CELEBRATING U.S. INDEPENDENCE DAY IN NANJING

UNCLAS SHANGHAI 000320 SIPDIS USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/OCEA - SZYMANSKI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV SOCI BEXP KPAO ECON CH SUBJECT: CELEBRATING U.S. INDEPENDENCE DAY IN NANJING ¶1. Summary: High level enthusiastic attendance at Consulate General Shanghai's first ever Independence Day reception in Nanjing July 8 provided the capstone to our intensive outreach efforts over the past ten months. Senior leaders of both Jiangsu Province and Nanjing Municipality participated, and major provincial media reported the event. As a result, we have not only strengthened our contact base in Nanjing but have gained valuable experience for similar future events outside Shanghai. End summary. ¶2. On July 8 the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai hosted the first official U.S. Independence Day celebration in Nanjing since the city lost its status as the Chinese capital sixty years ago. Despite some initial reluctance on the part of the Jiangsu Foreign Affairs Office (FA0),the turnout of senior officials was equal to that at our Shanghai reception, including Vice Governor Zhang Weiguo and Nanjing Vice Mayor Zhao Xiaojiang as well as representatives of the Provincial People's Congress and People's Political Consultative Conference. Other attendees (134 total) included several university presidents or vice presidents, Foreign Affairs Office directors from all of Jiangsu's major cities, and a broad range of officials from various Jiangsu Provincial and Nanjing Municipal institutions. In addition, the Jiangsu FAO arranged for media coverage by Xinhua and Jiangsu TV and placed a short report on the provincial website. The Nanjing Municipal Government's website includes a short report in English as well. ¶3. In a private meeting with Jiangsu Province Vice Governor Zhang Weiguo, Consul General Camp recognized the benefits Jiangsu Province and the U.S. have shared through increased exchanges and expressed hopes for continued U.S.-China cooperation, particularly on the environmental front. Vice Governor Zhang highlighted the province's prominent role in China's economy. The RMB 720 billion that Jiangsu raised in 2008 represented one-tenth of China's total fiscal revenue. Jiangsu's imports and exports constituted one-sixth of China's total foreign trade in 2008; one-fourth of the cumulative foreign direct investment in China in 2008 targeted Jiangsu. ¶4. Zhang expressed optimism about future U.S.-China cooperation in addressing the global financial crisis and working to protect the environment. He cited Jiangsu's nearly RMB 12 billion investment in the clean-up of Lake Tai (Tai Hu),China's third largest freshwater lake, as a sign of his province's commitment to President Hu Jintao's "scientific outlook." By creating a more environmentally friendly setting, Jiangsu hopes to attract more high-end manufacturing and service industries, including solar and wind power production equipment companies. Zhang also expressed hopes for increased cooperation with U.S. companies in these areas. ¶5. After some logistical hurdles in planning the Nanjing reception, Consulate organizers were surprised and pleased at the level of enthusiasm and excitement generated. Senior officials in the official delegation arrived as much as 45 minutes before the opening of the celebration, with Vice Governor Zhang and Vice Mayor Zhao arriving 30 minutes early. Some invitees were incredulous that the event was actually being held in Nanjing, while some participants at the Consulate's earlier Shanghai reception expressed interest in traveling to Nanjing to take part in this historic event. ¶6. Guests at the Nanjing reception responded positively to Consul General Camp's remarks, which noted Nanjing's prominent place in the history of U.S.-China relations. CG Camp also highlighted the Consulate's expanding sponsorship of cultural and exchange programs in Jiangsu Province, and closed her remarks by introducing an Independence Day video message from Secretary Clinton. Attendees were enthusiastic at the Consulate's level of interest in increasing ties to the region, and expressed a commitment to future engagement and cooperation. Notably, staff of the Jiangsu Foreign Affairs Office indicated they look forward to the arrival of Shanghai's new Nanjing Affairs Officer later in the year. Comment -------------- ¶7. The success of the Nanjing reception testified to our efforts to expand our outreach to that city. Although local foreign affairs officials clearly had reservations about the event when we first raised the idea with them, attendance in terms of numbers and rank as well as media coverage exceeded our expectations. In addition, assembling the guest list and preparing the logistics for the event has given us not only an expanded consolidated contact date base for Jiangsu Province but also valuable experience for arranging similar outreach events outside Shanghai in the future. CAMP