Cablegate: Media Reaction: Secretary Clinton in Pakistan, Taiwan, U.S.

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RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #3003 3031047
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R 301047Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6653
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 003003

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: SECRETARY CLINTON IN PAKISTAN, TAIWAN, U.S.
MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM

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Editorial Quotes
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1. SECRETARY CLINTON IN PAKISTAN

"Secretary Clinton acts as 'director' at speech in Pakistan"

The official Communist Party international news publication Global
Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(10/30)(pg 2): "Secretary Clinton's visit
sparked a wave of 'Hillary fever' (positive connotation) in
Pakistan. She gave a 20-minute speech at a Pakistani university and
spent 40 minutes answering students' questions. At her direction,
students left their seats and quickly lined up to ask questions.
When she answered their questions, she was eloquent, logical, wise
and funny, and her answers received applause. When asked about the
differences between President Obama's policy on Pakistan and
President Bush's, Secretary Clinton said that she firmly opposed
Bush's policy, but believes Obama understands Pakistan's
difficulties. When talking about U.S.-Pakistan relations, she said
that the U.S. government is dedicated to maintaining a long-term
relationship with Pakistan to deal with issues affecting both
countries' interests. She also pointed out that both the U.S. and
Pakistan have had negative views of each other at times, but that
her visit is meant to demonstrate the U.S.'s good will towards
Pakistan. Pakistan is a geopolitically important country and has
become the largest recipient of U.S. assistance."

2. TAIWAN

"The U.S. is conning money out of Taiwan through arms sales"

The China Radio International sponsored newspaper World News Journal
(Shijie Xinwenbao)(10/30)(pg 4): "Arms sales to Taiwan have always
been a method used by the U.S. to curb mainland China. The U.S.
will make substantial profits from the sale of a long-distance early
warning radar system to Taiwan. With this system, the U.S. can also
collect information on mainland China. Experts said that when it
comes to arms sales to Taiwan, the U.S. only cares about its own
strategic and economic interests. Thus, Taiwan should seek common
ground with mainland China instead of putting too much hope in U.S.
arms."

3. U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM

"Retreat in order to advance"

The official Communist Party People's Daily (Renmin Ribao)(10/30)(pg
3): "Obama announced recently that he would halt missile defense
plans in the Czech Republic and Poland. This move is actually 'a
retreat in order to advance.' The U.S. has incorporated missile
defense into its national strategy based on its assessment of the
security threats it faces in the 21st century. This strategy will
not easily change with a new administration, the financial crisis,
or opposition from other countries. In addition, research on a
missile defense system has contributed to technological advances
that strengthen the U.S. in many fields. In this way, the U.S. can
maintain its military and technological advantages. In fact, the
new U.S. missile defense plan is an 'upgraded' version of the old
plan and is more practical, more flexible and more powerful. In
this new plan, it is worth watching out for sea-based missile
defense systems. Such mobile missile defense systems do not occupy
a particular area of land and can therefore avoid complicated legal
troubles in other countries."

HUNTSMAN

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