VZCZCXRO3787
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #0653/01 3350926
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 010926Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1131
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE 0365
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0344
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC 0340
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC 0102
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0025
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0017

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000653 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/PD, IIP, PA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO KMDR PREL EINT SOCI CH
SUBJECT: Supporting the POTUS Visit: ConGen Guangzhou Swarmed to 
Build the Buzz 
 
Ref: A) BEIJING   00003157 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Guangzhou programmed significant outreach to 
amplify the POTUS November 15-18 trip to China, hosted bloggers for 
the All-China Bloggers DVC prior to the visit, and used Twitter to 
deliver live content of the POTUS Shanghai speech to thousands of 
Chinese netizens. Although Foreign Affairs Offices (FAO) cancelled 
the majority of Post's planned Town Hall "watch parties," the south 
China public response was positive -- especially in Fujian where 
several schools were programmed for the first time, and Post's 
Twitter account remains a valuable resource to circumvent barriers 
to accurate information. End summary. 
Bloggers and TV Coverage at the Consulate 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) To build buzz in the run-up to the visit, Post co-hosted 
the first-ever Mission China Blogger DVC Conference with Beijing and 
Shanghai on November 12. Influential Guangzhou bloggers raised 
issues of Internet censorship, human rights, and imprisoned 
dissidents. Hong Kong Cable TV interviewed the bloggers immediately 
following the DVC and aired their report the next day. Audiences for 
the bloggers are estimated in the tens of millions, and for Hong 
Kong Cable TV in the millions. 
 
Buzz 
---- 
 
¶3. (U) During the week before the POTUS visit, Post spread the word 
about the President's agenda at American Culture Week at Xiamen 
University, as well as events in Guangzhou where officers discussed 
American history and debated on carbon emission reduction targets. 
Using the President's then up-coming visit as the backdrop, Xiamen 
Culture Week included welcoming remarks by the Consul General 
highlighting the POTUS visit, 17 lectures, events and movies to 
discuss financial systems, cultural difference, history, 
individualism and responsibility, social distinctiveness, family 
values, gender roles, the power of words, and the American Dream, 
with a total audience of nearly 1,000. 
 
Twitter: Thousands of Followers 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) At the urging of a censorship-hating local blogger, Post 
created a Twitter account to tweet live during the Shanghai Town 
Hall. Bloggers spread the word that Post had done so and by the time 
of the speech -- less than two work days after the site had been 
established -- Post had 2,195 "followers." China coverage was 
limited to U.S.-based websites, Shanghai TV, and scrolling text on 
Xinhua. Because no one knew if these would be blocked or Xinhua 
would be censored, many netizens checked Twitter to make sure they 
were getting accurate, up-to-date  information from the Town Hall. 
Live in Shenzhen 
---------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Consul General hosted live streaming of the Town Hall 
for 100 students at Beijing University Transnational School of Law 
in Shenzhen. The school -- which follows a U.S. legal curriculum -- 
is supported by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. 
Although no Chinese media broadcast the speech live, America.gov did 
not crash. When the streaming video did seize up, the Consul General 
used the opportunity to answer students' questions on transnational 
trade disputes, legal exchanges between the U.S. and China, and 
religious freedom. 
 
Watch Parties: The Consulate Swarm 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Thirty officers volunteered to swarm out to 14 universities 
throughout Guangdong to host Town Hall "watch parties."  Foreign 
Affairs Offices were unsupportive, and most of these programs were 
cancelled. When the dust had settled only four officers were able to 
travel to universities in Guangzhou, where they led discussions with 
230 students; during one of these watch parties, a local documentary 
crew filmed the presentation. In Fujian, the Consul General and 
Transformational Diplomacy Officer spoke about the POTUS visit at 
four schools to another 550 students. The TD Officer presentations 
at Fuzhou University (30 students) and Jimei University (130 
students) represented the first time that these schools have 
accepted public affairs programming, setting a hopeful precedent for 
the future. At Xiamen University of Technology, the TD Officer met 
with an overflow audience of 240 students. 
 
Fifty-fifty 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000653  002 OF 002 
 
 
----------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Summary and Comment: Despite Foreign Affairs Offices severe 
but expected restriction of Post's outreach, programming was 
extensive and well received. The key to public diplomacy's success 
in south China remains an assumption that over 50% of what one hopes 
to do will be cancelled and to plan accordingly. End Summary and 
Comment. 
GOLDBECK