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RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0922/01 0970857
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070857Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3304
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000922 
 
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: Obama's Nuclear Speech, North Korea, 
U.S-China relations 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. Obama's Nuclear Speech 
 
"Obama's 'nuclear weapon-free world' is easier said than done" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication 
Guangming Daily(Guangming Ribao) (04/07):  Calls for a nuclear-free 
world existed for a long time before President Obama talked about it 
in his speech.  There are several concerns when America calls for a 
"nuclear weapon-free world". First, the current international 
nonproliferation regime and the post-war nuclear deterrence strategy 
can no longer secure America's safety.  Second, there are more 
countries having nuclear weapons along with a lack of nuclear 
safeguard technologies, which increase the risks of accidents, 
mistakes, and unauthorized use of nuclear weapons. Third, the 
maintenance and development of strategic nuclear weapons is very 
expensive, but there is little chance to put these weapons into real 
use during a war.  Because of the advanced technology in making 
nuclear weapons, quantity is not the key point to win in a war. 
Accuracy and killing capacity are more crucial.   Finally, America's 
conventional weapons are more advanced than any country in the 
world.  Even if the world is free of nuclear weapons the U.S. can 
still be the leader in the military arena. 
 
This proposal may not gain full support from Congress.  It should be 
stressed that Obama's Administration has been emphasizing that 
before the "nuclear-free" goal is met, U.S. should maintain its 
"powerful nuclear deterrence". 
 
¶2. North Korea 
 
"North Korea denies 'failure of missile launch'" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (04/07):  China's attitude towards the DPRK's 
launch attracts the world's attention.  Chinese experts and 
researchers think that calling the DPRK's launch "the biggest 
threat" is an overreaction.  Chinese aeronautical expert Pang Zhihao 
says that it is complicated to define whether the DPRK launched a 
missile or satellite.  Moreover, only the U.S. has the advanced 
technology and equipment to monitor whether DPRK has successfully 
launched it into space or not.  Professor Zhu Feng from 
International Strategy Research Center of Peking University says 
that if it is a satellite, there is no need to discuss cracking down 
on the DPRK, because each country has the right to peacefully 
utilize outer space.  But if the DPRK launched a missile, it is 
against the UN resolution. 
 
Yang Bojiang, deputy of Japan research in Chinese Institute of 
Contemporary International Relations, believes that it is 
unrealistic to pass new sanctions towards DPRK at the UNSC. Tough 
policies towards North Korea won't benefit the safety and 
stabilization of North East Asia and neither do they help resolve 
the nuclear issues in the DPRK.  He also says that it's not 
appropriate to condemn China for failing to meet all its obligations 
in the "Six Party Talks".  The "Six Party Talks" are about "DPRK 
nuclear" issues not DPRK missiles or satellites.  By expressing such 
a statement, western countries want China to put more pressure on 
the DPRK.  China will not change its diplomatic independence because 
of pressure from the U.S. and Japan. 
 
¶3. U.S-China relations 
 
"China-U.S. relations entering a strategic fast track - the London 
agreement achieved by the two leaders made the strategic partnership 
only one step away" 
 
The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication 
International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao) (04/06): 
Bilateral relations are transforming from security-oriented to 
comprehensive interdependence.  Unlike the previous 
security-oriented relationship, in this comprehensive interdependent 
relation, none of the problems are a single aspect that can change 
the overall U.S.-China relationship, including economic, military, 
and political issues. Therefore, the general U.S.-China relations 
are not likely to suffer fluctuations. 
 
There are reasons for us to keep optimistic about the future 
development of U.S.-China relations. The most important one is that 
under the current global financial crisis, the U.S. and China have 
to put economic recovery as the first topic of discussion.  Compared 
with economic cooperation, military cooperation is much more 
difficult where hostility is easy to appear.  But because of the 
easing of Taiwan issues, it can be foreseen that there is a lot of 
space and less difficulty for military cooperation.  Moreover, the 
 
BEIJING 00000922  002 OF 002 
 
 
new liberalism in the Obama Administration helps to reduce the 
"China threat theory" within the U.S.  So the current domestic and 
international situation has provided better opportunities to further 
develop the U.S.-China relations. However opportunities are one 
thing, outcomes are another.  If the two can rationally judge their 
power or interests that is not an easy thing to do. 
 
WEINSTEIN