VZCZCXRO2708
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #3158/01 2310722
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 180722Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9246
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIJING 003158 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT, FOR, DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/DO, DS/TIA/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: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC CASC CH CMGT ECON KOLY OVIP PREL PTER
SUBJECT: BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: USG SITUATION REPORT 
18, 08/18/2008 
 
REF: A. BEIJING 3117 
     ¶B. BEIJING 3147 
 
¶1. (SBU) The following cable provides information on 
security, public diplomacy, political, and consular 
activities related to the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games 
as of 08/18/2008. 
 
¶2. (U) The interagency USG Joint Operations Center (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. 
 
 
KEY ISSUES 
---------- 
¶3.  (U)  Beijing air has been clear and the weather temperate 
since 08/15/2008.   According to Chinese officials, Beijing 
experienced an eighth day of excellent air quality on 
08/17/2008, providing favorable weather conditions for the 
ongoing Olympic events.  Figures released by the China 
Environmental Monitoring Center indicated that Beijing's air 
pollution index (API) on 08/17/2008 showed a reading of 42, 
which is within the Grade I (50 or below)--or 
excellent--range.  According to a Beijing-based weather 
expert interviewed by China's state news agency, Beijing's 
air quality is expected to be good through the afternoon of 
08/18/2008, after which time the wind is predicted to change 
direction and to bring pollutants from adjacent cities to 
parts of Beijing.  Extended forecasts show the development of 
a tropical depression near Guam that could gain strength and 
reach typhoon status by the middle of the week; currently 
moving on a west-northwest heading, it is too early to tell 
if this storm system will affect the closing of the Olympic 
Games. 
 
 
SECURITY ISSUES 
--------------- 
¶4.  (SBU)  Threats:  There is no significant threat 
information to report. 
 
¶5.  (U)  Incidents:  There were no reports of security 
incidents overnight on 08/17/2008. 
 
¶6.  (U)  Olympic Protests:  There were no reports of protests 
overnight on 08/17/2008. 
 
 
 
BEIJING 00003158  002 OF 004 
 
 
SECURITY OPERATIONS 
------------------- 
¶7.  (SBU)  FLOs Continue Security Efforts:  The USG Field 
Liaison Officers (FLO) assigned to a number of high-profile 
U.S. Olympic teams continue their security liaison efforts 
with Chinese counterparts.  FLOs for the U.S. Women's Soccer 
team have traveled with the team to Beijing as the team has 
advanced to the medal rounds; all soccer events have been 
completed in the cities of Shenyang, Qinhuangdao, and 
Shanghai.  FLOs assigned to the U.S. Men's Basketball team 
will coordinate efforts with Chinese security officials on 
08/18/2008 to ensure appropriate venue crowd control for this 
evening's U.S. versus Germany basketball game, which will be 
attended by members of the U.S. Men's Swimming team.  The 
U.S. Women's Softball team also continues to advance in play 
and to garner high levels of attention from fans; FLOs 
assigned to the team continue to work with their Chinese 
counterparts to provide appropriate levels of security as the 
team moves into medal competition. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  FLO Departure:  The FLOs assigned to the U.S. 
Fencing and Shooting teams are scheduled to depart Beijing on 
08/17/2008, following the completion of their teams' 
competitions. 
 
 
VIPS 
---- 
¶9.  (SBU)  Preparations Underway for Delegation's Arrival: 
The USG Delegation to the Olympics Closing Ceremony--with 
Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and Secretary of Health and 
Human Services Michael Leavitt--is scheduled to arrive in 
Beijing on 08/22/2008.  Security preparations for the visit 
are already being made by the Olympic Security Coordinator 
(OSC) and the U.S. Embassy's Regional Security Officer (RSO); 
these include determining Olympic venue access for Delegation 
members, assigning previously obtained Vehicle Access and 
Parking Passes (VAPPs), and coordinating liaison between the 
Delegation's security advance team and Chinese counterparts. 
 
 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
------------------------------- 
¶10.  (U)  Embassy Articles on Olympics:  Over the weekend, 
the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section mailed 15,000 copies 
of Post's quarterly Chinese-language journal "Xin Jiao Liu" 
to high level Chinese contacts, including academics, 
journalists, and government officials.  This quarter's 
edition included a number of original articles about the 
Beijing Olympics. 
 
¶11.  (U)  Embassy Beijing Olympic Website:  The Public 
Affairs Section's Olympic website, 
 
BEIJING 00003158  003 OF 004 
 
 
http://2008beijing.embassyusa.cn, provides accurate, 
up-to-date information during the Olympic Games.  For the 
Chinese audience, it highlights the breadth of the American 
participation in and support for the Beijing Olympics.  The 
site includes information on cultural and official 
activities, video, Olympic-focused English lessons, 
perspectives from American Olympians, and photo galleries. 
 
 
CONSULAR AFFAIRS 
---------------- 
¶12.  (SBU)  Baby Born in Hotel Room:  The U.S. Embassy's 
American Citizens Services (ACS) unit was advised on the 
night of 08/17/2008 that an 18-year old U.S. citizen gave 
birth to a baby girl in her Beijing hotel room.  The 
woman--who is in Beijing to attend the Olympic Games with her 
father--was alone at the time of the birth as her father was 
attending an Olympic event.  Both the woman and her father 
have stated that they were unaware of her pregnancy.  Mother 
and daughter were transported to Beijing United Hospital 
where they are doing well, according to the U.S. Embassy 
Medical Officer. 
 
¶13.  (U) Bibles Confiscated:  Airport customs officials in 
the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming seized 300 bibles 
from four U.S. citizens on 08/17/2008.  AFP and AP reported 
that Pat Klein--a 46-year-old U.S. missionary who runs a 
group called Vision Beyond Borders--and three other Americans 
had Chinese-language bibles confiscated upon their arrival 
from Thailand; they were told they could reclaim the bibles 
when departing China.  Klein was quoted as saying he had 
brought more than 10,000 bibles into the country over the 
past 20 years.  On 08/18/2008, the airport Foreign Affairs 
Office (FAO) contacted the U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu 
and informed the consular officer that Chinese Customs 
officials have offered the Americans the option of entering 
China without the excess bibles or departing the country with 
their shipment.  The FAO claims the Americans have refused to 
leave Kunming airport under either condition.  The Consulate 
is actively attempting to contact the Americans directly to 
provide assistance. 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  Continued Detention of American:  The U.S. 
citizen detained by Chinese police for an altercation with a 
taxi driver on 08/13/2008 remains in custody (ref. a).  ACS 
will continue to monitor his status. 
 
 
POLITICAL AFFAIRS 
----------------- 
¶15.  (U) Police Continue to Target Scalpers:  According to a 
Xinhua article dated 08/17/2008, Beijing police are 
continuing their campaign against illegal ticket brokers, 
 
BEIJING 00003158  004 OF 004 
 
 
with a reported 221 people and 569 Olympics tickets seized 
since 08/15/2008.  Police indicate that 71 people have been 
detained, while others were released with verbal warnings; 31 
foreigners were caught in the sweep and the visas of 14 
people were revoked.  The four U.S. citizens detained on 
08/15/2008 for the resale of tickets have all been released 
(ref. b). 
 
¶16.  (U) Dalai Lama Accuses China of Torture:  According to 
international news reports on 08/17/2008, the Dalai Lama has 
accused China of torturing Tibetans, sometimes to death, 
during the Olympic Games.  AP reports that in an interview 
with French television news station TF1 on 08/16/2008, the 
Dalai Lama said that "the Olympic spirit is not all respected 
by Chinese officials inside Tibet," and that "often civilians 
are arrested and tortured very violently, to the point where 
they die."  The Dalai Lama is in France for the duration of 
the Olympics. 
RANDT