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Viewing cable 07BEIJING1795, MARCH 16 PREMIER WEN JIABAO NPC PRESS CONFERENCE:
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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
07BEIJING1795 | 2007-03-16 15:12 | 2011-08-23 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Beijing |
VZCZCXRO7786
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1795/01 0751512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161512Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5795
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 001795
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM MARR CH JA TW KN
SUBJECT: MARCH 16 PREMIER WEN JIABAO NPC PRESS CONFERENCE:
ASAT/MILITARY SPENDING, TIBET, TAIWAN, JAPAN, HONG KONG,
GROWTH, CAPITAL MARKETS, FOREIGN RESERVES
SUMMARY
-------
¶1. At his March 16 press conference immediately following
conclusion of the National People's Congress (NPC), Premier
Wen Jiabao made the following key points:
-- China's anti-satellite (ASAT) test was neither aimed at
nor threatened any country and did not violate any
international treaties. The PRC's position in support of the
peaceful use of, and opposition to an arms race in, space
remains unchanged.
-- China's security policy is defensive in nature. The PRC
is committed to the path of peaceful development and
maintains a limited military to safeguard China's security,
independence and sovereignty.
-- If Prime Minister Abe's visit to China last October was an
"ice-breaker," Premier Wen hopes his visit to Japan in April
will be an "ice-melter." During the visit, consensus will be
reached on establishing strategic and mutually beneficial
relations. The PRC sympathizes with the Japanese abduction
issue but believes it is an issue between Japan and North
Korea.
-- The "door is always open" to dialogue with the Dalai Lama,
as long as he recognizes that Tibet, and Taiwan, are
inalienable parts of China's territory and abandons his
separatist activities.
-- The PRC firmly opposes Taiwan secessionist activities of
any form, such as promoting "de jure" independence.
-- Democracy, the rule of law, freedom, human rights,
equality and fraternity are not peculiar to capitalism but
are common values of mankind. China will promote political
system reform and build democracy in its own way, according
to its unique national conditions.
Comment: Some 700 journalists attended the Premier's
standing-room-only press conference. Wen broke little new
ground but answered questions for nearly two hours, coming
across as warm, open and well-briefed on a range of issues,
including hard questions on democracy, the Dalai Lama and
China's military spending. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.
Closing the NPC: Focus on the People
-------------------------------------
¶2. At his press conference immediately following the
conclusion of the NPC, Premier Wen began by thanking citizens
across China for their attention to the "Two Meetings" (the
National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)), especially the
more than 10,000 questions posed by "netizens" to the Premier
online. The Premier said he took time to read and consider
some of the questions raised in these online forums. Over
the past four years, the government has learned that all
power of the government is given by the people and all power
belongs to the people; everything it does must be for the
people, it must rely on the people and must attribute all
achievements to the people.
ASAT Test, Military Buildup: Not a Threat
------------------------------------------
¶3. Asked to respond to the seeming contradiction between
China's anti-satellite (ASAT) test and increased military
expenditures with China's self-expressed peaceful rise and
development, Premier Wen said the test was neither aimed at
nor threatened any country and did not violate any
international treaties. The PRC's position in support of the
peaceful use of, and opposition to an arms race in, space
remains unchanged. He called on relevant countries to sign
an agreement on the peaceful use of space at an early date.
China's security policy is defensive in nature. Because of
its geographic position and painful historical experience,
the PRC is committed to the path of peaceful development and
maintains a limited military to safeguard security,
independence and sovereignty. On this matter, China has been
completely transparent.
Dalai Lama: Door for Dialogue "Open," but...
---------------------------------------------
¶4. In response to the question why the Dalai Lama is still
considered a "splittist" by the Chinese government even
though he now claims not to promote Tibetan independence, Wen
Jiabao urged reporters to observe the Dalai Lama's actions
rather than simply his words. The "door is always open" to
BEIJING 00001795 002 OF 003
dialogue with the Dalai Lama, as long as he recognizes that
Tibet, and Taiwan, are inalienable parts of China's territory
and abandons his separatist activities. Nevertheless, Wen
pointed out that the Dalai Lama was chairman of the
representative committee for Tibet's government in 1956, but
later chose to go abroad, establish a government in exile,
advocating a highly autonomous Tibet, the removal of the PLA
and all non-Tibetan ethnic groups from Tibet. It therefore
is not difficult to tell whether the Dalai Lama truly desires
the nation's unity or wants to sabotage it.
Taiwan: Opposing "de jure" Independence
----------------------------------------
¶5. On Taiwan, the Premier responded to a Taiwanese reporter
by saying that the coming two years are crucial for
cross-Strait relations, emphasizing China's firm opposition
to Taiwan secessionist activities of any form, such as "de
jure" independence. China will never allow anyone to change
the historical reality and internationally recognized status
that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China since ancient
times. China remains committed to peaceful development
across the Taiwan Strait. China will continue to protect the
lawful rights of the increasing numbers of Taiwan businessmen
and compatriots on the mainland. China will promote the
"three links," resolving the issue of direct charter weekend
flights direct charter cargo flights. The mainland hopes to
realize soon the dream of many mainland tourists to travel to
Taiwan.
Japan-China Relations
---------------------
¶6. If Prime Minister Abe's visit to China last October was
an "ice-breaker," Premier Wen hopes his visit to Japan in
April will be an "ice-melter." During the visit, consensus
will be reached on establishing strategic and mutually
beneficial relations. The PRC sympathizes with the Japanese
abduction issue but believes it is an issue between Japan and
North Korea. The Three Political Documents are the
foundation for the development of China-Japan relations. We
must uphold the spirit of these three documents and view
history as a mirror while looking forward to the future.
Hong Kong
---------
¶7. Over the past 10 years since Hong Kong was returned to
the motherland, China has strictly followed the Basic Law,
implementing the one country, two systems policy and not
intervening in the internal affairs of the Hong Kong
government SAR. Wen drew attention to Hong Kong's successful
rebound from the 1997 financial crisis and the SAR's
irreplaceable economic role.
Socialist Democracy
-------------------
¶8. A reporter from Le Monde asked the Premier a) whether his
recent Renmin Ribao article about China being in the initial
stage of socialism meant that China would have no democracy
for 100 years, and b) for his comment on Zhao Ziyang's recent
memoir which calls for China to democratize in order to
modernize. In reply, Wen said that, in his article, he said
socialism and democracy are not incompatible. Democracy, the
rule of law, freedom, human rights, equality and fraternity
are not peculiar to capitalism but are common values of
mankind. China will promote political system reform and
build democracy in its own way, according to its unique
national conditions.
¶9. It would be a misunderstanding to think that my article
implied that China would not want democracy for 100 years.
At this stage, we must accomplish two major tasks and two
major reforms. The two major tasks are first, concentrate on
developing social productive forces; second, promote social
fairness and justice. The two reforms are to promote
economic reform with marketization as the goal; and to
promote reform of the political system with democratization
as the goal. As for the book mentioned by the reporter, Wen
said he had not read it and that it had nothing to do with
his aforementioned views.
Economic Growth, Environmental Problems
---------------------------------------
¶10. Addressing the ability of the Chinese economy to sustain
its high rate of growth, Premier Wen said China faces many
challenges, but so long as the international environment is
peaceful, he is confident they can be overcome. Challenges
include market instability, regional development disparities,
BEIJING 00001795 003 OF 003
lack of coordinationand reliance on foreign investment and
exports to drive growth. Areas for improvement include
increasing consumer demand, strengthening the knowledge
economy, and removing obstacles for greater reform and
opening.
¶11. Regarding the issues of increasing energy efficiency and
controlling pollution, Premier Wen referred reporters to his
eight points in his work report delivered to the NPC.
Regarding China's stance on greenhouse gases, Wen said that
China endorses the Kyoto Protocol. Although a developing
country not bound by the Protocol's mandatory targets, China
has nonetheless established its own national plan which
includes a 20 percent energy consumption reduction per unit
of GDP by 2010.
Stock Market, Foreign Reserves
------------------------------
¶12. Premier Wen said he pays attention to the development of
the stock market but pays even more attention to the stock
market's health. Since last year, the government has
strengthened capital market institutions and promoted
stockholder reform. To establish a mature capital market,
China must improve the quality of its listed companies,
increase openness, fairness and transparency, while at the
same time raising awareness among investors of the risks and
exposure in the market. Turning to the
soon-to-be-established institution in charge of investing
China's foreign exchange reserves, Wen said the agency will
not be affiliated with any government ministry or department
and will follow market rules and regulations. The Premier
stressed that China's non-financial outbound investment
account of USD 73.3 billion is still relatively small. China
will handle buying USD-denominated assets on the basis of
mutual benefit, said Wen, maintaining this development would
not relevantly impact the value of USD-denominated assets.
RANDT