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### Viewing cable 06BEIJING23571, PRC CLAIMS HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY ON GOOGLE EARTH

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06BEIJING23571 | 2006-11-07 06:06 | 2010-12-04 17:05 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Beijing

`

    VZCZCXRO1474
    OO RUEHAG RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHROV RUEHVC
    DE RUEHBJ #3571/01 3110648
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 070648Z NOV 06
    FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1848
    INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
    RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
    RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0400
    RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6471
    RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0385
    RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 2017
    RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 023571

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2021
    TAGS: PREL PINR TSPA CH
    SUBJECT: PRC CLAIMS HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY ON GOOGLE EARTH
    COULD AID TERRORIST ATTACKS ON CHINA

    Classified By: Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission David S. Sedney.
    Reasons 1.4 (b/d).

    SUMMARY
    -------

    ¶1.  (C) China wants the United States Government to take
    action to get Google to reduce the resolution of the Google
    Earth images of China's military, nuclear, space, energy and
    other sensitive government agency installations in order to
    deprive terrorists of potentially dangerous information, XXXXXXXXXXXX
    XXXXXXXXXXXX told
    the DCM on XXXXXXXXXXXX said the Beijing request was
    based on possible "grave consequences" if terrorists exploit
    the information to harm China.  Google Earth is a private
    company, the DCM reminded XXXXXXXXXXXX was noncommittal on
    whether China would directly contact Google or the European
    imagery providers and the other sources of high resolution
    imagery on the Internet.  Other countries have shared similar
    concerns with China, XXXXXXXXXXXX said, but he refused to divulge
    country names. End Summary.

    Google Earth High Resolution Images a Threat to China
    --------------------------------------------- --------

    ¶2.  (C) Google Earth is providing high resolution images of
    sensitive Chinese facilities over the Internet, thereby
    endangering PRC national security, XXXXXXXXXXXX
    XXXXXXXXXXXX told
    the DCM during a XXXXXXXXXXXX meeting.  These facilities
    include military installations, nuclear test sites, satellite
    launch sites, oil production facilities, power generating
    plants and important government departments.  The resolution
    is one meter for most of China, and is as fine as 0.6 meters
    in Beijing and Shanghai, allowing anyone with Internet access
    to view these facilities in great detail.  Moreover, Google
    Earth allows users to post information about specific
    locations, XXXXXXXXXXXX continued, which means information about
    important Chinese agencies and sensitive installations is
    effectively being published on the Internet.

    "Grave Consequences" if Terrorists Use Imagery
    ---------------------------------------------

    ¶3.  (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX said China is extremely concerned that
    terrorist organizations could access the high resolution
    imagery and posted information and present a grave threat to
    PRC national security.  If terrorists used the imagery from
    Google Earth to cause damage to China, there would be "grave
    consequences," warned XXXXXXXXXXXX.  In the spirit of our sound
    bilateral cooperative relationship, particularly on
    counterterrorism issues, XXXXXXXXXXXX asked that the United States
    place "great importance" on China's concerns, understand the
    sensitivity of the matter and take action so that Google will
    reduce the resolution of the images of China's sensitive
    facilities.

    DCM: Google a Private Company, and Not Imagery Source
    --------------------------------------------- --------

    ¶3. (C) The DCM told XXXXXXXXXXXX that he would report the request
    to Washington, but noted that Google is a private company.
    The DCM said he had no information to offer on what, if any,
    role or response the United States Government might have to
    the Chinese presentation.  The DCM noted that the Chinese
    points only asked for a reduction in the resolution and asked
    if the Chinese sought any specific level.  The DCM also asked
    whether XXXXXXXXXXXX had contacted Google directly and, since
    Google purchases the imagery as any individual or entity can,
    whether China had contacted the satellite imagery providers.

    XXXXXXXXXXXX: Other, Unspecified Countries Have Similar Concerns
    --------------------------------------------- -------------

    ¶4. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX responded that China is approaching the United
    States Government because the issue is directly relevant to
    counterterrorism and that while Google is a private company
    it operates in the United States "political and legal
    environment."  China is requesting the United States take
    action to prevent the information from being misused to cause
    damage to China, XXXXXXXXXXXX reiterated.  He offered that China
    had been in discussions with other countries with similar
    concerns about Google Earth.  However, XXXXXXXXXXXX refused to
    provide the names of the other countries, noting he was
    unable to share the information due to prior agreements with

    BEIJING 00023571  002 OF 002

    those countries.

    Europe the Source of Imagery, But Google Earth is the Key
    --------------------------------------------- ------------

    ¶5.  (C) China will talk to Google about the "technical
    details," XXXXXXXXXXXX continued, adding that it is not for the MFA
    to determine the appropriate resolution level.  China knows
    the source data comes from European companies, satellite
    operators and the European space agency but XXXXXXXXXXXX said China
    sees Google as the problem because it makes the information
    easily accessible.  When pressed, XXXXXXXXXXXX admitted that
    Beijing had not yet contacted the European providers or the
    governments associated with the European space program.  XXXXXXXXXXXX
    XXXXXXXXXXXX said that while China will look at the other Internet
    sources of the high resolution imagery, Google,s well known
    imagery is of greatest concern.
    Randt

`