CODEL STEVENS AND LIU QI DISCUSS BEIJING OLYMPIC

UNCLAS BEIJING 016516 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, DS/P/PL-MIKE VANBUSKIRK, S/CT- TIM WALSH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KOLY ASEC CH SUBJECT: CODEL STEVENS AND LIU QI DISCUSS BEIJING OLYMPIC PREPARATIONS THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) CODEL STEVENS, ACCOMPANIED BY THE AMBASSADOR, MET WITH BEIJING PARTY SECRETARY AND PRESIDENT OF THE BEIJING ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE 29TH OLYMPIAD GAMES (BOCOG) LIU QI TO DISCUSS OLYMPIC PREPARATIONS, INCLUDING SECURITY, VENUE CONSTRUCTION, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, AIR QUALITY, MEDIA, YOUTH EDUCATION AND TICKET SALES. END SUMMARY. SECURITY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) CODEL STEVENS, ACCOMPANIED BY THE AMBASSADOR, VISITED THE OLYMPIC NATIONAL STADIUM (ALSO KNOWN AS THE BIRD'S NEST) AND MET WITH BEIJING PARTY SECRETARY LIU QI ON AUGUST 10. SENATOR TED STEVENS NOTED, GIVEN HIS LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT, THAT HE IS ANXIOUS TO HELP IN ANY WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES WILL BE THE BEST THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. SENATOR STEVENS POINTED TO THE INCREASED TERRORISM THREAT DURING THE SALT LAKE CITY GAMES AS A REASON FOR CHINA TO REMEMBER THE COMMITMENT BY TERRORISTS TO DO HARM DURING SUCH A HIGH-PROFILE EVENT. HE NOTED SECURITY MEASURES THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN DURING THE SALT LAKE CITY GAMES. OBSERVING THAT A POSSIBLE ONE-THIRD OF ALL VISITORS TO THE BEIJING OLYMPICS COULD BE AMERICAN, SENATOR STEVENS ENCOURAGED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO CALL ON THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IF THERE IS ANYTHING THE UNITED STATES CAN DO TO ASSIST CHINA IN PROTECTING AMERICAN AND CHINESE CITIZENS AND OTHERS FROM TERRORISM. VENUE CONSTRUCTION AND USAGE -------------- ¶3. (U) SENATOR PATTY MURRAY RECALLED THE EXCITEMENT THAT HAD SURROUNDED CHINA'S SELECTION AS HOST COUNTRY FOR THE 2008 SUMMER GAMES AND SAID 2008 WILL BE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT CHINA HAS TO OFFER. SHE NOTED THAT MANY OF HER CONSTITUENTS ARE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT THE VENUE SITES AND TRANSPORTATION PLANS. ¶4. (U) LIU RESPONDED THAT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME FOR CHINA TO HOST AN OLYMPIC GAMES. ORGANIZERS HAVE VISITED ATHENS, SYDNEY AND SALT LAKE CITY TO LEARN FROM PREVIOUS HOST CITIES. CHINA HAS DONE A THOROUGH STUDY OF PREVIOUS GAMES TO LEARN FROM THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS WELL AS AVOID THEIR MISTAKES. ONE OF THE LESSONS LEARNED WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING FOR VENUE UTILIZATION AFTER THE OLYMPIAD. LIU REPORTED THAT THERE WOULD BE 37 VENUES CONSTRUCTED FOR THE GAMES, 31 IN BEIJING AND SIX IN THE OTHER CITIES (QINGDAO, QINGHUANGDAO, SHANGHAI, SHENYANG, TIANJIN AND HONG KONG). OF THE BEIJING VENUES, 11 ARE NEW CONSTRUCTIONS, INCLUDING FOUR BUILT ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES TO BE USED FOR COLLEGIATE SPORTS AFTER THE GAMES. THE REST OF THE VENUES ARE TEMPORARY STRUCTURES OR REFURBISHED SPORTS SITES. SOME OF THE VENUES, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL AQUATIC CENTER (ALSO KNOWN AS THE WATER CUBE),WILL BECOME PUBLIC RECREATIONAL SPACES AFTER THE GAMES, HE SAID. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT -------------- ¶5. (U) LIU SAID TRAFFIC JAMS ARE PREVALENT IN BEIJING, BUT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARING A TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW DURING THE GAMES. BEIJING'S TRAFFIC PROBLEMS ORIGINATED WITH ITS INITIAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC SYSTEM. HOWEVER, BY 2008, THE BEIJING GOVERNMENT PLANS TO OPERATE 280 KILOMETERS OF METRO LINES AND TO IMPLEMENT A STRATEGY TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THE PLAN WILL ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO LEAVE PRIVATE VEHICLES AT HOME DURING THE WORK WEEK AND TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DURING RUSH HOUR. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS INVESTED HEAVILY IN A MASTER PLAN FOR BEIJING TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS, EXPRESSWAYS AND INTER-CITY ROADWAYS. THE BEIJING GOVERNMENT PLANS ON USING MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE USE OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE TRAFFIC SYSTEM. ¶6. (U) LIU SAID THAT AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 SMALL PERSONAL VEHICLES ARE SOLD EVERY DAY AND THE BEIJING GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO IMPROVE CAR SALES MANAGEMENT, BUT BEIJING ALREADY HAS A PLAN TO MONITOR AND LESSEN AUTO EMISSIONS. LIU ADDED THAT THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) HAS CONFIRMED HIS ASSESSMENT THAT THERE WILL BE NO TRAFFIC PROBLEMS DURING THE 2008 GAMES. DURING THE GAMES, THERE WILL BE LANES RESTRICTED FOR OLYMPIC USE, RESTRICTIONS ON PERSONAL VEHICLE USAGE AND A PUSH TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. ATHLETES, SPORTS OFFICIALS, AND TOURISTS WILL HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS, LIU STATED. AIR QUALITY -------------- ¶7. (U) SENATOR NORM COLEMAN REMARKED THAT IT WOULD BE A PITY FOR BEIJING'S BEAUTIFUL SCENERY TO BE OBSCURED BY AIR POLLUTION AND INQUIRED WHAT THE CITY IS DOING TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT. LIU AGREED THAT AIR QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WILL BE CRITICAL TO A SUCCESSFUL OLYMPICS. THE BEIJING GOVERNMENT HAS PREPARED 12 ENVIRONMENTAL PLANS SINCE 1998 TO PROMOTE AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. LIU SUGGESTED THAT 65 PERCENT OF THE DAYS IN 2006 WOULD HAVE GOOD AIR QUALITY, UP ONE PERCENT FROM 2005. A DROUGHT IN MONGOLIA AND INNER MONGOLIA THAT CAUSED MORE FREQUENT SANDSTORMS TO BLOW INTO BEIJING HAD PREVENTED MORE DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT. ¶8. (U) THERE ARE THREE PARTS TO BEIJING'S AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN. THE FIRST IS TO INCREASE INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER THE 9000-PLUS CONSTRUCTION SITES IN AND AROUND BEIJING, ENSURING THERE WILL BE LESS DUST POLLUTION BY 2008. SECOND, INDUSTRIAL AND COAL BURNING ENTERPRISES ARE BEING MOVED OUTSIDE THE CITY, MAKING ROOM FOR HIGH-TECH COMPANIES, WHICH WILL HELP LESSEN POLLUTION. LIU USED THE EXAMPLE OF THE CAPITAL IRON AND STEEL FACTORY, WHICH HAS AN ANNUAL PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF EIGHT MILLION TONS OF STEEL, BEING MOVED FROM BEIJING TO BOHAI TO ILLUSTRATE HIS POINT. THIRD, BEIJING IS ENCOURAGING ENERGY CONSERVATION. IN 2006, BEIJING IS EXPECTED TO USE 4.2 BILLION CUBIC METERS OF NATURAL GAS INSTEAD OF COAL, WHICH WILL HELP REDUCE SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS. HE NOTED THAT THIS IS TEN TIMES LESS COAL THAN WAS USED LAST YEAR. BEIJING CURRENTLY ADHERES TO EUROPE 3 CAR EMISSION STANDARDS AND MAY MOVE TO EUROPE 4 STANDARDS BY 2008. MEDIA PARTICIPATION -------------- ¶9. (U) SENATOR LAMAR ALEXANDER COMMENTED THAT THE OLYMPICS WILL BE A WONDERFUL TIME TO SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD NOT JUST BEIJING BUT ALL OF CHINA. HE ADDED THAT CHINA MAY BE SURPRISED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF MEDIA-AFFILIATED INDIVIDUALS WHO COME TO CHINA TO COVER THE GAMES. HE URGED THAT THEY BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE FREELY. PUBLIC EDUCATION -------------- ¶10. (U) LIU RESPONDED THAT WITH AN ESTIMATED 500,000 FOREIGN SPECTATORS EXPECTED IN 2008, THE OLYMPICS ARE INDEED CHINA'S OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE ITS LONG HISTORY, DYNAMIC CIVILIZATION AND BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. THE GAMES WILL ALSO BE A CHANCE TO COMBINE EASTERN AND WESTERN CULTURE. WHILE THE OLYMPICS ORIGINATED IN GREECE, THE GAMES ARE NOW BEING HELD IN ASIA. ¶11. (U) BOCOG HAS DEVELOPED A YOUTH OLYMPIC EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT WILL INVOLVE 400 MILLION CHILDREN, ACCORDING TO LIU. THE GOAL OF THE CAMPAIGN IS TO SPREAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT. THIS WILL BE THE BEST POPULARIZATION CAMPAIGN THE OLYMPIC GAMES HAVE EVER SEEN, LIU PREDICTED. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED AMONG ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. TEXTBOOKS HAVE ALSO BEEN DEVELOPED FOR STUDENTS FROM THE ELEMENTARY THROUGH UNIVERSITY LEVELS, HE SAID. TICKET DISTRIBUTION -------------- ¶12. (U) LIU ANSWERED SENATOR MARK DAYTON'S QUESTION REGARDING TICKET DISTRIBUTION BY STATING THAT THERE WILL BE 900 MILLION TICKETS AVAILABLE, OF WHICH 700 MILLION WILL BE SOLD AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGH VARIOUS COUNTRIES, NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES. AFTER IOC'S APPROVAL OF BOCOG'S TICKET DISTRIBUTION PLAN IN THE LATTER HALF OF 2006, BOCOG EXPECTS TO MAKE TICKETS AVAILABLE TO ITS PURCHASE PRIORITY CLIENTS (I.E. OLYMPIC SPONSORS AND OTHER OLYMPIC-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS). TICKET SALES TO THE PUBLIC WILL BEGIN IN 2007. LOOKING TO 2008 -------------- ¶13. (U) SENATOR STEVENS STATED THAT THE UNITED STATES IS PREPARED TO COORDINATE WITH CHINA ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE OLYMPICS IN ATLANTA AND SALT LAKE CITY. HE COMPLIMENTED LIU ON CHINA'S PROGRESS ON OLYMPIC PREPARATIONS, REMARKING THAT CHINA'S PREPARATIONS ARE ADVANCED COMPARED TO OTHER HOST COUNTRIES DURING THE SAME PERIOD. HE ADDED THAT DURING HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VICE CHAIRMAN AND SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE 10TH NATIONAL PEOPLE'S SIPDIS CONGRESS (NPC) SHENG HUAREN, THEY HAD DISCUSSED LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ATHENS OLYMPICS. DURING HIS DISCUSSION WITH NPC LEADERSHIP, BOTH SIDES HAD AGREED TO RETURN FOR MEETINGS THE WEEK BEFORE OPENING CEREMONIES IN AUGUST 2008. HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MEMBERS OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY EXCHANGE WOULD BE IN CHINA FOR PART OF THE GAMES. ¶14. (U) SENATOR THAD COCHRAN CONGRATULATED LIU ON CHINA'S INVESTMENT TO MAKE THE OLYMPICS A SUCCESS. HE ADDED THAT THE FACT THAT CHINA HAD BEEN SELECTED TO HOST THE 2008 SUMMER GAMES WAS A GREAT COMPLIMENT. IT IS NOW UP TO THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP TO EXERCISE RESPONSIBILITY IN MAKING THE OLYMPICS A GREAT SUCCESS. SENATOR RICHARD BURR CONCURRED, NOTING THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE BEIJING 2008 GAMES, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHINA TO PRESENT ITSELF TO THE WORLD AND FOR THE WORLD'S GREATEST ATHLETES TO COMPETE. PARTICIPANTS -------------- ¶15. (U) U.S. PARTICIPANTS: SENATOR TED STEVENS AMBASSADOR CLARK T. RANDT, JR. SENATOR PATTY MURRAY SENATOR THAD COCHRAN SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER SENATOR MARK DAYTON SENATOR LAMAR ALEXANDER SENATOR NORM COLEMAN SENATOR RICHARD BURR EMBASSY OLYMPICS COORDINATOR EMBASSY NOTETAKER INTERPRETER CHINESE PARTICIPANTS: BOCOG CHAIRMAN LIU QI NPC FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRMAN LU CONGMIN BOCOG VICE CHAIRMAN WANG WEI CHINESE EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON COUNSELOR CHEN GUOMIN NPC FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE DDG HONG YINGCHUN NOTETAKERS INTERPRETER ¶16. (U) THIS CABLE WAS CLEARED BY CODEL STEVENS. RANDT