VZCZCXRO2986
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #2198 2150855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030855Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5454
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 002198 
 
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: PREL ECON KMDR OPRC CH
 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. EAST ASIAN POLICY, S&ED, NORTH KOREA 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1.  U.S. EAST ASIAN POLICY 
 
"Three major changes in the U.S.'s East Asian policy" 
 
The official Communist Party People's Daily (Renmin Ribao) (08/03): 
"Two recent moves by the United States show that the U.S.'s attitude 
towards the integration of East Asia is changing.  First, the U.S. 
signed a 'Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia,' which 
has given rise to speculation that the U.S. may attend the East 
Asian Summit.  Second, the U.S.'s Mekong River development plan has 
involved the U.S. in East Asian regional economic cooperation 
efforts.  These two moves show that the U.S. is changing from a 
pessimistic observer to an active participant in the process of East 
Asian integration.  Specifically, there have been three changes in 
U.S. East Asian policy.  First, the Obama Administration has 
attached more importance to and increased its input in the region. 
Secretary Clinton's visit to East Asia this February, which included 
India, shows that the Obama Administration's relationship with 
Southeast Asia is strengthening.  Second, "development" is getting 
more attention since the Obama Administration put development 
alongside diplomacy and defense as one of the three pillars of U.S. 
diplomacy.  Finally, the role of public diplomacy has been promoted 
and there is more direct communication with publics in the region. 
In this way, the United States is trying to improve its 
international image." 
 
¶2.  S&ED 
 
"One dialogue, two games" 
 
The independent Chinese weekly business newspaper distributed in 
major cities throughout China, Economic Observer (Jingji Guanchabao) 
(08/03): "'The first dialogue between the Obama Administration and 
Beijing is a game not just between the U.S. and China, but also 
between Secretary Clinton and Secretary Geithner,' Deputy Director 
of the China Academy of Social Sciences' U.S. Studies Division Zhang 
Liping argues.  U.S. concerns include financial issues, clean 
energy, and a new model of economic development.  It is not easy to 
reach a consensus when the two countries have different concerns. 
One substantive result of the dialogue was a memorandum to increase 
cooperation on climate change, energy, and the environment.  Obama 
has been emphasizing 'green,' low carbon, and hydrogen initiatives 
since he took office, but many doubts still linger.  Zhang indicated 
that the U.S. focus on 'green initiatives' is due to two factors. 
First, Obama wants to create new economic growth, develop new 
technologies, and maintain the U.S.'s leading position in 'green 
economics.'  Obama has been very clear that the U.S.'s manufacturing 
and information technology industries will not return to their 
glorious past.  The U.S. is the current leader in 'green economics,' 
and its ultimate goal is to maintain this position.  Second, the 
U.S. can limit China's exports by using 'green economics' and create 
a non-tariff barrier in the name of environmental protection. 
Zhang said China could agree to emission reductions, but should only 
do so if guaranteed certain environmental compensations and 
encouragement mechanisms.  The game of posturing is just starting 
between the U.S. and China." 
 
¶3.  NORTH KOREA 
 
"China refuses to plot with the U.S. against North Korea" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (08/03): "U.S. media recently reported that 
the U.S. hoped to cooperate with China in drawing up contingency 
plans for the possible collapse of North Korea, but was rebuffed by 
China.  Although the U.S. and South Korea have been making plans for 
a sudden change in the political situation in North Korea, this is 
the first time that the U.S. has tried to publicly draw in China. 
Chinese scholars said that the U.S. has brought this up with China 
many times, but China's stance has always been to not respond.  This 
recent move by the U.S. is not only to put pressure on North Korea, 
but also to pressure China to discuss this issue with the U.S. and 
South Korea.  Dai Xu, a Chinese military expert, said that the U.S. 
move is a plot to alienate China from North Korea.  Yu Wanli, a 
scholar at Peking University, emphasized that instability in North 
Korea is not in China's interest.   China will not let a 'collapse' 
happen in North Korea, but will also not just sit by and watch the 
U.S. and South Korea take advantage of instability in North Korea to 
divide the country.  The Chinese government will not publicly 
discuss the 'post-Kim Jong Il era' with the U.S. since China 
advocates a policy of not interfering in other countries' internal 
affairs.  What's more, the U.S. and China do not share the same view 
on this issue." 
 
GOLDBERG