VZCZCXRO7127
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #3037/01 3071147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031147Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6696
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0680
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4968
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 2672
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 003037
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PARM SOCI CH PK IN UK RS EG MY
SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 3, 2009 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: AFGHAN ELECTIONS,
INDIA-CHINA, FINANCIAL CRISIS
1. Key points at the October 29 MFA press briefing:
-- China had conveyed congratulations to Hamid Karzai for his
election victory.
-- China had expressed its "grave concerns" and opposition to
reports of a planned visit to Arunachal Pradesh by the Dalai Lama.
-- PRC Government remained committed to implementing sound economic
and financial policies in response to the financial crisis.
-- PRC President Hu Jintao would pay a state visit to Malaysia
before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Afghanistan Elections
---------------------
2. At the November 3 session of the regular Ministry of Foreign
Affairs press briefing, spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu noted that China had
conveyed congratulations to Hamid Karzai for his election victory.
As a friendly neighbor, China looked forward to the enhancement of
peace and stability in Afghanistan and development in bilateral
relations.
Dalai Lama Travel
---------------------
3. Characterizing the Dalai Lama as "telling lies" and a
"separatist," Ma claimed comments by the Dalai Lama on Arunchal
Pradesh were an attempt to damage relations between China and India.
China had expressed its "grave concerns" and opposition to reports
of a planned visit to Arunachal Pradesh by the Dalai Lama.
China-India Relations
---------------------
4. Ma noted that on October 24 on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit
in Thailand, PRC Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh had agreed to make efforts toward the stable
development of bilateral relations. Asked about reports of Chinese
workers traveling to India on fraudulent visas, Ma noted that
Chinese enterprises had been contracted to develop large scale
infrastructure projects in India. Though the companies tried to
hire local workers, it was sometimes necessary to bring employees
from China. China had made representations to India requesting
simplified visa procedures to facilitate these projects which were
good for bilateral relations.
China in the G20 and Climate Change
-----------------------------------
4. Asked for China's views on the November 6-7 G20 meeting in
Scotland, Ma said that the PRC Government remained committed to
implementing sound economic and financial policies in response to
the financial crisis. China would take an "objective" view of the
situation, proceed from national interests and bear in mind the
international situation. China supported fiscally proactive
policies to promote financial development. Ma said he was unaware
of any plans for meetings among Brazil, Russia, India and China
(BRIC) on the margins of the G-20.
Hu in Malaysia
--------------
5. President Hu Jintao would pay his first state visit to Malaysia
before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The
visit would also mark the first time in 15 years that a PRC
president has visited Malaysia, and would be an important
development in bilateral relations between the two countries, Ma
said. President Hu would meet with King Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi
Billah Shah and Prime Minister Abdullah Bin Ahmad Badawi to exchange
views on bilateral issues and sign agreements on cultural and
educational cooperation.
Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Egypt
----------------------------------
6. Asked about Premier Wen Jiabao's discussion on climate change at
the Nov 8-9 Forum of China-Africa Cooperation, Ma stated that the
PRC government's position on climate change was very clear. China
supported adhering to the Kyoto Protocol, the Bali roadmap and the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Japanese Company Reparations
----------------------------
7. Regarding reports that a Japanese company would compensate
BEIJING 00003037 002 OF 002
Chinese citizens for forced labor during World War II, Ma said that
China hoped Japan would handle the matter properly and take a
responsible attitude toward history.
Imprisoned British Citizen
---------------------------
8. Ma noted that only the Ministry of Justice could answer questions
regarding the case of British citizen Akmal Shaikh, who was
sentenced to death on narcotics charges in the Xinjiang Uighur
Autonomous Region in 2007.
HUNTSMAN