VZCZCXRO6924
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0754/01 0820942
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230942Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3026
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000754 
 
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 - West human rights disputes become more complicated" 
 
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 
 
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weakened. Along with the west's 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