CHINESE COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIALS SEEK COOPERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 002941 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2028 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KOLY UN PHUM CH PK SYTH SUBJECT: CHINESE COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIALS SEEK COOPERATION REF: A. BEIJING 02628 ¶B. BEIJING 01792 ¶C. BEIJING 01159 ¶D. BEIJING 01160 ¶E. BEIJING 01165 ¶F. BEIJING 01166 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1. 4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In a July 22 meeting with EmbOffs, MFA External Security Affairs Department Division Director Xia Jingge asked if the United States could provide additional training for the Chinese air marshal program. Xia also sought an update on China's request for access to the FBI's terrorism database. Xia asked for information about U.S. terrorist financing concerns and Financial Action Task Force due diligence requirements related to Chinese links with Iranian banks. End Summary. Air Marshal Training -------------- ¶2. (U) During a July 22 meeting with EmbOffs, Division Director Xia Jingge of the MFA's Department of External Security Affairs asked about the possibility of U.S. training for China's air marshals. (Note: General Administration for Civil Aviation Air Marshal Command Chief Song Shengli made the same request to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Director for Asia Pacific Affairs Douglas Palmeri during the March 25 Counterterrorism (CT) Dialogue. See ref ¶C. Under an April 2006 TSA-CAAC MOU, TSA has already trained 16 Chinese air marshals at TSA facilities. Xia's request appears to be for additional training. TSA representatives also received the request for additional training on the sidelines of the March 25 CT Dialogue. This request was relayed to TSA's HQ in Washington and is still under consideration.) Access to FBI Database -------------- ¶3. (C) Xia asked for an update on China's request for access to the FBI's terror suspect databases. (Note: The Chinese requested this access during the March 25 CT Dialogue and during a June 17 meeting. In both meetings, U.S. officials explained the U.S. policy on foreign access to the FBI database and offered to vet Chinese-supplied names. See refs C and A.) PolOffs reiterated U.S. policy and offered to vet names in accordance with existing practice. (Note: The Ministry of Public Security will be invited to submit lists of suspected terrorists to the Embassy's interagency Joint Operations Center (JOC) during the Olympics. Other channels for submission of suspected terrorist lists have already been established with the Ministry of State Security.) Megaports and Taiwan -------------- ¶4. (C) In discussing the success of the Megaports programs, Xia asked EmbOffs to understand the sensitivity to China of Taiwan's involvement in the same program. PolOff explained that the goal of Megaports is to ensure the safety of commerce through all ports. Xia suggested that a "dual track" method under which a U.S. delegation works openly with China but quietly and perhaps under a different name with Taiwan as a way to address PRC sensitivities. Such a program could achieve the same results for both China and Taiwan but actually be two separate programs, he said. FATF Meeting with People's Bank of China -------------- ¶5. (SBU) PolOff told Xia that the Embassy's Financial Attache and EconOffs would meet with representatives from the People's Bank of China on July 23 regarding terrorism financing issues in general and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) due diligence rules for banking transactions with Iran in particular. EconOff offered to provide Xia's office with BEIJING 00002941 002 OF 002 a summary following the meeting (reported septel). Familiar Complaints about SHAT/ETLO and Rebiya Kadeer -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) In response to Xia's request that the United States support the designation of the East Turkestan Liberation Organization (ETLO, aka SHAT) as a terrorist organization under UN Security Council Resolution 1267, PolOff noted that the United States has not yet received sufficient evidence to support the terrorist designation. In response to Xia's complaints about the activities of U.S.-resident Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer, PolOff reminded Xia that Kadeer enjoys freedom of speech in the United States and that China has not provided evidence that she has violated any U.S. laws. ¶7. (U) PRC participants: -- Xia Jingge, Division Director, Department of External Security Affairs, MFA -- Wu Shifan, Second Secretary, Department of External Security Affairs, MFA -- Bian Ge, Third Secretary, Department of External Security Affairs, MFA -- Fan Yong, Third Secretary, Department of External Security Affairs, MFA RANDT