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S E C R E T BEIJING 002985 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT, FOR, DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/DO, DS/DSS/OSAC, DS/P/MECU, 
DS/TIA/ITA, DS/DO/P, DS/ICI/CI, DS/T/ATA, DS/TIA, 
DS/TIA/PII, DS/CC, EAP/CM, S/CT, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, PASS TO 
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (TSA) OPERATIONS 
CENTER, HONG KONG FOR RSO AND LEGAT AND USSS, SHANGHAI FOR 
RSO, SHENYANG FOR RSO,CHENGDU FOR RSO, GUANGZHOU FOR RSO, 
USSS HQS FOR INV, OPO, HNL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2033 
TAGS: ASEC CASC CH CMGT ECON KOLY OVIP PTER
SUBJECT: BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: SITUATION REPORT #1, 
08/01/2008 
 
REF: BEIJING 2784 
 
Classified By: DCM Dan Piccuta for reason 1.4 (b),(d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) This is the first situation report (sitrep) from 
the USG Joint Operations Center (JOC) for the 2008 Summer 
Olympics in Beijing, China.  The JOC commenced 24/7 
operations on 08/01/2008 at 0700 hours local time and will 
continue operations until 08/26/2008.  This daily report 
will contain information on security, public diplomacy, and 
consular activities in Beijing for the duration of the 
Olympic Games. This sitrep may also be accessed via 
ClassNet and SIPRNet at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Olym pics_Summer_2008 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Per reftel, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing has 
created an interagency JOC to coordinate information and to 
serve as the single point of contact for Olympic issues 
related to U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) security 
operations coordination, USG VIP delegations, U.S. 
corporate sponsors, and American citizen services. JOC 
personnel will staff three shifts:  0700-1500, 1500-2300, 
and 2300-0700 local time.  USG deployed security assets 
currently number 92 personnel.  Twenty one additional TDY 
staff will arrive on Saturday, 08/02/2008. 
 
¶3. (U) The JOC can be contacted on a 24-hour basis at the 
following numbers: 
 
- JOC Direct Line: 011-86-010-6532-6966. 
- U.S. Embassy Beijing: 011-86-010-6532-3431, JOC extension 
¶6200. 
- JOC fax: 011-86-010-6532-4763. 
- STE and fax: 011-86-010-6532-5163. 
 
¶4. (U) Public Affairs and Consular representatives are 
integrated within the JOC and may be reached on a 24-hour 
basis at the numbers listed above. 
 
¶5. (S/NF) The Threat Integration Center (TIC), which will 
monitor threat and security intelligence related to the 
Olympics, initiated operations as of 07/28/2008, running 
eight hour shifts from 0700-1500 and 1500-2300 local time. 
Twenty-four hour TIC operations were started on 08/01/2008 
to correspond with the JOC.  The TIC will now staff twelve 
hour shifts until 08/25/2008 and will produce twice daily 
intelligence sitreps at 1400 and 0200 hours local time. 
 
SECURITY ISSUES 
--------------- 
¶6.  (S/NF) Threats:  On 07/28/2008, an unsubstantiated 
write-in to a U.S. Government website claimed that two 
foreigners--a man from Germany and a woman from 
 
Australia--might pose an unspecified threat to the U.S. 
Olympic Track and Field team.  The message claimed that 
these individuals, who allegedly were staying at the same 
hotel where the U.S. team is to be lodged, probably were 
terrorists and had unsuccessfully tried to confirm their 
reservation at the hotel by claiming that they were part of 
the U.S. Olympic Team.  (Please see TD-314/056453-08, dated 
July 28, for additional information.)  The information in 
this report has been passed to Chinese security officials. 
The Regional Security Officer (RSO) in Shenyang, who is 
responsible for coordinating security with the USOC at the 
Dalian venues where the team is currently training, has 
also been made aware of this information and will follow-up 
with local police contacts. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Incidents: On 07/31/2008, the Olympic Security 
Coordinator (OSC) met with USOC to review security at 
Beijing Normal University (BNU), which is being used by 
U.S. teams for training.  This was in response to an 
incident on 07/29/2008 in which USOC personnel found four 
plastic water bottles containing handwritten notes inside 
of a secured, fenced area at the University.  One note, 
written in English, stated: "Get back my freedom." The 
other notes, written in Chinese, stated:  "BNU sold itself 
to America;" "Olympics should die;" and "Going against the 
people BNU is America,s land."  Chinese police took 
possession of the bottles, which are believed to have been 
placed at the site by disgruntled students.  There is no 
further information available on the status of the Chinese 
investigation into the incident. 
 
¶8. (U) Olympic Protest Zones:  There is no reported 
activity at any of the three designated protest zones in 
Beijing. 
 
SECURITY OPERATIONS 
------------------- 
¶9. (SBU) On 07/24/2008, the JOC and TIC conducted a 
successful crisis management exercise emphasizing 
interagency cooperation and coordination in a worst-case 
scenario involving mass casualties and the failure of local 
communications systems.  The table-top exercise helped 
participants to refine their missions, become familiar with 
U.S. Embassy operations, and sensitize themselves to 
China-specific operational issues.  Lessons learned allowed 
the JOC to identify alternate methods of reporting to the 
field and to headquarters level in the event of emergency 
so that information will continue to flow in the absence of 
normal communication systems. 
 
¶10. (SBU) On 07/30/2008, 18 USG Field Liaison Officers 
(FLO) participated in a positive meeting with 23 of their 
Chinese counterparts.  The twenty-one additional FLOs 
arriving this weekend will conduct a similar meeting with 
 
Chinese authorities on 08/04/2008; the Deputy Chief of 
Mission for U.S. Embassy Beijing and Chinese Standing 
Deputy Director General (SDDG) Xue Dongzhen will oversee 
this event. 
 
¶11. (SBU) On 08/01/2008, the Olympic Security Office in 
Beijing conducted a secure video-teleconference with 
members of the National Security Council in Washington, DC, 
to provide an update on USG security preparations for the 
Olympics. The 63 accreditations allotted to the USG in the 
MOU with the Chinese are expected to be issued by 
08/05/2008; FLOs are expected to be deployed and fully 
operational once these are received.  Currently, FLOs for 
the Women,s Soccer team in Qinhuangdao and the Men,s Soccer 
team in Tianjin, as well as the FLOs for the sailing venue 
in Qingdao, are in the field. Accreditation issues for Hong 
Kong venues were resolved on 07/29/2008. The Defense 
Attache (DAO) briefed that information had been passed to 
the Chinese informing them that if a large-scale medical 
emergency were to occur, initial coordination will take 
place through the JOC to support normal assistance provided 
by the Consular Office.  This discussion is bilateral in 
nature and has not been made public. 
 
PENDING ISSUES 
-------------- 
¶12. (SBU) Olympic competition venue access for FLO handheld 
radios and satellite phones, as well as Vehicle Access and 
Parking Passes (VAPPs) for the Olympic competition and 
non-competition venues, remain unresolved issues. 
 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
------------------------------- 
¶13. (U) Olympic Press Venues:  The MPC (Main Press Center) 
is the official press center for BOCOG/IOC-accredited 
journalists in Beijing for the Olympics.  The IBC 
(International Broadcast Center) is for BOCOG- or 
IOC-accredited TV and radio journalists.  The MPC and IBC 
are both located on the Olympic Green and require Olympic 
credentials to access.  Non-accredited journalists 
(estimated at several thousand) can access the BIMC 
(Beijing International Media Center), a Chinese 
government-facilitated press center located at the Huabei 
Hotel.  The BIMC assists non-accredited journalists with 
information, transportation, and other services. 
 
¶14. (U) Internet Blocking Update:  As of 08/01/2008 mid-day 
local time, journalists at the MPC reportedly were able to 
access sensitive web sites (Amnesty International, Falun 
Gong, etc.) that had been previously blocked.  However, 
restrictions on sensitive web sites remained for ordinary 
Chinese Internet users. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Dui Hua Foundation head John Kamm has written to 
 
Chinese officials asking for an explanation why his 
organization's website has been blocked.  In his e-mail, 
Kamm asked whether the Chinese Government views Dui Hua as 
a hostile organization engaged in or advocating activities 
that break Chinese law.  He noted that websites of other 
human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch are 
not being blocked. 
 
CONSULAR AFFAIRS 
---------------- 
¶16. (SBU) Falsified Passport for Chinese Athlete:  During a 
visa interview 07/29/2008 at Consulate General Shanghai, 
Chinese basketball player Mr. Han Shuo admitted to using a 
falsified passport in 2005 in order to obtain a U.S. visa 
and compete in an under-18 youth basketball competition 
sponsored by the U.S. Olympic Committee.  Han stated the 
Chinese Basketball Association and Jiangsu Provincial 
authorities deliberately changed the birth date on his 
passport in order to allow Mr. Han to compete as a 17-year 
old even though he was 20 at the time.  Mr. Han, who was 
applying for a visa to attend a developmental basketball 
camp with the San Antonio Spurs, was denied a visa based on 
his prior willful misrepresentation.  (Please see Shanghi 
294 for additional information.) 
 
Political Affairs 
------------------- 
¶17. (U) July 31 MFA Press Briefing:  MFA Spokesman Liu 
Jianchao confirmed President Bush would meet with President 
Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice-President Xi Jinping 
during the Olympics.  Liu said President Bush,s 07/29/2008 
meeting with five Chinese dissidents was a gross 
interference in China,s internal affairs and provided 
encouragement to anti-China forces.   (Please see Beijing 
2964 for additional information.) 
 
RANDT