Cablegate: Media Reaction Q Treasury Secretary Paulson

VZCZCXRO8512
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #5493 2680635
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250635Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6671
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8167
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 1522
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4277
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1258
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0406
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2033
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 005493

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION Q TREASURY SECRETARY PAULSON
VISIT TO CHINA AND MEDIA CONTROL IN CHINA - TOKYO

LEAD STORIES: Top stories Monday morning included
speculation about the executive lineup of the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party, which is to be announced
Monday.

1. "US Taking New Strategy Toward China Under Paulson's
Leadership" The Liberal Asahi carried an analytical
report stating (9/23): "Secretary of the Treasury Paulson
agreed with Chinese President Hu and Premier Wen on
Friday that the US and China would cooperate on a wide
range of economic issues.... China, which hopes that
Paulson can serve as a bridge between Washington and
Beijing, gave him a warm reception, and the yuan
continued to rise every day he was there.... Following
the departure of Deputy Secretary of State Zoellick, who
was viewed by Beijing as 'pro-China,' Secretary Paulson
appears to be the de facto liaison between Washington and
Beijing.... If China delays implementing the many
financial tasks it faces, however, the display of
friendship staged by the Paulson visit could immediately
collapse."

2. "China Tightening Control of Media" The top-
circulation, moderate Yomiuri editorialized (9/25): "The
Chinese government under President Hu has been tightening
its control over the media out of fear that the regime
could find itself threatened if it loosens its grip....
Restrictions on foreign media have heightened the
international community's distrust of the Chinese
government.... With the 2008 Beijing Olympics
approaching, international criticism of this clampdown on
media will inevitably grow. Although the regime strikes a
pose of unconcern in the face of both domestic and
foreign criticism, it is unclear how long Beijing will be
able to keep this up in the information age."

SCHIEFFER

© Scoop Media