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
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Editorial Quotes
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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economic order, expedite reform of some rigid and outdated political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