing but an illusion. If Obama cannot stop AIG from giving out their bonuses, he will lose the support of the people. However, this is a short sighted trend. If this trend was combined with a real economic downturn, the situation could turn into a severe political crisis. In the past two months, the numbers of people who did not vote for him and yet accept his governance are dropping. This is alarming to Obama whose goal is to seek cross party acceptance." ¶2. NORTH KOREA "North Korea urges Obama to show his 'bottom line'" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(03/23): "North Korea's plan to launch a satellite has been continuously irritating North East Asia. Recently, North Korea detained two American journalists which will make the situation more chaotic. However, North Korea is already being circled by an Aegis warship. North Korea's determination to launch a satellite seems greater than the determination of the U.S. and Japan to intercept the missile. North Korea seems determined to urge Obama to show his final cards. This is a dangerous game, one that China can not remove itself from. Chinese analysts indicate that the interception of a North Korean satellite will bring disastrous damage to regional security. South Korea will be the primary victim, China and other Eastern Asian countries will be next. The Obama administration hopes to conduct pacifying policies on the North Korea issue. It does not yet have a fixed policy on North Korea. The purpose of North Korea's gesture is to try and gain attention from the Obama administration. China has been actively monitoring the issue. China can't be the stopping point. It requires each party to have the willingness to stop the crisis from any further development." ¶3. SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE "China can't be a silent sheep" The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(03/23): "During the diplomatic association concerning the South China Sea dispute, China underperformed in the oral fight. The U.S. criticism against China was relayed by the Pentagon with much detail. However, China's response only used simple diplomatic language. In many occasions, China is not good at telling the world the truth. In this way, China has become a silent sheep. The best way to deal with the U.S. is not to challenge the U.S., but not to surrender either. The U.S. attitude on China is: if I die, you must die even worse than me. China's purchase of American bonds is one example of this. The U.S. acted in a hegemonic way, suggesting that 'You (China) must lend me money and you don't need to know how I will use it.' This is why China should conduct more negotiations with the U.S., bringing up China's own suggestions on reforming the international financial system." ¶4. HUMAN RIGHTS "China - West human rights disputes become more complicated" The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(03/23): "The U.S. and European congresses recently passed Tibet related resolutions. These resolutions, plus the recent U.S.: China Human Rights Report have opened up new human rights campaigns against China. Without any more prominent China related topics or the continuous influence of the financial crisis, the China-West human rights debate will become more sensitive. Currently, developing countries are not in a disadvantageous position concerning conflicts in the UN Human Rights Council. Moreover, due to several human rights scandals in the U.S., the advantages of western and developed countries have been BEIJING 00000754 002 OF 002 weakened. Along with the west's increasing anxieties concerning China's rising, human rights will continue to be their tool to contain and suppress China. The financial crisis has also forced the west to use restraint. To deal with the financial crisis and to increase the economy, the west needs China's help. Western countries have to balance between realistic interests and China's human rights issues. Therefore, the fight between China and western countries concerning human rights issues will become a more and more complicated process." PICCUTA