MEDIA REACTION: INTERNET FREEDOM, CHINA POLICY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000230 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: INTERNET FREEDOM, CHINA POLICY -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. INTERNET FREEDOM a. "The White House started the 'Internet War' to prepare for elections" The official Communist Youth League China Youth Daily (Zhongguo Qingnianbao)(01/28)(pg 2): "The Chinese people are a little confused by the fact that an unprecedented 'Internet War' is occurring when U.S.- China relations are healthy. The United States' goal is by no means to save Google but to prepare for the 2010 Congressional elections. President Obama and the Democratic Party have paid special attention to the Congressional election since they already lost points on a number of domestic issues. Obama is facing a dilemma. Only by switching the focus can Obama obtain the encouraging morale he needs to welcome in the next Congressional elections. According to the United States' political tradition, whenever they're experiencing domestic conflict, they will always look for China's flaws. Thus, when the Google incident broke out, it is not strange that President Obama and Secretary Clinton both issued such high-profile criticisms against China. The election campaign is the United States' domestic affair and other countries should not get involved. Also, manipulating the Internet issue and criticizing China is not a decent move." b. "Chinese Internet users need to be fought over" The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(01/28)(p 17): "On January 22, the U.S. Embassy in China invited more than 40 famous Chinese bloggers, including the anti-CNN webmaster Rao Jin, for a discussion on Internet freedom. As the Olympic torch relay incident happened in 2008, and when Western media was spreading false news on the Tibet issue, it was the anti-CNN, who represents the grassroots of Chinese Internet users and revealed the truth, which hit the Western media head-on. The U.S. Embassy's seminar happened at a subtle time; while the Google incident is escalating. From whatever point of view, it looks like a well-planned battle for the network public's opinion. It is an unprecedented and networked diplomatic battle, which highlights the Obama administration's new foreign policy style. President Obama, historically, has been the most successful official when battling for the network public's opinion. He has dominated online discourse and realized his political goals via the Internet. This is not the first time that Chinese Internet users experienced the United States' diplomatic battle in person. An 'online briefing' was held concerning Obama's visit to China last year. At the seminar, American diplomats were modest and sincere when talking to grass-root Chinese Internet users. After the seminar, Rao Jin also said that, in comparison, the Chinese government has never once invited anti-CNN. Chinese officials are supposed to put out more effort in winning over Internet users. Of course, Chinese Internet users, like Rao Jin, won't easily be won over by a few U.S. Embassy sponsored seminars. However, before this newest battle with the U.S., China's foreign departments seemed to lack any new thought or method to deal with this type of scuffle. Although the Chinese government sternly responded to Secretary Clinton's speech on Internet Freedom, in the process, it seems that the Chinese Internet and Chinese Internet users, whom the sword of the United States was actually aimed at, have been forgotten. A non-traditional diplomatic battle, a first in the Internet era, should first break old diplomatic concepts. This network diplomacy needs to break down the boundaries of 'official' and 'non-official,' 'internal' and 'external,' as well as the differences among various departments, but fully respect Chinese individual's wisdom, becoming conscious of information transparency and sharing." ¶2. CHINA POLICY "The impact of China's economic adjustment measures on the world" The People's Daily-sponsored and internationally-focused commercial news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(01/28)(pg 1): "Although China's macroeconomic policies impact the world in an unprecedented way, the world's concern about their impact seems to be exaggerated. Some Westerners accused China, suggesting that its adjustment polices in order to shrink its economic stimulus plan was 'irresponsible' and 'will slow down the world's economic recovery.' This shows that it's difficult for China to be the 'good person.' Zhang Yansheng, director of Foreign Economic Research Institute at China National Development and Reform Commission, said that China has recovered from the crisis while the United States and Europe are still sick. China could help them to recover by increasing China's imports; however it won't continue to heal along with them. Zhou Shijian, the senior researcher at Qinghua University, said that China's macroeconomic policy is receiving increasing attention from the Chinese people. More than at any time before, China's BEIJING 00000230 002 OF 002 macroeconomic policy is attracting more attention from neighboring countries and the world. However, the reaction to China's macroeconomic policy adjustment, in either China's stock market or other countries' stock market, has usually been exaggerated. But it is ridiculous to say that China's economic policy is dragging the world down. The West is interfering in China's macroeconomic policy-making. Mr. Zhang also said that maintaining a healthy Chinese economy will benefit the world. China has devoted a great deal in helping the world emerge from the crisis. Being able to influence the world's price index and become the backbone of the global economy suggests that China has become a power country." HUNTSMAN