MEDIA REACTION: MEETING THE DALAI LAMA, ARMS SALES TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000290 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: MEETING THE DALAI LAMA, ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. MEETING THE DALAI LAMA a. "Obama insists on meeting the Dalai Lama; Sino-U.S. RELATIONS are drastically cooling down" The Shanghai-based Shanghai Media Group (SMG) publication, China Business News (Diyi Caijing)(02/03)(pg A5): "Zhang Zhi-rong, professor of Tibetan Studies at Beijing University, said that the central government has been in contact and talked with the private representative of the Dalai Lama for several years. It shows that the door to negotiation has been widely open to him. The Dalai's separatist attempt will not succeed. All his overseas activities will only raise his own worth and will benefit him. One of the reasons that Obama insists on meeting with the Dalai is domestic political pressure. In the opinion of U.S. conservatives and some industrial unions, for the past year, Obama has been overly pro-China. For the sake of the mid-term elections, his meeting with the Dalai could help Obama build an image where his is 'not giving in to China.' The U.S. may issue or not issue a formal invitation to the Dalai Lama for a visit to the United States. This may be used as a bargaining chip for other trade-offs, such as the arms sales to Taiwan and trade issues. In a sense, this potential invitation [to the Dalai Lama] is 'diplomatic blackmail.' Once this 'blackmail' fails, the U.S. will turn to a tougher stance on these issues. 'Using Tibet to contain China' has always been a tactic of the United States when it is imposing its 'soft containment' of China. These recent events suggest that the Sino-U.S. relationship has now entered a dangerous 'Ice Age.'" b. "China opposes Obama-Dalai meeting" The official English-language newspaper China Daily (02/04) (Front Page): "Simmering tensions between China and the United States since the beginning of the year ratcheted up another notch yesterday, with Beijing warning Washington that a meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama would further sour ties between the two global powers. Analysts said it remains to be seen how far each country would go down that road, and when it is time to put on the brakes as the two are in dire need of each other. 'Beijing is sure to take some concrete measures to fight back, which are not clear so far. But the two sides must have weighed the consequences prior to announcing any measure,' Niu Xinchun, an expert on U.S. studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told China Daily. Yuan Peng, head of U.S. studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, was quoted by Reuters as saying the response from Beijing would be tougher than Washington anticipates. 'China wants to change the rules of the game,' Yuan said. 'Though the U.S. has previously sold weapons to Taiwan and (previous U.S. presidents have) met the Dalai Lama, this time there'll be true cursing and retaliation.' But unlike Sarkozy, Obama is set to meet the Dalai Lama discreetly, Niu said. Gong Li, director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies at the Central Party School, said China is not seeking a complete halt in bilateral relations, showing constraint in its retaliatory measures instead of reacting hysterically such as selling the U.S. bonds. Gong also said that the U.S may also be testing how far it could push China. 'If China doesn't react strongly, F16s might be next on the arms sale list to Taiwan.'" ¶2. ARMS SALES TO Taiwan "Obama rejects China's warning" The People's Daily-sponsored and internationally-focused commercial news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(02/04)(pg 1): "On February 2 and 3, both Washington and Beijing retaliated, putting each other in tough positions [on Taiwan arms sale]. Experts said not to expect either country to step away from its stance. Jin Canrong from the People's University of China said that China's resolute stance is to make the United States clear concerning China's bottom line. On many occasions, the strengths of China and the United States are balanced. However, it is impossible for the United States to continue using its old ways to deal with China. The effects of the Dalai issue will mix with the influence of the Google incident and arms sales to Taiwan to impact Sino-U.S. relations. The pressures from within China, among netizens, are growing concerning these issues. If Chinese netizens are incensed, the result will be serious. Although the United States is happy to see the growing numbers of Chinese netizens and the broadening degree of the Chinese society's freedom; it seems like the U.S. can't handle the effect of these changes in China. China will not compromise on issues concerning its core interests. Its reaction to the arms deal is reasonable. It is predicted that, this year, Sino-U.S. RELATIONS will encounter continuous ups and downs." BEIJING 00000290 002 OF 002 HUNTSMAN