VZCZCXRO3760
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0602 0680932
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090932Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2766
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 000602 
 
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, CHINA'S MILITARY 
EXPENSES, SUDAN 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS 
 
"The U.S. and China should grasp the second strategic cooperation 
opportunity" 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication 
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(03/09): "Chinese 
Minister of Foreign Affairs will visit the U.S. from March 9 to 13. 
Recently, along with the frequent U.S.-China senior official 
exchanges, Obama's China policy is starting to take shape.  An 
important characteristic of the policy is to deepen cooperation in 
aspects like finance, security and climate change.  Strategically 
the U.S. will put more emphasis on China and at the same time be 
more cautious in dealing with China. The Obama administration's 
political foundation is not yet concrete. Therefore, in the future 
the Obama administration will rely on the congress's China policy. 
During the Obama administration, decision making will change from 
the Finance Department, often taken during the Bush era, to joint 
decision making between the Finance Department and the Department of 
State, where the latter will take the lead. The foreign policy of 
the U.S. is currently aimed at combining principle with flexibility. 
Following this logic, the U.S. thinks that developing the U.S.-China 
military relationship doesn't contradict with its arms sales to 
Taiwan. The financial crisis has provided these two countries a 
second chance for strategic cooperation. It is possible that the 
bilateral relationship will further develop." 
 
¶2. CHINA'S MILITARY EXPENSES 
 
"The West cannot understand China's military expenses" 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication 
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(03/09): "At the 
11th NPC Li Jiaoxing mentioned China's defense budget will increase 
by 14.9%.  Many countries leveled criticisms that China's budget is 
increasing too fast and is not transparent enough.  However their 
criticisms do not have a concrete foundation. The West has always 
improved its own military power, and yet it says that China's 
military expense harms global stability. China issued 'the White 
Book on National Defense' in January which stated that China will 
take the road of peaceful development and implement a defensive 
national defense policy; which will not first-use nuclear weapons 
instead adopting a self-defense nuclear strategy, and will not have 
an arms race with any other country." 
 
¶3. SUDAN 
 
"Sudan ignores ICC arrest warrant" 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication 
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao)(03/09): "Analysts 
believe that the ICC arrest warrant is very likely to become an 
ineffective paper in view of the great difficulties involved in 
fulfilling it. Sudan has repeatedly said that it is not a member of 
the Rome Statute. Not to mention that the main opponent of Sudan, 
the U.S., is not the member of Rome Statute itself. African and 
Arabian countries will give sympathy and support to Sudan. The West 
will not just ignore these oppositions and directly interfere using 
military force. It is not convenient for the U.S. to implement the 
arrest. The U.S. Department of State spokesperson said that the 
tyrant should be responsible for his behavior. Analysts also point 
out that the U.S. has adopted a double standard against al-Bashir. 
Because the U.S. worries that its military officers and political 
officials will be sued, the U.S. did not participate in the Rome 
Statute. It does not accept the control of the ICC.  However it 
points at Sudan, who is also not an ICC member.  The U.S. is so 
brazen and shameless." 
 
PICCUTA