VZCZCXRO0258
PP RUEHCN RUEHVC
DE RUEHGH #0038 0200647
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 200647Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL SHANGHAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7540
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY 0237
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 8168

UNCLAS SHANGHAI 000038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, DAS DAVIES 
TREASURY FOR OASIA - HAARSAGER, WINSHIP 
COMMERCE FOR ITA/MAC/OCA 
NSC FOR LOI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD BEXP PREL SCUL SENV OIIP KPAO CH
SUBJECT: (SBU)  SHANGHAI OFFICIAL PRESSES CARTER ON EXPO 2010 
PARTICIPATION 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  While in Shanghai January 15-16 to 
commemorate 30 years of U.S.-China diplomatic relations, former 
President Jimmy Carter heard a strong official plea to encourage 
U.S. participation in the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.   Carter 
promised to pass along the request to President Obama and 
expressed his hope in a separate public forum  that "the U.S. 
will participate strongly and equally to other nations".  End 
summary 
 
¶2. (SBU) During a January 15 meeting with former President Jimmy 
Carter, Shanghai Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng thanked Carter 
for his role in normalizing relations, drawing a connection 
between China's "reform and opening" and good relations with the 
U.S.  He asserted that "the financial crisis brought us closer" 
and noted that China hopes President Obama "can adopt right 
economic policies so China's economy will also turn for the 
better." 
 
¶3. (SBU) Yu then expressed the hope that Obama will "pay 
attention to the Expo", explaining that the congressional 
prohibition on using appropriated funds for World's Fairs has 
made it difficult for the US to participate.   [Background note: 
 Shanghai World Expo 2010 is expected to attract 70 million 
visitors from May 1-October 31, 2010, with over 185 countries 
involved under the theme of "Better City, Better Life".  Because 
the USG is prohibited by statute from spending appropriated 
funds to support a national pavilion, the department signed a 
letter of intent in April 2008 with a non-profit group to design 
and raise private-sector funds for a USA National Pavilion.  To 
date, the non-profit group has not yet secured any funding 
commitments.] 
 
¶4. (SBU) Continuing to press the topic in some detail, Yu added 
that Secretary Rice had "entrusted a team" to work on the 
pavilion, "but construction has encountered some problems."   He 
urged Carter "the next time you see Obama, tell him to pay 
attention to the pavilion; tell the State Department to pay more 
attention.  If there is no US pavilion, it would be a big 
regret, as we have very attractive pavilions from the EU."   He 
explained that while "initial plans have been made, the U.S. 
hasn't signed a contract" officially confirming participation 
with a national pavilion.  Repeating an offer previously 
extended by the Expo Bureau, the Party Secretary told Carter, 
"We will take the risk of building first.  If the US doesn't 
commit we can convert to a restaurant, or better yet, a 
McDonalds."   He concluded:  "Please pass this on to Obama." 
 
¶5. (SBU) Carter listened to the Party Secretary's urgings 
without questions, later askng the Consul General whether State 
or Commerce had the lead and why U.S. businesses, in particular 
Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, were not contributing. [Note: 
Coca-Cola has committed to build its own corporate pavilion as a 
Premier Sponsor of the World Expo, rather than contributing to a 
USA Pavilion.]  He promised the Party Secretary he would bring 
up the Expo with Obama, while cautioning in straight-forward 
fashion that it wouldn't be his "first priority" item to discuss 
with the new president.  By the time the Expo issue was raised 
at an academic seminar on the second day, Carter offered a 
strong endorsement of U.S. participation and urged a change in 
what he termed a "peculiar law" prohibiting the use of 
appropriated funds. 
 
¶6. (U) All major mainstream media in Shanghai covered former 
President Carter's visit to Shanghai in a very positive way, 
with Xinhua News Agency reporting January 16 that Carter "voiced 
his confidence regarding strong U.S. participation in the 
Shanghai World Expo to be held in 2010."  Carter's remarks 
during the seminar and Q-and-A session with local scholars and 
university students were also reported in many papers' 
international news section. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Comment:  That the 2010 Shanghai World Expo was the 
main item on Yu's agenda for his meeting with former President 
Carter speaks to the importance that Shanghai officials place on 
U.S. participation.  As a member of the Politburo, Yu has a key 
role on the national stage as well.  Yu's message to Carter -- 
and his half-joking comment about turning the area reserved for 
a USA Pavilion into a McDonald's -- underscores the potential 
negative public reaction in China if there is no USA Pavilion at 
the 2010 World Expo. 
 
CAMP