VZCZCXRO1772
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0588 0650938
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060938Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2728
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 000588 
 
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: CHINA'S MILITARY EXPENSES, U.S. POLICY, 
NATO 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. CHINA'S MILITARY EXPENSES 
 
"China's military officer talks about China's defense budget" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(03/06): "Recently, China announced that it 
will increase its defense budget by 14.9%. This arouses great 
suspicions from Western media and scholars. Chinese PLA officers 
have said that these doubts are connected with the various standards 
concerning the calculation of military expenses by different 
countries. The deeper reason lies in the lack of political mutual 
trust. A Chinese officer further explained the reasons why China has 
increased its defense budget. China still faces threats of 
territorial separation, like the independence of Taiwan and Tibet, 
and Eastern Turkish extremists, etc. The increased defense budget 
has also been used to fill up last year's expenses, outside the 
budget, which were used during emergencies and incidents. What's 
more, the increased budget is mainly used to improve the income and 
benefits of military officers and soldiers. The expenses for the 
development of nuclear weapons, the U.S. counts as a part of its 
defense budget and a part of the energy department's budget. The 
Chinese's defense budget is not counted this way. What's more, the 
Chinese military's expenses also include fees for civilian positions 
in the military, for example relocating them after demobilization." 
 
¶2. U.S. POLICY 
 
"Americans should also be cautious with their words" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(03/06): "A small local newspaper, the New 
York Post, recently issued a cartoon involving a chimpanzee as a way 
to show the irony of Obama. During the Bush administration, various 
U.S. media outlets compared Bush with a gorilla. However, in this 
administration it is different. The reason for this is, the cartoon 
is in breach of the U.S.' political correctness. 'Political 
correctness' is a balance between freedom of speech and social 
interests; it ensures cultural, social, moral and public order in 
U.S. society. Political correctness has influenced school education, 
the can be no criticism against government, religion, different 
races and no obscene language, etc. In this way, political 
correctness interferes in academic freedom and freedom of speech. It 
also influences various aspects of the American people's daily life. 
This White-people's newspaper can mock Bush, the White President, 
but mocking Obama triggers the sensitive nerves of the American 
people. Thus cautious speaking and actions are important in American 
society." 
 
¶3. NATO 
 
"What does it mean that NATO wants to take a route through China?" 
 
The China Radio International sponsored newspaper World News Journal 
(Shijie Xinwenbao)(03/06): "Because NATO has always treated China as 
a potential opponent, NATO's request to open a supply line at the 
China-Afghanistan border has shocked many people. The reports on 
China-NATO relations have shown that the U.S. and Europe may 
actually be changing their tactics concerning their China 
strategies. The reports have also manifested various new thoughts 
concerning the U.S. and Europe on their China-Russia strategic 
partnership. All the facts have proved that the current 
international situation has been increasingly changing due to the 
financial crisis. Under the crisis, all countries seek to maximize 
their own interests. Exploring new combinations of power countries 
has become a general trend in today's international relations. Thus 
it is reasonable that NATO has requested to pass through China in 
order to send supplies to Afghanistan." 
 
PICCUTA