VZCZCXRO9612
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #0074 0360915
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050915Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6864
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 000074 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELTN SOCI PGOV ELAB ECON CH
SUBJECT: Guangzhou Train Station Returns to Normal Holiday 
Operations 
 
 
(U) This document is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Guangzhou Train Station sent 200,000 passengers 
home February 4, with air and bus lines also operating at full 
holiday capacity.  Access control restrictions have been lifted, 
providing the first opportunity for Consulate employees to enter 
Railway Station Square in over a week.  Unused tickets are still 
refundable and sales have commenced for travel between February 7 
and 9.  The CEO of a major appliance company in Shunde which employs 
50,000 workers told the Consul General that he had been asked by the 
government to keep the factory open during the New Year's period so 
that workers would have a focus for their energies.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Media reported 200,000 passengers departing Guangzhou Rail 
Station February 4.  Guangzhou Railway Company projected smooth 
operations for the rest of the week as only 120,000 tickets remain 
available for departures today and New Year's Eve (February 6).  At 
current capacity, all stranded passengers with valid tickets can 
depart by tomorrow and many will arrive home on New Year's Day 
(February 7).  Guangzhou's air and bus departures on February 4 also 
moved record numbers of passengers, although weather conditions at 
many Central and North China destinations still caused delays. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Security barriers have been opened, although police remain 
in position to re-close the area if necessary.  Pedestrians now have 
full access to the train station area, providing the first 
opportunity in over a week for Congenoffs to walk around Railway 
Station Square.  Crowds in the square remained large, but orderly, 
as they formed groups according to final destination.  Police 
checked tickets and admitted passengers to the train station with 
none of the jostling or rushing seen in previous days. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ticket sales have resumed for train departures between 
February 7 and 9, with refunds continuing for unused train tickets. 
Approximately 100 sales and refund windows were opened to the public 
at the Canton Fair Jinhua Convention Center, which is within walking 
distance from the Guangzhou Train Station.  Scalpers were evident 
outside the sales building and on street corners near the station 
area.  Despite media reports of disorder caused by ticket scalpers, 
transactions inside and outside the convention center appeared 
normal to Congenoffs, with police and other security closely 
watching all areas. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The CEO of Galanz, a major appliance company in Shunde (in 
the Pearl River Delta), told the Consul General on February 4 that 
Guangdong government officials had asked him to keep his factories, 
which employ 50,000 people, open during the Spring Holiday season. 
Those who were unable to return home - at least half of the workers 
- will be able to make money, which will soften somewhat their 
missing traditional celebrations.  In addition, the company will 
keep dorms open, continue to provide food for the workers and even 
organize entertainment and games.  The fact that the government came 
calling and made this request did not surprise the CEO (who was 
recently named the equivalent of China's Businessman of the Year); 
what did surprise him was how accepting the workers have been 
throughout this situation and how understanding they have been of 
the problems encountered by the local and national governments. 
 
GOLDBERG