Guangxi Opens Its Doors, But Does Not Roll out the Carpet

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000635 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM, INR/EAP, DRL BEIJING FOR FCS, FAS, and PAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV ETRD KTIP PGOV KIRF SOCI CH VN SUBJECT: Guangxi Opens Its Doors, But Does Not Roll out the Carpet GUANGZHOU 00000635 001.2 OF 002 This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On his initial visit to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Consul General Goldbeck promoted trade and investment, advanced the possibility of establishing an American Corner and learned about Sino-Vietnamese cooperation on trafficking in persons. He also discussed the plans of Nanning's state-sanctioned Christian community to build a new church building and met with International Visitors Program alumni. However, the Consulate's relationship with the Guangxi provincial-level Government remains uneven, with topics such as human trafficking and religious freedom being non-starters. End summary. Promoting U.S. Trade in Goods and Services Plus Investment in Both Directions -------------- ¶2. (SBU) There are U.S. companies eager to compete for contracts relating to Nanning's planned light rail project, the Consul General told Nanning Vice Mayor Huang Huansheng November 5. Huang responded that the city welcomed any forthcoming bids once the procurement process starts. The process had not yet begun, however, because the State Council had yet to issue its final approval. Railroad officials at the meeting noted that the total planned investment for Line 1 and Line 2 of the project would total RMB 23 billion (US$3.4 billion). ¶3. (SBU) In a meeting later that evening with officials from the Nanning office of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and CEOs representing a number of industries, the Consul General explored opportunities to expand U.S. trade ties with Guangxi. Several businessmen present agreed that many small and medium-sized companies in Nanning were interested in diversifying their investments, with U.S. companies viewed as a favorable option. In what hearkened momentarily to late-night television advertisements, the businessmen cited two products -- a vegetable-based hair pigment and an automobile paint that repairs scratches spontaneously -- as particularly compelling new U.S. inventions. The CG said the Consulate would look for opportunities to expand FCS and ATO outreach to the region. GC Visits Potential American Corner Site -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Cooperation and interaction can be expanded between Consulate General Guangzhou and the Guangxi Nationalities University of Foreign Studies (GNU),Vice President Li Zhengang told the Consul General November 5. The Consul General offered Post's officers for outreach activities at the university, observing that such events would be in line with the university's tradition of international exchange. Addressing Post's desire to establish an American Corner at the university, the Consul General noted that the more than 60 Confucius Institutes in the United States currently had no counterpart in China. Li said that he had not previously heard about the American Corner concept, but the university's Office of International Cooperation and Exchange Director Feng Guanghuo said that the university was in the process of translating and studying a U.S. document outlining common terms for the establishment of American Corners. Following the meeting, the Consul General and the Consulate's action officer for Guangxi toured the campus' main library, a possible location for an American Corner. (Note: As post understands it, four steps remain: 1) Consulate's action officer visits GNU library to determine whether appropriate site exists; 2) if so, PAS Beijing's Regional Information Resource Officer visits GNU to confirm site's suitability; 3) with Beijing's concurrence, Consulate and GNU negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding; and 4) the signed MOU would require provincial-level approval by the Ministry of Education. End note.) China-Vietnam Cooperation on TIP "Excellent" -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Vietnam's Consulate General in Nanning continues to have "excellent" relations with the Guangxi Public Security Bureau (PSB) and both sides routinely share leads on trafficking in persons (TIP) GUANGZHOU 00000635 002.2 OF 002 cases, according to Vietnamese Consul General Nguyen Anh Dzung. In a cordial November 5 meeting, Nguyen told the Consul General that the number of TIP cases was down since 2008, when China and Vietnam resolved their border demarcation dispute. He explained that, while the drop in cases was partially due to bilateral cooperation on TIP, an apparent decline in the number of Vietnamese seeking work in China also played a role. ¶6. (SBU) China's government is encouraging Chinese companies to invest overseas, said Nguyen, who noted "very obvious" increased Chinese investment in Vietnam. Nguyen commented that Vietnam's economic growth was less stable than China's, which enjoys a broader industrial base. Vietnam supported the late-October China-ASEAN Expo held in Nanning by sending a Vice Premier as well as the largest number of exhibits at the expo by any ASEAN member country, said Nguyen. Nanning Christians See New Church in their Future -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Leaders of Nanning's Zhongshan Road Church for followers of the state-sponsored Three-Self Church told the Consul General that their current meeting place is insufficient to hold the large number of faithful who attend Sunday meetings. The solution proposed by the government, say the leaders, is to build a new facility -- complete with a planned "Christian square" public area at a different location. The church has already raised RMB 3 million (about US$440,000) for the new structure, with a goal of raising one million more. According to the leaders, most of the money comes from donations by church members and none of the money originates from outside China. (More on this visit to follow septel.) Maintaining Relations with IVP Alumni -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Four returnees from the Department's International Visitors Program told the Consul General that America remains a top destination for Chinese students to study abroad. Canada and Australia are also popular destinations, both of which were viewed as easier countries than the United States in which to remain after completing one's studies. Interspersed with positive reminiscences of their time in the United States, the program alumni also discussed differences in Chinese and American views on the Korean War, the Vietnam War, international cinema and the State Department's policy on same-sex couples. They also expressed surprise that no senior Guangxi provincial officials were available to meet with the CG. Some Issues still off the Table -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Comment: Though this visit to Nanning achieved some clear successes, there still remains some friction in Post's relationship with the Guangxi authorities. Requests for meetings with the Guangxi Public Security Bureau and the Guangxi Religious Affairs Bureau to discuss TIP and religious freedom, respectively, were denied. The provincial-level government, too, was unable or unwilling to receive a courtesy call, offering as an excuse the absence of the Vice Governor who handles foreign affairs. The Consulate cancelled a planned media event at an orphanage after the Guangxi FAO banned the media from attending and sought to prevent Congenoffs from visiting the orphanage. End comment. GOLDBECK