VZCZCXRO0969
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1248/01 0930949
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020949Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6245
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001248 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER KOLY CH TW JP KS EK TC NZ
 
SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY (PARA 11: NIMITZ) April 1 MFA Press 
Briefing: Tibet Protests, Olympics, Hu Japan Visit, Internet 
Freedom, Secretary Paulson's China Trip, Equatorial Guinea Strike 
 
¶1. Key points at the April 1 MFA Press Briefing were: 
 
-- The Dalai Lama continues to incite unrest and undermine the 
Olympic Games. 
 
-- Foreign officials who boycott the Olympic Games are "flattering 
themselves" and undermining their country's interest. 
 
-- China blocks websites which contain illegal material, but will 
live up to its Olympic obligations. 
 
-- President Hu Jintao's Japan trip is still in the planning 
stages. 
 
-- President Hu and Vice Premier Wang Qishan will discuss bilateral 
relations, SED and other issues with Treasury Secretary Paulson. 
 
-- China will send a working group to Equatorial Guinea to deal with 
the aftermath of a recent labor strike there. 
 
Dalai Lama Condemned 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. At the April 1, 2008 regular MFA press briefing, MFA Spokesperson 
Jiang Yu was asked to respond to the Dalai Lama's recent open letter 
to the Chinese people.  Jiang said that the Dalai Lama was trying to 
shake off his responsibility for the March 14 riots.  Jiang said 
that though the Dalai Lama says he wants contact with Chinese 
leaders, he continues to cause unrest and undermine the Olympic 
Games.  Jiang reiterated China's demand that the Dalai Lama stop his 
violent activities, stop undermining the Olympics and stop his 
"splittist" activities.  When asked to react to the Dalai Lama's 
planned trip to Japan, Jiang stated that China opposes foreign 
countries' support of the Dalai Lama. 
 
¶3. When asked when reporters would be allowed to Tibet, Jiang 
emphasized that China wanted the area to be open as it had been 
before the March 14 incident, however the "smashing, burning and 
looting" has made this impossible.  Jiang referred questions 
regarding specific events in Lhasa, the reported deployment of PLA 
troops to Tibet and evidence described as proving the Dalai Lama's 
involvement in the March 14 riots to a Ministry of Public Security 
press conference Jiang said would take place later in the day on 
April 1. 
 
¶4. In response to a question about a forthcoming Amnesty 
International report which will cover Tibet, Jiang said the 
organization was prejudiced against China and that any attempt to 
threaten China would not succeed.  China cannot stop implementing 
the law because the Olympics are coming, said Jiang. 
 
Olympic Fallout of Tibet Events, Olympic Internet Freedom 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5. Jiang emphasized that those foreign officials who choose not to 
attend the Beijing Olympics would simply be "flattering themselves" 
and would undermine the interests of their own countries.  The 
Olympics are a sporting event, not a political forum, said Jiang. 
When asked what had changed since China's boycott of the 1980 Moscow 
Olympics, Jiang said that China has "always been opposed to Olympic 
boycotts for any reason."  Regarding the torch relay, Jiang said 
that any disruption of Olympic torch events around the world would 
be a provocation against the Olympic spirit. 
 
¶6. Responding to a question about International Olympic Committee 
Coordinating Commission Vice Chairman Kevan Gosper's statements that 
China should not block Internet sites during the Olympic Games, 
Jiang said that China will follow its commitments during the Games. 
Jiang said that China manages the Internet to promote its healthy 
development in a way "similar to many other countries."  When 
pressed repeatedly on whether there would be access to foreign media 
sites, Jiang said that China blocks some sites which contain illegal 
information.  What constitutes illegal information is stipulated 
clearly in China's laws, said Jiang. 
 
Hu Visit to Japan Still in Planning Stage 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. Jiang refused to confirm Hu Jintao's visit to Japan on May 6 
saying the details are still being worked out.  Jiang said that 
China attaches great importance to the trip and hopes the talks will 
be used to map out an improvement in bilateral relations and ensure 
long-term, stable and healthy development of ties.  When asked 
whether Hu would stop in the Republic of Korea, Jiang said that 
China and the ROK are friendly neighbors and that China is willing 
to continue high level exchanges.  Regarding visits between the top 
leaders of the ROK and China, China will release "relevant 
information when it becomes available." 
 
Paulson Trip to China 
 
BEIJING 00001248  002 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------- 
 
¶8. Jiang confirmed that Secretary Paulson will visit China from 
April 2-3 and discuss bilateral relations, the Strategic Economic 
Dialogue and other issues with President Hu Jintao and Vice Premier 
Wang Qishan.  China and the United States are still finalizing the 
details of the next round of the Strategic Economic Dialogue, but 
China hopes that the two countries will work to achieve a mutual 
win-win and promote a healthy, stable development of trade and the 
economy. 
 
Strike in Equatorial Guinea 
---------------------------- 
 
¶9. Jiang said that nearly 100 workers at a Chinese company in 
Equatorial Guinea disregarded local laws and held a strike.  Two 
Chinese citizens died and four were injured.  China has made "solemn 
representations" to Equatorial Guinea and requested an 
investigation.  Equatorial Guinea has expressed their regret and is 
ready to work with China to "properly handle the case."  A Chinese 
working group will leave for Equatorial Guinea to deal with the 
case, said Jiang. 
 
Kitty Hawk, Spy Confession, UAE Prime Minister Visit, Bush-Hu Phone 
Conversation Discrepancy, New Zealand Prime Minister to Visit China 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶11. Jiang said that China has approved the Nimitz port call to Hong 
Kong in early April.  Jiang called the repeated accusations of 
Chinese spying on the United States "totally groundless" and said 
that such accusations are used to stir up a "China threat theory." 
China will release information about any deals signed during United 
Arab Emirates Prime Minister Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum's visit 
after the conclusion of his trip.  Jiang said she would look into 
accusations that China's English language and the United States' 
English language reports of the recent President Bush-Hu phone 
conversation contained discrepancies.  Finally, Jiang announced that 
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark will visit China from April 
6-8. 
 
RANDT