VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBJ #3311/01 3450952
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110952Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7171
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS BEIJING 003311
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: OBAMA'S NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, COPENHAGEN, ARMS
SALES TO TAIWAN, NORTH KOREA
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Editorial Quotes
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1. OBAMA'S NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
"In receiving the peace prize, Obama defends war"
The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(12/11)(pg 1): "When receiving the Nobel Peace
Prize, President Obama said that although wars have led to
tragedies, militaries are still necessary. The awarding of the
peace prize to Obama irritated some people in Pakistan and
Afghanistan. An engineer from Afghanistan said that the Nobel Peace
Prize is supposed to be awarded to those who have contributed to
peace, but Obama is 'a killer.' Reuters quoted another Afghan as
saying that Obama, who has caused many civilian casualties, is not
qualified for the prize. Media in the UK said that although Obama
has made some effort in his economic and foreign policies, he is
still far from achieving any major breakthroughs."
2. COPENHAGEN
"Obama's empty promise"
Guangdong 21st Century Publishing Company Ltd.'s business newspaper
21st Century Business Herald (21Shiji Jingji Baodao)(12/11)(pg 4):
"The White House still cannot prove that the United States can cut
its carbon emissions by 17%, which is the promise Obama anxiously
took with him to Copenhagen. The biggest obstacle for Obama in
achieving this goal is not other countries, but rather the U.S.
Congress. What the United States needs most is an effective
emissions reduction law. Given the lack of such a law, the Obama
administration has floated an alternative solution: the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency will use the Clean Air Act to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. government also hopes the
economic stimulus plan, which includes investments in new energy,
will have an effect. American intellectuals believe that Obama is
using the EPA to put pressure on Congress. Obama has said a lot
more than he has done on climate change in the past year. The time
for the United States to recapture its leadership on the climate
change issue has run out, but so far Obama has yet to submit a
satisfactory answer to the world."
3. ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN
"U.S. arms sales to Taiwan will surely spark retaliation from China"
The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(12/11)(pg 1): "The Chinese people are very
indignant about the news, reported by Reuters, that Obama is
promoting new arms sales to Taiwan. Professor Jin Canrong at the
People's University of China said that the Mainland will surely
impose sanctions or take other revenge on the U.S. if it sells arms
to Taiwan. He argued that these measures must be ones that cause
hardship for the United States. China should see through the Obama
administration's self-defined pragmatism, in which it smiles to
China when talking about the appreciation of the yuan and bond
purchases, but at the same time sells arms to Taiwan. If the United
States sells arms to Taiwan, the Mainland could stop military
exchanges between the two countries, which will make the U.S. very
uncomfortable since it is eager to know more about the People's
Liberation Army. Expert Dai Xu said that the Mainland must take a
stand to demonstrate that any country that sells arms to Taiwan will
pay a price. China should take real retaliatory measures, like
selling arms to potential opponents of the United States. Other
experts argued that [U.S. arms sales to Taiwan] would not cause big
problems between the two countries. The American magazine Foreign
Policy argued that in recent years U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have
become like a political football game, having more symbolic meaning
than real strategic impact on the situation in the Taiwan Strait."
4. NORTH KOREA
"Potential dangers on the North Korean nuclear issue during the
'warm winter'"
The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(12/11)(pg 14): "Some argue that North Korea
is implementing a 'Plan C' and will exercise greater political
wisdom to promote the plan in 2010. North Korea will use the next
couple of years to implement a diplomatic campaign, which is why
some believe it will be a 'warm winter' on the Korean Peninsula.
During this warm winter, the United States and North Korea will have
hot discussions, and North-South Korean relations will improve. At
the same time, North Korea will seek a better relationship with
Japan. North Korea will use this Plan C as a way to better its
relations with China and Russia. But since this plan involves a
change in the current situation, it creates potential dangers."
GOLDBERG