JULY 22 VICE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT LETTER TO

UNCLAS BEIJING 002868 SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/TRA DAS JOHN BYERLY STATE FOR EAP/CM PETER SECOR/JOY YAMAMOTO TRANSPORTATION FOR DAS SUSAN MCDERMOTT/DAS JOEL SZABAT TRANSPORTATION FOR X1, X40 TRANSPORTATION FOR BERNESTINE ALLEN/NICOLE PORTER TREASURY FOR DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TAIYA SMITH TREASURY FOR AMBASSADOR ALAN HOLMER TREASURY FOR MANAGING DIRECTOR DAN WRIGHT STATE PASS USTR ANN MAIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT ELTN CH SUBJECT: JULY 22 VICE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT LETTER TO DOT DEPUTY SECRETARY REF: A) DOT/POST Email July 11 ¶1. (U) The July 22 letter from VM Weng comes in response to a July 10 letter from Deputy Secretary Barrett regarding the bilateral Transportation Forum launched during the Fourth Strategic Economic Dialogue in Annapolis (Ref A). ¶2. (U) On July 23, post received via facsimile diplomatic note No. (2008)092 dated July 22 from the Dpartment of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) transmitting a letter from MOT Vice Minister Weng Mengyong to United States Department of Transportation (DOT)Deputy Secretary Thomas Barrett (Note: Courtey translation provided by MOT. End Note). Pot e-mailed a scanned version of the letterto DOT on July 23. The text of the letter is below. ¶3. Begin text of MOT translation of letter: July 22, 2008 H.E. Thomas J. Barrett Deputy Secretary Department of Transportation The United States of America Your Excellency, Thank you for your letter dated July 10, 2008. The Chinese side converges with your proposal on the division of areas concerning the first project under the Transportation Forum-the joint study survey on trade flows and infrastructure development. Now we are coordinating with relevant ministries and authorities to follow up the TF initiative and getting down to the area of "disaster assistance coordination" under the joint project. Hereby, I would like to reiterate that the Ministry of Transport of P.R. China is willing to join hand in hand with your Department to put in place what we have agreed upon, make full preparations for the first TF and promote the efficient, safe and sustainable development of transportation between both countries. As for details, Mr. Li Guangling, Deputy Director- General of the Department of International Cooperation, will keep closely in touch with Ms. Susan McDermott of DOT. I am convinced that the cooperation between our two organizations will achieve fruitful results. Please accept, your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. Weng Mengyong Vice Minister of Transport The People's Republic of China End text. PICCUTA