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O 031101Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0426
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 005069 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2022 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KCUL SOCI CH
SUBJECT: PRC GOVERNMENT POUNCES ON RARE "GOOD NEWS" MEDIA 
STORY 
 
REF: A. BEIJING 24171 AND PREVIOUS 
 
     ¶B. BEIJING 4236 
 
Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling.  Reasons 1.4 
 (b/d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) Relieved to have good news to report, China's 
media gave heavy coverage to the successful rescue of 
69 miners from a flooded mine in Henan Province August 
1-2.  China Central Television (CCTV) pushed back 
coverage of the 80th anniversary of the founding of 
the People's Liberation Army to bring live pictures of 
Henan Party Secretary Xu Guangchun greeting miners as 
they emerged from their three-day ordeal.  Henan TV 
Station Vice President Wang Shaochun (protect) and 
Henan Film, Radio and Television Bureau Deputy 
Director Fei Yinpu (protect) told Poloff the live 
coverage reflects a new trend in China's media, namely 
shifting the focus away from the daily activities of 
top-leaders and more toward the toils of common 
people.  Reviews of Xu Guangchun's mine-shaft photo op 
are mixed, with some praising the leader's personal 
involvement and others noting that the successful 
rescue does not change the deplorable safety 
conditions in China's mines.  End Summary. 
 
Rescue of 69 Miners a "Miracle" 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) The rescue of 69 coal miners in Henan Province 
received heavy media coverage August 1-2 that, at 
times, drowned out reports on the 80th anniversary of 
the founding of the People's Liberation Army.  The 
official Xinhua news agency called the rescue a 
"miracle."  While live coverage of the miners 
staggering out of their three-day entrapment was 
broadcast nation-wide, Poloff was having dinner with 
two high-level Henan propaganda officials: Henan Film, 
Radio and Television Bureau Deputy Director Fei Yinpu 
(protect) and Henan TV Station Vice President Wang 
Shaochun (protect).  During the broadcast Fei and Wang 
offered a running commentary on the images and 
analyzed how coverage of the mine disaster reflects 
the media philosophy of Chinese President Hu Jintao 
and Premier Wen Jiabao. 
 
A Provincial Leader's Dream Photo-Op 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) With cameras rolling, Henan Provincial Party 
Secretary Xu Guangchun, Governor Li Chengyu and 
 
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national State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) 
Director Li Yizhong stood outside the coal mine 
entrance August 1 patting backs and grasping the arms 
of the exhausted, blackened and blindfolded workers 
emerging from the mine shaft.  According to the 
Beijing News (Xinjing Bao), Xu shouted "you're safe!" 
to one miner.  A banner commemorating the rescue hung 
above the mine entrance.  As miners continued to 
emerge in the background, each of the three top 
officials gave individual interviews.  Governor Li 
thanked the Central Government for its continued 
support of the rescue effort and Director Li praised 
the "top to bottom" efforts of various departments. 
At least one miner, still blindfolded and supported by 
two colleagues, took questions from a CCTV reporter 
and thanked all who had helped in the rescue. 
(Embassy Comment: This camera-ready event was only 
possible because it took rescuers three days to pump 
out the flooded mine.  Henan propaganda officials thus 
had plenty of time to get the leaders in place, and 
arranged in protocol order, before the miners finally 
emerged.) 
 
¶4. (C) Wang said the live CCTV special coverage of the 
mine rescue is an example of government leaders taking 
advantage of media opportunities to show their concern 
for the people.  Fei told Poloff that had the rescue 
succeeded the previous evening, Henan Television was 
prepared to interrupt its broadcast of the province's 
showcase, internationally-broadcast beauty pageant to 
go live to the mine.  Fei indicated that because the 
pageant was hosted by top provincial leaders, the 
decision to preempt it had political significance. 
Fei insisted that such an act would have never 
occurred prior to the Hu-Wen administration.  As if to 
confirm Fei's point, after all the miners had safely 
emerged, CCTV then switched to a news report on the 
 
BEIJING 00005069  002 OF 002 
 
 
PLA 80th Anniversary Celebration in Beijing, which 
included both the current and previous Politburo 
Standing Committee members.  In the past, Wang said, 
no program or news story, no matter how newsworthy, 
would have taken priority over an event involving the 
nation's top leaders. 
 
News of the Common Man 
---------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Beyond the mine rescue, Fei and Wang offered 
additional background on the Hu-Wen administration's 
"media trend," which emphasizes the lives of common 
people rather than the day-to-day activities of 
Politburo members.  This policy comes from the Central 
Government, they said, but is welcomed by local news 
outlets.  Wang said the trend is closely tied to Hu 
Jintao's "harmonious society" concept, which, in 
Henan, primarily means increasing rural income through 
urbanization (Ref A).  Provincial Party Secretary Xu 
Guangchun said at dinner with Poloff July 31 that his 
number one priority as Henan's top leader is to "put 
money in the pockets of the people."  Henan 
journalists are thus encouraged to focus on pocketbook 
issues affecting ordinary people, Fei and Wang said. 
In this sense, Wang added, the media is still the 
"mouthpiece" (hou she) of the Party and Government. 
Fei predicted that in the next decade, China's media 
will increase its coverage of democracy issues in 
China.  The media, Fei observed, has already stepped 
up reporting of grass roots democracy (e.g. village 
elections). 
 
Good News. Finally.  But What About Mine Safety? 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶6. (C) After months of negative news, from food safety 
scandals (including the July 10 execution of the 
former head of China's food and drug administration) 
to revelations of slave labor in brick kilns (Ref B), 
to corruption (the expulsion of former Shanghai Party 
Secretary Chen Liangyu from the Communist Party was 
 
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also big news this week), the mine rescue presented 
China's media with a much needed feel-good story.  The 
high-level rescue made an impression on some.  One 
person remarked in the Party-controlled People's Daily 
website's "Strong Nation Forum" chat room that the 
personal involvement of top officials in the rescue 
was impressive and may point to Government leaders 
carrying out the Party "work style."  But not everyone 
was so impressed.  Another post in the same chat room 
scoffed at the "excessive self-promotion" of Henan 
officials and expressed anger that a miner was forced 
to grant an on-camera interview before being taken to 
the hospital.  The Beijing News also threw cold water 
on things with an editorial chastising the mine 
operators for continuing operations despite torrential 
rains.  Citing official figures released July 10 that 
1,799 Chinese miners have died so far this year, the 
editorial asked why successful mine rescues are so 
rare in China.  "We can breathe a sigh of relief for 
the 69 miners," the paper says, "...but we can't be 
happy with the national state of mine safety." 
RANDT