VZCZCXRO7011
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHBJ #2179/01 1641224
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 131224Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8775
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 012179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2021 
TAGS: PREL PINS PM CH TW
SUBJECT: ASD RODMAN-MFA HE YAFEI MEETING: LOOKING FOR 
CONVERGENCE AND ENGAGEMENT 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David Sedney. 
Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) China maintains a positive view of relations with 
the United States in the aftermath of Chinese President Hu 
Jintao's April visit to Washington, Assistant Foreign 
Minister He Yafei told Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter 
Rodman.  AFM He characterized the United States and China 
as stakeholders and constructive partners.  The two 
militaries are having more exchanges which form an 
important part of the overall relationship.  China will 
send observers to the Pacific "Valiant Shield" military 
exercise.  AFM He warned that Chen Shui-bian could be 
desperate because of his domestic problems and both the 
United States and China need to be alert to the Taiwan 
situation.  ASD Rodman said that the more convergence there 
is of U.S.-China strategic interests, the more stability 
there is to the relationship.  The lack of Chinese 
participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue and Asia-Pacific 
Center for Security Studies courses is a missed 
opportunity.  AFM He indicated Beijing's unhappiness with 
the China Military Power Report.  ASD Rodman pointed out 
the objective and factual nature of the Report and its 
mandate to address developments in the Chinese military. 
ASD Rodman said that influence in Central Asia is not a 
zero-sum game.  AFM He said China is not aiming to 
undermine the United States in Central Asia.  End Summary. 
 
Chart a Cooperative Course (But Watch Out for Taiwan) 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman met 
July 9 with MFA Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei in 
Beijing following the eighth U.S.-China Defense 
Consultative Talks (DCTs).  AFM He assessed that bilateral 
relations remain very positive following the April 2006 
Bush-Hu summit.  The most important achievement of the 
visit is that the two heads of state understand how to 
chart the course of cooperative relations in the future. 
The United States and China are not only "stakeholders"-- 
the term coined by the U.S. Government--but also 
constructive partners.  Differences still exist between the 
United States and China in fields such as trade and human 
rights, but they are now being addressed through dialogue. 
For the next few years, bilateral ties are on the right 
course, AFM He affirmed. 
 
¶3.  (C) Exchanges and talks between the two militaries have 
improved as part of the strengthening of the overall 
relationship, AFM He continued.  China was encouraged by 
President Bush's statement seeking improved junior military 
officer exchanges during his June 5 meeting with a visiting 
Chinese civil service delegation in Washington.  China 
welcomes its opportunity to observe the first Western 
Pacific "Valiant Shield" military exercise and will 
dispatch military and MFA officials to attend. 
 
¶4.  (C) Turning to Taiwan, AFM He declared that "we must be 
alert" to possible provocations because Chen Shui-bian 
"could be desperate" to divert attention from his domestic 
problems. 
 
¶5.  (C) ASD Rodman said that he was in overall agreement 
with having more discussions and exchanges.  The two sides 
have differences on some regional and strategic issues, but 
this makes dialogue all the more important; the more 
convergence there is of strategic interests, the more 
stability to the relationship. 
 
Looking for China in Shangri-La and Hawaii 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (C) The International Institute for Strategic Studies 
(IISS)-sponsored "Shangri-La Dialogue" in Singapore is an 
example of an inclusive forum for regional defense 
ministers, Rodman said.  China could benefit from 
participating in such fora.  In Defense Secretary 
Rumsfeld's view, China's participation would be useful, 
Rodman said. 
 
¶7.  (C) Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) 
courses in Hawaii are another example of an exchange where 
China is absent, ASD Rodman stated.  APCSS has invited 
Chinese military and civilian officials to attend its 
courses but China refuses to send representatives because 
the United States invites Taiwan participants.  ASD Rodman 
stated that the United States would not change its policy 
on whom to invite to APCSS courses, but he believed the 
problem was soluble; a practical way could be found to 
ensure that Chinese and Taiwan participants would not be 
forced to encounter one another.  AFM He said that China 
could resume attending if there were no participation by 
Taiwan.  Beijing could explore different options for 
sending participants, AFM He said, noting that he had 
visited APCSS for discussions. 
 
China Military Power Report 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) AFM He commented that Beijing was "very unhappy" 
with the 2006 Annual Report to Congress on Military Power 
of the People's Republic of China.  The Report reflected 
the "China threat" mentality and seemed out of line with 
positive comments by U.S. officials on China, he asserted. 
ASD Rodman pointed out that the Report is required annually 
by Congress and that the tone is dry, factual and reflects 
coordinated U.S. Government input.  Deputy Secretary 
Zoellick referred favorably to last year?s report in his 
speech on China last September. Lack of transparency 
continues to be a key concern for the United States and 
others in the region so the Report satisfies a need for 
more information.  Bringing together drafters of the U.S. 
Report and the PRC biennial Defense White Paper could be 
useful, as MG Zhang Qinsheng had suggested in the DCT.  AFM 
He stated that a "weaker" military has to limit some of its 
transparency. 
 
SCO/Central Asia 
---------------- 
 
¶9.  (C) ASD Rodman raised U.S.-China interests in Central 
Asia, pointing out that relations with Central Asia are not 
a zero-sum game and the U.S. is concerned about pressures 
on some of the smaller members of the Shanghai Cooperative 
Organization (SCO).  AFM He asserted that the United States 
should not be concerned about the development of the SCO. 
China does not seek to undermine the United States in Asia, 
including Central Asia, he said.  The SCO was setup to 
combat international terrorism, national separatism and 
religious extremism, and although it has expanded its 
activities as a measure of its success, it is not targeted 
at any third country.  Iranian President Ahmedinejad will 
attend the SCO summit as an observer, but has pledged not 
to use the event to advance Iran's political objectives on 
issues unrelated to the SCO, AFM He claimed. 
 
¶10. (U) ASD Rodman has reviewed and cleared this cable. 
 
RANDT