VZCZCXRO4393
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHVI #0122 0331527
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021527Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4096
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0372

UNCLAS VIENNA 000122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD ECIN CH TW AU
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT FISCHER'S CHINA VISIT FOCUSED ON TRADE 
 
¶1. Summary: Austrian President Fischer's January 19-22 China 
visit was focused on business and trade, though he also 
raised human rights and North Korea with Chinese President Hu 
Jintao, according to an Austrian MFA contact.  Hu said the 
Government of China was pleased with President Obama's visit, 
but concerned about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. The visit marked Fischer's first official trip to China 
since his election in 2004.  He was accompanied by Defense 
Minister Darabos, Health Minister Stoeger, MFA Secretary 
General Kyrle, a group of MPs, and a large business 
delegation.  Herbert Pichler, MFA Unit Chief for Eastern 
Asia, told us that Fischer, in his meeting with Hu, discussed 
ways of increasing Austrian exports to China, which has a 
large trade surplus with Austria.  Pichler said Austria is 
hoping to send another business delegation to China in the 
near future to follow up on the President's visit.  He said 
Chinese FM Yang had, for scheduling reasons, postponed a 
planned February 8 visit to Austria, but the GOA was hoping 
the visit could take place later this year. 
 
¶3. Fischer emphasized to Hu the importance of human rights 
and described the historical processes leading to the 
abolition of the death penalty in Austria and other EU 
countries.  He did not mention the recent execution in China 
of a British citizen or any other specific human 
rights-related cases in China, Pichler said.  Fischer raised 
human rights in part on the assumption that reporters would 
ask whether the issue was discussed, which they did, he said. 
 
¶4. The Austrian President said the GOA and other EU 
governments would like to see a resumption of the six-party 
talks on North Korea, and asked Hu how he viewed the 
prospects for negotiations.  Hu said China was in favor of 
resuming the talks, and was prepared to play a constructive 
role. 
 
¶5. Hu told Fischer the Government of China was pleased with 
the visit of President Obama and believed that the transition 
to a new U.S. government had gone more smoothly, in terms of 
bilateral relations, than Chinese officials had expected.  He 
added, however, that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan undermined 
good relations.  The Chinese President compared Taiwan to 
Hong Kong and Macau; Pichler said Fischer took this to mean 
that Taiwan could be part of China while maintaining a 
separate political and economic system.  Hu also averred that 
the Western media were exaggerating China's power, creating a 
false image of China's rise as a threat. 
 
¶6. The two presidents discussed plans to stage cultural 
events in Austria and China in 2011 to mark the 40th 
anniversary of bilateral relations. 
 
¶7. Pichler said he had not received a readout of Defense 
Minister Darabos' meeting with his Chinese counterpart. 
According to press reports, the ministers agreed to increase 
contacts between leaders of the two armed forces.  Pichler 
said Health Minister Stoeger and his Chinese counterpart 
signed a number of agreements on cooperation in the medical 
sector. 
EACHO