Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HONGKONG1610
2006-04-19 09:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:  

HKG DISCUSSES AI TRANSPARENCY ISSUES

Tags:  AMED ECON PREL KSTH TBIO KFLU EAGR HK CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7421
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHHK #1610/01 1090914
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 190914Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6165
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
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).

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