TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS,

UNCLAS TOKYO 000307 SIPDIS STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS, U.S. DIPLOMACY IN MIDDLE EAST, AND AFGHANISTAN ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Lead items on Wednesday morning included President Obama's approval of the federal government's loan guarantee intended to underwrite the construction of two nuclear power plants in Burke County, Georgia. ¶2. "U.S., China Looking for New Approaches to Each Other" Concerning the recent strain in Sino-U.S. relations over such issues as U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and Google censorship, the liberal Asahi editorialized (2/17): "There is no guarantee that the previous cycle leading from strain to coordination to rapprochement will be repeated again. This is because China's presence and influence are rapidly growing on the economic, military, and diplomatic fronts. The fact that China declared sanctions on U.S. corporations that export weapons to Taiwan reflected a change in attitude by the Chinese. The idea that China is the trump card that will ensure the growth of the world economy is prevalent within the international community. However, the international community should not hesitate to criticize problems facing China." ¶3. "U.S. Eyeing Sanctions by Coalition of Willing" A Washington correspondent for the top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri stated (2/17): "In order to achieve a breakthrough in the Iranian nuclear development issue, the Obama administration is launching a 'two-pronged strategy' by seeking a resolution at the UN Security Council while eyeing separate sanctions by the coalition of the willing. On top of Secretary of State Clinton's visit to Saudi Arabia, Vice President Biden has decided to travel to the Middle East. Washington has embarked on an unusual diplomatic offensive, with a number of senior Obama administration officials touring the region separately in order to tighten the noose around Iran." ¶4. "President Obama Finally Achieves Major Accomplishment" On the detention by U.S. and Pakistani intelligence authorities of a top Taliban official in Pakistan, the liberal Asahi wrote from Washington (2/17): "The detention can be called a major accomplishment in the Obama administration's war on terrorism, enabling it to deflect Republican criticism of President Obama's counterterrorism measures being too weak.... The detention backs up the comment made by Vice President Biden that President Obama is waging war on al-Qaeda with more vigor than ever before." ROOS