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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040840Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7917
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000290 
 
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 SENV KGHG KMDR OPRC CH
 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: MEETING THE DALAI LAMA, ARMS SALES TO 
 
TAIWAN 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. MEETING THE DALAI LAMA 
 
a. "Obama insists on meeting the Dalai Lama; Sino-U.S. relations are 
drastically cooling down" 
 
The Shanghai-based Shanghai Media Group (SMG) publication, China 
Business News (Diyi Caijing)(02/03)(pg A5): "Zhang Zhi-rong, 
professor of Tibetan Studies at Beijing University, said that the 
central government has been in contact and talked with the private 
representative of the Dalai Lama for several years.  It shows that 
the door to negotiation has been widely open to him.  The Dalai's 
separatist attempt will not succeed.  All his overseas activities 
will only raise his own worth and will benefit him.  One of the 
reasons that Obama insists on meeting with the Dalai is domestic 
political pressure.  In the opinion of U.S. conservatives and some 
industrial unions, for the past year, Obama has been overly 
pro-China.  For the sake of the mid-term elections, his meeting with 
the Dalai could help Obama build an image where his is 'not giving 
in to China.'  The U.S. may issue or not issue a formal invitation 
to the Dalai Lama for a visit to the United States. This may be used 
as a bargaining chip for other trade-offs, such as the arms sales to 
Taiwan and trade issues.  In a sense, this potential invitation [to 
the Dalai Lama] is 'diplomatic blackmail.'  Once this 'blackmail' 
fails, the U.S. will turn to a tougher stance on these issues. 
'Using Tibet to contain China' has always been a tactic of the 
United States when it is imposing its 'soft containment' of China. 
These recent events suggest that the Sino-U.S. relationship has now 
entered a dangerous 'Ice Age.'" 
 
b. "China opposes Obama-Dalai meeting" 
 
The official English-language newspaper China Daily (02/04) (Front 
Page): "Simmering tensions between China and the United States since 
the beginning of the year ratcheted up another notch yesterday, with 
Beijing warning Washington that a meeting between U.S. President 
Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama would further sour ties between the 
two global powers. Analysts said it remains to be seen how far each 
country would go down that road, and when it is time to put on the 
brakes as the two are in dire need of each other. 'Beijing is sure 
to take some concrete measures to fight back, which are not clear so 
far. But the two sides must have weighed the consequences prior to 
announcing any measure,' Niu Xinchun, an expert on U.S. studies at 
the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told 
China Daily.  Yuan Peng, head of U.S. studies at the China 
Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, was quoted by 
Reuters as saying the response from Beijing would be tougher than 
Washington anticipates. 'China wants to change the rules of the 
game,' Yuan said. 'Though the U.S. has previously sold weapons to 
Taiwan and (previous U.S. presidents have) met the Dalai Lama, this 
time there'll be true cursing and retaliation.' But unlike Sarkozy, 
Obama is set to meet the Dalai Lama discreetly, Niu said. Gong Li, 
director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies at the 
Central Party School, said China is not seeking a complete halt in 
bilateral relations, showing constraint in its retaliatory measures 
instead of reacting hysterically such as selling the U.S. bonds. 
Gong also said that the U.S may also be testing how far it could 
push China. 'If China doesn't react strongly, F16s might be next on 
the arms sale list to Taiwan.'" 
 
¶2. ARMS SALES TO Taiwan 
 
"Obama rejects China's warning" 
 
The People's Daily-sponsored and internationally-focused commercial 
news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(02/04)(pg 1): "On 
February 2 and 3, both Washington and Beijing retaliated, putting 
each other in tough positions [on Taiwan arms sale]. Experts said 
not to expect either country to step away from its stance. Jin 
Canrong from the People's University of China said that China's 
resolute stance is to make the United States clear concerning 
China's bottom line.  On many occasions, the strengths of China and 
the United States are balanced. However, it is impossible for the 
United States to continue using its old ways to deal with China. 
The effects of the Dalai issue will mix with the influence of the 
Google incident and arms sales to Taiwan to impact Sino-U.S. 
relations.  The pressures from within China, among netizens, are 
growing concerning these issues.  If Chinese netizens are incensed, 
the result will be serious.  Although the United States is happy to 
see the growing numbers of Chinese netizens and the broadening 
degree of the Chinese society's freedom; it seems like the U.S. 
can't handle the effect of these changes in China.  China will not 
compromise on issues concerning its core interests.  Its reaction to 
the arms deal is reasonable.  It is predicted that, this year, 
Sino-U.S. relations will encounter continuous ups and downs." 
 
BEIJING 00000290  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
HUNTSMAN