(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