CHINESE COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIALS STILL

S E C R E T BEIJING 002628


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2028
TAGS: CH KOLY PINR PREL PTER
SUBJECT: CHINESE COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIALS STILL
INTERESTED IN NCTC VISIT

REF: A. BEIJING 01792

B. BEIJING 01159

C. BEIJING 01160

D. BEIJING 01165

E. BEIJING 01166

Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Ben Moeling. Reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

Summary
--------------


1. (S) Chinese counterterrorism officials expressed interest
in visiting the U.S. National Counterterorrism Center (NCTC)
after the Olympic Games, MFA External Security Affairs
Department Deputy Director Wu Shifan told Poloffs June 17.
Wu proposed setting up bi-monthly meetings with the U.S.
Embassy to help strengthen U.S.-China counterterrorism
cooperation. Referring to the March 25 U.S.-China
Counterterrorism Dialogue, Wu requested an update on possible
Chinese access to airline passenger manifests of visitors
coming to China and access to FBI databases. After
conferring with FAA and TSA representatives at post, Poloff
stressed to Wu on June 30 that the United States will not
provide access to FBI databases to Chinese counterterrorism
officials, but will explore other possible areas of
cooperation. End Summary.

NCTC Visit
--------------


2. (S) MFA External Security Affairs Department Deputy
Director Wu Shifan and MFA Special Advisor on
Counterterrorism Issues Bian Ge told PolOffs June 17 that
Chinese counterterrorism officials remain interested in
visiting the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and
suggested a post-Olympic Games timeframe. Wu said the
official delegation will likely include counterterrorism
officials from multiple government agencies.

Bi-Monthly Meeting Proposal
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3. (S) The PRC has bilateral counterterrorism exchanges with
the United States, Germany, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Russia, Wu said. The Chinese
Government, however, considers the U.S.-China
counterterrorism relationship the most important. China is
interested in strengthening U.S.-China cooperation on
counterterrorism issues and proposed setting up bi-monthly
meetings between his office and the Embassy to discuss
potential areas of concern.

Airline Passenger Manifest
--------------


4. (S) Wu requested an update to the March 25 discussion
regarding airline passenger manifests between U.S. Ambassador
at Large for Counterterrorism Dell Dailey and MFA
International Organizations and Conferences Department
Director General Wu Hailong during the U.S.-China
Counterterrorism Dialogue in Beijing (see reftels). (Note:
During the March Dialogue, Ambassador Dailey said that under
the Advance Passenger Information (API) Initiative, U.S. law
enforcement agencies receive names of potential terrorists
from participating countries and in return provide passenger
manifests and pertinent law enforcement information.
However, the United States is not in a position to share this
database with China, said Ambassador Dailey.) Wu, again,
requested Chinese access to FBI databases to assist in their
counterterrorism efforts. Poloffs reiterated Ambassador
Dailey's March explanation that an outright transfer of data
and access to FBI databases is not possible.


5. (S) Wu followed up on June 30 and, again, requested access
to airline passenger manifests of visitors traveling to
China. FAA and TSA representatives at post confirmed that
U.S. air carriers are already required to provide passenger
data to Chinese government officials in order to operate
flights in and out of China. Poloff stressed to Wu that
while the United States will not provide access to FBI
databases to Chinese counterterrorism officials, we will
explore other possible areas of cooperation.

RANDT