VZCZCXRO9353
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHBJ #0413 0530854
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220854Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8180
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS BEIJING 000413
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: DALAI LAMA MEETING, IRAN
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Editorial Quotes
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1. DALAI LAMA MEETING
a. "The Dalai Lama's lies and the prejudice of the West"
The official intellectual publication Guangming Daily (Guangming
Ribao)(02/21)(pg 8): "Although it does not require the approval of
another country for a state leader to meet someone, sometimes there
are exceptions. For instance, can any state leader meet with Bin
Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders and ignore the feelings of the U.S.
government and the American people? Since the United States claims
that it will promote a 'positive, constructive, and comprehensive
relationship' with China, it needs to take the Chinese people's
feelings into account. Although the Dalai appears to be non-violent
and not seeking independence, he is actually an example of
duplicity, he says one thing and does another. His goal of seeking
Tibetan independence has never changed. The Dalai Lama is good at
making use of the West's concerns. His first playing card is that
he is seeking the so-called protection of Tibet's unique & dying
cultural traditions. In fact, only after the opening up and reform,
could Tibet's traditions and culture have any long-term development
or actual protection. The Dalai's second card is seeking the
protection of Tibet's unique ecological environment. In fact he
knows very well the government's emphasis on Tibet's ecological
environment but he pretends not to know it."
b. "American debt is still an ideal investment choice"
The People's Daily-sponsored and internationally-focused commercial
news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(02/21)(pg 15):
"Decreasing holdings of American debt doesn't necessarily meet with
the country's economic interests. Currently it is still hard to
break the interest setup in the international financial system.
Thus the best choice is to maximize China's interest within the
system, not to leave the system. If one believes that holding
U.S.-dollar assets has a higher risk, what kinds of other assets are
available for China which has a lower risk? China doesn't have many
choices. Although China can use the foreign reserves it holds as a
negotiation chip, as the country's accumulated fortune for many
years, China still has to manage and invest the reserve according to
market rules. Since American debt is an investment choice, whether
or not to continue keeping the holdings relies on the sober judgment
of the future international market exchange. Judging from the
increased holdings of American debt by developed countries,
decision-making departments should bear an overall view and not be
influenced by ideological remarks. Therefore, at present, holding
the American debt is still a good choice for China's foreign reserve
investment, otherwise, the risks of diversified foreign reserve
investment methods will be higher."
2. IRAN
"The West's blind toughness will intensify the Iranian nuclear
issue"
The People's Daily-sponsored and internationally-focused commercial
news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(02/21)(pg 14): "The
continuous postponement and intensity of the Iran issue are
completely relevant with the West's double standards on the nuclear
issue. Iran is just 'developing' nuclear weapons while Israel has
possessed nuclear weapons; Iran hasn't invaded any country yet while
Israel is still occupying Arabian territory. Why has Israel been
ignored? No matter how serious the contradictions between Arab and
Iran are, those are internal contradictions inside the Islamic
world, which are completely incomparable to the contradictions
between the Islamic world with the West and Israel. The West often
resorts to force when settling international disputes, but the key
issue is whether a Western military strike would force Iran to
suspend or abandon its nuclear process? Furthermore, a war on Iran
is bound to bring disaster to the Persian Gulf and its surrounding
areas. The scale and process of war may not be under the control of
the West. Even if Iran would end in 'tragedy,' the West may not
necessarily have a better outcome. On the Iranian nuclear issue, if
the West does not change course, but rather goes [about this issue]
with blind arrogance, the results will be harmful to others as well
as to themselves."
HUNTSMAN