U.S.-China Bilateral on Margins of Seventh North Pacific

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 032144 SIPDIS USCG FOR ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN AND VICE ADMIRAL CHARLES WURSTER STATE FOR CHINA DESK NOAH ZARING SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHSA MARR CH SUBJECT: U.S.-China Bilateral on Margins of Seventh North Pacific Coast Guard Forum, Sanya, China, October 25: Coast Guard Vice Admiral and PRC Maritime Safety Administration Deputy Director General Li Qingping (U) This document is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Vice Admiral Wurster, Commander of the Coast Guard's Pacific Area, told Deputy Director General Li Qingping of the Maritime Safety Administration (under the Ministry of Communications),at an October 25 bilateral meeting on the margins of the Seventh North Pacific Coast Guard Forum that the U.S. wanted to partner with China on projects relating to safety, security and environmental protection that had been tabled at the September 2006 International Maritime Organization meeting in Kuala Lumpur. The U.S. and China, the Admiral said, had a vested interest in the success of the IMO programs, especially as they applied to the Straits of Malacca. ¶2. (SBU) In response to the Admiral's question, DDG Li said that China supported three programs in particular, all of which required some training and data exchange: -- The replacement and maintenance of navigational aids that had been damaged after the tsunami in December 2004; -- Availability of real time data on tides, wind and currents in the Singapore Strait; and -- The handling of hazardous noxious substances in the seas. ¶3. (SBU) Admiral Wurster said that these were the same three areas in which the U.S. was interested. Details, he suggested, could be discussed at the December Tripartite Technical Experts Group (TTEG), and he expressed hope that the U.S and China could work together to support the Littoral states of Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. In response to DDG Li's statement that he was not aware of the TTEG, Admiral Wurster designated Coast Guard Liaison in Beijing Captain Bernard Moreland and Commander Raras, on his staff,, as the USG points of contact for exchanging information on TTEG maters. DDG Li designated Mr. Song and Mr. Li as the Chinese contacts. DDG Li added that it was important for both sides to work on the safety of maritime transport in the Straits of Malacca, but also noted that this was an important responsibility of the Littoral states as well. Admiral Wurster agreeQat those states had key responsibilities, but emphasized the critical nature of the U.S. and China in extending a "helping hand" to ensure success. He concluded that we looked forward to working with China to find ways to extend that "helping hand." ¶4. (U) Participants: U.S. Charles Wurster, Vice Admiral, Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area Robert Goldberg, U.S. Consul General, Guangzhou Bernard Moreland, Captain, Coast Guard Liaison, U.S. Embassy, Beijing Patrick Markowitz, Regional Advisor, Asia Pacific, U.S. Coast Guard Manuel Raras, Commander, Policy Advisor to Admiral Wurster Ronald Feng, U.S. Consulate, Guangzhou China Li Qingping, Deputy Director General, the Maritime Safety Administration Song Zhen, Director, Department of Maritime Traffic Management Ning Bo, Department of Ship Supervision Mr. Li, General Office of the Maritime Safety Administration ¶5. (U) This cable was cleared by Admiral Allen's staff. GOLDBERG