MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA; THE MILITARY IN LATIN AMERICA;

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000114 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL CH AR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA; THE MILITARY IN LATIN AMERICA; 1/30/10 - 2/1/10; BUENOS AIRES SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; U.S.-CHINA; THE MILITARY IN LATIN AMERICA; 1/30/10 - 2/1/10; BUENOS AIRES SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. China's threats to suspend its military ties with the U.S. and to impose sanctions on U.S. companies selling weapons to Taiwan received wide coverage over the weekend. Opinion articles highlighted U.S.-Chinese interdependence and their need for a strategic partnership based on issues such as North Korea, Iran's nuclear program, Chinese financing of U.S. debt, and China's access to U.S. markets. Pro-government, left-leaning Buenos Aires Econ????mico reports on the loss of U.S. economic and political influence in Asia in favor of China. Largest circulation daily Clar????n warns that China's censorship of Google could become a cyber-war. A professor of International Relations wrote for business-financial El Cronista criticizing the American policy of militarizing the war on drugs. End summary. A TOUGH INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA -------------- ¶2. Leading circulation Clar????n and daily-of-record La Naci????n carry opinion pieces noting the interdependence of the U.S. and China and that their relationship is marked by mutual distrust as well as a need for a strategic partnership. Under the headline "An arm-wrestling between strategic adversaries," Sergio Cesar????n, a member of the Council of S&T Research (CONICET),highlighted that although the U.S.-Taiwan weapons plan and China's reaction are not something new, the speed with which China is developing its nuclear arsenal, which could turn it into a threat to U.S. prevalence by mid-century, the Chinese blockade on multilateral negotiations with North Korea, Iran, and climate change, China's sophisticated space technology development, and the threat posed by Chinese hackers to NATO or the Pentagon's command and control systems are new. http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/01/31/elmun do/i-02130490.htm ¶3. La Naci????n notes that "diplomatically speaking, Washington wants a larger support from China to control North Korea and Iran's nuclear programs" whereas "economically, Beijing needs access to U.S. markets and Washington needs China to continue helping it finance its deficit. Clar????n carries an op-ed piece by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger urging the U.S. and China to attain a common view of the emerging world order after its economic crisis. http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 227920 http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/01/opini on/o-02130987.htm ¶4. Daniel Brunat, on special assignment in Beijing for Clar????n, reported that "China responded with rage to the U.S. announcement that it would provide Taiwan with Patriot missiles, Black hawk helicopters and sophisticated communication systems for its defense." Highlighting that the U.S. Pentagon downplayed the tone of the conflict, the reporter notes that "the real danger for the U.S. is that sanctions could go beyond the military field and also affect the stability of its industry, which is absolutely interconnected with that of the Asian giant. Another risk is that the Chinese society, nationalistic as it is, could boycott U.S. products and culture." http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/01/31/elmun do/i-02130489.htm "CYBER-WAR" -------------- ¶5. In a side-box entitled "Cyber-war," Clar????n notes that a UN spokesperson warned that an international treaty is required to prevent a cyber-attack from becoming a major war, referring to Google's charges that the Chinese government ordered the attacks it has suffered for one month. Following Secretary Clinton's remarks urging an end to Web censorship, China responded by launching its local version of Google and YouTube. http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/01/31/elmun do/i-02130489.htm HAS THE US LOST ITS CLOUT IN ASIA? -------------- ¶6. Pro-government, business-financial Buenos Aires Econ????mico (BAE) claims that what will really boost the ASEAN bloc's economy will be the FTA it signed with China. The article says that while China multiplied by five its trade transactions with the ASEAN bloc during the last 15 years, the U.S. diminished them from 17 to 12% over the same period. Underscoring that Washington preferred to maintain its prevalence in key regions, such as the Middle East, the paper signals that China took advantage of the vacuum of influence in East Asia, and that Washington not only lost economic influence but political allies as well. "THE MILITARY FACTOR IN LATIN AMERICA" -------------- ¶7. Juan Gabriel Tokatlian, professor of International Relations at Universidad Di Tella, wrote for business-financial El Cronista that the U.S. "contradictory messages and erratic practices" in response to the Honduran coup d'????tat could tacitly encourage new coups d'????tat, at least in Central America. Tokatlian adds that the militarization of the war on drugs, which is noticeable throughout Latin America except Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, should be blamed on Washington policies. http://www.cronista.com/notas/219615-el-facto r-militar-america-lati na- To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires MARTINEZ