VZCZCXRO4577
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #6540 2821403
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091403Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2593
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BEIJING 006540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV CH IN KN BM
SUBJECT: OCTOBER 9 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: BURMA UNREST, 
SIX-PARTY TALKS, IAEA INDIA VISIT, CURRENCY EXCHANGE 
 
¶1. Key points at the October 9 MFA Press Briefing: 
 
-- Burma has "become calmer" through the efforts of both the 
Burmese government and the international community.  Any 
action by the UN Security Council should be "cautious and 
prudent" and calculated to promote "stability" within Burma. 
The "pressure of sanctions" will not help.  China has adopted 
a "constructive" policy on Burma, and critics of China's 
policy should not attempt "to reach ulterior motives" by 
linking it to the 2008 Olympics. 
 
-- China applauds cooperation achieved through the Six-Party 
Talks and will play a "constructive, positive" role in 
efforts in support of peace on the Korean Peninsula. 
 
-- China believes countries may cooperate in the "peaceful" 
development of nuclear energy, the spokesman said in response 
to a question on IAEA Director General ElBaradei's visit to 
India. 
 
-- China will continue to adopt a "floating exchange rate" 
policy; China's currency has already appreciated by nine 
percent against the dollar. 
 
Burma Unrest 
------------ 
 
¶2. At the October 9 regular MFA press briefing, the MFA 
spokesman said that China, along with the rest of the 
international community, "closely follows" events in Burma 
(Note: the spokesman referred to Burma as Myanmar).  Burma, 
he said, has "become calmer" through the efforts of both the 
government there and the international community.  China 
hopes the situation in Burma will continue to "develop 
positively."  Any action by the UN Security Council involving 
Burma should be "cautious and prudent," and should be 
calculated to promote "stability" within Burma.  The 
"pressure of sanctions," he said, will not help to resolve 
issues in the country.  China has adopted a "constructive" 
policy on Burma, and critics of China's policy should not 
attempt "to reach ulterior motives" by linking it to the 2008 
Olympics. 
 
Six-Party Talks 
--------------- 
 
¶3. The MFA spokesman affirmed China's strong interest in 
peace on the Korean Peninsula.  China applauds cooperation 
achieved through the Six-Party Talks.  China will play a 
"constructive, positive" role in the international 
community's efforts to support peace on the Korean Peninsula. 
 "Relevant parties" are discussing steps required to 
denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and move forward with a 
"peace process" in Northeast Asia. 
 
IAEA Visit to India 
------------------- 
 
¶4. Asked about International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 
Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's four-day visit now 
underway in India, the spokesman said China holds the view 
that countries may legitimately cooperate in the "peaceful" 
development of nuclear energy. 
 
Currency Exchange 
----------------- 
 
¶5. The spokesman acknowledged that many countries have 
expressed concerns over China's currency exchange policies. 
But, he noted, the Yuan has already appreciated by nine 
percent against the dollar.  The spokesman said that China 
will continue to adopt a "floating exchange rate" policyand 
welcomes more dialogue on this topic. 
Pccuta