VZCZCXRO2463
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHBJ #8918/01 1320932
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120932Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5149
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 008918 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC PLEASE PASS WILDER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS CH TW KN JP
SUBJECT: PACOM COMMANDER ADMIRAL FALLON MEETS WITH BEIJING 
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS 
 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) At an upbeat discussion with Beijing 
University students May 11, Pacific Command Commander 
Admiral Fallon underlined that the U.S. military's 
goal in the Asia-Pacific region is to create stable 
conditions that will allow people to prosper and lead 
productive lives.  Iran and Japan were of prime 
concern to the students, who asked several questions 
about each.  On Iran, students inquired about the 
United Nations process and what the United States 
intends to do if Tehran refuses to relinquish its 
nuclear program.  On Japan, a faculty participant 
asked about the changing nature of U.S.-Japan military 
relations.  Admiral Fallon said Iran's actions 
contradict international nonproliferation efforts. 
The United States and other countries are striving to 
persuade Iran that it is in its interest to 
denuclearize.  Meanwhile, the aim of U.S.-Japan ties 
is to advance stability, the Admiral affirmed.  Asked 
what constitutes the biggest challenge to East Asia 
security, Admiral Fallon pointed to historical issues, 
noting that excessive focus on past tragedies hinders 
regional progress.  On U.S.-China relations, one 
student asked about frictions within the U.S. 
Government on China policy.  Interestingly, no one 
asked any questions about Taiwan.  End Summary. 
 
A Receptive Audience 
-------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Admiral Fallon visited the Beijing 
University School of International Studies (SIS) May 
11 for a roundtable discussion with about 30 Chinese 
undergraduate and graduate students.  The participants 
were polite and receptive.  SIS Associate Dean Jia 
Qingguo moderated the event and Professor Han Hua 
attended as well.  The Admiral's opening remarks 
stressed that the U.S. military's goal in the Asia- 
Pacific area is to create stable conditions that will 
allow the region's people to prosper and lead 
productive lives.  He discussed combating terrorism, 
developing rapid responses to natural disasters and 
handling geo-political challenges ranging from 
Southeast Asia to the Indian Subcontinent. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Iran nuclear issue topped the students' 
agenda, with the first questioner, a graduate student 
focusing on the Middle East, asking what the United 
States plans to do if Iran refuses to abandon its 
nuclear program.  Another student followed up with a 
question about the United States' approach to the 
United Nations in the context of Iran.  Admiral Fallon 
emphasized that since the end of the Cold War, the 
international community has been striving to cut the 
number of nuclear weapons in the world, thereby 
reducing the risk of a calamity.  That a country such 
as Iran, hardly a responsible actor on the global 
stage, is contradicting this trend and seeking a 
nuclear arsenal is not in the best interest of the 
international community.  Given the history of 
violence in the Middle East, a nuclear Iran would be 
dangerous.  The United States will continue to work 
hard with other countries in the UN framework and 
beyond to persuade Iran to give up its programs, 
Admiral Fallon stated. 
 
The Perils of History 
--------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) An undergraduate asked what Admiral Fallon 
considers the biggest security challenge facing East 
Asia.  The Admiral pointed to historical issues, 
asserting that excessive focus on past tragedies 
hinders regional progress.  "I'm aware that the 
history of the 1930s and 1940s weighs, but it is a 
different world today," he said.  Mindful of the scars 
of World War II, European countries have grown 
 
BEIJING 00008918  002 OF 003 
 
 
increasingly integrated and work together 
multilaterally, Admiral Fallon observed.  But in the 
Asia-Pacific region, no such trend has emerged. 
Countries still deal with each other one-on-one, 
shying away from working as a group.  The Admiral said 
he and the U.S. Government are prepared to facilitate 
more multilateral cooperation in the region.  The 
United States has already played a positive role. 
After World War II, instead of taking a punitive 
attitude toward Japan, the United States helped the 
country change its political structure and culture. 
The result has been phenomenal economic growth and 
stability from which China has also benefited. 
 
Japan 
----- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Japan figured prominently in a number of 
questions.  SIS Professor Han Hua thanked Admiral 
Fallon for his optimistic remarks but contended that 
many challenges remain in the region.  Of particular 
concern to Han is the changing nature of the military 
relationship between the United States and Japan. 
Will the Japanese constitution be amended to allow for 
more aggressive deployments around the world?  How 
will the U.S.-Japanese global military alliance 
develop?  Meanwhile, another student inquired about 
what the United States would do in the event a 
conflict erupts between Japan and South Korea over the 
disputed Liancourt Rocks. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Admiral Fallon assured the group that U.S. 
cooperation with Japan is meant to foster stability in 
the region and beyond.  He recalled that in a previous 
meeting on this visit, a Chinese official charged that 
Japan's military expenditures are greater than 
China's.  Such concerns are unfounded, the Admiral 
said, explaining that a large percentage of Japan's 
defense spending goes to the United States as part of 
its security arrangement.  In sum, U.S.-Japan 
cooperation has worked well in helping create stable 
conditions for development in East Asia.  As for the 
Liancourts, the Admiral said we would encourage the 
two sides to proceed calmly and reach a fair solution. 
 
U.S.-China Relations 
-------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Turning to U.S.-China bilateral ties, a 
graduate student asked what differences exist among 
the branches and departments of the U.S. Government 
regarding China policy.  For example, do the views of 
military personnel and diplomats differ?  Dealing with 
foreign policy in the U.S. system is a balancing act, 
Admiral Fallon remarked.  There are 535 Members of 
Congress, each of whom has a home constituency that 
views China in its own way.  As such, it is important 
to take individual Members' expressions of contentious 
views in context, the Admiral reasoned.  In the end, 
while a variety of voices chime in on U.S.-China ties, 
there is a method to the formation of policy.  The 
process involves Congressional testimony (which the 
Admiral delivers regularly, he said), the passage of 
laws and other activities.  Admiral Fallon said that 
in his view, the U.S. Government in general is 
interested in having positive relations with China. 
 
Bases and Training 
------------------ 
 
¶8.  (SBU) A finance major in her junior year asked 
about the challenges the United States faces 
maintaining bases in foreign countries, in particular 
when local populations complain about the military 
presence.  She also asked about the scope and focus of 
U.S. training operations with other countries. 
Admiral Fallon specified that the United States has 
bases in just two Asia-Pacific countries, Japan and 
South Korea.  He differentiated between the reasons 
for our presence both countries.  We have remained in 
Japan to provide stability in the aftermath of World 
War II to allow the country to develop.  As for South 
Korea, because an armistice as opposed to a formal 
peace treaty ended hostilities in 1953, our forces 
stay in South Korea to defend the country in case of 
 
BEIJING 00008918  003 OF 003 
 
 
invasion from the North.  Nonetheless, the number of 
troops has diminished considerably in both Japan and 
South Korea in recent years.  Overall, the U.S. 
military has reduced its size by some 50 percent over 
the past 15 years, the Admiral emphasized.  As for 
training, Admiral Fallon noted that in the near future 
the U.S. would conduct training exercises with Asian 
allies in Thailand.  To promote transparency, the PRC 
has been invited as an observer, Admiral Fallon said. 
 
Openness and Transparency 
------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Admiral Fallon used a question about what 
qualities are most important in young people as a 
springboard to urge the students to seek out multiple 
sources of information as they learn about the world. 
The amount of information available via the Internet, 
books and other media is tremendous nowadays, the 
Admiral said.  But students should be skeptics and not 
trust everything they see and hear.  They should seek 
the broadest array of opinions when making decisions. 
In this context, the Admiral went on to make a 
separate point about transparency.  He presented 
Europe as an example, where despite past differences, 
the militaries are open with each other about even 
obscure details such as spending programs.  This has 
allowed them to build confidence and tackle bigger 
challenges.  Similarly, the Admiral urged more 
openness and transparency in the Chinese military. 
This would build confidence with other countries. 
"That way people could relax and move on to more 
important issues," he concluded. 
RANDT