VZCZCXYZ0012
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBU #0114/01 0331351
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 021350Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0418
INFO RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000114
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL CH AR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA; THE MILITARY IN LATIN AMERICA;
1/30/10 - 2/1/10; BUENOS AIRES
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; U.S.-CHINA; THE MILITARY IN LATIN AMERICA;
1/30/10 - 2/1/10; BUENOS AIRES
SUMMARY
-------
1. China's threats to suspend its military ties with the U.S. and
to impose sanctions on U.S. companies selling weapons to Taiwan
received wide coverage over the weekend. Opinion articles
highlighted U.S.-Chinese interdependence and their need for a
strategic partnership based on issues such as North Korea, Iran's
nuclear program, Chinese financing of U.S. debt, and China's access
to U.S. markets. Pro-government, left-leaning Buenos Aires
Econ????mico reports on the loss of U.S. economic and political
influence in Asia in favor of China. Largest circulation daily
Clar????n warns that China's censorship of Google could become a
cyber-war. A professor of International Relations wrote for
business-financial El Cronista criticizing the American policy of
militarizing the war on drugs. End summary.
A TOUGH INTERDEPENDENCE
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA
--------------------------
2. Leading circulation Clar????n and daily-of-record La Naci????n
carry
opinion pieces noting the interdependence of the U.S. and China and
that their relationship is marked by mutual distrust as well as a
need for a strategic partnership. Under the headline "An
arm-wrestling between strategic adversaries," Sergio Cesar????n, a
member of the Council of S Research (CONICET), highlighted that
although the U.S.-Taiwan weapons plan and China's reaction are not
something new, the speed with which China is developing its nuclear
arsenal, which could turn it into a threat to U.S. prevalence by
mid-century, the Chinese blockade on multilateral negotiations with
North Korea, Iran, and climate change, China's sophisticated space
technology development, and the threat posed by Chinese hackers to
NATO or the Pentagon's command and control systems are new.
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/01/31/elmun do/i-02130490.htm
3. La Naci????n notes that "diplomatically speaking, Washington
wants a larger support from China to control North Korea and Iran's
nuclear programs" whereas "economically, Beijing needs access to
U.S. markets and Washington needs China to continue helping it
finance its deficit. Clar????n carries an op-ed piece by former U.S.
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger urging the U.S. and China to
attain a common view of the emerging world order after its economic
crisis.
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 227920
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/01/opini on/o-02130987.htm
4. Daniel Brunat, on special assignment in Beijing for Clar????n,
reported that "China responded with rage to the U.S. announcement
that it would provide Taiwan with Patriot missiles, Black hawk
helicopters and sophisticated communication systems for its
defense." Highlighting that the U.S. Pentagon downplayed the tone
of the conflict, the reporter notes that "the real danger for the
U.S. is that sanctions could go beyond the military field and also
affect the stability of its industry, which is absolutely
interconnected with that of the Asian giant. Another risk is that
the Chinese society, nationalistic as it is, could boycott U.S.
products and culture."
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/01/31/elmun do/i-02130489.htm
"CYBER-WAR"
-----------
5. In a side-box entitled "Cyber-war," Clar????n notes that a UN
spokesperson warned that an international treaty is required to
prevent a cyber-attack from becoming a major war, referring to
Google's charges that the Chinese government ordered the attacks it
has suffered for one month. Following Secretary Clinton's remarks
urging an end to Web censorship, China responded by launching its
local version of Google and YouTube.
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/01/31/elmun do/i-02130489.htm
HAS THE US LOST ITS
CLOUT IN ASIA?
-------------------------
6. Pro-government, business-financial Buenos Aires Econ????mico
(BAE) claims that what will really boost the ASEAN bloc's economy
will be the FTA it signed with China. The article says that while
China multiplied by five its trade transactions with the ASEAN bloc
during the last 15 years, the U.S. diminished them from 17 to 12%
over the same period. Underscoring that Washington preferred to
maintain its prevalence in key regions, such as the Middle East,
the paper signals that China took advantage of the vacuum of
influence in East Asia, and that Washington not only lost economic
influence but political allies as well.
"THE MILITARY FACTOR
IN LATIN AMERICA"
--------------------
7. Juan Gabriel Tokatlian, professor of International Relations
at Universidad Di Tella, wrote for business-financial El Cronista
that the U.S. "contradictory messages and erratic practices" in
response to the Honduran coup d'????tat could tacitly encourage new
coups d'????tat, at least in Central America. Tokatlian adds that
the
militarization of the war on drugs, which is noticeable throughout
Latin America except Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, should be blamed
on Washington policies.
http://www.cronista.com/notas/219615-el-facto r-militar-america-lati
na-
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires
MARTINEZ