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. 
 
¶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