VZCZCXRO2221
OO RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHPB RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0900/01 0720326
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 120326Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5661
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000900 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR: EAP/CM, EAP/RSP, EAP/EP, SCA/RA, S/P 
DOD FOR OSD/APSA JIM CLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018 
TAGS: PREL ASEAN ARF APEC CH
SUBJECT: CHINESE VIEWS OF ASIAN AND ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL 
ARCHITECTURE 
 
REF: A. BEIJING 1518 
     ¶B. BEIJING 609 
     ¶C. 06 BEIJING 24597 
     ¶D. 07 BEIJING 7126 
     ¶E. 07 BEIJING 7299 
     ¶F. 07 BEIJING 7363 
     ¶G. 07 BEIJING 4926 
 
Classified By: Deputy Political Chief Ben Moeling for reasons 1.4 b, d. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  China believes multilateral arrangements in 
the Asia-Pacific region foster trust and stabilize relations, 
creating the peaceful diplomatic and security environment 
China considers necessary to speed its domestic development. 
China now finds useful an ASEAN-led regional architecture, 
despite some frustrations with ASEAN leadership.  However, 
though unwilling to push ASEAN toward such a model, China 
sees a natural evolution toward a less ASEAN-led 
architecture.  Chinese interlocutors insist the various 
multilateral regional institutions are generally 
complementary.  China views ARF as the best forum for 
security discussion, the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) as the best 
vehicle for regional integration, the East Asia Summit (EAS) 
as a forum for strategic dialogue, and APEC as a forum for 
engaging the United States and extending China's economic 
reach.  Chinese officials say China does not seek to lessen 
U.S. influence in Asia.  Nonetheless, some Chinese approaches 
aim to strengthen multilateral fora that may lessen the 
influence of U.S. bilateral alliances and other 
relationships.  Some contacts point to the growing "need for 
improving, streamlining, and reforming regional 
architecture."  End Summary. 
 
Multilateralism's Benefits 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Academic and Chinese Government contacts often say 
multilateral institutions and regional groupings are a key 
element of China's foreign policy.  Ministry of State 
Security-affiliated China Institutes of Contemporary 
International Relations (CICIR) scholar Chen Yurong (and many 
others) say a "balanced, multilateral system" furthers 
China's goal of fostering a more peaceful environment for 
economic development and dampening fears of its rise. 
CICIR's Zhai Kun noted separately that multilateral and 
regional institutions enable China's participation in the 
international system and serve mutual interests.  That is, 
Asia-Pacific countries seek to "enmesh" China into 
multilateral arrangements and Chinese leaders generally 
believe a more "multilateralized" China will improve 
political relations with its neighbors. 
 
China's Political Flexibility 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) Tactics such as Chinese inclusiveness and open 
acceptance even of pariahs such as Burma and North Korea, its 
support of non-interference and its emphasis on consensus and 
sovereignty all slowly cultivate greater trust of Chinese 
intentions in the region.  CICIR's Zhang Xuegang contrasted 
China's acceptance of Asia's consensus-based, gradualist 
multilateralism with Western impatience and desire for speedy 
change.  Noting the U.S. refusal to sign the Treaty of Amity 
and Cooperation (TAC), he said "signing a non-substantive 
agreement like the TAC is not a problem for China."  Sectoral 
and flexible approaches to China-ASEAN FTA negotiations are 
popular with ASEAN countries, although they do not 
necessarily result in high-quality agreements.  According to 
MFA Policy Planning Department Counselor Tang Guocai, China 
supports the evolving, unambitious trajectory of a "flexible, 
gradual and comfortable" regional architecture. 
 
ASEAN Leadership: OK with China...for Now 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) China values ASEAN's lead role in the regional 
multilateral architecture.  ASEAN leadership dampens 
competition in Northeast Asia while building ASEAN's trust of 
Chinese intentions, scholars and MFA officials suggest. 
 
BEIJING 00000900  002 OF 003 
 
 
Furthermore, some experts say economic and socio-cultural 
integration via both China-ASEAN and APT arrangements boost 
development in China's southern provinces.  MFA-affiliated 
China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) scholar Shen 
Shishun noted continued pressure exerted by southern 
provinces on Beijing for further southward economic 
integration and a stable China-ASEAN political and security 
relationship. 
 
¶5. (C) Chinese MFA officials and scholars acknowledge the 
asymmetrical nature of an ASEAN-led regional architecture, 
comparing the relationship to "small horses pulling a big 
cart."  CIIS' Shen noted China's role of "pushing the cart 
from behind" as a "leader rather than an organizer."  Yet 
China so far remains comfortable with this role and does not 
actively seek to alter the current political dynamic. 
However, scholars and some MFA officials admit to frustration 
with the inadequacies of ASEAN-led institutions.  They 
believe a movement away from an ASEAN-led architecture will 
naturally develop as major power relations improve.  This 
development is "easier now than five to ten years ago," 
according to MFA Policy Planning Department Counselor Tang 
Guocai.  However, China remains reluctant for now to push 
ASEAN in this direction. 
 
Complementary Arrangements... 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Nearly all scholars and MFA officials insist the 
overlapping agendas of the growing number of Asian and 
Asia-Pacific regional institutions (ASEAN, ASEAN's Plus One 
Dialogue Partnerships, APT, EAS, ASEAN Regional Forum, APEC 
and a potential Northeast Asia security grouping) remain 
largely complementary.  According to CICIR's Zhai Kun, the 
proliferation of regional institutions is "inevitable in 
Asia" and avoiding some overlap is "impossible."  In any 
case, overlap is "comfortable for China," Zhai said. 
 
...Contrasting Missions 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) CICIR's Zhang Xuegang said the ASEAN Regional Forum 
(ARF) remains the best regional institution for security 
because of the participation of the United States.  He notes, 
however, that ARF overaps with less comprehensive security 
agendas in APT and EAS.  Other interlocutors, including MFA 
International Organizations Department APEC Division Director 
Geng Shuang, suggested that many security issues should move 
from APEC to ARF.  Officials have told us that Taiwan's 
participation in APEC is the fundamental reason for China's 
objection to APEC's discussion of security issues, which 
China believes should be reserved for sovereign states. 
Chinese officials also distinguish the roles of APT and the 
East Asia Summit (EAS).  MFA Asia Department Deputy Director 
General Yang Yanyi stated that APT focuses on regional 
integration and "community-building," while EAS serves as a 
"strategic dialogue," despite a "very confused" agenda. 
 
APEC's Role 
----------- 
 
¶8. (C) MFA APEC Division Director Geng said APEC widens 
China's economic and political reach beyond East Asia. 
Though APEC could be considered a "talk-shop," the U.S. 
presence gives it an important political value.  Many Chinese 
scholars also note that APEC's strength derives from the 
participation of the United States, but say APEC remains less 
well-suited than APT for concrete economic integration and 
community-building.  Pressed on China's relative 
prioritization of APEC and APT, observers note President Hu's 
attendance at the APEC Leaders' Meeting and Premier Wen's 
(lower ranking) attendance at ASEAN Summits. Geng further 
contrasted APEC's technical cooperation with APT's focus on 
assistance. 
 
What is Asian Regional Integration? 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (C) Chinese experts and officials have argued that Asian 
 
BEIJING 00000900  003 OF 003 
 
 
integration will not resemble the European model, but agree 
little on how Asian integration will occur.  MFA officials 
and scholars, reflecting the lack of a coherent Chinese 
strategy, give different answers regarding the aim (economic 
development, trade facilitation, democratic development, or 
common foreign policies), current pace or even the 
composition (ASEAN-China, APT, EAS or possibly a 
trans-Pacific arrangement) of Asian regional integration. 
Nonetheless, most tend to support either the ASEAN-China 
arrangement or APT as the best vehicle for economic 
integration.  Although foreign and security policy 
synchronization is distant, East Asian integration is 
inevitable, Chinese scholars say.  CIIS' Shen and others say 
despite disagreement on its composition and 
comprehensiveness, a distinctly pan-Asian integration process 
will inevitably occur. 
 
Role of the United States in the Regional Architecture 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶10. (C) MFA Officials and scholars often claim that China 
does not wish to exclude the United States from Asian 
multilateral institutions, lessen U.S. influence in Asia, or 
dominate pan-Asian cooperation.  Foreign Affairs University 
Professor Qin Yaqing said an active U.S. presence in 
Southeast Asia dampens ASEAN suspicion of China and Japan. 
Furthermore, U.S.-China cooperation in ASEAN-led institutions 
increases ASEAN's trust of China.  CICIR scholars Zhai and 
Zhang further emphasized that the United States remains 
crucial to any effective strategic and security forum in Asia. 
 
¶11. (C) Notwithstanding these claims, Chinese approaches seek 
in some ways to lessen U.S. influence.  Senior MFA officials 
and scholars see inclusive Northeast Asia security 
cooperation (such as the Northeast Asia Peace and Security 
Mechanism, or NEAPSM) as an alternative to U.S. bilateral 
alliances. Reliance on APT as the main vehicle for East Asian 
economic integration also implicitly reduces U.S. influence 
on the evolving regional economic framework.  Though some 
officials such as MFA Asia Department ASEAN Division Deputy 
Director Zhu Jun question the depth of economic integration 
and political cooperation within pan-Asian arrangements, the 
view that trade patterns and political coordination continue 
to evolve in pan-Asian ways that lessen U.S. influence is 
more commonly held. 
 
Evolving Chinese Attitudes? 
--------------------------- 
 
¶12. (C) China's approach to Asian multilateralism may be 
evolving along with its major power status.  Developing 
politically symbolic relationships within Asia remains a key 
Chinese objective.  But scholars such as CICIR's Zhai and 
CIIS' Shen say as China's interests grow and its economic and 
political reach expands, the Chinese approach focuses less on 
the optics of cooperation and more on substantive gains. 
However, an evolving regional architecture cannot compromise 
core Chinese interests, namely Taiwan, or pressure Chinese 
behavior in directions that threaten its core interests. 
 
What Next? 
---------- 
 
¶13. (C) Many scholars and MFA officials note China's interest 
in new arrangements that track closely with China's regional 
priorities.  In referring to potential new trans-Pacific 
arrangements such as NEAPSM, a proposal for an Asian G-8 and 
a U.S.-China-Japan dialogue, MFA Counselor Tang pointed to 
the "necessity for improving, streamlining and reforming 
regional architecture."  Scholars note tense Sino-Japanese 
relations and other regional rivalries as obstacles to 
pan-Asian integration as well as the efficacy of ASEAN 
leadership.  Complaining by scholars aside, there des not 
appear to be any short-term stimulus for Chinese action to 
change this dynamic.  While China seems willing to exlore 
new options outside the ASEAN umbrella, China is not willing 
to push ASEAN away from its leadership role in existing 
ASEAN-led multilateral arrangements. 
RANDT