HIRC STAFFDEL HALPIN'S CHINA VISIT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 011811

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DEPT FOR DRL, EAP/CM, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP AND H

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TAGS: PHUM CASC ENRG UNAUS CH JP
SUBJECT: HIRC STAFFDEL HALPIN'S CHINA VISIT

REF: A. BEIJING 11385

B. BEIJING 11075

C. BEIJING 10893

D. BEIJING 10749

SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) Reftels reported that House International Relations
Committee (HIRC) STAFFDEL Halpin, consisting of Dennis Halpin
and Hans Hogrefe, cut short its visit to Xinjiang after
members of the family of Rebiya Kadeer were detained. As
noted reftels, the STAFFDEL and the Embassy repeatedly urged
Chinese officials to release the family members immediately.
This message reports on other aspects of the STAFFDEL's May
24-June 5 China program. In Beijing, the Staffdel discussed
issues including American citizen cases, human rights, North
Korean refugees, China-Japan relations, China's energy needs
and Congressional exchanges. During the STAFFDEL'S shortened
visit to Urumqi, Xinjiang, the delegation met with local
officials and visited mosques, the Islamic Institute, a
publishing house, and a middle school. End Summary.

Embassy Meetings on American Citizen Cases
--------------


2. (SBU) In a meeting with the DCM and Halpin, Helen Kim,
wife of detained Amcit Steven Kim, thanked the Embassy for
its assistance in facilitating her husband's transfer to a
prison in Beijing. Kim lamented that her husband continues
to serve a five-year sentence after his September 2003
detention, while Japanese and South Koreans detained for
similar offenses have already been released. She noted that
Mr. Kim suffers serious health problems, including heart
disease and hypertension, and requested Embassy support for
efforts to win his early release on medical parole or
humanitarian grounds. The DCM assured Mrs. Kim that the
Embassy would continue to make every effort to assist Mr.
Kim.


3. (SBU) Separately, Halpin met with Consul General and ACS
Chief to raise concern about other Americans jailed in China
for assisting North Koreans to flee the DPRK, including
Korean-American Reverend Philip Jun Buck. Halpin also urged
greater State Department attention to the vulnerabilities of
Americans who contract to teach English in China, such as
John Shaff in Shenyang and Darren Russell in Guangzhou. He
conveyed a copy of a report he prepared on the Russell death
case to emboffs. Finally, Halpin raised the case of U.S.
businessman David Ji, suggesting that Ji is being held
"hostage" without charges and unable to leave China so that a
Chinese company can gain leverage in an unresolved business
dispute.

MFA Meetings on North Korea, Human Rights
--------------


4. (SBU) Halpin, after reviewing general trends in
U.S.-China relations with MFA Director General for North
American Affairs Liu Jieyi, said there is strong support in
the United States for those who help North Koreans in China,
specifically raising the cases of Rev. Kim Dong-Shik, Steven
Kim and Philip Buck. Liu said those who break Chinese laws
are "criminals." Halpin objected strongly, comparing those
helping North Koreans in China to those in American history
who ran the underground railroad to help escaping slaves.
Hogrefe emphasized USG support for the rights of members of
minority groups, including Uighurs, and urged China not to
demonize Uighur exile Rebiya Kadeer. Liu called Kadeer a
"criminal" and stated that no one is more concerned about the
people of Xinjiang than the Chinese Government.


5. (SBU) In discussions on UN issues, MFA DDG for
International Organizations Shen Yongxiong said Beijing
believes it is time for an Asian UNSYG but has not settled on
a specific candidate. Shen emphasized China's efforts to
improve human rights, including those of ethnic minorities.
Foreigners are misled by exiles who advocate separatism in
Tibet and Xinjiang, he said in response to Hogrefe's
expressions of concern.


6. (SBU) Halpin raised a number of human rights cases with
both DG Liu and DDG Shen, including American Legal Permanent
Resident Yang Jianli, Internet writer Shi Tao and American
citizen David Ji. He urged that China issue visas to
American scholars who contributed to the book "Xinjiang:
China's Muslim Borderland." Hogrefe urged DDG Shen to look
into cases of detained Uighur writers and scholars Kurash

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Huseyin, Abdulghani Memetin and Tohti Tunyaz.

UNHCR: North Koreans in China
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7. (SBU) UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Regional
Representative for China and Mongolia Michel Gabaudan told
Halpin that the Chinese Government's approach toward the
handful of North Korean cases his office has dealt with is
improving, although the PRC continues to reject calling these
individuals refugees. Because of China's concern about
becoming a magnet for North Korean asylum seekers, it is more
willing to cooperate with UNHCR when such cases are handled
quietly, Gabaudan said. In response to Halpin's expressed
interest in seeing North Koreans in China resettled in the
United States, Gabaudan emphasized that UNHCR's primary
concern is seeing that North Koreans in China receive
"immediate protection." Currently, South Korea provides an
effective mechanism for resettling North Koreans from China,
he noted, although UNHCR will also take advantage of the
United States' offer in certain circumstances.

CASS Scholar on China-Japan Relations
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8. (SBU) CASS Institute of Japanese Studies Professor Jin
Xide told the STAFFDEL a lack of common national interests
and a generational change in leadership are the primary
causes for the current tense China-Japan relationship. PM
Koizumi is part of a post-WWII generation that does not know
history and cannot accept criticism of Japan. China feels PM
Koizumi needs to stop visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, to deal
with Beijing's concerns about history and to show it has no
intention to contain China and dominate the region. An
August 15 visit by PM Koizumi to Yasukuni would have a large
negative impact on bilateral relations, with Chinese people
reacting strongly, if not taking to the streets. April 2005
anti-Japanese riots in China were led by the "rich middle
class," Jin claimed, as opposed to previous anti-Japan
uprisings that were started by university students with
support from the government and academics. China's leaders
cannot afford to oppose such popular movements, nor can
Chinese scholars, he said, noting that he has been careful
not to publicly support Japan after PM Koizumi's Yasukuni
visits, lest it "interfere with his career."


9. (SBU) The PRC does not have a firm position on Japan's
bid for a permanent UNSC seat, Jin said. Halpin expressed
some skepticism, noting that China lobbied hard in Africa and
Asia to scuttle Japan's efforts. No country in Asia respects
Japan, Jin claimed, adding that Tokyo looks down on less
developed Asian countries. Japan's aggressiveness, as
illustrated by its expanding military, the Yasukuni visits
and Japan's bid for a permanent UNSC seat, put China in a
defensive and reactive position. Nonetheless, Jin believes
Sino-Japanese economic relations, trade and investment will
continue to grow and that the political situation will
gradually improve. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe and FM
Taro Aso have toned down their positions, he claimed. This
could reflect factors including U.S. pressure, the election
of Ichiro Ozawa as opposition party president and the rise in
the polls of moderate former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo
Fukuda, who enjoys good relations with China. The East China
Sea remains the most dangerous issue and the governments are
working to prevent an "unexpected EP3-like incident."

NPC Official on Burma
--------------


10. (SBU) During a dinner with Vice Chairman of the NPC
Foreign Affairs Committee Lu Congmin, Hogrefe cited the
importance of progress on human rights issues for the future
development of U.S.-China relations. Human rights issues are
important, Lu agreed, but should not be the only issue.
Hogrefe asked Lu about Chinese policy toward Burma and what
stand China would likely take if a UNSC resolution was
proposed regarding the political situation there. China is
concerned about the difficult situation in Burma, Lu said,
and wishes Burma would resolve its internal difficulties on
its own. When pressed, Lu said China would oppose sanctions
against Burma and said he believes that international
pressure on Burma would not work and would likely be
counterproductive.

NDRC: Don,t Blame Us for Higher Oil Prices
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11. (SBU) Wu Guihui, Deputy Director General (DDG) of the

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NDRC,s Energy Bureau, disagreed with Halpin's assertion that
rising demand from developing countries is driving oil priceshigher. Price increases are largely a result of political
factors, most ntably the war in Iraq and the ongoing Iranian
nuclear crisis. DDG Wu stated that China,s oil imports fell
in 2005 and that China meets some 93 percent of its energy
needs through domestic resources. China,s strategy to meet
its growing energy demands is to focus on increasing domestic
energy production. Domestic oil production in China,s
Daqing oil fields increased in 2005, Wu stated.


12. (SBU) Hogrefe voiced concerns about China,s search for
oil in areas of international political concern, such as
Sudan and Iran. DDG Wu said that China,s effort to secure
international energy resources is unrelated to attempts by
the international community to resolve specific political
crises. China,s national oil companies are publicly traded
and thereby make their decisions for business reasons without
seeking the Chinese Government,s permission. Western oil
companies, monopoly over large, proven energy reserves has
led Chinese national oil companies to seek resources in
politically risky areas. The U.S. Government should support
China's efforts to encourage more cooperation between U.S.
and Chinese energy companies to mitigate the Chinese
companies' need to do business in politically sensitive
areas, Wu stated.

Xinjiang: "Economy, Religion and Ethnic Harmony"
-------------- ---


13. (SBU) A three-hour seminar in Urumqi on Xinjiang's
economic and social development May 31 was overshadowed by
news of and questions about the detention (reftels) of family
members of Uighur businesswoman Reibya Kadeer. Deflecting
questions about the Kadeer family, Xinjiang Vice-Governor
Nuerlan Abudumanjin highlighted Xinjiang's economic
development, infrastructure improvements and harmonious
relations among the province's multiple ethnic and religious
groups. More than half of the local government cadres and
people's congress representatives are members of ethnic
minorities and 85 percent of minorities with higher education
are employed, he said.


14. (SBU) In response to the delegation's questions, Nuerlan
said that Chinese Government officials and Communist Party
members cannot attend mosque. Other officials added,
however, that they can invite imams to come to their homes
for significant events, such as the celebration of births or
marriages. Children should not attend mosque or formal
religious education before they reach the age of 18 to avoid
interference with their secular education, Nuerlan said.


15. (SBU) Responding to individual cases raised, Ethnic and
Religious Affairs Department Director Ah Pizi told the
STAFFDEL that Ms. Aminan Momixi, detained in August 2006 for
teaching the Koran to a group of children, was jailed because
she was preaching ethnic hatred. Momixi's classes taught
hatred of Han Chinese and separatism, not mere religion, Ah
said. "Nonetheless, she was never formally jailed and is now
at liberty after taking education classes and acknowledging
her errors," he said. Separately, Ah denied reports that
Xinjiang Christian Tong Qimiao had been injured by security
officials after attending house church worship in Xinjiang in

2005. "If that had happened, I would have known about it,"
he told poloff. The delegation visited Urumqi's No. 16
middle school, the Xinjiang People's Publishing House, the
Shanxi Mosque and the Xinjiang Islamic Seminary before
departing Xinjiang ahead of schedule to protest the Kadeer
family detentions.


16. (SBU) The STAFFDEL did not have the opportunity to clear
this message.


RANDT