MEDIA REACTION: Obama's Nuclear Speech, North Korea,

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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: Obama's Nuclear Speech, North Korea,
U.S-China relations

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Editorial Quotes
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1. Obama's Nuclear Speech

"Obama's 'nuclear weapon-free world' is easier said than done"

The official Communist Party international news publication
Guangming Daily(Guangming Ribao) (04/07): Calls for a nuclear-free
world existed for a long time before President Obama talked about it
in his speech. There are several concerns when America calls for a
"nuclear weapon-free world". First, the current international
nonproliferation regime and the post-war nuclear deterrence strategy
can no longer secure America's safety. Second, there are more
countries having nuclear weapons along with a lack of nuclear
safeguard technologies, which increase the risks of accidents,
mistakes, and unauthorized use of nuclear weapons. Third, the
maintenance and development of strategic nuclear weapons is very
expensive, but there is little chance to put these weapons into real
use during a war. Because of the advanced technology in making
nuclear weapons, quantity is not the key point to win in a war.
Accuracy and killing capacity are more crucial. Finally, America's
conventional weapons are more advanced than any country in the
world. Even if the world is free of nuclear weapons the U.S. can
still be the leader in the military arena.

This proposal may not gain full support from Congress. It should be
stressed that Obama's Administration has been emphasizing that
before the "nuclear-free" goal is met, U.S. should maintain its
"powerful nuclear deterrence".


2. North Korea

"North Korea denies 'failure of missile launch'"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (04/07): China's attitude towards the DPRK's
launch attracts the world's attention. Chinese experts and
researchers think that calling the DPRK's launch "the biggest
threat" is an overreaction. Chinese aeronautical expert Pang Zhihao
says that it is complicated to define whether the DPRK launched a
missile or satellite. Moreover, only the U.S. has the advanced
technology and equipment to monitor whether DPRK has successfully
launched it into space or not. Professor Zhu Feng from
International Strategy Research Center of Peking University says
that if it is a satellite, there is no need to discuss cracking down
on the DPRK, because each country has the right to peacefully
utilize outer space. But if the DPRK launched a missile, it is
against the UN resolution.

Yang Bojiang, deputy of Japan research in Chinese Institute of
Contemporary International Relations, believes that it is
unrealistic to pass new sanctions towards DPRK at the UNSC. Tough
policies towards North Korea won't benefit the safety and
stabilization of North East Asia and neither do they help resolve
the nuclear issues in the DPRK. He also says that it's not
appropriate to condemn China for failing to meet all its obligations
in the "Six Party Talks". The "Six Party Talks" are about "DPRK
nuclear" issues not DPRK missiles or satellites. By expressing such
a statement, western countries want China to put more pressure on
the DPRK. China will not change its diplomatic independence because
of pressure from the U.S. and Japan.


3. U.S-China relations

"China-U.S. relations entering a strategic fast track - the London
agreement achieved by the two leaders made the strategic partnership
only one step away"

The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao) (04/06):
Bilateral relations are transforming from security-oriented to
comprehensive interdependence. Unlike the previous
security-oriented relationship, in this comprehensive interdependent
relation, none of the problems are a single aspect that can change
the overall U.S.-China relationship, including economic, military,
and political issues. Therefore, the general U.S.-China relations
are not likely to suffer fluctuations.

There are reasons for us to keep optimistic about the future
development of U.S.-China relations. The most important one is that
under the current global financial crisis, the U.S. and China have
to put economic recovery as the first topic of discussion. Compared
with economic cooperation, military cooperation is much more
difficult where hostility is easy to appear. But because of the
easing of Taiwan issues, it can be foreseen that there is a lot of
space and less difficulty for military cooperation. Moreover, the

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new liberalism in the Obama Administration helps to reduce the
"China threat theory" within the U.S. So the current domestic and
international situation has provided better opportunities to further
develop the U.S.-China relations. However opportunities are one
thing, outcomes are another. If the two can rationally judge their
power or interests that is not an easy thing to do.

WEINSTEIN