Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Search

 

Cablegate: Media Reaction: Obama's Visit to Asia, Japan

VZCZCXRO5719
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #3092 3160859
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120859Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6788
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 003092

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: OBAMA'S VISIT TO ASIA, JAPAN

--------------------
Editorial Quotes
--------------------

1. OBAMA'S VISIT TO ASIA

a. "Barack Obama must make a clear statement on his trade policy"

The Shanghai-based Shanghai Media Group (SMG) publication, China
Business News (Diyi Caijing)(11/12)(pg A4): "Aside from climate
change and promoting global economic recovery, setting a positive
tone for the overall U.S.-China trade relations will be an important
topic for Obama's visit to China. This year the U.S. has initiated
ten countervailing and anti-dumping investigations against Chinese
products. Fred Bergsten at the Peterson Institute for International
Economics believes that this is not a planned policy of the Obama
administration. It happens because of the pressure to create a
positive trade policy. A Swiss professor commented that the price
Obama paid when he sacrificed trade interests in exchange for the
support of the Worker's Union and the Democrats was very high. The
U.S. commercial circle is using this Asia trip as a chance to urge
Obama to promote regional free trade negotiation. During his visit
to Asia, Obama should clarify his trade policy. The U.S. President
should make the following statement, 'U.S. trade policy is this...'
This is what the Asian countries want to hear, because economic
factors are the driving force behind the relationship between Asian
countries and the United States."

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

b. "China should enjoy the right to fair international trade"

Guangdong 21st Century Publishing Company Ltd.'s business newspaper
21st Century Business Herald (21Shiji Jingji Baodao)(11/12)(pg 2):
"China should be aware of two facts, about global trade friction:
first, because of the financial crisis trade protectionism has
spread worldwide; second, with the U.S. as the obviously leader,
global trade protectionism mainly targets China. China must respond
to the U.S. trade investigations otherwise other countries will
follow in the footsteps of the U.S. and start their own broad
investigations about China. In fact the situation means an end to
China's economic mode which depends on price advantages. What's
more, China needs to adopt a better exchange rate system. Due to the
depreciation of the U.S. dollar China needs to prepare in order to
deal with the criticisms concerning China's exchange rate policy.
In order to enjoy the right to fair international trade, China
should work towards the removal of any and all discriminative rules
against it in the WTO. To fulfill that, China should ask the U.S.
to recognize China's market economy status during Obama's visit to
China. In return, China can also make appropriate compromises on
import and currency issues."

2. JAPAN

"Japan-U.S. relations are still in an adjustment period"

The official Communist Party People's Daily (Renmin Ribao)(11/11)(pg
3): "Japanese experts suggest that Obama will not mention the
disputable military base and only vaguely ask Japan to abide by the
U.S.-Japan agreement on U.S. military in Japan. Japan also thinks
that Obama's postponed visit to Japan, though reasonable, reflects
the two country's dispute over the reorganization of U.S. troops in
Japan. To some extent, the Democratic Party of Japan and the
Democratic Party of the United States have many things in common:
they both face complex, thorny domestic issues. If any setback
occurs in U.S.- Japan relations both countries will suffer."

HUNTSMAN

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
UN News: Aid Access Is Key Priority

Among the key issues facing diplomats is securing the release of a reported 199 Israeli hostages, seized during the Hamas raid. “History is watching,” says Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. “This war was started by taking those hostages. Of course, there's a history between Palestinian people and the Israeli people, and I'm not denying any of that. But that act alone lit a fire, which can only be put out with the release of those hostages.” More


Save The Children: Four Earthquakes In a Week Leave Thousands Homeless

Families in western Afghanistan are reeling after a fourth earthquake hit Herat Province, crumbling buildings and forcing people to flee once again, with thousands now living in tents exposed to fierce winds and dust storms. The latest 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit 30 km outside of Herat on Sunday, shattering communities still reeling from strong and shallow aftershocks. More

UN News: Nowhere To Go In Gaza

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said some 1.1M people would be expected to leave northern Gaza and that such a movement would be “impossible” without devastating humanitarian consequences and appeals for the order to be rescinded. The WHO joined the call for Israel to rescind the relocation order, which amounted to a “death sentence” for many. More


Access Now: Telecom Blackout In Gaza An Attack On Human Rights

By October 10, reports indicated that fixed-line internet, mobile data, SMS, telephone, and TV networks are all seriously compromised. With significant and increasing damage to the electrical grid, orders by the Israeli Ministry of Energy to stop supplying electricity and the last remaining power station now out of fuel, many are no longer able to charge devices that are essential to communicate and access information. More

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.