VZCZCXRO6913
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0752/01 0820933
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230933Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3023
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000752 
 
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. POLITICS, NORTH KOREA, 
SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE,HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. U.S. POLITICS 
 
'A short honeymoon' 
 
21 Century Business Herald (21Shiji Jingji Baodao) under 
Guangdong 21 century publishing company Ltd. (03/21): 
"According to a recent poll, Obama's support rate has 
dropped by 10% for the past two months. Trade policies 
brought forward by the Obama administration have inclined 
strongly towards protectionism. Policies to fight against 
global warming have not yet taken effect. Domestically, 
two of the major measures that he has taken, a large 
economic stimulus plan and a series of bank rescue 
measures, have both failed to bolster his reputation. A 
political honeymoon is always short. If Obama cannot meet 
the high expectations through his actions, the U.S. 
voters will realize that all his talk is nothing but an 
illusion. If Obama cannot stop AIG from giving out their 
bonuses, he will lose the support of the people. However, 
this is a short sighted trend. If this trend was combined 
with a real economic downturn, the situation could turn 
into a severe political crisis. In the past two months, 
the numbers of people who did not vote for him and yet 
accept his governance are dropping. This is alarming to 
Obama whose goal is to seek cross party acceptance." 
 
¶2. NORTH KOREA 
 
"North Korea urges Obama to show his 'bottom line'" 
 
The official Communist Party international news 
publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(03/23): "North 
Korea's plan to launch a satellite has been continuously 
irritating North East Asia. Recently, North Korea 
detained two American journalists which will make the 
situation more chaotic. However, North Korea is already 
being circled by an Aegis warship. North Korea's 
determination to launch a satellite seems greater than 
the determination of the U.S. and Japan to intercept the 
missile. North Korea seems determined to urge Obama to 
show his final cards. This is a dangerous game, one that 
China can not remove itself from. Chinese analysts 
indicate that the interception of a North Korean 
satellite will bring disastrous damage to regional 
security. South Korea will be the primary victim, China 
and other Eastern Asian countries will be next. The Obama 
administration hopes to conduct pacifying policies on the 
North Korea issue. It does not yet have a fixed policy on 
North Korea. The purpose of North Korea's gesture is to 
try and gain attention from the Obama administration. 
China has been actively monitoring the issue. China can't 
be the stopping point. It requires each party to have the 
willingness to stop the crisis from any further 
development." 
 
¶3. SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE 
 
"China can't be a silent sheep" 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news 
publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu 
Daobao)(03/23): "During the diplomatic association 
concerning the South China Sea dispute, China 
underperformed in the oral fight. The U.S. criticism 
against China was relayed by the Pentagon with much 
detail. However, China's response only used simple 
diplomatic language. In many occasions, China is not good 
at telling the world the truth. In this way, China has 
become a silent sheep. The best way to deal with the U.S. 
is not to challenge the U.S., but not to surrender either. 
The U.S. attitude on China is: if I die, you must die 
even worse than me. China's purchase of American bonds is 
one example of this. The U.S. acted in a hegemonic way, 
suggesting that 'You (China) must lend me money and you 
don't need to know how I will use it.' This is why China 
should conduct more negotiations with the U.S., bringing 
up China's own suggestions on reforming the international 
financial system." 
 
¶4. HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
"China Q West human rights disputes become more 
complicated" 
 
 
BEIJING 00000752  002 OF 002 
 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news 
publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu 
Daobao)(03/23): "The U.S. and European congresses 
recently passed Tibet related resolutions. These 
resolutions, plus the recent U.S.: China Human Rights 
Report have opened up new human rights campaigns against 
China. Without any more prominent China related topics or 
the continuous influence of the financial crisis, the 
China-West human rights debate will become more sensitive. 
Currently, developing countries are not in a 
disadvantageous position concerning conflicts in the UN 
Human Rights Council. Moreover, due to several human 
rights scandals in the U.S., the advantages of western 
and developed countries have been weakened. Along with 
the westQs increasing anxieties concerning China's rising, 
human rights will continue to be their tool to contain 
and suppress China. The financial crisis has also forced 
the west to use restraint. To deal with the financial 
crisis and to increase the economy, the west needs 
China's help. Western countries have to balance between 
realistic interests and China's human rights issues. 
Therefore, the fight between China and western countries 
concerning human rights issues will become a more and 
more complicated process." 
 
PICCUTA