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 -------------- ¶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