VZCZCXRO6440
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0530 0610943
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020943Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2590
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 000530 
 
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: OPRC KMDR CH
 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: DEFENSE TALKS, WTO, U.S.-JAPAN-CHINA 
RELATIONS 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. DEFENSE TALKS 
 
"No barriers to U.S.-China military exchanges have been removed" 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication 
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(3/02): "In the 
military exchanges, the U.S. is more interested in obtaining 
specific military information about China, but is hesitating on 
core-interest issues that concern China.  The bilateral military 
relations prospect is not optimistic.  Qian Lihua, Foreign Affairs 
Office Director of China's Defense Ministry, said China agrees to 
have defense talks with the U.S. based on the big picture of the 
bilateral relations.  However, the resumption and development of 
bilateral military relations still has a long way to go and no 
obstacles ahead have yet been removed.  The relations have been 
developing for three decades, but lack a common principle that both 
parties can agree upon. The two would better to reach a common view 
on the principles as soon as possible.  America's 'China Military 
Power Report' has an obvious Cold War mentality.  Chinese experts 
commenting on the U.S. attitude on the talks said that the U.S. 
always acts in this way.  On the one hand, stick with the One-China 
Policy; on the other hand, obey the 'Taiwan Relations Act.'  Until 
the U.S. takes actual action, China will not agree to have 
high-level defense negotiation." 
 
¶2. WTO 
 
"The 'theory of collapse' is haunting the WTO" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(3/02): "These days, the WTO is facing a 
crisis of survival.  Various quarrels and contradictions caused by 
the financial crisis have made the WTO Director General ineffective 
and no one wants to compete for the position of the next Director 
General.  People believe that the most important reason is that the 
WTO is incapable of preventing Western countries' protectionist 
measures.  Since there is not yet an organization to replace the WTO 
right now, it is unlikely to disappear.  But the WTO risks becoming 
an ineffective organization.  The WTO itself has also felt unable to 
coordinate among countries.  No candidate wants to receive this hot 
potato.  Within the WTO, because of the comparative strengths of the 
various members, the situation is developing in an unbeneficial 
direction for the U.S.  Thus, the U.S. and Europe have shifted focus 
to more beneficial bilateral, or regional, trade agreements. A 
British scholar indicated that Western member countries who use the 
WTO to realize low costs and high benefits have become too afraid to 
move forward nowadays." 
 
¶3. U.S.-JAPAN-CHINA RELATIONS 
 
"Offsides in Cold War history" 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication 
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(3/02): "Since 
1951, the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty has been a defense agreement 
based on an obvious Cold War mentality.  In 2005, the new Security 
Protection Declaration clearly changed the main target from the 
former-Soviet Union to China and North Korea.  After the Cold War 
ended, the mentality of the two countries did not turn to dialogue 
and cooperation.  On the contrary, the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty 
has extended the scope to security conflicts in Northeastern Asia, 
and even within China's sovereignty.  Today, Japan included the 
Diaoyu Islands issue in the Security Treaty again.  It is not only 
'offsides' for the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty but also 'offsides' 
for the Cold War mentality of Northeast Asia security affairs.  Such 
a move has further deteriorated the Diaoyu Islands situation." 
 
PICCUTA