BIOGRAPHICAL OBSERVATIONS ON ZHAO HONGZHU

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SHANGHAI 000457 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/CM, INR/B AND INR/EAP NSC FOR WILDER AND TONG E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/20/2032 TAGS: PGOV PINR CH SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHICAL OBSERVATIONS ON ZHAO HONGZHU SHANGHAI 00000457 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Clark Randt, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy, Beijing, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador's July 9 call on newly-appointed Zhejiang Party Secretary Zhao Hongzhu and a subsequent July 13 dinner hosted by Zhao (see Septel) provided post with an opportunity to collect biographical information on Zhao. Zhao came across as friendly and was described by subordinates as approachable. According to Zhao's staff, Zhao had good relations with senior leaders and an extensive personal relationship throughout the leadership based on his work in the party's Organization Department. Despite this, his prospects for promotion to a higher post were complicated by his age (Zhao was already 60). End summary. -------------- Ties and Prospects for Promotion -------------- ¶2. (C) During a July 13 dinner hosted by Zhao for the Ambassador, FAO official Yu Siba told Poloff that Zhao had good connections to top leaders, although Yu was cagey about citing which ones. Zhao had served in the Central Organization Department, responsible for arranging all promotions at the vice governor level and above, since 2000, and as the Department's number two official since 2003. In that role, Zhao would have been responsible for recommending persons to the Politburo for promotion. As part of that process, Zhao would examine the personnel records of every promotable official and would be privy to very sensitive information. Yu opined that such a job would, of necessity, go only to someone who had close ties to the current leadership. He further speculated that Zhao should have a large personal relationship network, considering he was responsible for helping a large number of current leaders get their jobs. ¶3. (C) In an aside to the Consul General on July 9, Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Office Director Ruan Zhongxun observed that given his age, Zhao would only serve one term as Zhejiang Party Secretary. Zhao was 60 and would either be required to retire SIPDIS at the end of this term, or would need to be promoted to a top level national post if he wished to work past 65. Yu believed Zhao's opportunities for advancement were slim. Despite Zhao's network and the fact that many previous party secretaries had gone on to Politburo positions after leaving Zhejiang, including current Guangdong Party Secretary Zheng Dejiang and Shanghai Party Secretary Xi Jinping (who, Yu said, was assured a Politburo slot at the upcoming Party Congress),Zhao was older than these individuals when he came to Zhejiang. Zhao was also not likely to get a concurrent Politburo slot at the Party Congress. Party practice was to assign one provincial Politburo slot per region and East China's slot belonged to Shanghai. -------------- Friendly and Entertaining -------------- ¶4. (C) Zhao appeared relaxed and friendly during the meetings, smiling and laughing throughout. Zhao did not rely on notes or other officials during his overview of Zhejiang, which contained quite a number of statistics. He did, however, glance occasionally at a page of notes when discussing the more arcane letters and visits system. His delegation treated him with respect, listening to him and refraining from side discussions. During the July 13 dinner, FAO official Yu Siba noted to Poloff that Zhao was very approachable. Unlike many provincial party secretaries, he also liked to host people. According to Yu, SIPDIS traditionally, party secretaries were more aloof towards visitors, leaving government officials to do the entertaining. -------------- Heart Problems, Exercise, and Drinking -------------- ¶5. (C) Zhao said he speed walks every morning for 30 minutes, walking at roughly two steps per second, and swims every afternoon that he has free time. He said three years ago, he had been diagnosed with unspecified heart problems. His doctor advised him that swimming would be the best exercise for him. At the time, however, Zhao did not know how to swim. Not wanting to hire a personal coach, Zhao opted for a "how to swim" DVD. He watched it intently for two weeks, announced to his wife that he was ready, and then jumped in the pool. Zhao claimed to be best at the crawl stroke and worst at the butterfly stroke. SHANGHAI 00000457 002.2 OF 002 ¶6. (C) Zhao said he learned to drink sometime between 1983 and ¶1985. His father, now deceased, was a farmer and was very strict and had taught Zhao to eschew alcohol. It was not until after Zhao had graduated from the Central Party School and transferred to work in Inner Mongolia (Zhao's birthplace) that he had begun drinking. Zhao, a member of the Han ethnic group, said that at the time, he called his father after his first drink and told him that it would seriously offend the local Mongolians if he refused to drink. Zhao's father thought about it and said that Zhao was over 30 and mature enough to handle it. -------------- Beginner's English -------------- ¶7. (C) Zhao claimed to be able to speak and understand basic social conversational English. Although he spoke a few phrases in English, he appeared less confident with his listening comprehension ability. For instance, when the Ambassador explained in English that the group had just flown in from Inner Mongolia, Zhao's home province, prior to the meeting, Zhao gave no indication that he understood. However, when the interpreter translated the Ambassador's statement into Chinese, Zhao perked up and enthusiastically interjected in English "Oh really?" Zhao studied some English during his time at the Central Party School because at that time there was a push to have all Chinese leaders learn at least basic English. -------------- Personal Data -------------- ¶8. (C) Zhao is married. His wife recently moved to Hangzhou from Beijing to be with her husband. Yu contrasted this with Shanghai Party Secretary Xi Jinping, whose wife, a famous singer, had refused to move to either Zhejiang or Shanghai with her husband and currently still resides in Beijing. Zhao has a daughter, a son-in-law and a 6-and-a-half year old grandson. Zhao's wife looks after their grandson, allowing the boy's parents to work. Zhao has two elder brothers and one elder sister. He traveled to the United States once in 1999 to represent China at a USG-sponsored anticorruption forum. SCHUCHAT