VZCZCXRO5436
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #4278 3250911
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200911Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0973
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS BEIJING 004278
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
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. DIPLOMACY
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Editorial Quotes
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U.S. DIPLOMACY
a. "Bush becomes the scapegoat of the U.S."
The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(11/20): "A new Hollywood film, 'W', has
recently been shown in the U.S. It is the story of President Bush.
Some people are saying that no one could have been a worse president
than Bush. However, others disagree. Many Americans defend Bush,
suggesting that the current difficulties in the U.S. are the
necessary result of the U.S.'s behavior globally promoting American
ideology and hegemony. Bush simply happened to become the person who
will take the blame for the U.S.'s decline. A Chinese expert on
international affairs, Charles Freeman indicated that in fact it is
not fair to give all the blame to the President. Although the U.S.
implies separation of powers, it advocates individual heroism. The
U.S. president has a big influence on domestic and foreign affairs.
Therefore he takes the most blame. In fact, the U.S.-China
relationship can be counted as one of Bush's successes during his
post. Bush has brought forth the 'stakeholder' concept in China.
Another important legacy of Bush is that he has ensured an open
market and a free trade, globalizing the U.S."
b. "Moral superiority harms the U.S."
The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(11/20): "Obama's victory in the election has
re-united the American people, and given them hope, strengthening
their moral superiority. Some experts think that the U.S. soft power
will resume because of Obama's mild diplomatic style. However,
American's moral superiority has not disappeared. On the contrary it
has been strengthened. The U.S. is telling the World that 'see, we
have elected an African American president. Which one of you is able
to achieve this?' The greedy nature of capitalism, the need for the
expansion of national interests and the impulse to spread the
religion of Jesus has made the U.S. accustomed to treating other
countries like pupils. This habit brings the U.S. three flaws:
first, the U.S. is the only judge capable of judging right and
wrong. Second, the U.S. steps from judging right and wrong to
hegemonic expansion. Third, the U.S. is trapped in a weird circle of
'defensive expansion'; the more resistance it encounters from other
countries, the more unsafe the U.S. feels. ...Actually the most
important change that the U.S. needs to make is to walk away from
moral superiority and learn to get along with the World, modestly
and equally."
RANDT