US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2061

S E C R E T TAIPEI 002061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/W 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, RP, CH, TW, Cross Strait Politics 
SUBJECT: NSC WARNS OF ENHANCED PRC INTEL COLLECTION IN THE 
PHILIPPINES 
 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, Reason: 1.4 (B/D) 
 
1. (S) National Security Council (NSC) Deputy Secretary 
General Henry Ko told AIT that Philippine intelligence 
officials recently warned their Taiwan counterparts that 
Beijing has formally requested the establishment of two new 
consulates, one in Davao, Mindanao and the other in Loag, on 
the northern tip of Luzon island.  According to information 
provided to Taipei's office in Manila, the request was made 
personally by PRC President Hu Jintao during his April 26-27 
visit to the Philippines.  Ko said that Taipei shares the 
Philippine intelligence community's concern that the PRC 
intends to use the new consulates to increase Chinese 
intelligence collection on U.S. and Taiwan military targets. 
 
2. (S) Ko said that Philippine intel officials believe that 
since there are no significant overseas Chinese communities 
or major commercial interests in either of the two areas, the 
PRC may be seeking to use the new consulates to conduct 
SIGINT and other collection activities targeting U.S. and 
Taiwan military activities.  Ko commented that Davao may have 
been selected to monitor U.S. activities in Mindanao while 
the Loag consulate would allow greater coverage of both U.S. 
and Taiwan activities in the area. 
 
3. (S) Ko said that the Philippines is still coordinating the 
PRC request internally.  Ko urged the USG to register concern 
over the PRC request with Philippine authorities in order to 
strengthen the case of those officials inside the GOP opposed 
to allowing the PRC to open the new consulates. 
PAAL