P 140845Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6649
INFO WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
USDOC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
AMCONSUL SHANGHAI
AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 
AIT TAIPEI 0156
CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS HONG KONG 000090 
 
 
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR, INR/IC/CD, I/FW 
DEPT FOR EAP/PD, EAP/CM, EAP/P 
DEPT FOR VOA/BRF, TV-WPA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
PRC POSTS FOR PA 
AIT 
USPACOM FOR FOR CIS PD ADVISER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: US-CHINA RELATIONS; GUANTANAMO 
 
TOPICS: 
¶1. U.S.-China relations 
¶2. Guantanamo 
 
HEADLINES AND EXCERPTS: 
 
¶1. U.S.-China relations 
 
"An irreversible trend of Sino-U.S. cooperation" 
 
The pro-PRC Chinese-language Macau Daily News remarked in an 
editorial (1/14):  "U.S. President-elect Obama will take office 
soon.  China recently has been holding a series of activities to 
celebrate in a high profile the 30th anniversary of the 
establishment of Sino-U.S. diplomatic relations.  Obviously, the 
Chinese government hopes to create a harmonious atmosphere and to 
promote bilateral relations, especially China's relations with the 
new U.S. administration, by making use of the 30th anniversary. 
Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping repeatedly expressed 
goodwill to the new U.S. administration by saying the development of 
constructive and cooperative Sino-U.S. relations squares with the 
basic interests of the two countries and their people.  The two 
sides should look at and handle their bilateral relations from a 
strategic height and from a long-term angle.  They should drive for 
a comprehensive and profound development of Sino-U.S. relations.... 
The trend of Sino-U.S. cooperation is irreversible.  However, there 
are still factors that will disturb their bilateral relations, among 
which the Taiwan Strait issue is related to the core interests of 
China, and the new U.S. administration should handle this 
properly." 
 
¶2. Guantanamo 
 
"Closing Guantanamo is just the easy part" 
 
The independent English-language South China Morning Post said in an 
editorial (1/14):  "The U.S. detention centre at Guantanamo Bay has 
been a stain on the country's moral standing and leadership 
globally.  It has become a potent symbol of the excesses of the 
outgoing Bush administration in its prosecution of the so-called 
'war on terror.'  Even U.S. President George W. Bush has said - at 
least since 2006 - that he wants to shut it down.  If the U.S. is to 
regain its reputation as a beacon of democracy and civil liberties, 
it must find a way to try terror suspects that respects the rule of 
law and international human rights norms.  News that U.S. 
president-elect Barack Obama is preparing an executive order to 
close Guantanamo during his first days in office is therefore 
welcome.  But shutting it down is the easy part; the problem is what 
to do with the inmates, many of whom have been detained there for 
years without being charged.  Furthermore, there are believed to be 
highly secretive 'black sites' where terror suspects are detained in 
allied countries - operated by U.S. intelligence or military 
agents....  Mr. Obama also needs to acknowledge whether such sites 
exist, and if so, how he plans to close them as well." 
 
DONOVAN