Guangzhou Consuls General and Fujian Authorities Hold

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000325 SIPDIS E/O 12958: N/A TAGS: CFIS KTIP KFRD ASEC PGOV CH CMGT CVIS SUBJECT: Guangzhou Consuls General and Fujian Authorities Hold Second Working Group Meeting on Illegal Migration REF: Guangzhou 0176 ¶1. (U) Summary and Comment. Fujian government officials appear to have received our message about the need to work together to address fraud and illegal migration issues. At a May 26 meeting in Guangzhou, six Guangzhou-based consuls general and their staff met with Fujian officials to discuss document verification, law enforcement and public outreach to individuals who wish to travel to the U.S., Australia, Canada, France Germany and the United Kingdom. Unlike the first meeting of the working group in February (Reftel), this meeting focused on coordination among working-level experts, with the CGs only participating in the opening and closing plenary sessions. The Fujian reps acknowledged serious problems but several of their suggestions, such as authorizing 96 agencies to handle all visa applications province-wide, were not acceptable to the consulates. Fujian is also hopeful of bringing economic, trade and cultural issues into the working group, though Consuls General believe this will lessen the focus on migration issues. A third working group session is planned in the Fall in Fujian. End Summary and Comment. SAME BED, DIFFERENT REMEDIES ¶2. (U) The opening plenary session featured remarks by British Consul General Brian Davidson on behalf of the six CGs and by Madame Chu Yanli, the Deputy Director General of the Fujian FAO. Davidson suggested that we work to establish streamlined procedures for verifying official documents from Fujian; further, he called for the development of multilateral cooperation mechanisms for coordinating how our law enforcement officials pursue fraud-related investigations. Madame Chu acknowledged serious problems on document fraud and illegal migration, but said that Fujian has been dealing harshly with violators, especially criminal rings and snakeheads. She said that Fujian was prepared to provide a list of 96 agencies that would be approved for handling applications to consulates in the Guangzhou consular district. (The same list would be sent to Shanghai as some consulates cover Fujian out of Shanghai.) Madame Chu invited us to post the list on our websites. In response, throughout the day, consulate officials pointed out that we do not presently nor will we require applicants to work through intermediaries or endorse any group of visa agents. ¶3. (U) Madame Chu also mentioned that the Fujian FAO is prepared to verify Chinese documents presented to Consulates for visa applications, though the number of documents which it can currently handle is extremely small. Most of the documents originate in Fuqing, Changle and Lianjiang, as well as Fuzhou city, all of which are difficult areas to monitor in terms of fraud. Participants also discussed how we might assist Fujian in verifying foreign-Consulate issued visas and passports. Note: The U.S. Consulate Fraud Prevention Unit has in the past found that document verification requests routed through the FAO have faced delays of up to several months. We have had much better success dealing directly with the People's Security Bureau or other government agencies to verify documents and have decided that a single point of contact for verification would create a bottleneck insofar as our efforts are concerned. End Note. PUBLIC OUTREACH - LOTS OF IDEAS ¶4. (U) Madame Chu also promised greater access to Fujian media for consulates to tell their stories regarding legal migration, noting that the Fuzhou Daily had recently published interviews with the British and German Consuls General. At the working group meeting on outreach following the plenary, consulates noted their concerns on limited access to Chinese students. FAO representative Li Ling said we should give at least a two-week notice in advance of a proposed visit so university authorities could consider our requests. Note: The consulate already provides this notice; there are other factors - not based on time - that lead to denials. End Note. Consulate officers proposed several new forms of outreach including newspaper question-and-answer columns and web chats on well-known Chinese web sites. Li Ling said he would follow up with the FAO Information Office. He also said that it might be possible to display consulate brochures or information about lawful methods to travel or immigrate at the Exit-Entry Bureau offices, where Chinese citizens go to apply for passports. He added that this would require approval from the People's Security Bureau. ORGANIZED IMMIGRATION FRAUD - THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ¶5. (U) No problem in Fujian will be harder to deal with than organized immigration fraud. The work group reviewed Public Security Bureau procedures relating to organized migration fraud GUANGZHOU 00000325 002 OF 002 investigations, mechanisms for case referral, evidence needed for host-country prosecutions and timeliness of the provision of information. PSB Deputy Director Xiao Yuan Hong cited recent collaborative efforts between the US Consulate's ARSO/I and his Bureau in disrupting a substantial organized fraud network as an example of joint cooperation, but was non-committal about any formal agreements or procedures without Central Government approval. The Consulate delegations again rejected the idea of training or working with local visa "agents" to facilitate legitimate visa applications. One area in which participants did agree would be beneficial was on reciprocal training on Chinese and foreign documents. The FAO's Li Lin suggested that some applicants for U.S. visas were frustrated by a "lack of transparency" as to why student visa applications are refused or put in for additional administrative processing. The U.S. Consulate assured him that student visa applications are given top priority by the Consulate and when administrative processing is necessary, it is usually resolved within a few weeks. LOOKING AHEAD - PLANS TO MEET AGAIN ¶6. (U) Deputy Director Chu and the Consuls General expressed found the discussions useful and agreed to meet again in September or October at Wuyi Mountain in Fujian province. Madame Chu suggested that those discussions also touch on investment in Fujian, tourism, education and cultural affairs - a suggestion that clearly would dilute the focus of the working group. GOLDBERG