VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBJ #0380/01 0441016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131016Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2280
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 000380 
 
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: SECRETARY CLINTON'S VISIT TO ASIA, U.S. 
POLICY, FINANCIAL CRISIS, HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. SECRETARY CLINTON'S VISIT TO ASIA 
 
"Why does Secretary Clinton visit Japan first?" 
 
The China Radio International sponsored newspaper World News Journal 
(Shijie Xinwenbao) (02/13): "Secretary Clinton has decided to visit 
Japan first because it is a continuation of the Bush administrations 
diplomatic legacy concerning Japan.  Secretary Clinton intends to 
strengthen the U.S.-Japan allied concepts in order to deal with the 
updated situation in Asia as well as taking the U.S. strategic 
situation into consideration. This shows that the U.S. government's 
policy during the Bush administration, strengthening the U.S.-Japan 
relationship, will not change because the Democrats have taken 
office. The visit shows that the U.S. has become less confident as 
to whether or not Japan will be as pro-U.S. as it has been in the 
past. The future situation in Eastern Asia is still hard to predict, 
but taking preparatory measures is necessary." 
 
¶2. U.S. POILCY 
 
"What is the difference between Obama's salary caps and reforming 
China's State Owned enterprises?" 
 
A Shanghai-based news company under Shanghai Media Group, China 
Business News (Diyi Caijing Ribao)(02/13): "Obama's policy 
concerning salary caps is temporary. Obama did this in order to 
reduce the public's tax burden while the government used financial 
bailout money. Rather than decide the reasonable salary levels for 
senior executives in the 'bailed out' financial institutions, China 
should not simply follow the actions of the U.S. The structure under 
which Chinese executives are paid is totally different than in the 
U.S. Reform in China is very slow because senior officials are 
likely government officials and not selected from the public which, 
in effect, is negative for China." 
 
¶3. FINANCIAL CRISIS 
 
"Spending not so easy" 
 
The official English-language newspaper China Daily (02/13): 
"China's rapid accumulation of foreign exchange reserves in recent 
years has been a subject of controversy. Some Westerners have even 
gone as far to blame the savings glut as the cause of the global 
financial crisis. Chinalco's plan to invest $19.5 billion in Rio 
Tinto Group, the country's largest overseas acquisition, is the 
latest litmus test in the international environment for China to 
spend money. ...Any open-minded discussion about the options of 
financing is certainly welcome, but it is another thing to sway 
shareholders with implicit or explicit discrimination against a 
state-owned Chinese company. The failure by CNOOC, a Chinese oil 
giant, to take over the American oil company Unocal in 2005 still 
serves as a useful reminder of politically motivated opposition 
faced during overseas expansion. The current global financial crisis 
and economic downturn, in theory, should make China's outward 
investment more welcome than before. Chinese spending will not only 
help reduce imbalances in the world economy but also offer funds for 
other economies to combat the global recession. But that does not 
mean unjustified political objections will not stand in the way. 
As equal players in the global market, Chinese companies should not 
be deprived of investment opportunities for non-business factors." 
 
¶4. HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
"China's report on Human Rights disappoints the U.S." 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(02/13): 
"The UN Human Rights council has passed China's Human Rights Review. 
This decision has angered and disappointed Western media and Human 
Rights advocates. Because of their disappointment, they exaggerate 
the reporting surrounding the report, stating that China refuses the 
advice of the West on human rights. They have also attacked the 
advice that developing countries have been giving China. Chinese 
experts believe that human rights are complicated conceptually. It 
is impossible that Western countries exist by imposing their 
standards on developing countries. The review of human rights report 
on China is like a diplomatic competition. Developing countries and 
the West are holding completely opposite stances on the issue. 
Chinese experts indicate that China and other developing countries 
have paid more attention and priority on developing rights, while 
the West pays more attention on political rights. More and more 
developing countries are beginning to accept China's opinion. China, 
on the one hand, insists on the priority of human rights, on the 
other hand, admits problems exist accepting criticism and making 
 
improvements." 
 
PICCUTA