VZCZCXRO9892
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0365/01 0430935
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120935Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2258
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000365 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, C 
HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR (J007) 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR CH
 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS, U.S. POLICY, HUMAN 
RIGHTS 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS 
 
a. "New American Treasury Secretary changes the tone of his comments 
on China" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (02/12): "Geithner recently stated that the 
U.S. needs to cautiously judge China on its RMB exchange rate 
manipulation. And at the same time, he compliments China's efforts 
to deal with the financial crisis. The recent change in Geithner's 
tone is possibly a test from the Obama administration for China; 
reflecting the hesitancy in Obama's China policies. It shows that 
the Administration understands that rashly blaming China will not 
benefit the U.S. Geithner has softened the tone, on the one hand, 
because it is not a fact that China manipulates its currency; and on 
the other hand, because he realizes that criticizing China will not 
benefit the Obama administration. Secretary Clinton's visit to China 
will finally reveal, for all to see, the Obama administration's 
China policy. Some Americans want Secretary Clinton to communicate 
strength during her visit; and others want the visit to bring 
positivity the bilateral relationship. At present, because of the 
new U.S. government, China is enjoying a very beneficial 
relationship with the U.S." 
 
b. "The U.S.'s prejudice affects their expectations about China's 
stance" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (02/12): "VOA recently reported that China is 
planning to push the IMF to adopt a tough stance towards developed 
countries during the London 20 Nation Summit, being held in April. 
This announcement incited a strong reaction in the U.S. Some 
American scholars criticize China for seeking to lead developing 
countries and enlarge its influence in the international community. 
Chinese analysts indicate that China's suggestions concerning 
reforming the IMF are normal and not aimed by China's interests and 
goals. A call for reform in the IMF has always existed in the 
international community. The EU has always considered that the U.S. 
has too much control over the IMF. The Western media and personnel 
who are pointing fingers at China are obviously prejudiced against 
China. Developing countries, like China, have imbalanced rights in 
the IMF." 
 
¶2. U.S. POLICY 
 
"If the U.S. betrays globalization" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (02/12): "A lot of factors in the U.S. show 
that, in general, there is a trend towards de-globalization in 
American society and its decision making. The current financial 
crisis looks like it will not end soon. However, more and more, the 
possibility of a second economic recession is appearing. What is 
worse, the national confidence of the U.S., in support of its 
behavior and mentality, has been seriously stricken. Americans have 
lost confidence in the U.S.'s political system, economic regulatory 
structure and financial ingenuity which they have been proud of in 
the past. Therefore, the global manufacturing center has been 
shifted to developing countries, lowering the standards for 
technology products. 
 
This has impacted the American middle class. Obama has to compromise 
and protect the American middle class by advocating the 'buy 
American' bill and inclining towards nationalism and trade 
protectionism within international trade. The trend of 
'de-globalization' is greatly forced out of the objective situation, 
not because America wants to de-globalize. The situation forced the 
U.S. to deglobalize. China should not lay its hope in the U.S.' 
hands and wait for the U.S. to lead the world out of recession. 
Outside of the economy, the U.S. is 'de-globalizing' in the fields 
of the military and international relations. At the same time 
America is reducing its global dominance, America is giving more 
power to its allies. This will increase the instability in East Asia 
and the neighboring areas of China." 
 
¶3. HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
"The West has not succeeded in watching China's human rights 
issues" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (02/12): "On February 9th, the UN Human 
Rights Council reviewed China's human rights issues. This is a 
chance to watch China fail. However, there are 40 countries within 
 
BEIJING 00000365  002 OF 002 
 
 
the 60 that have affirmed China's human rights conditions are good. 
Chinese experts believe that the West complicates human rights 
issues by strangely simplifying and conceptualizing them. 
Non-Western countries should keep up their due diligence concerning 
the West's efforts to simplify the human rights issue, twisting the 
true meaning of the issue. Freedom, democracy and human rights are 
the West's spiritual foundation; they use them as a way to increase 
consolidation in the West. In suppressing non-Western countries over 
human rights issues, the U.S. and Europe find unity. Moreover, the 
West always feels they have a moral advantage on these issues and 
consider it a weakness in China. The West's concern over developing 
countries' human rights issues is not focused in caring for those 
countries, but focused at their governments. They rarely help the 
countries to solve any of the issues. Improvements in human rights 
conditions require time and a material guarantee." 
 
PICCUTA