US embassy cable - 01BEIJING11971

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 011971 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, CH 
SUBJECT: CHINA: 2001 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 198912 
 
1.  BELOW IS THE 2001 TERRORISM REPORT FOR CHINA. 
RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO REFTEL PARAGRAPH TWO 
REQUIREMENTS. 
 
2.  A)  CHINA STRONGLY AND PROMPTLY CONDEMNED THE 
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS, WHICH PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN 
DESCRIBED ON SEPTEMBER 12 AS AN ATTACK BOTH ON THE 
UNITED STATES AND ON WORLD PEACE.  IT PROVIDED STRONG 
SUPPORT FOR THE PASSAGE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1368 
AND 1373.  AFTER THE COMMENCEMENT OF U.S. MILITARY 
ACTION IN AFGHANISTAN, THE MFA STATED THAT CHINA 
SUPPORTED ACTION THAT STRIKES AT TERRORISM, WHILE NOTING 
THAT RELATED MILITARY ACTIVITY SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT 
SPECIFIC TARGETS AND AVOID HURTING INNOCENT CIVILIANS. 
CHINA ALSO TOOK STEPS TO TIGHTEN CONTROL OF ITS BORDERS, 
ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN.  AS HOST 
OF THE 2001 ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION FORUM, 
CHINA JOINED IN THE APEC LEADERS' STATEMENT ON 
COUNTERTERRORISM, WHICH CONDEMNED THE TERRORIST ATTACKS, 
PLEDGED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT UNSCRS 1368 AND 1373, AND 
CALLED FOR THE EARLY RATIFICATION OF THE UNIVERSAL ANTI- 
TERRORIST CONVENTIONS.  AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, THE PRC 
AGREED TO UNDERTAKE REGULAR COUNTERTERRORISM 
CONSULTATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES TO DISCUSS WAYS TO 
IMPROVE BILATERAL COOPERATION AGAINST TERRORISM.  TWO 
ROUNDS HAVE BEEN HELD THUS FAR. 
 
B)  N/A 
 
C)  THERE WERE NO ACTS OF TERRORISM COMMITTED IN CHINA 
THIS YEAR AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS OR INTERESTS.  ALTHOUGH 
THERE WERE A FEW REPORTS OF BOMBINGS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF 
CHINA DURING THE YEAR, THESE APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN 
CRIMINAL ACTS, RATHER THAN POLITICAL TERRORISM. 
 
D,E)  EMBASSY IS UNAWARE OF ANY EXTRADITIONS OR REQUESTS 
FOR EXTRADITIONS OF TERRORISTS TO OR FROM CHINA IN 2001. 
THERE IS NO EXTRADITION TREATY IN FORCE BETWEEN THE U.S. 
AND CHINA.  ON MARCH 8, A MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE 
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA ENTERED INTO FORCE. 
THE MLAA WILL ALLOW FOR ENHANCED COOPERATION IN THE 
APPREHENSION AND PROSECUTION OF CRIMINALS, INCLUDING 
TERRORISTS. 
 
F)  AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, CHINA SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED 
INFORMATION SHARING IN A NUMBER OF AREAS, INCLUDING 
THROUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT CHANNELS, CONCERNING PERSONS 
POSSIBLY RELATED TO TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. 
 
G)  CHINA HAS REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED IN INTERNATIONAL FORA 
ITS OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM.  IN ADDITION TO THE PRC'S 
REACTION TO THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11, CHINESE 
OFFICIALS CONSISTENTLY EXPRESS OPPOSITION TO ACTS OF 
TERRORISM IN OTHER COUNTRIES.  ALONG WITH RUSSIA AND 
OTHER CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES, CHINA IS A MEMBER OF THE 
SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION, WHOSE STATED 
OBJECTIVES INCLUDE COMBATING TERRORISM.  CHINA ALSO 
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED ITS DISCUSSIONS OF 
COUNTERTERRORISM ISSUES IN ITS BILATERAL DIPLOMATIC 
DISCUSSIONS WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER NATIONS. 
 
H)  CHINA DOES NOT SUPPORT TERRORISM, TERRORISTS OR 
TERRORIST GROUPS, BUT IT DOES MAINTAIN DIPLOMATIC 
RELATIONS WITH ALL OF THOSE COUNTRIES DESIGNATED BY THE 
SECRETARY OF STATE AS STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM. 
 
I)  CHINA HAS NOT MADE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT IN SUPPORT 
OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE. 
 
J)  CHINA BEGAN PLACING A HIGHER PRIORITY ON 
COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS EVEN PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 11. 
THIS WAS PROBABLY THE RESULT OF UNEASE ABOUT THE 
SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN, CENTRAL ASIA, AND NEARBY 
AREAS, INCLUDING NORTHWEST CHINA, AND OVER CONCERNS 
ABOUT POSSIBLE TERRORIST THREATS TO THE 2001 APEC FORUM 
IN SHANGHAI AND THE BEIJING OLYMPICS IN 2008.  AFTER THE 
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS, THE PROMINENCE AND INTENSITY OF 
CHINA'S COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. 
 
K)  AS DISCUSSED IN SECTION A ABOVE, THE U.S. AND CHINA 
HAVE HELD TWO ROUNDS OF COUNTERTERRORISM CONSULTATIONS 
SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, AND ARE COOPERATING TO SHARE 
INFORMATION AND FURTHER COUNTERTERRORISM WORK IN THE 
UNITED NATIONS.  CHINA HAS ALSO PLEDGED TO FULLY 
IMPLEMENT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF UNSCR 1373, INCLUDING 
THE FREEZING OF TERRORISTS' ASSETS.  ON DECEMBER 6, THE 
MFA ANNOUNCED THAT A "SERIOUS INVESTIGATION" HAD 
DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO ASSETS LINKED TO 
TERRORISTS IN CHINA. 
 
L)  N/A 
 
M)  AT U.S. REQUEST, CHINESE AUTHORITIES CLOSED 
SIDEWALKS AND STREETS AROUND U.S. GOVERNMENT FACILITIES 
IN CHINA AFTER SEPTEMBER 11.  CHINESE AUTHORITIES ALSO 
PLEDGED TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO SPECIFIC REQUESTS FOR 
ACTIONS, AND DID SO ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. 
 
 
MARINE