BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: USG SITUATION REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 BEIJING 003076

SIPDIS

DEPT, FOR, DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/DO, DS/TIA/OSAC, DS/P/MECU,
DS/TIA/ITA, DS/DO/P, DS/ICI/CI, DS/T/ATA, DS/TIA,
DS/TIA/PII, DS/CC, EAP/CM, S/CT, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, PASS TO
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (TSA) OPERATIONS
CENTER, HONG KONG FOR RSO AND LEGAT AND USSS, SHANGHAI FOR
RSO, SHENYANG FOR RSO,CHENGDU FOR RSO, GUANGZHOU FOR RSO,
USSS HQS FOR INV, OPO, HNL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2033
TAGS: ASEC CASC CH CMGT ECON KOLY OVIP PREL PTER
SUBJECT: BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: USG SITUATION REPORT
11, 08/11/2008

REF: A. BEIJING 3060

B. BEIJING 3067

C. BEIJING 3065

Classified By: Acting DCM Michael Regan for reason 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (SBU) The following cable provides information on
security, public diplomacy, political, and consular
activities related to the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games
as of 08/11/2008.


2. (U) The interagency USG Joint Operations Center (JOC) can
be contacted on a 24-hour basis at the following numbers:

- JOC Direct Line: 011-86-010-6532-6966.
- U.S. Embassy Beijing: 011-86-010-6532-3431, JOC extension

6200.
- JOC fax: 011-86-010-6532-4763.
- STE and fax: 011-86-010-6532-5163.


KEY ISSUES
--------------

3. (SBU) The President of the United States and members of
the USG Delegation to the Olympics Opening Ceremony will
depart Beijing on the afternoon of 08/11/2008; former
President George H. W. Bush is scheduled to remain in Beijing
until 08/13/2008. Chinese media have reported that the
President "fully enjoyed" the Games; President Bush's visit
to Beijing marked the first time a sitting U.S. President has
attended the Olympics.


4. (SBU) The condition of Barbara Bachman, the U.S. citizen
injured in the 08/09/2008 stabbing attack by a Chinese
national, remains serious. Medical evacuation to the U.S. is
being considered for Mrs. Bachman as of 08/11/2008; such
action is dependent upon her medical condition and the wishes
of her family. U.S. Embassy officers from the American
Citizens Services (ACS) section and the Regional Medical
Office continue to provide assistance to the Bachman family
at the hospital. ACS is also assisting family members with
the repatriation of Todd Bachman's remains to the U.S.


5. (SBU) State Department's Information Resource Management
(IRM) bureau has provided JOC agencies with clarification on
the repercussions for Olympics communications of the proposed
Beltsville Information Management Center (BIMC) power outage
scheduled for 08/16/2008 and 08/17/2008 (ref. a). According
to IRM, backup power sources will ensure that JOC
communications--with the exception of IVG lines--will be
unaffected for the duration of the projected four hour
outage. This information has allayed the concerns of JOC
agencies regarding the impact of the outage on critical
connectivity during the middle of the Olympic Games.

BEIJING 00003076 002 OF 006




SECURITY ISSUES
--------------

6. (SBU) Incidents: Unsubstantiated Claim that 08/09/2008
Assault Specifically Targeted U.S. Citizens: JOC agencies
are investigating the 08/10/2008 receipt by the U.S. Embassy
of an e-mail containing unsubstantiated information claiming
that family members of the U.S. Men,s Indoor Volleyball
coach killed and injured in the 08/09/2008 knife attack at
Beijing's Drum Tower were specifically targeted by Chinese
citizen Tang Yongming as a result of extreme nationalist
feeling. The e-mail's author also alleges that Chinese
websites have launched a "hunt" for U.S. Women's Indoor
Volleyball team coach Lang Ping--a former member of the
Chinese volleyball team--and U.S. Men's Indoor Volleyball
coach Hugh McCutcheon--son-in-law of the two American
victims--because many Chinese felt Lang betrayed her country
by coaching the U.S. team. A subsequent review by JOC
personnel of the Chinese websites named in the e-mail has
revealed no potentially hostile or threatening information.
Chinese and Western media have characterized Tang as having
"lost all hope" after a series of failures in his life and
thus far, there is no indication that he had extreme
nationalist leanings. JOC agencies have identified an e-mail
subscriber in Houston, Texas, as being the source of this
message; according to available information, the account was
created in 2007 by a U.S. citizen of Chinese descent and the
address has been active in Houston from 07/30/2008 to
08/09/2008. Prior to 07/12/2008, the e-mail address was
active in Beijing. A preliminary review of 820 of the
subscriber's e-mail messages has determined that the
individual had no specific knowledge of the 08/09/2008
attack. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in
Houston have been dispatched to interview the subscriber.


7. (SBU) OSC Meets with USOC Regarding Alleged Volleyball
Threat: On 08/10/2008, the Olympic Security Coordinator
(OSC) met with U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) security
officials to discuss the receipt of the e-mail claiming that
U.S. Volleyball coaches Lang Ping and Hugh McCutcheon may be
the targets of extreme Chinese nationalists. The USOC has
indicated that they will talk to Lang Ping and will increase
efforts to monitor her safety while in Beijing. In addition,
the JOC remains alert for any potentially hostile activity
towards the U.S. Volleyball teams. On 08/09/2008 the USG
Field Liaison Officer (FLO) assigned to the Capital Gymnasium
volleyball venue reported a Chinese national observing the
arrival and departure of the U.S. Women's Indoor Volleyball
team from a point near the team bus; the woman--who
identified herself as a former Nanjing University student
with a degree in English--allegedly had been unable to obtain
tickets to the volleyball competition and wanted to see the
U.S. team. Records checks on the subject have yielded no

BEIJING 00003076 003 OF 006


derogatory information.


8. (SBU) Second E-mail Received: On 08/10/2008, JOC
personnel received from media sources a second e-mail
containing unsubstantiated information related to the
08/09/2008 knife attack. The e-mail--which was written in
grammatically correct English--was purportedly from Tang
Yongming, perpetrator of the 08/09/2008 knife attack against
U.S. citizens, and alleged that he had planned to commit an
assault as a way to draw attention to the suffering of the
Chinese people and China's corrupt policies. The e-mail
header information indicating the source and sender of the
message had been redacted from the copy provided to the JOC.
A review of the e-mail by JOC personnel has determined that
the information is likely spurious; given this and in the
absence of any identifying information on the message, it has
been determined that no additional investigative action is
required at this time.


9. (SBU) Update to Attack in Kuqa: According to China's
Xinhua media agency, police in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous
Region have updated the casualty count to eight dead in a
series of bomb attacks and shootings in the town of Kuqa on
08/10/2008 (ref. b). Police sources have indicated that 12
separate bombings occurred in Kuqa county, targeting
buildings belonging to the local government, public security
bureau, and economic and trade committee. In tactics similar
to those used in the 08/04/2008 attack in Kashgar, bombers
carrying explosives drove a vehicle into the yard of a Kuqa
police station; two bombers were reportedly killed in a
shootout at the scene and five others later discovered by
authorities died in a stand-off with police. One security
guard was also killed and two police officers and two
civilians were reportedly injured. Immediately following the
incidents, Western journalists in Kuqa notified Overseas
Security Advisory Council (OSAC) representatives in the JOC
that they had been taken by police to a hotel and told that
they could not leave, but were later released and allowed to
move around the city. Chinese officials have repeatedly
warned that Uighur separatist groups in Xinjiang have planned
a series of attacks to take place during the Olympic Games.
No claim of responsibility has been received for the Kuqa
incidents.


10. (SBU) Threats: Man Arrested for Air China Bomb Threat:
According to Japan's Kyodo news, on 08/10/2008, a South
Korean resident in Japan turned himself into police, claiming
responsibility for the 08/08/2008 bomb threat to Air China
that caused a flight diversion and the temporary grounding of
several Air China planes (ref. c). Lee Hyon Sa was arrested
on charges of forcible obstruction of business. No
information was available regarding Lee,s motivation for
making the bomb threat.


BEIJING 00003076 004 OF 006



11. (SBU) Olympic Protests: On 08/10/2008, the Chinese
Public Security Bureau (PSB) informed the U.S. Embassy's
American Citizens Services (ACS) unit that three U.S.
citizens were among a group of five activists detained for
staging a pro-Tibet protest near Tiananmen Square; the PSB
confirmed that the three Americans--as well as two
Canadians--were deported to Los Angeles that evening. ACS
did not receive telephonic notification of the incident from
an SFT affiliate who has provided information on all previous
pro-Tibet detentions; the "Students for a Free Tibet" (SFT)
website--which routinely posts information on U.S. citizens
detained in Beijing in conjunction with the
protests--contained only two of the U.S. names passed by the
PSB. The SFT website also indicated that five Canadians had
been detained at their Beijing hotel by Chinese authorities;
the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed to
ACS that a total of seven Canadian citizens were deported
from Beijing on 08/10/2008 in connection with pro-Tibet
activities. To date, 11 Americans have been detained and
deported from China since the initial SFT protest on
08/06/2008.


SECURITY OPERATIONS
--------------

12. (SBU) USG FLO Update: All USG FLOs are deployed and
have reported no major incidents or security concerns at the
Olympic venues.


13. (SBU) Shenyang Update: The U.S. Consulate General in
Shenyang has reported the arrival of the U.S. Women's Soccer
Team on 08/11/2008. FLOs are coordinating security
arrangements for the team with the Regional Security Officer
(RSO) and the team will meet with local officials this
afternoon. There have been no anti-U.S. or anti-Olympic
incidents reported and the Chinese security posture remains
elevated.


VIPS
--------------

14. (SBU) U.S. VIPs in China: U.S. Treasury Secretary
Henry Paulson remains in Beijing; he is scheduled to depart
the city on 08/15/2008.


15. (SBU) Closing Ceremony Delegation: The USG Delegation
to the Olympics Closing Ceremony is scheduled to arrive in
China on 08/22/2008; the delegation will be led by Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Health and Human
Services Michael Leavitt, and Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.



PUBLIC AFFAIRS/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

BEIJING 00003076 005 OF 006


--------------

16. (SBU) Press Plane Departure: The Chinese Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) informed U.S. Embassy officials on
08/10/2008 that China would abide by all previous agreements
for VIP terminal access and expedited departure courtesies
for the White House press plane, a chartered Northwest
aircraft. The press plane's arrival early on the morning of
08/08/2008 was delayed by more than three hours due to
"logistical problems" that prevented the plane from using the
VIP terminal.


CONSULAR AFFAIRS
--------------

17. (U) Please refer to the "Key Issues" and "Security
Issues" sections for information on recent Consular
activities.


POLITICAL AFFAIRS
--------------

18. (C) Environment Official Blames Dedicated Olympic Lanes
for Poor Air Quality: A Director General-level official at
China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (protect) told a
U.S. Embassy Political Officer (PolOff) that dedicated
Olympic lanes on Beijing's 4th Ring Road are raising
pollution levels at the Olympic Village. The official said
by restricting normal traffic flow, the dedicated lanes (open
only to vehicles with special Olympic passes) are creating a
permanent traffic jam on the 4th Ring Road just a few hundred
meters south of the National Stadium (the Bird's Nest).
"Rubbernecking" drivers slowing down to get a look at the
stadium are exacerbating the problem. The official believes
pollution levels near the Bird's Nest are thus significantly
higher than the city-wide pollution index released by the
Beijing Government. (Comment: The 4th Ring Road area near the
Bird's Nest has historically suffered from traffic congestion
due to traffic volume and "rubbernecking." Pollution levels
at the Olympics Center monitor have closely tracked the city
average.)


19. (C) Christian House Church Activist Hua Huiqi and Rights
Activist Zeng Jinyan: PolOff on 08/11/2008 told MFA
International Organizations Department Human Rights Division
Deputy Director Xu Jing that the Embassy is concerned by
press reports that Christian House Church Activist Hua Huiqi
was detained while bicycling to the church service President
Bush attended Sunday morning, and urged Hua's immediate
release. PolOff also expressed Embassy concerns about
weekend reports that security officials detained rights
activist Zeng Jinyan on 08/07/2008, possibly to prevent her
from speaking to reporters during the Olympic Games. PolOff
asked Xu to provide information about the status both of Zeng
and her child and urged Zeng's release from detention. Xu

BEIJING 00003076 006 OF 006


did not confirm reports in either case but said she would
convey Embassy concerns to her superiors.


20. (C) AP Journalist Detained Repeatedly in Xinjiang: An
AP journalist told PolOff that Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous
Region (XUAR) officials have detained him three times since
08/08/2008. On 08/08/2008, Yining security officials held
the journalist at a local police station after he tried to
watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies with local residents.
For an hour, police denied the journalist permission to leave
the police station, holding his passport, press card and
mobile phone. They told the journalist that they "weren't
detaining him" but that he was not free to go. On
08/09/2008, airport security officials briefly detained the
journalist and his cameraman as they tried to depart Yining
by airplane. Officials searched both persons' luggage. They
also searched the journalist's laptop and forced the
photographer to delete pictures of a military convoy in
Yining. On 08/10/2008, after the journalist and the
cameraman traveled to Kuqa City to cover reported violence in
that area, security officials held them at the Kuqa Hotel for
about four hours, telling the journalist he could not leave
because it was "too dangerous for foreigners."


21. (SBU) Internet Freedom: An AP journalist told us that
websites deemed "sensitive" by the Chinese government remain
blocked. Journalists at the Olympic press center are still
unable to access sites relating to Falun Gong, Tiananmen and
Tibet.
RANDT