MEDIA REACTION: GOOGLE, CHINA POLICY, THE MIDDLE EAST

UNCLAS BEIJING 000113

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 SENV KGHG KMDR OPRC CH

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: GOOGLE, CHINA POLICY, THE MIDDLE EAST

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


1. GOOGLE

"What on earth does Google want to do?"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(01/15)(pg 14): "Normally commercial companies
like Google will try hard to avoid things like making political
requests to China. Secretary Clinton has criticized China and U.S.
Congressmen have criticized China. The quick change from Google's
original complaint about its server being attacked to requesting
China to canceling its Internet censorship has surprised China. If
Google intends to influence China's political situation and its
social reform process through commercial activities, the nature of
the incident must have been completely different. Chinese society
is quite open at this time and the continuous growth of the Internet
has inspired this growth. However, any openness should have a
certain character and requires a growth process. This time the
cheerleading of the Western media concerning Google's withdrawal
should make the Chinese people vigilant. China welcomes Google to
stay. Without Google, some Chinese people's Internet life will
surely be different. However, Google must make changes if it is to
stay and must get used to China's laws. It is not a big deal if it
insists on withdrawing. The withdrawal is equal to isolating itself
from the Chinese market."


2. CHINA POLICY

"Disaster diplomacy"

Guangdong 21st Century Publishing Company Ltd.'s business newspaper
21st Century Business Herald (21Shiji Jingji Baodao)(01/15)(pg A3):
"Zhang Yun-cheng, former director of the Center for the Study of
Globalization at the China Institute of Contemporary International
Relations, said that these rapid large-scale international relief
operations by the Chinese international rescue team are the first
time since their established. China's quickness has surprised me.
The quick response, when in fact, Haiti has established diplomatic
relations with Taiwan over the last 43 years, and hasn't established
formal diplomatic relations with Mainland China, forms quite a
contrast. China's quick response to the disaster in Haiti, a
country known as 'the American backyard' and 'Taiwan's diplomatic
ally,' may have political considerations. Although there might be
diplomatic factors behind the relief effort, China's high-profile
help to Haiti, shortly after China's Wenchuan earthquake, may also
include repayment for the help and assistance received from all
parties in the past. We hope that China's search and rescue team
would accomplish something in this rescue operation so as to
'establish a good international image.'"


3. THE MIDDLE EAST

"The United States should neither panic nor go mad"

The official Communist Party People's Daily (Renmin Ribao)(01/15)(pg
21): "Since the beginning of 2010, the United States has obviously
stepped up its efforts to promote its Middle East peace process.
Despite the fact that right after he took the office, Obama has
suggested that his primary goal is accomplishing something in the
Middle East peace process through global diplomacy, the
Palestine-Israel issue has been at an impasse after almost a year.
The United States is trying all means possible to promote a formal
negotiation between all concerned parties. No matter how eager the
United States is, peace in the Middle East is a matter between
Palestine and Israel. If the Middle East peace issue can be
flexibly addressed, there will be more hope in dealing with the
Iranian nuclear issue. U.S. Middle East envoy Mitchell's latest
remarks, that the U.S. could freeze Israel's loan guarantee if
Israel fails to promote the peace process, has agitated Israel.
Therefore in the past year, the U.S. could not panic nor go mad."

HUNTSMAN