Cablegate: Media Reaction: China and Latin America, Financial Crisis
R 120911Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0824
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS BEIJING 004195
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, C
HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR (J007)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR CH
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CHINA AND LATIN AMERICA, FINANCIAL CRISIS
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Editorial Quotes
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1. CHINA AND LATIN AMERICA
"A naturally occurring strategic promotion of relationships"
The China Radio International sponsored newspaper World News Journal
(Shijie Xinwenbao) (11/11): "In the past month, the relationship
between China and Latin American countries has greatly improved.
Evidenced by the Chinese government launching its first ever policy
papers on Latin America and the Caribbean region last month, mapping
out an overall blueprint for future cooperation between the two
sides. In order to sustain economic development, China is relying
more and more on the resources of these countries, and their energy
products such as crude oil. The recent economic growth of Latin
America has been driven by the rising prices of their primary
products due to large amounts of importing by China. China is now
the third largest trade partner with Latin America. This trend will
no doubt continue. Both sides have a shared interest in trying to
avoid being victimized by the U.S. and European countries during the
financial crisis. It is this shared interest that brings them
together and there has been no geopolitical conflict in the history
of their bilateral relations. During the financial crisis, the U.S.
and Europe are likely to shift the disadvantages to Latin America
and China."
2. FINANCIAL CRISIS
a. "Can Gulf Countries do something to 'save the market'"
The official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) People's
Daily (Renmin Ribao) (11/12): "Recently, the British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown paid a visit to the Gulf Countries urging them to help
IMF tackle the financial crisis. The Gulf Countries' reaction was
not very positive. They mentioned that they are waiting for the new
U.S. president to take office, and for the U.S. - Middle East policy
to become clearer. By waiting, they can bargain with the
administration, possibly influencing future U.S.-Middle East
policies. The second reason they intend to wait is that Gordon Brown
is a 'light weight'. Had the visit come from an American President,
it would have attracted a more positive response. Gulf countries do
not want to become a 'free ATM' or to become trapped in the
financial crisis. Third, the Gulf countries are worried about the
opinions of the British media. After all, whether the Gulf countries
would like to help by providing funds depends on whether their
rights to speak to their positions will increase in the reformed
future international financial system."
b. "Don't compare China's GDP with that of the U.S."
The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao) (11/12): "The media has been saying that
'China will surpass the U.S. in a few years' and that 'the financial
crisis will help China outplay the U.S. sooner'. People who hold
those opinions have either never been to the U.S. or have never been
to China. The difference between the two nations in natural
resources must not be overlooked. For China, if you compare the GDP
with that of the U.S. there can be three outcomes. First, before
China achieved No. 1 in GDP, the Chinese people already learned the
negative aspects of the American lifestyle such as high consumption
and wastefulness. Second, if China focuses only on GDP there will be
a growing disparity between rich and poor, leading to social
turbulence. Thirdly, competing in GDP consumes more resources. China
will suffer from this. Just as the USSR competed with America in the
space war, China will be the looser."
RANDT