Cablegate: Welcome to Beijing Codel Wexler - November 9-13

VZCZCXRO0770
OO RUEHGH
DE RUEHBJ #3065/01 3100659
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 060659Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6737
INFO RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI IMMEDIATE 0056

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 003065

CODEL
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN CH
SUBJECT: WELCOME TO BEIJING CODEL WEXLER - NOVEMBER 9-13

REF: STATE 113689

1. (U) Embassy Beijing warmly welcomes the visit of CODEL
Wexler to China November 9-13 for consultations with Chinese
officials to discuss bilateral and multilateral issues.

2. (U) Control Officer:
Noah Zaring, Political Officer
Home: (86-10)6532-0451
Office: (86-10)8531-3532
Cell: (86)139-1013-2742
Fax: (86-10)8531-3525
Unclass E-mail: ZaringNS@state.gov

(U) Deputy Control Officer:
Brian Bedell, Political Officer
Home: (86-10) 6539-3050
Tel: (86-10)8531-4057
Cell: (86) 139-1056-5938
Fax: (86-10) 8531-3525
Unclass E-mail: BedellBT@state.gov

Control officer will meet traveler at the airport and take
him to his hotel.

3. (U) Hotel reservations have been made at the Hilton Hotel.
No. 1 Dong Fang, North Dong Sanhuan Rd., Chaoyang District
Ph: (86-10)5865-5000
Fax:(86-10)5865-5800
Confirmation #3368200866

--------------------------------------------- -------
NEW SCREENING PROCEDURES FOR POSSIBLE H1N1 INFLUENZA
--------------------------------------------- -------
4. (U) Effective May 11, 2009, Chinese Health and Quarantine
(H&Q) authorities has implemented the following new
procedures to screen for the possibility of influenza among
passengers on flights arriving from the U.S. Although the
Chinese authorities have informed the Embassy that these
procedures will not be applied to incoming official
delegations, Embassy requests that the members of the
delegation be aware that these procedures could be
implemented at any time should the situation change
significantly while the delegation is in China.

(A) All passengers are required to complete the H&Q health
form (or "Quarantine Card") prior to disembarkation. The air
carrier will provide passengers with the necessary paperwork
prior to landing in China.

(B) Chinese officials no longer board the plane to take
temperatures, but all passengers are required to pass through
a temperature detector device in the terminal.

(C) Should a passenger be found suffering from fever, the
following procedures will be followed:

1. One case of fever on board the flight:
a) All passengers seated 3 rows before and after the
individual will be required to remain on board for additional
testing and evaluation by H&Q.
b) Upon completion of H&Q's assessment, these passengers
will either be released or placed in quarantine.
c) All other passengers will be released upon completion
of a H&Q health form.

2. Two or more cases of fever on board the flight:
a) All passengers are required to remain on board until
further notice.
b)All passengers will be relocated to designated areas
for further evaluation (e.g.in Beijing, Terminal 3: Concourse
D).
c) Upon completion of H&Q's assessment of the situation,
passengers will either be released or placed in quarantine.

(D) H&Q previously stated that next steps after evaluation
may include simply completing a "Quarantine Card," undergoing
a routine medical exam at the airport, or, in some
circumstances, transportation to local hospitals and/or
hotels designated for quarantine.

(E) H&Q has also stated it will implement different
procedures for specific passengers with H1N1 influenza
symptoms, which may include: 1) observation in a designated
hospital (e.g., in Beijing: Ditan Hospital and/or 2)
quarantine (e.g., in Beijing: Guoman Hotel or Jinglin Hotel).
The official quarantine period is up to seven days.

H&Q currently provides NO special courtesies or waivers to
individuals holding official or diplomatic passports.

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BEIJING 00003065 002 OF 002

Security and Threat Assessment
------------------------------

5. (U) The threat level for all China posts is considered low
for crime and medium for terrorism.

6. (U) The Regional Security Office is not aware of any
specific threat directed against any U.S. person or traveling
delegation. Should such information be developed, the
Chinese security services are committed to advise the Embassy
of pertinent information and to provide necessary security
coverage.

7. (U) China experiences a moderate rate of crime, including
recent incidents ranging from petty theft to murder.
Pickpockets are particularly active in crowded markets, and
foreigners are often sought out as primary targets. Petty
theft from hotel rooms is uncommon, but visitors are advised
not to leave valuables lying loose or unattended in their
rooms.

8. (U) Visitors are reminded to take necessary precautions in
safeguarding sensitive material and information. All non-USG
facilities must be considered technically compromised and may
not be used to discuss, process, or store classified
information. Telephone calls, e-mail, and Internet usage are
routinely monitored and hotel rooms searched.

9. (U) Travelers should be aware that previous visitors have
reported that their unattended computers have been subjected
to tampering. The efforts may be directed toward obtaining
information on the computers, but problems ranging from
viruses left on their systems to hard drives, that are no
longer functional have been reported. Hotels and private
Chinese Internet providers have in some cases given hotel
guests "free" thumb drives for use with their computers. The
source and quality of these devices are unknown. Such
devices could contain malicious codes and viruses and should
not be used on government computers. Official visitors are
reminded that non-inspectable electrical/electronic
equipment, i.e., cellular telephones, laptop computers,
personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., may not be brought
into the controlled access areas of the Chancery. If a
visitor intends to travel with USG-owned computers and
equipment for use within the Chancery, please contact the
Regional Security Officer at 86-10-8531-4111, or
GormanB2@state.gov or MooreBM@state.gov, for information and
guidelines.

10. (U) Passports and visas are required. Americans
arriving/transiting without valid passports and Chinese visas
are not permitted to enter China and may also be subject to
fines. Those visitors traveling to China on a single-entry
visa should be reminded that trips to Hong Kong or Macau
Special Administrative Regions are treated as a visit outside
Mainland China. If the traveler is planning to return to
Mainland China after a visit to one of these two destinations
on the same single-entry visa, they will be denied entry.
Visitors facing this situation will be required to apply for
a new visa at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office
in Hong Kong to gain re-entry into Mainland China.

HUNTSMAN

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