VZCZCXRO5579
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #2919 2940905
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210905Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6512
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 002919 
 
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: CHINA POLICY, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1.  CHINA POLICY 
 
"Issues for economic growth model" 
 
The official English-language newspaper China Daily (10/21)(pg 8): 
"China should look at the emerging global economic rebalancing in 
the context of an unprecedented world economic recession and 
expedite adjustment of its economic structure and transformation of 
its long-controversial growth model.  China has its own 
understanding about the causes of the crisis but it also believes it 
unavoidable for the world economy to be rebalanced in the 
post-crisis era.  China's misgivings toward Washington's 'crisis 
responsibility' are understandable given that the country's 
fast-growing and export-driven economy is likely to be most affected 
in the forthcoming global rebalancing campaign.  The imbalance in 
the world economy has been used by the U.S. as an important excuse 
to force China into concessions on some of its macroeconomic and 
monetary policies.  U.S. President Barack Obama's stance was crystal 
clear: the US will strive to develop itself into a producer from a 
consumer.  In this context, China should not be over-optimistic 
about the U.S. and European economies turning better or get 
motivated to slow down its steps toward economic structural 
adjustment.  Since its major trading partners also strive to become 
manufacturers, China should try to change its past excessive 
dependence on the mushrooming global trade and develop itself into a 
self-reliant and internally-driven economy. We have good reasons to 
believe the world's third largest economy will surely go through the 
ongoing global economic rebalancing and gain larger development if 
it can take hold of the chances produced by the change of the global 
economic order, expedite reform of some rigid and outdated political 
and economic institutions, optimize its currently unreasonable 
wealth distribution structure and tap domestic demand." 
 
¶2. AFGHANISTAN 
 
"China cannot remain aloof from the chaos in Afghanistan" 
 
The official Communist Party international news publication Global 
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(10/2)(pg 14): "As a country neighboring 
Afghanistan, China will definitely be influenced by the chaos there 
and thus will not remain aloof from it.  China hopes the UN and 
other international organizations can play positive roles in 
Afghanistan.  Depending solely on the War on Terror will not solve 
the Afghanistan issue.  A comprehensive resolution should be 
implemented.  First, a national reconciliation should be realized as 
early as possible to fulfill the political unification in 
Afghanistan since at present there are various sections existing who 
are adopting different policies of their own.  China is willing to 
help Afghanistan's government to set up a real united government 
together with other neighboring countries.  Second, cross-border 
transportation issues should be solved first by promoting economic 
construction and expanding economic exchanges.  China has been 
providing economic assistance to the country all the time.  Third, 
China could help Afghanistan to realize political stability and 
economic development within the framework of Shanghai Cooperation 
Organization.  China opposes the use of double standards in the War 
on Terror and advocates eliminating the root causes of terrorism by 
solving poverty and economic development issues in Afghanistan and 
its neighboring countries." 
 
¶3. IRAN 
 
"Three issues worth paying attention to after bomb attack in Iran" 
 
The official intellectual publication Guangming Daily (Guangming 
Ribao)(10/21)(pg 8): "There are three issues worth looking at after 
the Iranian bomb blast.  First, will there be another round of 
sectarian violence in Iran?  Observers believe that following the 
attack the Revolutionary Guard will conduct a large-scale of 
clean-up, which will greatly intensify friction between the Shiites 
and the Sunnis.  Plus, given the still ongoing conflict between the 
reform group and the conservatives, new chaos is likely to occur in 
Iran.  Second, will there be a sharp deterioration in Iran-Pakistan 
relations?  If Pakistan is unwilling to let Iranian security troops 
conduct certain military actions in Pakistan while Pakistan is busy 
cracking down on the Taliban and has no time to deal with this 
issue, Iran-Pakistan relations may become tense.  Third, if the 
U.S., U.K. and other Western countries oppose Iran's requests, Iran 
may use the issue to urge these countries into concessions during 
the negotiation over the Iran nuclear issue.  It will undoubtedly 
bring more changes to the Iran nuclear issue." 
 
HUNTSMAN