VZCZCXRO5153
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0960 1000940
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100940Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3386
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 000960 
 
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 PREL ECON
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: McCain Visit, President Obama, Ren Min Bi 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. McCain Visit 
 
"McCain said that China has become a "superpower" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/10): McCain arrived in Beijing on 8th for 
his Asian "survey trip". He indicated during a press conference on 
April 9th that China had become a "superpower" and "China's 
importance is becoming more obvious". Therefore, there are "more 
discussions about G-2". But his remarks are questioned among Chinese 
internet users. According to a survey conducted by Huanqiu website 
(www.huanqiu.com), 68% of the internet users think that "there are 
gaps between China and a superpower". 
McCain also mentioned the "USS Impeccable" incident in the South 
China Sea, saying that "we have confidence to avoid similar 
accidents through dialogue". Niu Xinchun, from Chinese Institute of 
Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that 
McCain is trying to put a label on China with such a saying.  Niu 
says that McCain intentionally moves the nature of this issue to 
another side, indicating that China put obstacles for the American 
vessel.  But the American vessel was aimed to spy on China.  We hope 
that since America is willing to have a comprehensive cooperation 
with China, America should not spy on China.   As for G-2, Niu says 
that it is practical to believe that the major global issues can 
only be solved through U.S.-China cooperation.  But it is an 
exaggerated saying that U.S. and China should jointly lead the world 
through the G-2.  It is not in line with China's diplomatic 
concept. 
 
¶2. President Obama 
 
"Obama's bow provokes conservatives" 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/10): Obama "bowed" to the leader of Saudi 
Arabia, King Abdullah during the London summit.  This provokes 
American conservatives. Obama was condemned that he "belittled 
America's power and independence".  There were heated discussions in 
the global media about his "bow".  A Chinese expert says that Obama 
is trying to make America's strategy less rude and some countries 
have expressed their cautious welcome on this.  But the reaction of 
conservatives shows that Obama has a long and rough way to go. 
Zhang Lili, from China Foreign Affairs University, says that the 
conservatives' attack Obama about this issue from the perspective of 
national interests and moral aspects.  This is consistent with the 
conservatives' traditional attitudes of being tough.  But what is 
behind these criticisms reflect the blowback for Obama's recent 
policy adjustments.  These adjustments dissatisfy the military 
interest group, which leads to more intense criticisms.  The world 
needs to encourage Obama's policy adjustments because if the 
relations between the U.S. and other countries change into constant 
sum game instead of a zero-sum game, the pressure put on many 
countries will be reduced. 
 
 
¶3. Ren Min Bi 
"Commentary - Don't be too quick to say the RMB can contend with the 
U.S. dollar" 
 
The official Communist Youth League newspaper China Youth Daily 
(Zhongguo Qingnianbao) )04/10): China has started a trial in 5 
cities using the RMB for overseas settlements.  Actually, using the 
RMB as a trade settlement has already started since 2007.  The RMB 
became one of the most important regional currencies.  But it is not 
realistic to think the RMB can have the same role as the U.S. dollar 
in the international currency system.  There have to be 3 
prerequisites for the RMB to become as important as the dollar.  One 
is the nation's overall economic power.  China's total economic 
volume and exporting & importing trade volume are far from 
America's.  America is still the only superpower.   Second has to be 
a mature reserve currency mechanism.  The current exchange rate 
mechanism and frame are not fully developed.  Third it has to have 
all the necessities such as financial management regulation 
capacity, awareness of the financial regulations, and the 
supervision capacity, and so on.  Euro currency has been circulated 
for 10 years and still fails to content with USD due to the 
insufficiencies of relative supporting financial necessities. 
Therefore, we should steadily process RMB's internationalization 
based on China's practical situation. 
 
Weinstein