HKG DISCUSSES AI TRANSPARENCY ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 001610 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/ANP AND INR/EAP STATE FOR EAP/EX, EAP/EP TWANG, EAP/CM KBENNETT, GWARD STATE FOR G/AIAG JLANGE, HFOSTER, RFENDRICK STATE FOR M/MED AND M/MEDEX PETER WOOD HHS FOR OGHA - STEIGER, ELVANDER, BHAT BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC STATE PLEASE PASS TO USDA FOR DU/US LAMBERT BEIJING FOR DSELIGSOHN, CSHAPIRO E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2016 TAGS: AMED ECON PREL KSTH TBIO KFLU EAGR HK CH SUBJECT: HKG DISCUSSES AI TRANSPARENCY ISSUES Classified By: Classified by E/P Chief Simon Schuchat. Reasons 1.4 (B, D). ¶1. (C) Summary: On April 7, Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HWFB) Deputy Secretary Susie Ho and Centre for Health Protection (CHP) Principal Medical and Health Officer Dr. S.K. Chuang told Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) International Health Officer Erika Elvander that despite an improved relationship with the mainland Ministry of Health (MOH),AI-related communications with the mainland were still complicated by the mainland Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the mainland Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). Ho (strictly protect) said that the MOH, a historically weaker agency than economic entities such as MOA, has recently resorted to using HKG calls for more transparency on AI issues to pressure other Ministries on AI issues. In response to Elvander's discussion of a possible HHS Full Time Equivalent (FTE) position covering AI issues in Hong Kong, Ho said that the Hong Kong Government would welcome such a position and hoped for assistance on coordinating animal and human health experts in the CHP. End Summary. Transparency Issues -------------- ¶2. (C) On April 7, Health, Welfare and Food Bureau Deputy Secretary Susie Ho and Centre for Health Protection Principal SIPDIS Medical and Health Officer Dr. S.K. Chuang met with Department of Health & Human Services International Health Officer Erika Elvander. When asked about mainland China's progress in becoming more transparent about AI and other infectious disease issues, Ho admitted that working with provincial authorities in southern China was difficult. Although mainland China has allowed the Hong Kong Government (HKG) to send medical experts to the mainland to join in on previous medical investigations, the overall relationship with mainland China remains "sensitive." (Note: The CHP sent Dr. Chuang to investigate a 2005 outbreak of streptococcus suis in Sichuan and a recent human AI case in Guangzhou.) Dr. Chuang said that mainland MOH officials had been present at the investigations and had shared information openly with her but commented that she was not given any opportunities to meet with any MOA officials. ¶3. (C) Ho said (strictly protect) that in general, the MOA and MOFCOM were more closed and secretive than the MOH. The MOH, which is traditionally a weak ministry, is evidently attempting to use HKG calls for greater transparency on AI and other communicative disease issues as a "pressure point" to urge greater openness from both the MOA and MOFCOM. Ho also commented that the MOA's strength derives from its involvement with economic issues but noted that the MOH is gaining strength as Beijing focuses more on the immense challenge of reforming the rural health care system in China. ¶4. (C) Noting Hong Kong's calls for greater transparency on the mainland, Ho explained that Hong Kong residents are used to receiving accurate information in a timely fashion. Hong Kong's Legco reflects this sentiment when they put pressure on mainland China to release information on all "suspected AI cases." In the mainland, though, the Government only knows how to disclose things in a "managed" way. Ho commented that the term "suspected AI case" is too broad for any government to deal with; even in Hong Kong there are too many "Influenza-Like Illnesses" (ILI) to follow closely, a problem that is much worse for mainland China with its vast territory and lack of modern medical infrastructure. The current focus on inspecting wild birds in Hong Kong is contributing to the difficulty of ILI surveillance in the territory; this problem will only worsen in the summer season when birds tend to die for a wide variety of reasons. Ho bemoaned the fact that the HKG had inspected 5,000 birds in just three months and said that she would try to "quietly" redirect HKG efforts to focus more on poultry raising issues and human health preparations for AI. A New AI Position in Hong Kong? -------------- ¶5. (C) Elvander explained to Ho that HHS was looking into the possibility of sending an FTE position to Hong Kong to focus on AI and other emerging disease issues. Ho reacted warmly HONG KONG 00001610 002 OF 002 to the idea, saying that the CHP could use help on zoonotic disease issues over all. Although AI is a zoonotic disease, the CHP does not have much native expertise on zoonotic diseases and must coordinate with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). Ho expressed particular interest in learning more about how HHS involved veterinarians in human health matters. Elvander thanked Ho for her views and explained that, as this was still at an early stage, HHS would be exploring further, with the Consulate and within HHS, the possibility of creating this attache position. ¶6. (U) Erika Elvander has cleared this cable. Cunningham