VZCZCXRO7414
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1587 1630913
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120913Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4492
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 001587 
 
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: A/H1N1 VIRUS, TIBET, NORTH KOREA 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. A/H1N1 VIRUS 
 
"Alert level of H1N1 is raised to the highest. This is the first 
time in 41 years" 
 
The Shanghai-based Shanghai Media Group (SMG) publication, China 
Business News (Diyi Caijing)(06/12): "The World Heath Organization 
is expected to announce that H1N1 is pandemic.  This is the first 
time the WHO announced an influenza pandemic in 41 years.  The 
decision will promote drug makers to speed up the production of H1N1 
vaccine and promote all countries to invest more in the vaccine 
development.  The WHO states that at the early stage, the pandemic 
is just spreading around the globe but the fatality rate is not too 
high.  The WHO urges countries not to implement limitations on 
tourism and trade.  They emphasize that currently the H1N1 cases are 
still mild and don't need special treatment, but they are concerned 
that the hospitals in developing countries can not deal with the 
rising number of infected people." 
 
¶2. TIBET 
 
"U.S. Congress approves setting up a Tibet section in the U.S. 
Embassy in China" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(06/12): "According to Voice of America the 
U.S. Congress has approved creating a Tibet office at the U.S. 
Embassy in China.  The U.S. move will bring a negative influence to 
U.S.-China relations.  It shows American attention on Tibetan 
politics and affairs have been upgraded.  There will not be 
substantial results of the American action with a strong human 
rights denotation.  What is more the behavior is completely opposite 
to Obama's general gesture of advocating positive cooperation with 
China.  China does not need to place too much emphasis on the move 
currently.  It depends on whether the two governments can actively 
and practically deal with controversies and how much their measures 
will influence the bilateral relations.  The U.S. move obviously has 
created this office to interfere in the Tibet issue and China's 
internal affairs." 
 
¶3. NORTH KOREA 
 
"China cannot change its tone on North Korea policy because of the 
nuclear test" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(06/12): "Because of the second nuclear test 
pursuing the stability and peace of Northeast Asia under a 
multilateral framework has become the general trend.  It is 
necessary to reconsider the strategy of North Korea for China. 
North Korea intends to become 'a power' which is a fixed policy of 
North Korea.  As a country acting independently of ideology, North 
Korea will not change its strategic will due to any influence of the 
world.  At the same time, the U.S. has been continuously ignoring 
North Korea's security needs and finally caused North Korea to 
possess nuclear weapons.  America asking North Korea to give up 
nuclear programs first then go to peace talks, does not show 
sincerity towards North Korea.  There is no mention of earning trust 
from North Korea.  A stable North Korea will benefit the Northeast 
region of China. 
 
The change in China's North Korea policy is due to North Korea's 
nuclear program's threat to China and may cause China-North Korea 
relations to deteriorate.  But China cannot change its tone on North 
Korea just because North Korea possesses nuclear weapons. 
Maintaining friendship with North Korea and keeping a harmonious 
environment with neighbors, stabilizing North Korea, is still 
China's primary choice.  When the U.S. is not in a rush to solve the 
North Korean nuclear issue, China has no need to express the 
intention for an urgent resolution.  China should pay close 
attention to the possible evolution of the U.S. policy in the future 
in view of North Korea possessing nuclear weapons." 
 
PICCUTA