CE TSANG HOSTS SMALL GATHERING TO SEEK SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 003089

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NOFORN
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STATE FOR EAP/CM AND EAP/EP TWANG
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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2031
TAGS: AMED ECON PREL TBIO EAGR CVIS HK CH
SUBJECT: CE TSANG HOSTS SMALL GATHERING TO SEEK SUPPORT
FOR MARGARET CHAN'S WHO CANDIDACY

REF: HONG KONG 3063

CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING CONSUL GENERAL MARLENE SAKAUE;
REASONS 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) LATE ON JULY 27, WE RECEIVED CHIEF EXECUTIVE (CE)
DONALD TSANG,S INVITATION TO A FORTY-FIVE MINUTE RECEPTION
ON JULY 31 AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. THE PURPOSE WAS TO INTRODUCE
DR. MARGARET CHAN, CHINA,S CANDIDATE FOR DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO),AND SEEK CAPITALS,
SUPPORT. A DOZEN REPRESENTATIVES -- CONSULAR OFFICIALS FROM
INTER ALIA JAPAN, MEXICO, TURKEY, BRAZIL, DENMARK, PORTUGAL,
AND KUWAIT, AS WELL AS A FEW HONORARY CONSULS (TONGA AND SRI
LANKA) -- ATTENDED. SEVERAL SENIOR HKG OFFICIALS, INCLUDING
SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, WELFARE AND FOOD (HWF) YORK CHOW, HWF

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PERMANENT SECRETARY SANDRA LEE, DIRECTOR OF THE CE,S OFFICE
JOHN TSANG, AND DIRECTOR OF HEALTH PING-YAN LAM ACCOMPANIED
CE TSANG AND DR. CHAN. PRC MFA COMMISSIONER LU TOOK PART,
BUT DID NOT HAVE A SPEAKING ROLE.


2. (C) CE TSANG EXPRESSED HIS ADMINISTRATION,S FULL SUPPORT
FOR THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT,S DECISION TO NOMINATE CHAN AND
SAID THE HKG WOULD ACTIVELY PROMOTE HER CANDIDACY. TSANG
HIGHLIGHTED CHAN,S EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE GAINED AS A HKG
CIVIL SERVANT AND AT WHO, AND POINTED TO HER TEAMWORK AND
LEADERSHIP. SPECIFICALLY, HER MANAGEMENT OF SARS IN HONG
KONG,S DENSE URBAN ENVIRONMENT WOULD PROVE VALUABLE IN
DEALING WITH ANY PANDEMIC THAT MIGHT ARISE. NOTING THAT SOME
OF THE COUNTRIES PRESENT WERE PUTTING FORWARD THEIR OWN
CANDIDATES, TSANG HOPED THAT, WERE THEIR OWN CANDIDATES NOT
TO MAKE THE SHORT LIST, THESE COUNTRIES WOULD GIVE FULL
CONSIDERATION TO DR. CHAN,S CREDENTIALS AND CANDIDACY.


3. (C) DR. CHAN EXPRESSED HER APPRECIATION FOR THE CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT,S PLACEMENT OF TRUST IN HER AND STATED THAT THE
WHO DIRECTOR GENERAL WOULD PLAY A KEY ROLE IN EFFORTS TO
REDUCE POVERTY, PROMOTE HEALTH, AND PREVENT DISEASES AND
SUFFERING, PARTICULARLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. SHE
MENTIONED THAT SHE WOULD BE VISITING CAPITALS IN THE COMING
TWO MONTHS AND LOOKED FORWARD TO MEETINGS WITH COUNTERPARTS.


4. (C) AFTER THE SHORT REMARKS, TSANG, CHAN, AND SENIOR HKG
OFFICIALS SPOKE BRIEFLY WITH GUESTS. TSANG EXPRESSED TO THE
ACG HIS HOPE THAT DR. CHAN WOULD WIN USG SUPPORT. NOTING HER
TRAVELS WITH SECRETARY LEAVITT AND U/S DOBRIANSKY, CHAN
MODESTLY HOPED THEY WERE AWARE OF HER "SMALL" CONTRIBUTIONS
TO AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS. OTHER SENIOR HKG OFFICIALS
HIGHLIGHTED HONG KONG,S RELATIONSHIPS WITH USG ENTITIES SUCH
AS CDC, ADDING THAT CHAN,S CANDIDACY WOULD COMPLEMENT HONG
KONG,S ONGOING EFFORTS TO EXPAND COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED
STATES.
SAKAUE