CHINA DEMARCHED REGARDING JANUARY 2010 MISSILE

S E C R E T BEIJING 000079 NOFORN SIPDIS GENEVA FOR CD DELEGATION DEPT FOR EAP/CM E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2035 TAGS: PARM PREL MCAP TSPA CH SUBJECT: CHINA DEMARCHED REGARDING JANUARY 2010 MISSILE INTERCEPT FLIGHT TEST REF: A. STATE 2634 ¶B. BEIJING 72 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1.4 (a),(d),(e) and (g). ¶1. (S) PolMinCouns delivered ref A demarche and non-paper posing several questions regarding China's January 11 ground-based missile intercept test to MFA Arms Control and Disarmament Department Director General Cheng Jingye on January 13. Referring to the Xinhua news announcement made "the same day of the test" as well as the MFA spokesperson's January 12 remarks on the topic (ref B),Cheng maintained that the test was "defensive in nature, not targeted at any specific country," and "consistent with China's national defense policy." Further, the test did "not leave any debris in space or create a threat to spacecraft in orbit." Cheng noted that the MFA spokesperson's January 12 remarks (see para 3) answered, if roughly, many of the U.S. questions. ¶2. (S) Cheng described the Xinhua announcement and the spokesperson's statement as demonstrations of "China's commitment to increase military transparency." On the question of what the test indicated about China's missile defense policy, Cheng said, "China's position on missile defense is unchanged," namely that China was "not in favor of ballistic missile defense that negatively affects the global strategic security balance." Cheng said he would pass on the questions in the non-paper and "see what further information could be provided." ¶3. (U) MFA spokesperson's January 12 remarks: "On January 11, China conducted a test of anti-missile technology within its territory. The test did not leave any debris in space and was of no threat to any spacecraft in orbit. It was defensive in nature and not aimed at any country. China's pursuit of a peaceful development path was in accordance with its right to preserve its territorial integrity." End remarks. HUNTSMAN