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
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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