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OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
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O 201044Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5943
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 3337
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 1882
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU IMMEDIATE 3812
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 4514
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 0610

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 001047 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SOCI PHUM PREL CH KS JA
SUBJECT: MARCH 20 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: DALAI LAMA CLIQUE, 
JOURNALIST ACCESS TO TIBET, WEN-BROWN PHONE CALL 
 
 
¶1.  Key points at the regular March 20 MFA press briefing: 
 
-- Wen Jiabao expressed grave concern to UK PM Gordon Brown 
over his plans to meet the Dalai Lama.  Reports that Wen has 
agreed to meet the Dalai Lama are incorrect, as the Dalai 
Lama has not yet met the preconditions for dialogue.  His 
actions as well as his words are important. 
 
-- Journalists are being refused permission to visit Tibet 
because of the "special situation" there.  The restrictions 
do not contradict pre-Olympic pledges for openness, as 
journalists are required to work within the bounds of the 
law.  The Chinese Government is in the process of organizing 
a trip to Tibet for journalists.  Journalists are ethically 
bound to be fair and objective in their reporting. 
 
-- The results of the investigation into the incidents in 
Tibet will be released "in due time."  The Dalai Lama clique 
is a handful of individuals headed by the Dalai Lama, seeking 
to split Tibet from the Motherland. 
 
-- The Chinese Government exercised "maximum restraint," and 
worked only within the bounds of the law in dealing with the 
riots.  Thirteen "innocent people" were killed. 
 
-- The PRC constitution protects the rights of Chinese 
citizens to assemble and peacefully protest, but they must do 
so within the bounds of the law and in line with the greater 
interests of the Chinese people. 
 
Wen and Gordon Brown: Grave Dismay over Dalai Meeting 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.  At the regularly-scheduled MFA press briefing March 20, 
MFA Spokesperson Qin Gang said that during their phone 
conversation, Premier Wen Jiabao expressed grave concern to 
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown about his plans to meet the 
Dalai Lama, and urged him to recognize that the Dalai Lama is 
a political exile fighting for independence under the guise 
of religion.  The Chinese Government would like all nations 
to understand his true nature and not give support to his 
splittist activities.  Wen reiterated to Brown that the 
Chinese position on Tibet and the Dalai Lama has always been 
clear and has not changed. 
 
Preconditions for Dialogue with the Dalai Lama 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  The Chinese Government is willing to meet with the Dalai 
Lama once he fulfills the requisite preconditions: he must 
give up his plans for Tibetan independence, stop all 
splittist activities and recognize that the Government of the 
PRC is the only government of all of China including Taiwan 
and Tibet.  Responding to questions that the Dalai Lama had 
already fulfilled the preconditions for meeting, Qin said 
that the current problems in Tibet such as smashing, beating, 
arson and looting were in fact masterminded by the Dalai Lama 
clique.  "There must be a thorough review of his deeds.  His 
actions prove that he has never stopped his words and deeds 
to split the motherland," Qin said.  When asked about 
reporting that Wen had agreed to meet with the Dalai Lama, 
Qin said that the reports are "not accurate," and reiterated 
that only on the basis of the Dalai Lama meeting the 
preconditions is "the door is open" for dialogue. 
 
Journalist Access to Tibet 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Asked why journalists have been refused permission to 
travel to the TAR to report, Qin said Chinese law enforcement 
personnel are entitled to deal with the "special situation" 
there, and hoped that journalists could understand and would 
cooperate with the restriction.  He noted that "there is no 
absolute freedom anywhere in the world."  He added that the 
restrictions do not contradict the official push for more 
media openness ahead of the Olympics, stressing that the 
Olympic charter calls for all journalists to work in 
accordance with the law.  Asked about reports that two German 
journalists were expelled from Tibet March 20, Qin said he 
was unaware of such reports.  Asked if tourists have access 
to western China, including Sichuan and Gansu province, Qin 
said that due to safety and security, the Chinese Government 
"suggests" that tourists not go. 
 
Western Media Bias; Beijing to Organize Press Trip to Tibet 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
BEIJING 00001047  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶5.  Qin said that China welcomes "objective and fair" 
reporting from the foreign press corps.  He said he 
"understands" western interest in covering the story, and 
that the Chinese Government was in the process of attempting 
to arrange a trip to Tibet for foreign journalists.  He 
expressed hope that the press corps would be responsible and 
live up to professional journalistic standards.  He stressed 
the need for "common sense" from reporters and emphasized the 
importance of the "ethics of journalism." 
 
Investigation into Dalai Lama Connection to Violence 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶6.  Asked when China will release the evidence it claims it 
has connecting the Dalai Lama to the violence in Tibet, Qin 
replied that the investigation is ongoing, and China will 
release the evidence "in due course."  He added that the role 
of the "Dalai Lama clique" in the violence can already be 
seen in reports in the western media on the violence.  He 
also said that the series of actions against Chinese 
diplomatic facilities abroad further implicates the Dalai 
Lama.  Qin said that the Ministry of Justice would carry out 
the investigation. When asked how, if he investigation is 
still on-going, he could announce that the Dalai Lama was 
behind the violence, Qin declined to respond, claiming he had 
already answered the question. 
 
¶7.  When pressed to define the term "Dalai Lama clique," Qin 
replied, "Facts are facts.  Everything will come out clearly 
in the investigation."  He then asked rhetorically how riots 
in such a wide range of locations, including Chinese 
diplomatic facilities abroad, could happen spontaneously 
without orchestration.  Pressed again to define the term, Qin 
said it represents a handful of individuals headed by the 
Dalai Lama engaged in actions to split the Chinese 
motherland. 
 
Use of Lethal Force; No Intelligence Failure 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  Asked whether lethal force was used by Chinese 
authorities in response to protests outside of Tibet, Qin 
answered only for the TAR itself, stating that police forces 
there did possess or use weapons of lethal force to deal with 
the violence.  He added that security forces there showed 
"maximum restraint."  Regarding reports of rioters being 
killed in Aba, Sichuan Province as well as Gansu Province, 
Qin stated he was unaware of specific details of the 
incidents, but said that the authorities dealt with them in 
accordance with the law.  When asked if the emergence of 
violence represents an intelligence failure for the Chinese 
Government, Qin said simply that the government is capable of 
safeguarding the security and territorial integrity of China. 
 When asked about what methods were used to break up the 
riots, how many armed police had been deployed and whether 
the PLA was involved, Qin declined comment, stating that the 
"illegal" incidents were dealt with in accordance with the 
law.  Qin reacted strongly to one reporter's use of the term 
"uprising" to describe the situation in Tibet, saying that it 
was "criminal activities" and not an uprising.  13 "innocent 
people" have been killed, Qin said, but he did not know how 
many rioters had been killed. 
 
International Dimension 
----------------------- 
 
¶9.  Asked about the international implications, especially 
for governments that meet with the Dalai Lama, Qin said that 
he hoped other governments could recognize the true nature of 
the Dalai Lama clique and refuse to provide him with support. 
 When asked if the incidents were a part of a broader push by 
the West to cause the Beijing Olympics to fail, which 
includes pressure on China over Darfur and possible pollution 
problems during the Olympics, Qin said that "some people" are 
reluctant to accept China's development and seek to create 
obstacles to it.  These forces do not represent the whole 
international community and are running against the "trend of 
the times."  Asked if China would push for extradition for 
the Dalai Lama from India, Qin declined comment, only noting 
that China's position is "clear and consistent." 
 
Peaceful Protests Are Allowed 
----------------------------- 
 
¶10.  Asked if Chinese citizens have the right to peacefully 
 
BEIJING 00001047  003 OF 003 
 
 
assemble and protest, Qin directed the reporter to the 
Chinese constitution, which safeguards the right to peaceful 
protest.  However, all protests must be done within the 
bounds of Chinese law, and in keeping with the interests of 
the Chinese people.  He added that all ethnic groups have the 
right to assemble and protest and that these rights are 
"guaranteed," but that the people have "different channels" 
through which to protest. 
 
Other Issues: Kitty Hawk, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶11.  The Chinese Government applies the principle of 
sovereignty regarding applications for port calls, and will 
decide each one on a case-by-case basis.  Qin does not think 
the current situation in Tibet will alter President Hu 
Jintao's plans to visit Tokyo in May.  Asked a question about 
using the situation in Tibet as a basis to doubt China's 
desire for peaceful reunification, as well as a question 
about Taiwan potentially boycotting the Olympics because of 
Tibet, Qin Gang directed the reporter to the relevant 
authorities.  The South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan 
is currently visiting China and met today with Premier Wen 
Jiabao and the Minister of Information and Publicity. 
Tomorrow he will meet with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and 
Executive Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo. 
RANDT