U/S Hughes and PD Envoy Kwan Engage Guangzhou

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ECA AND EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PREL OVIP CH
SUBJECT: U/S Hughes and PD Envoy Kwan Engage Guangzhou
Audiences in Public Diplomacy Visit


1. SUMMARY: The January 21-23 visit to Guangzhou of
Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes, American
Public Diplomacy Envoy Michelle Kwan, and Ambassador Clark

T. Randt, Jr. was an unprecedented opportunity to showcase
American public diplomacy programs reaching out to
previously untapped audiences (including elementary
students and broadcast journalists) and listened to Chinese
views about ways to move the Sino-U.S. relationship
forward. U/S Hughes numerous times pointed out that the
selection of Michelle Kwan as America's very first Public
Diplomacy Envoy was a sign of the great importance the USG
places on Sino-U.S. relations. In interviews with two
major Guangdong TV stations and in her remarks at the
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, U/S Hughes
emphasized that the United States seeks a deeper, broader,
more mature relationship with China, one that encourages
the two countries to work together more effectively to
solve problems and to bring a greater hope of peace and
security to the world. She encouraged increased cultural
and student exchanges, adding that there was more that
united us than divided us. Ms. Kwan attracted positive and
favorable attention, particularly since her father was born
in nearby Zhongshan and her mother in Hong Kong. END
SUMMARY.

Guangzhou English Training Center for the Handicapped
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2. The first event of January 22 - a visit to the Guangzhou
English Training Center for the Handicapped - was in many
ways a template for the remainder of the schedule, a
demonstration how America can support preexisting
institutions that are working creatively to assist those
who are in need and already helping themselves. The first
voluntary, non-profit college in China for the physically
challenged that specializes in English language study and
computer applications, the Center is committed to fostering
an environment as expressed by its motto of "dedicated love
and disciplined learning." The Center, which has partnered
with Zhongshan University and Haizhu Labor Union, has
approximately 60 students, all of whom are competitively
selected. School officials told the delegation that 96% of
the school's graduates generally find jobs as interpreters,
office clerks, secretarial staff, or in joint venture
enterprises due to their English language and computer
skills. U/S Hughes and Ms. Kwan spoke with the students
about the importance of hard work and pursuing one's
dreams, and heard first-hand what the Center has meant to
the students. Several students spoke of how their
education at the Center has changed their lives, giving
them greater opportunities, self-confidence, and a sense of
contributing to society in a culture that does not always
embrace the physically challenged. The students pay no
tuition and are not asked to pay back the school, rather
they are asked to "pay it forward" to society. During the
visit, U/S Hughes and Ms. Kwan presented specially designed
exercise equipment to the Center's Director.

Television Interviews
--------------


3. U/S Hughes and Michelle Kwan were interviewed by two of
the Province's most watched TV stations for broadcasts of
taped programs in the next two weeks on Guangdong TV's
"Number One Dialogue" (which targets officials, academics,
students, and local citizens) and Guangzhou TV's "Expat
Chat." Both interviews focused on the importance of public
diplomacy and exchanges in strong bilateral relationships,
America's cultural diversity, and our shared values,
particularly on the importance of families. The most
influential TV station in the Province, Guangdong TV is
connected via satellite to all of China and neighboring
countries, especially Southeast Asian countries,
potentially 60 million viewers. Guangzhou English Language
TV has a customer base of over 1 million (and still
growing),and its viewers are interested in learning more
about the United States.

Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (Guangwai)
-------------- --------------


4. The development of an innovative society and President
Hu's own hopes for a harmonious society depend on the free
flow of information, U/S Hughes told Guangdong University
of Foreign Studies students and faculty. She expressed USG
appreciation for China's spirit of partnership in hosting
the Six-Party Talks and its cooperation on Iran, and
reiterated that America welcomes a peaceful and prosperous
China that is a responsible stakeholder in the world

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community. While this does not mean that the United States
and China will agree on every issue, the U.S. does view
China as a new, and very important, global neighbor. U/S
Hughes clarified that the United States still has
"concerns" over China's military modernization, and
respectfully hopes China will be more transparent in its
affairs.


5. In a very lively question and answer session, U/S Hughes
pointed out the United States understands that the pace of
change differs in each country. In response to a question
about what America was doing to enhance human rights, U/S
Hughes said that while some may consider speaking out on
human rights an interference in China's affairs, America
believes that speaking out on such issues is our obligation
because of our beliefs in the importance and value of the
individual. U/S Hughes said that encouraging NGO's can
actually promote a harmonious society by providing an
outlet for peoples' views. She told the audience that one
job that public diplomacy needs to do is to show China that
the America they see on TV is not necessarily the America
that people lived in. Chinese may be surprised to learn
that America was the number one donor to the World Food
Program, has committed millions of dollars to eradicate
HIV/AIDS and malaria in Africa, and was the number one
donor - through WHO - of food and medicine to the
Palestinian people. U/S Hughes admitted that the USG is
not going to change peoples' minds overnight, but that it
is a long-term effort whose aim is to build bridges of
understanding in the world, adding that an important way to
do so is by reinvigorating cultural exchanges. In a
closing statement at the school, U/S Hughes said that what
was important for journalists to remember is their role of
"comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable,"
and to ensure that problems were raised and reported so
that they could be confronted.

Michelle Kwan Visits Changle Elementary School
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6. While U/S Hughes spoke with students at Guangwai,
Michelle Kwan visited Changle Elementary School faculty and
students, telling them that, like her, they could make
their dream come true through dint of hard work. Ms. Kwan
told them how pleased she was to have the opportunity to
talk with China's youth. Ms. Kwan also read to over 100
students, toured the campus, and watched a jump rope
performance by the students who had been selected to appear
on national television during the Chinese New Year.
Afterwards, she participated in some games with the
students.

U/S Hughes Administers Oath to Adoptive Parents
-------------- --


7. The entire delegation reassembled to participate in the
swearing in of American parents adopting Chinese orphans at
the Consulate's Tian Yu facility. U/S Hughes administered
the oath to the new parents, after which she, Ms. Kwan,
Ambassador Randt, and the Consul General chatted with the
parents and their children and posed for pictures.
Guangzhou's adoption facility handled nearly 6,500
adoptions in 2006 and is the busiest U.S. adoption facility
in the world, processing one-third of all U.S.
international adoptions.

Meeting with Executive Vice Governor Tang
--------------


8. At the end of the day January 22, the delegation paid a
courtesy call on Executive Vice Governor Tang Bingquan, who
welcomed them to Guangdong, and expressed his appreciation
for their taking time to make Guangzhou a key part of their
China trip. He thanked the Ambassador and the Consul
General for their work in improving bilateral relations,
and highlighted Guangdong's growing economy. U/S Hughes
praised Guangdong's economic "dynamism" and encouraged the
development of better relations through educational and
cultural exchanges. She noted the opportunity for cross-
cultural exchanges offered by the 2008 Beijing Olympics and
emphasized Michelle Kwan's public diplomacy role as a
bridge to China given her cultural and ethnic ties to
China. U/S Hughes reiterated U.S. support for a strong and
prosperous China.

GOLDBERG