Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Search

 

Cablegate: Visit of Osha a/S Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. To China

VZCZCXRO0379
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHBJ #1079/01 2780803
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050803Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8826
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
INFO RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 6945
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 5955
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 7270
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 1563
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 5961
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8220

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 021079

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT PASS USTR - KARESH, ROSENBERG
LABOR FOR OSHA - A/S FOULKE, J. DEMESME-GRAY
LABOR FOR ILAB - ZHAO, SCHOEPFLE, GATEWOOD
STATE ALSO FOR INR/B

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB EMIN ECON PREL PGOV PINR CH
SUBJECT: VISIT OF OSHA A/S EDWIN G. FOULKE, JR. TO CHINA
SEPTEMBER 17-24, 2006


1. SUMMARY: DOL Assistant Secretary for Occupational
Safety and Health Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., led an OSHA
delegation to China September 17-24 to attend the Third
China International Forum on Work Safety and meet with
officials of the State Administration for Work Safety
(SAWS). Chinese Government presentations indicated that
China's occupational safety and health priorities are in
mining -- especially coal mining -- as well as emergency
preparedness and chemical safety and construction. In
private meetings, SAWS officials said they greatly valued
cooperation with the USG, and that the U.S. Mine Safety
Training program has been highly beneficial. SAWS seeks
further cooperation, and will renew a request to send a
Chinese chemical safety delegation to the United States in
2008. End Summary.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

2. (U) Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for
Occupational Safety and Health Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.,
visited China September 17-24 to attend the Third China
International Forum on Work Safety and meet with officials
of the State Administration for Work Safety (SAWS). He was
accompanied by OSHA Coordinator for International Affairs
Jacquelyn DeMesme-Gray and OSHA Regional Administrator
Frank Strasheim.

THIRD CHINA INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON WORK SAFETY
--------------------------------------------- -

3. (U) The SAWS and the International Labor Organization
(ILO) co-hosted the Forum in collaboration with Liberty
Mutual Insurance Company and the U.S.-based National Safety
Council, September 19-21. Corporate Sponsors were Du Pont,
Caterpillar, 3M, BASF and Bacou-Dalloz. The Forum included
an exchange of experiences on work safety, safety practices
of several leading corporations, corporate and government
safety responsibility, protection of workers' safety from
the perspective of economic and social sustainability,
occupational safety and health strategies and programs, and
emergency management. The Forum coincided with a work
safety equipment exhibition. A/S Foulke delivered remarks
on "Workplace Safety and Health in the United States."
Carolyn Merrit, Chair and CEO of the U.S. Chemical Safety
and Hazard Investigation Board, gave a presentation on "Key
Investigations that Help Industry Learn How to Prevent
Chemical Accidents." Although representatives from many
industries participated in the Forum, coal mining was a
major theme in most of the Chinese presentations.

4. (U) The Chinese Government showed high-level support
for the Forum. Hua Jianmin, Secretary-General of China's
State Council, and a member of the Communist Party Central
Committee, gave the opening remarks. Chinese presenters
stressed that work safety is essential in building a
"socialist harmonious society," and outlined various high-
level government initiatives to improve occupational safety
and health, particularly in the coal industry. The Chinese
Government reported that work-related accidents and
fatalities for January-August 2006 dropped 11.3 and 10.7
percent compared to the same period in 2005, and by 13.6
and 25.5 percent in the coal sector. Chinese Government
presentations indicated that China's occupational safety
and health priorities were in mining, emergency
preparedness, chemical safety and construction.

A/S FOULKE'S MEETING WITH SAWS VICE MINISTER LIANG JIAKUN
--------------------------------------------- ------------

5. (U) Vice-Minister Liang hosted A/S Foulke, the OSHA
delegation, Laboff and Labor Assistant for a lunch. Also
present from SAWS were Bai Ran, Deputy Director General;
Shi Yanping, Director of the International Cooperation
Office; and Guan Shanyue of the SAWS General Affairs Office.

6. (SBU) A/S Foulke complimented Vice Minister Liang on
the Forum and said each country has its own system for
ensuring occupational safety and health. A/S Foulke
described OSHA's cooperation with industry during the
preparations for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and asked

BEIJING 00021079 002 OF 003


whether SAWS was actively involved in the preparation for
the 2008 Olympics. Liang replied that SAWS is involved in
planning traffic flow, routes, exits and signage for the
Olympic site, and will inspect the site when it is complete
to ensure that it has appropriate safety features and
facilities. Normally, he said, public safety issues are
handled by the Ministry of Public Security. Strasheim
described OSHA's role in the recovery from Hurricane
Katrina and asked whether SAWS played a similar role after
China's recent typhoons. Liang said that natural disasters
are handled by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. A/S Foulke
described OSHA's role in preparation for possible disease
pandemics. Liang said that the Ministry of Health has
primary responsibility for pandemic prevention, response
and treatment, although SAWS could play a role in the
workplace.

7. (SBU) VM Liang praised the U.S. Department of Labor-
funded project on coal mine safety in China. He said it
has had a profound effect on the miners trained, and this
has spread to other miners and to other mines beyond the
pilot mine in Yangquan. He described it as the cutting
edge of China's efforts to improve coal mine safety. Bai
Ran said the Mine Safety program is extremely important to
SAWS and that he hoped SAWS could continue its cooperation
with USG agencies after the program ends next year in the
area of work safety and health, whether in the coal
industry or other sectors. He noted that the program has
helped SAWS rescue and accident response measures, and not
only in the coal industry. VM Liang also expressed a
desire for OSHA to participate in SAWS's next safety
exposition in 2008.

8. (SBU) A/S Foulke said that the United States continues
to improve its own methods and, after recent mine accidents,
is now giving more attention to upgrading personal locator
and emergency oxygen supply equipment. We want to share
this technology. A/S Foulke described some of OSHA's
training facilities for general industry and construction
safety, and said he sees many potential areas for U.S.-
China cooperation. Strasheim recalled his previous visit
to China and asked whether SAWS still identified chemical
safety as a priority area for further cooperation. Liang
replied that SAWS placed top priority on the coal, chemical,
fireworks and explosive sectors because these are directly
within its mandate. Other sectors, such as construction
and traffic safety, fall under the jurisdiction of other
ministries.

9. (SBU) Shi Yanping noted that SAWS represents China on
the International Association for Labor Inspection (IALI),
and that she serves as IALI vice-Chair. She said that over
100 countries have joined IALI and that she hoped OSHA
would participate. Jacquelyn DeMesme-Gray replied that the
Department of Labor follows IALI and has participated in
all of the International Labor Organization's annual
conferences. Laboff asked whether the Ministry of Labor
and Social Security (MOLSS) also participates in IALI. Shi
said that MOLSS and SAWS divide their efforts, with MOLSS
representing China at the ILO.

INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH SAWS
------------------------------

10. (U) On September 22, SAWS Director Shi Yanping met
informally with the OSHA delegation and Labor Assistant.
Shi described the organization of SAWS's international
directorate, and SAWS leadership's priorities for chemical
safety. Shi clarified that the National Center for
International Cooperation and Exchange on Work Safety is
organized as a non-profit organization that receives
special funding from SAWS, and works for, and under the
loose direction of, the SAWS Directorate for International
Cooperation. This Center conducts research, gathers
information, and plans training and conferences. Regarding
chemical safety, Shi said SAWS remains interested in
sending a chemical safety delegation to the United States,
adding that her agency intends to renew its request to the

BEIJING 00021079 003 OF 003


U.S. Department of Labor to send a delegation in 2008.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE (LIANG JIAKUN)
--------------------------------

11. (U) Liang Jiakun has been Vice Minister and a member
of the Communist Party leading group of SAWS since its
elevation to Ministry status in February 2005. Liang was
Deputy Administrator of SAWS from July 2003 to February
2005. Liang was born in Tianjin City in 1951. Liang is a
coal mining expert, having graduated from the Shanxi
Institute for Coal Management Cadres in 1989. Liang speaks
little or no English, although he has traveled to the
United States.

12. (U) Liang's previous positions are:

1973-75: Studied at the Department of Mining Construction,
Shanxi Professional and Technical Institute

1975-1983: Technician, Associate Engineer, Designing
Division, Fenxi Mining Bureau

1983-1992: Deputy Section Chief, Deputy Director, Engineer,
Basic Construction Division, Fenxi Mining Bureau

(1987-1989: Studied Enterprise Management at Shanxi
Institute for Coal Mine Management Cadres)

1992-1993: Deputy Director, China Unified Distribution
Coal Mine Corporation

1993-97: Associate Researcher, Director, Senior Engineer,
Production Preparation Division, Department of Production
Coordination, Ministry of Coal

1997-98: Assistant Director General, Kailuan Mining Bureau

1998-2000: Assistant Supervisor, Department of Industry
Management, State Administration of Coal Safety

2000-2001: Deputy Director General, Local Village-Town
Coal Mine Regulation and Safety Supervision Office, State
Administration of Coal Industry

2001-2003: Deputy Director General, Director General,
Department Two of Coal Mine Safety Supervision of State
Administration of Coal Mine Safety (SACMS).

13. A/S Foulke cleared this message.

SEDNEY

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.