U/S HUGHES URGES INCREASED EXCHANGES, MEDIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000483 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SCUL PHUM KOLY KPAO KIRF CH SUBJECT: U/S HUGHES URGES INCREASED EXCHANGES, MEDIA OPENNESS IN BEIJING VISITS AND MEETINGS Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) During a packed two-day visit to Beijing, Undersecretary Karen Hughes in concert with Public Diplomacy Envoy Michelle Kwan visited a middle school classroom, Beijing University's Women's Legal Aid Center, a Special Olympics training facility, attended a church service and met with State Councilor Chen Zhili and State Council Information Office (SCIO) Director Cai Wu. U/S Hughes advocated increased media freedoms, transparency and stepped up exchanges in her official meetings, noting the opportunity provided by the 2008 Olympics to showcase China's culture, dynamism and progress. Her comments urging increased exchanges between the United States and China were enthusiastically welcomed at all her public events and media coverage of the visit was ample and positive. End summary. Focus on American Values, Equality -------------- ¶2. (SBU) U/S Hughes, accompanied by Public Diplomacy Envoy Kwan, kicked off her packed two-day visit to Beijing with a January 20 visit to a middle school class taught by a former Fulbright grantee who is introducing the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. to her English classes. The combined American-Chinese class recited "I Have a Dream" in Chinese and English and welcomed U/S Hughes' and PD Envoy Kwan's remarks on the importance of equality and diversity in America. The students closed the program by singing "We Shall Overcome" together with their visitors. At the Beijing University Women's Legal Aid Center, Director Guo Jianmei briefed U/S Hughes on the Center's work and on the progress and problems in promoting gender equality in China. Director Guo introduced a sexual harassment victim that the Center had assisted and detailed legal efforts on her behalf, which led to administrative penalties against the perpetrator and raised the profile of the issue. U/S Hughes voiced U.S. support for the Center, stressed the important and positive role of NGOs in improving public awareness of issues like harassment and encouraged the Center's volunteers to continue reaching out to potential victims. Church and Special Olympics Visits Extend Outreach -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On Sunday, January 21, U/S Hughes stopped by a crowded Sunday School class prior to participating in services at the Kuanjie Church in Beijing. Sunday School students welcomed U/S Hughes and following a short introduction by Minister Li (who spent two weeks at the Dallas Theological Seminary in 2006),U/S Hughes spoke briefly to the enthusiastic congregation, focusing on the importance of family and the role of women in society. A contact at the church later told poloff that the local Religious Affairs Bureau had opposed letting U/S Hughes speak at the church, but relented when Minister Li told them that he would take full responsibility. At a subsequent visit to the Beijing Sports University, U/S Hughes and PD Envoy Kwan awarded medals to several Special Olympics athletes and their comments emphasizing the importance of dedication and hard work were warmly received. State Councilor Chen Stresses Educational Exchange -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) During a January 21 call on State Councilor Chen Zhili, also attended by Vice Minister of Education Chen Xiaoya and MFA officials, U/S Hughes cited the strength and importance of United States- China relations, noting the close attention that President Bush pays to the relationship. The United States welcomes the emergence of a strong, dynamic and vibrant China and needs China's support to address challenges throughout the world. With improved relations, we are increasing exchanges and transparency and can be more frank about our differences, while building a constructive and candid bilateral partnership. U/S Hughes noted the important opportunity presented by the Olympics for China to showcase its culture and progress. She advocated increased media freedoms, noting that a free press is key to exposing problems that need to be resolved, and urged increasing cultural, educational and sports BEIJING 00000483 002 OF 003 exchanges to further strengthen ties. ¶5. (SBU) State Councilor Chen cited the importance of the bilateral relationship for China and stated that successful and ongoing top-level exchanges between the leaders of the two countries have laid the foundation for constructive, cooperative strategic bilateral relations for the 21st century. China is working hard to prepare for hosting a top tier Olympic Games, including hosting more than 10,000 journalists. In addition to the new regulations on foreign journalists, China is committed to providing journalists with excellent facilities and service, in keeping with its commitments and international standards. China will try to show its achievements and spirit, but won't color its difficulties, State Councilor Chen said. China remains a developing country, it is natural that it has some problems, and China hopes that foreign journalists will understand this. ¶6. (SBU) Chen said China hoped to emulate successful U.S. efforts to popularize sport for all its citizens and agreed with U/S Hughes that continued educational exchanges between the two countries are very important. The United States remains the number one destination for Chinese students, Chen noted, and China is happy to welcome more American students to study in China. SCIO's Cai on Media Freedoms -------------- ¶7. (SBU) U/S Hughes, accompanied by PD Envoy Kwan, complimented SCIO Director Cai Wu on the recently implemented rules that loosen restrictions on foreign journalists and urged China to extend them beyond the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. U/S Hughes noted that increasing freedom of the press in China will help Americans and Chinese alike to better understand China's role in the world, including, for example, China's active partnership with the United States on difficult issues like nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran. Pointing out that the United States and China share so many interests, like being the number one and number two energy users in the world, U/S Hughes stressed the need for increased transparency between the two governments, even in areas where we do not agree. Commenting that she had just visited a Chinese school where students recited part of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, U/S Hughes emphasized that a free press can highlight social problems, such as those in Dr. King's speech, and bring about positive change. ¶8. (SBU) Minister Cai responded that the revised media rules indicate a new open-mindedness in welcoming the world to China and have been smoothly implemented for the past twenty days. Admitting that prior Chinese policies could be viewed as "regulating" foreign journalists, Cai argued the new view is to provide "good service" to journalists. If the revised regulations promote better understanding of China and facilitate China's reform and stability, they could be extended beyond the expiration date of October 17, 2008, said Minister Cai. In fact, Beijing is currently putting on a conference with officials from various municipalities and provinces to discuss how to implement the revised rules, provide better service to journalists and ensure better cooperation with international media. When pressed about the expiry of the relaxed rules in October 2008, Cai responded that if the revised rules promote understanding, encourage honest reporting and facilitate China's reform and stability, "why would we change them?" ¶9. (SBU) Chinese recognize that China is not perfect, said Cai, voicing his opinion that Chinese society is currently at a stage of more frequent internal conflict. Shielding internal strife from foreign journalists will not make it go away, but Cai said he hoped journalists would not only report China's problems, but also China's unremitting efforts to solve them. If reporting is objective and truthful, then China is not worried that foreign journalists will observe and report on social problems in China, according to Cai. Cai complained about those who write negatively about China without having ever visited, citing in particular a BBC report alleging that Chinese government hospitals harvested organs BEIJING 00000483 003 OF 003 from Falung Gong members. U/S Hughes responded that in a society with free press, journalists must uphold standards of truthfulness but that the public also has free access to information with which to make up their own minds. ¶10. (U) U/S Hughes did not have the opportunity to clear this message. RANDT