(C/NF) CHINA: KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 083581

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2034
TAGS: PINR PGOV CH
SUBJECT: (C/NF) CHINA: KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS FOR
REPORTING ON ZHOU YONGKANG (C-AL9-01573)

REF: A. BEIJING 001955

B. BEIJING 003385

C. BEIJING 002132

D. BEIJING 001510

Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C).


1. (C/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WOULD LIKE TO THANK POST FOR
AN EXCELLENT STREAM OF REPORTING ON POLITBURO STANDING
COMMITTEE (PBSC) MEMBER ZHOU YONGKANG. WE GREATLY
APPRECIATED REFTELS FOR THEIR VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO ZHOU'S
RESPONSES TO AND ROLE IN HANDLING UNREST IN TIBET AND
XINJIANG, HIS GROWING INFLUENCE AFTER HIS SUCCESSFUL
PERFORMANCE DURING LAST YEAR'S OLYMPICS AND SICHUAN
EARTHQUAKE, AND HIS ROLE IN SHAPING PBSC DECISIONS. WE WOULD
VALUE ANY FURTHER INSIGHT ON THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, AS TIME
AND RESOURCES ALLOW, IN ORDER TO ASSESS ZHOU'S PERFORMANCE,
RESPONSIBILITIES, ATTITUDES, AND NETWORKS. ANY ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION POST MAY BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE IN THE COURSE OF
NORMAL BUSINESS ON THE QUESTIONS BELOW WILL BE USED IN
FINISHED PRODUCTION IN SUPPORT OF US POLICYMAKERS WHO ARE
INTERESTED IN STABILITY AND INTELLIGENCE ISSUES IN CHINA.
MANY THANKS.


A. (C) WHERE DOES ZHOU FIT ON THE PBSC, HOW DOES HE
INTERACT WITH OTHER PBSC MEMBERS, AND ON WHICH PARTICULAR
ISSUES DOES HE HAVE INFLUENCE? WHAT IS THE NATURE OF ZHOU'S
RELATIONSHIP WITH VICE PRESIDENT XI JINPING, HAVING BEEN ON
COMMITTEES/LEADING GROUPS TOGETHER TO HEAD UP SECURITY FOR
THE OLYMPICS AND INTERNAL STABILITY? DOES ZHOU WORK IN
TANDEM AT ALL WITH CENTRAL DISPLINE INSPECTION COMMITTEE
COMMISSIONER HE GUOQIANG, A FELLOW PROTEGE OF FORMER VICE
PRESIDENT ZENG QINGHONG?


B. (C) HOW DEEPLY DOES ZHOU GET INVOLVED IN ISSUES IN THE
MINISTRIES UNDER HIM, AND HOW MUCH OVERSIGHT DOES ZHOU
PROVIDE MINISTERS AND THEIR MINISTRIES? WHAT ISSUES ARE
IMPORTANT TO ZHOU, AND WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY, HAS ZHOU MADE OR
ENCOURAGED? EXAMPLES OF ZHOU'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE RULE OF
LAW SECTOR AND IN THE SECURITY SERVICE WOULD BE PARTICULARLY
APPRECIATED.


C. (C) WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW ZHOU HANDLES DISPUTES
BETWEEN MINISTRIES? WHAT IS THE NATURE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE MINISTERS, PARTICULARLY MINISTER OF STATE SECURITY
GENG HUICHANG, MINISTER OF PUBLIC SECURITY MENG JIANZHU, AND
JUSTICE MINISTER WU AIYING?


D. (C) SINCE HIS PROMOTION IN 2007, ZHOU HAS BEEN IN CHARGE
OF SECURITY DURING A SENSITIVE TIME (NATURAL DISASTERS,
PROTESTS IN TIBET, AND OLYMPICS DURING 2008; SENSITIVE
ANNIVERSARIES, AND FINANCIAL CRISIS IN 2009). HOW, IF AT
ALL, IS HE LIKELY TO CHANGE HIS APPROACH TO HIS JOB DURING
2010-2012? WHAT PARTICULAR GOALS WOULD HE LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH
BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE (ZHOU WILL RETIRE IN 2012 IF AGE NORMS
HOLD)?


2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-01573 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF
REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS.
CLINTON