VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLO #0087 0151556
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 151556Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4637
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 0074

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000087 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2020 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETTC ECON CH UK IR
SUBJECT: CHINA-UK RELATIONS: PAUSE FOR THOUGHT POST-COP 15, 
IRAN SANCTIONS 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville, reasons 1.4 (b/d).  1. (C/NF) UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband told Chinese Foreign Secretary Yang Jiechi in a phone call last week that the UK "wants" to be a strong voice for positive engagement, but fell short of saying that the UK was in a position to be that strong voice at present, Foreign Office China Desk Officer Peter Allen told Poloff January 15.  Allen explained that the UK Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary had been "surprised" by the Chinese approach and tactics at the Copenhagen Climate Change (COP 15).  China's positioning at COP 15, combined with China's unexplained and unilateral decision to abandon the UK-China bilateral human rights dialogue and separately to go forward with the execution of UK national Akmal Shaikh without a mental health assessment, has caused UK ministers to re-think how they are engaging with China, Allen said.  Practically speaking, he added nothing has changed, but ministers are wondering if they are taking the right approach to China in general.  2. (C/NF) Allen met with PRC MFA Department of Policy Planning Deputy Director General Zhao Jianhua on January 15. Zhao told Allen that China is concerned by Iran, but that their policy is affected by the bilateral relationship with the U.S.  Zhao said China's policy was related to the USG's relationship with Taiwan, as there is "spill over," and cannot be separated from regional issues.  Now that the U.S. is coming out of the financial crisis, Zhao said the USG and China need to have a "serious chat" about Taiwan, the President's potential meeting with the Dalai Lama, and Iran. Additionally, he said that China continues to have concerns about the legality of sanctions against Iran and about its own energy security.  3. (C/NF) Without knowing if it had been made public yet, Allen intimated that the in-bound Chinese Ambassador to the UK will be Liu Xiaoming, who is currently in North Korea.   Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX  SUSMAN