Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07GUANGZHOU310
2007-03-08 03:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Guangzhou
Cable title:
Avian Influenza: Guangdong Officials Quick to
how-toVZCZCXRO9173 RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC DE RUEHGZ #0310 0670334 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 080334Z MAR 07 FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5874 INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3791 RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 000310
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR REO, CDC, AND USAID
HHS FOR OGHA - STEIGER, ELVANDER, BHAT
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU PREL CH
SUBJECT: Avian Influenza: Guangdong Officials Quick to
Criticize UC-Irvine Claim that Guangdong is the Source
Ref: A) 07 Beijing 1387
B) 06 Beijing 23469
(U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 000310
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR REO, CDC, AND USAID
HHS FOR OGHA - STEIGER, ELVANDER, BHAT
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU PREL CH
SUBJECT: Avian Influenza: Guangdong Officials Quick to
Criticize UC-Irvine Claim that Guangdong is the Source
Ref: A) 07 Beijing 1387
B) 06 Beijing 23469
(U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) Guangdong Province officials denied the University
of California- Irvine (UCI) report released on March 5 that
the original and some subsequent strains of the H5N1 virus
originated in Guangdong. The rapidity of the denial suggests the
sensitivity of the issue, especially for a province where economic
well-being, foreign investment, tourism, trade and trade fairs can
potentially be compromised by a failure to control pandemic disease.
This denial is consistent with others: in Guangdong following the
publication of similar conclusions in a U.S.-China scientific study
in February 2006 and in Fujian in late October 2006 with regard to
the prevalence of a "Fujian-like" strain of the virus. While this
latest denial is frustrating to researchers and highlights the lack
of transparency and openness even after post-SARS promises to share
information, valuable opportunities still exist for coordination and
cooperation with South China public health officials and
organizations.
2. (SBU) We urge researchers to continue inviting Chinese
universities, labs, and public health departments to
collaborate on or contribute to future studies of this
kind. This will help engender a more cooperative
atmosphere, though is unlikely to eliminate the knee-jerk
impulse of Chinese officials to deny anything that sheds an
unflattering light on China.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR REO, CDC, AND USAID
HHS FOR OGHA - STEIGER, ELVANDER, BHAT
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU PREL CH
SUBJECT: Avian Influenza: Guangdong Officials Quick to
Criticize UC-Irvine Claim that Guangdong is the Source
Ref: A) 07 Beijing 1387
B) 06 Beijing 23469
(U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) Guangdong Province officials denied the University
of California- Irvine (UCI) report released on March 5 that
the original and some subsequent strains of the H5N1 virus
originated in Guangdong. The rapidity of the denial suggests the
sensitivity of the issue, especially for a province where economic
well-being, foreign investment, tourism, trade and trade fairs can
potentially be compromised by a failure to control pandemic disease.
This denial is consistent with others: in Guangdong following the
publication of similar conclusions in a U.S.-China scientific study
in February 2006 and in Fujian in late October 2006 with regard to
the prevalence of a "Fujian-like" strain of the virus. While this
latest denial is frustrating to researchers and highlights the lack
of transparency and openness even after post-SARS promises to share
information, valuable opportunities still exist for coordination and
cooperation with South China public health officials and
organizations.
2. (SBU) We urge researchers to continue inviting Chinese
universities, labs, and public health departments to
collaborate on or contribute to future studies of this
kind. This will help engender a more cooperative
atmosphere, though is unlikely to eliminate the knee-jerk
impulse of Chinese officials to deny anything that sheds an
unflattering light on China.
GOLDBERG