Cablegate: Media Reaction: Afghan Election, U.S.-China Trade

VZCZCXRO7996
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #2412 2330905
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210905Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5733
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 002412

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 KMDR OPRC CH

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHAN ELECTION, U.S.-CHINA TRADE
RELATIONS, AMERICAN NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

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Editorial Quotes
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1. AFGHAN ELECTION

"Afghanistan: election goes beyond win-lose battle (pg 5)"

The official Communist Youth League China Youth Daily (Zhongguo
Qingnianbao)(08/21): "Since President Obama became the U.S.
President, in spite of the U.S. sending more troops to Afghanistan,
Afghanistan's security situation has not improved. The effect that
President Obama expected his new anti-terror policy to have has not
emerged. The election does not mean democracy. Democracy is seldom
achieved through military intervention. The U.S. doesn't have a
great track record of 'sponsoring democracy'. Regarding its role
in North Korea, Viet Nam, Cuba and many other African and Latin
American countries after the Cold War, the U.S. has not always stood
on the side of democracy and progress. To us, the U.S.'s sincerity
and commitment to Afghanistan's democracy and prosperity is a big
question mark."

2. U.S.-CHINA TRADE RELATIONS

"'Industrial damage' does not exist in the 'tire special protection
case' (pg 10)

Guangdong 21st Century Publishing Company Ltd.'s business newspaper
21st Century Business Herald (21Shiji Jingji Baodao)(08/21): "It is
said that imports of tires from China will damage the U.S. domestic
tire industry. However, it seems that only the United Steel workers
advocate imposing tough sanctions against Chinese tires, and most
U.S. business representatives oppose the sanctions. In fact,
imported tires from China are in different markets than domestic
American tires. China's tires imports have nothing to do with
'industrial damage.' The U.S. special protection measures on tires
won't help decrease the imports of tires. Since consumers in the
third-class tire replacement market, which is the main market for
imported tires from China, are very price-sensitive and usually buy
imported products from developing countries. The growth of China's
tire imports to the U.S. is a result of transnational restructuring
and a shift in its tire industry. The U.S. should use technical
training for a smooth labor transfer."

3. AMERICAN NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

"The American National Endowment for Democracy (NED) provides
financial aid to 50 China-related projects (pg 7)"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(08/31): "The American National Endowment for
Democracy (NED) has influenced all the incidents such as the 'March
14' incident in Tibet last year, the 'July 5' incident in Urumqi
this year and the conflicts happening during Iran's election.
Analysts found out that there are as many as 50 China-related
projects receiving financial aid from the organization. In recent
years, the organization's ability to conduct 'color revolutions' has
caused serious social chaos. It is not a good thing that the
organization is paying close attention to China. Separatists'
organizations like 'Tibet independence' and 'Xinjiang independence'
are favorites for NED support. The NED likes to emphasize its
'non-governmental' role to the people, but knowing its source of
money and organizational structure, one would realize that the NED
is an American government department under the cover of being
non-governmental. It advocates promoting American-style democracy in
a disguised way. The U.S. congress' grant to the organization has
continuously increased in recent years. A Chinese expert who is
familiar with how the organization runs said that the NED would
consider whether the project suits the U.S. national interests, if
not, it is difficult to get a penny from the NED."

GOLDBERG

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