Xiamen Shuts Down Online Poll amidst Public Opposition to

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 001288 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM AND OES/PCI EPA FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM SENV ECON PGOV CH SUBJECT: Xiamen Shuts Down Online Poll amidst Public Opposition to Chemical Plant REF: A) Guangzhou 620, B) Guangzhou 742 GUANGZHOU 00001288 001.2 OF 002 (U) This document is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (U) Summary: In the realm of make sure the response you get is the response you're looking for, the Xiamen city government-sponsored website - Xiamen Web - was shut down after an overwhelming number of online voters expressed opposition to the construction of a chemical plant near the center of the city. The decision to shut down the website (citing technical problems) clearly calls into question the government's commitment to transparency and environmental health. Xiamen government has not yet released an official statement on its current plans for the construction of the chemical plant. End summary. -------------- GDP Growth vs. Environmental Safety -------------- ¶2. (U) For the better part of 2007, Xiamen's government and concerned citizens have been at odds regarding the construction of a chemical plant by Tenglong Aromatic PX (Xiamen) Company (ref A). The proposed plant would produce paraxylene (PX) -- a potent eye, nose, and throat irritant -- for use in the manufacturing of plastics, polyester, and film. Xiamen's government estimates that the approximately USD 1.4 billion Taiwan-invested plant would produce 800,000 tons of paraxylene annually. Overall, the plant would contribute RMB 80 billion (approx. USD 11 billion) to Xiamen's economy. Xiamen residents, however, are concerned by the possible environmental impact. In May 2007, Xiamen suspended construction of the plant after residents planned large-scale demonstrations. ¶3. (U) The Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) recently conducted an environmental risk assessment for Haicang District, the proposed location for the plant. The study's vague findings neither affirmed nor denied the project's environmental risks. However, it concluded that construction of the chemical plant, and the possible future development of Haicang into an industrial hub, would require the relocation of many residences. The report also called on the government to seek public input in the decision-making process. -------------- Technology and Modern-day Protests -------------- ¶4. (U) Xiamen Web, a website sponsored by the Xiamen Committee of the Communist Party, established a webpage to allow citizens to cast their vote for or against the plant's construction. Voting commenced on the evening of December 8, and with an estimated 55,000 votes against and 3,000 votes in favor of the chemical plant, the website was unexpectedly taken offline the evening of December 10. Xiamen Web said the website was shut down due to technical difficulties and programming challenges, claiming that problems with the website's IP address prevented the company from weeding out duplicate votes -- a problem some computer experts say could have easily been solved without discounting all votes. ¶5. (U) In the wake of the cancelled online poll, Fujian province officials held a forum December 13 and 14, giving Xiamen residents the opportunity to voice their opinions regarding the pending construction plans. Through a lottery system for residents who registered online, or via hotline, 107 speakers were selected; 91 spoke in opposition to the plant, 15 spoke in favor, and 1 resident chose to walk-out of the forum. It is still unclear how this forum will affect the government's decision on how to proceed. Xiamen's government has not yet released an official statement on its current plans for the construction of the chemical plant. -------------- Local Businesses Face Concerned Employees -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Local business owners, some of whom were not aware of the existence of the voting website, varied in their assessments of the dispute. Jeff Lee, Vice Chairman of the Xiamen Taiwanese Businessmen Association, and owner of Haicang District's Far East Steel Industry Company, told us he had "insider" information that the site would be built, though he did not disclose his sources. Lee noted that many of his workers had threatened to quit if the GUANGZHOU 00001288 002 OF 002 chemical plant is built near their factory. Lee has already made plans to relocate his factory pending the construction of the chemical plant, claiming that other area businessmen have the same plan. Kodak Company (Xiamen branch) External Affairs Manager Yek Li, on the other hand, has no plans to relocate, though he conceded that his workers, too, shared the sentiments of Lee's employees. -------------- Comment: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back -------------- ¶7. (SBU) While the establishment of the polling website was originally seen as a step in the right direction toward public involvement in the decision-making process, its cancellation once again called into question the Xiamen Municipal Government's transparency. Government officials should not have been too surprised by the poll results. Opponents previously demonstrated their ability to use technology in pursuit of their cause. City residents used more than one million text messages (SMS) to organize a major protest in June after the authorities blocked email messages related to the planned demonstration (ref B). GOLDBERG