SHANGHAI FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICE HOLDS "UNPRECEDENTED"

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SHANGHAI 000259 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/CM, EAP/EX, EAP/PD (EMMONS),ECA/PE/C (KORYCKI), OES/IHB STATE PASS USTR FOR STRATFORD, WINTER, MCCARTIN, ALTBACH DOC FOR ITA/MAC - DAS KASOFF, MELCHER, SZYMANSKI, COUCH, LEHRMAN TREASURY FOR OASIA - DOHNER/HAARSAGER/CUSHMAN NSC FOR LOI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL CASC PGOV ECON TBIO KFLU ASEC AMGT CVIS OFDP, CH SUBJECT: SHANGHAI FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICE HOLDS "UNPRECEDENTED" MEETING TO INVITE CONSULATES' FEEDBACK ON IMPROVING CITY SERVICES Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) convoked Consular Corps representatives on June 9 for an "unprecedented" meeting on improving Shanghai's service environment for foreigners. With the Shanghai 2010 World Expo approaching, relevant municipal government authorities must ask themselves if Shanghai's goal of becoming an "international metropolis" will be met, said FAO Deputy Director General Shao Huixiang. Consulate representatives expressed appreciation for the FAO's support during the H1N1 flu crisis, but diplomats from Singapore and France expressed concern that the FAO's notification to Consulates of foreign visitors in health quarantine has not been consistent. Several diplomats raised questions about government transparency in the run-up to the Expo, and they pointed out that the lack of legal registration for national chambers of commerce inhibits business cooperation. A recent traffic accident between a taxi and a public bus that resulted in the deaths of four Korean residents prompted a discussion on traffic safety in Shanghai. A proposal to post all information pertinent to foreigners on one municipal government website elicited an enthusiastic response from the FAO. The diplomats complained about the amount of time required for new arrivals to receive diplomatic identification, which then delays receipt of their personal effects. At the meeting's conclusion, the FAO representatives thanked the assembled diplomats for their recommendations and promised to hold similar meetings every 3-4 months to "hear about your difficulties." End Summary. Shanghai FAO Holds "Unprecedented" Meeting -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Shao Huixiang, Deputy Director General of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) chaired the June 9 meeting on improving the city's service environment for foreigners, which was attended by representatives of the Consulates of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, as well as Pol/Econ Chief and PolOff. Shao noted that he has worked for the Shanghai FAO for 27 years, but he sees the next year as a critical time for the city's development. With the Shanghai 2010 World Expo just 300 days away, he said, addressing the needs of foreigners and foreign organizations is more important than ever. Shanghai must endeavor to improve its service environment for foreigners, and all relevant municipal government organizations must ask themselves if Shanghai's goal of becoming an "international metropolis" will be met by the time the Expo opens its six-month run on May 1, 2010. (Note: City officials have predicted as many as ten million foreign visitors to Shanghai during the 2010 Expo, as well as sixty million domestic visitors. End note.). ¶3. (SBU) Shao stated that Shanghai now has more than 150,000 long-term (more than six months) foreign residents and last year the city attracted approximately 6.5 million foreign visitors. Whether in Shanghai for long- or short-term duration, foreign visitors have high expectations for their living and working environment, as well as for education and medical services, he said. Many foreigners say Shanghai's service environment has improved, but there is still much work to be done, Shao added, pointing out that there remain significant language barriers and burdensome administrative procedures. Shao told the assembled Consular Corps that the goal of the June 9 meeting would be for SHANGHAI 00000259 002 OF 005 the FAO to be "on the receiving side" to accept suggestions and advice from Shanghai-based diplomats on how to meet foreigners' needs. H1N1 Support Good, But Need More Consistency -------------- ¶4. (SBU) As the major issue of the moment, the H1N1 influenza and Shanghai's efforts to control the spread of the disease were a major topic of discussion during the meeting. Australian Consul General Tom Connor expressed appreciation for the FAO's cooperation during the H1N1 crisis, particularly the FAO's "quick advice and feedback" on cases involving Australian citizens. Ang Choo Pin, Singapore's Deputy Consul General, and Guillaume Roy from the French Consulate, however, both expressed concern that the FAO's notification to Consulates of foreign visitors in health quarantine has not been consistent. Ang Choo Pin cited the case of the son of a Singaporean Minister who had been quarantined without the Consulate's knowledge, and he encouraged the Shanghai FAO to "write down in black and white" the municipal government's quarantine procedures and provide better contact information for those FAO officials who could answer questions about specific cases. ¶5. (SBU) Shao responded that the FAO's H1N1 "Command Center" always is reachable to obtain information on quarantine cases involving foreigners. At the same time, he apologized to the Singaporean Consulate for the "failure of the FAO's work" during the case of the Minister's son. There still is much work to be done on quarantine notifications, Shao admitted. Shao also explained that Chinese health authorities are not permitted to publicly identify specific individuals in quarantine, whether there for sickness or just for suspected exposure, without the consent of the individuals. Transparency and the 2010 World Expo -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Several diplomats raised questions about government transparency in the run-up to the Shanghai 2010 World Expo. Australian Consul General Connor encouraged the FAO to promote a "high level of transparency" as the Expo approaches, letting foreigners know "what to expect and why," informing them of any regulatory changes at the earliest possible stage. Pol/Econ Chief added that foreign transportation companies in particular are concerned about possible last-minute changes in regulations that might affect shipping during the Expo's six-month period. The German Consul General asked how security procedures during the Expo might affect the resident foreign community. Shao admitted that Shanghai's focus on security during the Expo might cause inconveniences, but "greater security" would be for the "greater good" during the Expo. Shao added that he does not anticipate Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics-like problems obtaining visas to visit Shanghai for the Expo since it is a six-month long event. Shanghai Customs also is working to speed up its clearances process, Shao added. ¶7. (SBU) At the same time, Consulate representatives pointed out that the lack of legal registration for national chambers of commerce inhibit business cooperation with government officials. SHANGHAI 00000259 003 OF 005 Connor complained that the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai is not legally registered, which deters stronger business ties. In addition, the German Consul General noted that Chinese companies are not permitted by law to join the German Chamber. Pol/Econ Chief supported Connor's point, citing the experience of the Shanghai American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham),which remains an unregistered entity due to Chinese law allowing only one chamber of commerce per nation in China. Shao stated that many laws and regulations (especially those pertaining to business) in China remain "backward," and developing a proper legal framework for business associations would need to be addressed by the Central Government. Tragic Accident Prompts Discussion of Traffic Safety -------------- -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The circumstances surrounding an early June Shanghai traffic accident between a taxi and a public bus that resulted in the deaths of four Korean residents of Shanghai prompted a discussion on traffic safety in Shanghai. The Korean representative at the meeting characterized the city's traffic safety situation as "very serious," stating that foreigners are beginning to perceive Shanghai as a "dangerous" place to live. Pol/Econ Chief added that emergency services are slow and unreliable, meaning that if public buses or taxis run red lights or pass illegally (as they often do in Shanghai),the odds of surviving a serious accident are low, as was tragically demonstrated by the recent accident involving the four Koreans. Shao replied that traffic safety is very important, and the city is implementing a new call center hotline number (912288) on July 1, 2009 that foreigners can call either to seek language interpretation help to communicate with their taxi driver about their destination or to complain if the driver is driving dangerously. Foreigners Looking Online for One-Stop Info Shop -------------- --- ¶9. (SBU) Following the traffic safety discussion, Pol/Econ Chief pointed out that municipal government information available online -- for example, including the new taxi hotline number but also information on visa procedures, tax regulations, school enrollment, obtaining Chinese driver's licenses and registering automobiles, etc. -- is often confusing, housed on different websites, and usually not in English. He proposed the FAO post all information pertinent to foreigners on one municipal government website. (Note: Consulate's American Citizen Services (ACS) section was the source of the proposal, having discovered most bureaucratic and legal procedures are unknown to the majority of Americans. End Note.) The proposal elicited an enthusiastic response from the FAO. Shao called it a "very good recommendation," admitting that most municipal government departments still have only Chinese websites, and if they are translated into English, then the information is "not very deep." ¶10. (SBU) Shao said municipal government authorities and the Shanghai CPC Committee already had tasked the FAO to improve information flow to foreigners, and the FAO would appreciate Consulates' feedback on what information to include in such a website. The Singapore Deputy Consul General noted that Consulate websites also are an effective means to disseminate SHANGHAI 00000259 004 OF 005 information, and he encouraged the FAO to share more information with Consulates about existing regulations pertaining to foreigners and timely notification of changes or new regulations so that relevant information could be posted on their websites and best targeted to those affected by those regulations. Red Flags on "Red Cards" -------------- ¶11. (SBU) The diplomats complained about the amount of time required for new arrivals in Shanghai to receive diplomatic identification ("red cards" or "green cards" depending on status) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, which then delays receipt of their personal effects here. There appeared to be a disconnect between the FAO's understanding and the Consulates' experiences with FAO representatives believing the red card application process had been recently streamlined to three weeks duration from application to receiving the red card from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, while Pol/Econ Chief, UK Consulate reps and others responded that the time often continues to exceed six weeks. Shao himself complained about the Customs policy that "contradicts itself" by not releasing personal effects until a diplomat has received a red card, and he insisted that the Shanghai FAO is trying to provide a letter to Shanghai Customs that authorizes the release of effects prior to receiving the red card. ¶12. (SBU) The Australian Consul General pushed the matter further, stating that a three-week process for diplomats to receive red cards remains unsatisfactory. He stated that the Australian Foreign Ministry in Canberra can approve red cards for Chinese diplomats at constituent posts in Sydney or Melbourne in three workdays. He stated that the Australian Foreign Ministry would be happy to share the details of their diplomatic identification procedures with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Diplomats to FAO -- Other Odds and Ends -------------- ¶13. (SBU) H1N1 influenza, transparency and the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, traffic safety, municipal government information, and diplomatic red cards dominated discussion during the two-hour meeting; however, Consulate representatives also raised the following issues: --concern about the destruction of Shanghai's architectural heritage; --impact on foreigners of Shanghai's designation by the State Council as a financial and shipping center; --hassling of foreign tourists by beggars, shoe shiners, and pick pockets; SHANGHAI 00000259 005 OF 005 --improving vocational training to meet foreign companies' human resource needs; --improving the protection of intellectual property, especially at retail outlets; --streamlining investment approval procedures; --providing more opportunities for foreigners to worship in their chosen religious traditions; --improving handicap access facilities at the Longyang Station, where the Pudong International Airport magnetic levitation train meets the municipal subway system; --increasing English language signage throughout the city prior to the predicted arrival of millions of foreign visitors for the 2010 World Expo; --the desire to see a public education campaign against spitting; and --a request to the Shanghai FAO to hold more regular briefings. ¶14. (SBU) Pol/Econ Chief added the Consulate's thanks for the FAO's support to official USG visits in the past year, but he also expressed the Consulate's hope that the FAO would not interfere in Consulate receptions in the future as had been the unfortunate case once earlier in 2009. (Shao and his colleagues made no response on that point.) FAO: "We Want to Hear about your Difficulties" -------------- -- ¶15. (SBU) At the meeting's conclusion, the FAO representatives thanked the assembled diplomats for their complaints and constructive recommendations and promised to hold similar meetings every 3-4 months to "hear about your difficulties." Shao reiterated that the meeting was the "first of its kind" and said he hoped there will be similar exchanges in the future. SCHUCHAT