Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BEIJING970
2009-04-13 09:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: U.S. Policy, ASEAN Summit & Protests in

Tags:  OPRC KMDR CH PREL ECON 
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VZCZCXRO8235
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0970/01 1030919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130919Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3400
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000970 

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 PREL ECON

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. Policy, ASEAN Summit & Protests in
Pattaya, Chinese Spying

--------------------
Editorial Quotes
--------------------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000970

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 PREL ECON

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. Policy, ASEAN Summit & Protests in
Pattaya, Chinese Spying

--------------
Editorial Quotes
--------------


1. U.S. POLICY

"For the first time, the U.S. simulates an Economic World War"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/13): The Pentagon simulated a military
drill on the theme of economic security. Many economic experts were
involved in this drill. This simulation was planned before last
September when the financial crisis broke out. The results of the
simulation showed that, in the event of an economic war, America's
power would be seriously weakened while China's power would be
strengthened. A Chinese expert said, "Nobody in China wants to have
an Economic War with the U.S. However, the American military is
simulating this war. They are too aggressive." Niu Xinchun, from
the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told
Global Times on 12th that the major global countries are worried
about an economic war. China and the U.S. are afraid of each other
and they are in a "terrible balancing" situation. China and the
U.S. are closely dependent on each other in the economic field. The
Pentagon's simulation reflects the concerns of some Americans
concerning the U.S-China bilateral economic ties.

Niu thinks that the results of this simulation are not that
convincing, suggesting that it is impossible that China would be the
winner in an economic war. The U.S. and Russia are important trade
partners for China and exporting is the key element of the Chinese
economy. If both America's and Russia's economy encounter troubles,
China's economy will definitely be influenced. This simulation also
indicates that overall the American national security policies are
obviously leaning towards an economic tilt.


2. ASEAN SUMMIT & PROTESTS IN PATTAYA

a. "The multiple reprises [objectives] of Asia"

The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao) (04/13):
Unfortunately, because of Thailand's domestic issue the reprises
[objectives] of the city of Pattaya are postponed. The ASEAN 10+3

summit was considered an important meeting for Asian countries to
jointly self-rescue their economy and rescue others as well. The
opportunity to boost confidence in the Asian economy has been lost.
Fortunately, this opportunity is only delayed and not canceled. The
postponement of this summit has nothing to do with regional
financial integration. The financial crisis has actually pushed the
process of regional financial integration forward. The current
global crisis may bring yet another opportunity. As an area whose
economy has developed the fastest over the past 10 years, East Asia
is bound to carry the responsibilities to rescue its own economy and
others. This obligation will push the cooperation within Asia to a
higher level. Asia lags behind when compared to Western Europe
because their domestic issues stand in the way of their integration.
People still have confidence in Asian countries. Harmonious
dialogue and communication are the only choices for Asia if it wants
to realize regional financial integration.

b. "Thailand Prime Minister is nearly captured by the 'red shirts
army'"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/13): Bangkok is in an emergency
situation. Military tanks are being driven on the streets of
downtown. The situation in Thailand has become more antagonistic.
According to British Returns, the demonstrators nearly captured the
current Thai Prime Minister when they entered into the Department of
Interior. The former Prime Minister, Thaksin, delivered a phone
speech calling more people to attend the demonstrations against the
current government, while the current Prime Minister, Abhisit,
delivered a speech via TV warning the demonstrators against
continuing. Meanwhile, the Thailand police are playing a game where
they are "doing nothing". According to the Global Times reporter,
the relations between police and the demonstrators seem quite
"harmonious". Researcher He Sheng from the Chinese Institute of
Contemporary International Relations thinks that a situation such as
this has never happened in East Asia or in Asia before. An important
international meeting was cancelled because the domestic situation
is out of control. This is a big waste for national and
international resources. This event sets the precedent of ruining
an important summit by violence. It is a warning to every country.
The entirety of East Asia is disappointed about this disturbance.
"It's a pity to postpone the summit....Every attendant of this
summit has regrets and suffers a loss" He Sheng said.

c. "[Focus] Disturbance in Thailand"

BEIJING 00000970 002 OF 002



The Shanghai-based Shanghai Media Group (SMG) publication, China
Business News (Diyi Caijing) (04/13): This disturbance may cost
about 5.7 billion USD for the Thai economy. A financial employee in
Bangkok told CBN [China Business News], "I felt very embarrassed as
a Thai. Canceling this summit destroyed the image of Thailand.
It's not easy to hold a summit....this summit is very important to
the economy,' he continues, 'I think the security should be
strengthened. The army should maintain the steadiness of Thai
situation more efficiently.... We are busy with political power
fights while other countries are striving to stimulate their
economy." The Thai government is a mess. A Thai officer told a CNB
reporter that 'the government has made a lot of efforts for the
financial crisis. But it's hard to tell when and how this political
crisis will stop." A Thai businessman says that Prime Minister
Abhisit has developed a series of stimulus packages to stop the
downturn of the economy. If he resigns, this plan will become
irrelevant; a stable government can play a vital role in domestic
economic recovery. Expert Zhang Xizhen from Peking University told
CBN that this disturbance by the "red-shirts" has seriously impacted
Abhisit's government and brought a negative international image.
Both of these add weight to Abhisit's resignation. However, it's
hard to say that Thaksin is the clear winner. Professor
Pongphaichit from Chulalongkorn University expressed that there were
obstacles for Thaksin's return to Thailand, including the "yellow
shirts army", the King of the Thailand, and his corruption charges.



3. CHINESE SPYING

"Western countries are seriously wrong about the capacity of Chinese
spying"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/13): Recently the criticism concerning
"Chinese spying" is more frequent than the criticism which attacked
the KGB, the Soviet organ of state security, during the Cold War. A
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman responded that these criticisms
are the symptoms of those people affected by the "China Threat"
virus and the "Cold War ghost". A Western intelligence researcher
and a Chinese scholar both think that it is very "unprofessional" to
sensationalize the news concerning Chinese spying activities
[conducted by individuals]. Judging from the global trend,
individual spies are declining.

The exaggeration of a Chinese spy reminds people of the Cold War.
Li Wei from China Institution of Contemporary International
Relations says that this kind of sensationalized news can reflect a
lack of overall knowledge concerning intelligence collecting. The
capacity of China's intelligence collecting is much exaggerated. Li
says that the U.S. used to collect intelligence with the help of
advanced equipment and via blackmail to help American companies gain
contracts. France did similar things. But China has never done
this. Moreover, China doesn't have sufficient capital or the
advanced technology necessary to do so. China's internet also
undergoes attacks.

A Chinese military expert, Dai Xu says that "the U.S. and other
western countries are driven by 'plot theory'. Western countries
threaten others by [releasing] information gained through spying in
order to damage the reputations of other countries." This is the
cheapest and most antagonizing method used between countries. A
Western intelligence researcher thinks that this is just a stubborn
disease from the Cold War era that western countries resist curing.
"The sentiment of the statement: 'Chinese spying' shows that the
biases toward China still exist," says Li, "the most efficient means
to combat it, is to ignore it." Li opines that according to the
published or reliable materials, there are no records of China's
conducting any actions of technical spying. Active spying activities
usually occur when the conflicts between two countries are clear and
obvious. But the relationship between China and other western
countries are currently in a normal phase.

Weinstein