Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04TAIPEI3265
2004-10-19 10:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE RESPONDS TO PRC SUSPICIONS

Tags:  PREL PGOV CH TW 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003265 

SIPDIS

STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV CH TW
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE RESPONDS TO PRC SUSPICIONS
OVER 10/10

REF: A. TAIPEI 3162


B. TAIPEI 3190

C. TAIPEI 2876

Classified By: AIT Deputy Director David J. Keegan, Reason: 1.4 (B/D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003265

SIPDIS

STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV CH TW
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE RESPONDS TO PRC SUSPICIONS
OVER 10/10

REF: A. TAIPEI 3162


B. TAIPEI 3190

C. TAIPEI 2876

Classified By: AIT Deputy Director David J. Keegan, Reason: 1.4 (B/D)


1. (C) Summary: Presidential Office Deputy Secretary General
James Huang requested a meeting with the Deputy Director
October 19 to clarify concerns raised by Beijing over
President Chen Shui-bian's October 10 speech. Huang, at the
president's instructions, explained that Chen's statement
that "Taiwan is the Republic of China" was in no way meant as
a provocation to the Mainland. On the contrary, Huang said
the president made the statement to counter attempts by Lee
Teng-hui and pro-independence fundamentalists to use the
upcoming constitutional debate to formally rename the
"Republic of China" as Taiwan or to otherwise redefine
Taiwan's sovereign status. Huang emphasized that Chen
remains committed not to address sovereignty-related
questions in future rounds of constitutional reform. While
acknowledging that Beijing is unlikely to fully understand or
accept the president's position, he urged Washington to
convey Taipei's sincerity in seeking improved relations. The
Deputy Director reminded Huang that the PRC remains extremely
skeptical about Chen's intentions, and is unlikely to
distinguish between what Chen identified as intended for
domestic constituencies and what he meant for Beijing's
consumption. End Summary.

Point of Clarification
--------------


2. (C) Presidential Office Deputy Secretary General James
Huang requested a meeting with the Deputy Director October 19
to further clarify President Chen Shui-bian's October 10
National Day Address (Ref A). Huang noted that the Secretary
of State would soon be traveling to Asia and would likely
receive a negative message over portions of the president's
speech during his meetings in Beijing (Ref B). Huang said he
shared with the president concerns raised by the AIT Director
and Deputy Director on October 16 about Beijing's strong
reaction to Chen's assertion that the "Republic of China is
Taiwan." Huang said that the president provided, in
response, a lengthy explanation of his thinking and asked
that this clarification be conveyed to AIT and Washington.



3. (C) Huang asserted that the president's "ROC/Taiwan"
statement was meant to respond to calls by fundamentalists,
especially former President Lee Teng-hui, that Taiwan abandon
the "Republic of China" structure. He emphasized that this
was in no way was aimed at provoking Beijing. Huang said
that the president is concerned about growing public support
for Lee's call to abandon the title "Republic of China" and
formally change the national title to "Taiwan." He pointed
out that Lee has resurrected the traditional term,
"rectification of names" (zheng-ming) as his slogan. Huang
noted that President Chen has offered a series of speeches in
recent months aimed at "safeguarding" the "Republic of
China's" existence. Huang said that President Chen reminded
an audience in Honolulu on August 30 that Dr. Sun Yat-sen had
come to Hawaii to seek support for his revolution. Chen
proclaimed to the group that "the Republic of China does
exist and it is thriving." Huang added that Chen also used a
press availability in Belize on September 2 to refute the
suggestion (made in August by Premier Yu Shyi-kun) that the
national title should be changed to "Taiwan, ROC," insisting
it would remain the "Republic of China."


4. (C) Huang stated that the president's specific reference
to the "Republic of China's" territory and population in a
separate section of the speech was meant only as a
description of the status quo, and denied that there were any
political connotations. Huang added that had the president
meant to make this a message for Beijing's consumption, "he
would have included it in the portion of the speech on
cross-Strait relations." Huang noted that the president
reiterated in his October 10 speech that his May 20 inaugural
promises would be faithfully followed in his term of office.
A core element of his May 20 pledge, Huang continued, was
that the upcoming debate on constitutional reform will not
touch on the question of national title or definition of the
"Republic of China's" territory.


5. (C) Huang said that "while we are not so naive to think
that Beijing would fully accept our clarification," he hoped
that "our friends in Washington" would understand the complex
political pressures the president is under. Huang added his
appreciation for recent statements by the State Department
Spokesman on cross-Strait relations. Huang asked the USG to
convey to Beijing that "it takes two to tango" and that some
sort of clear positive gesture from the other side will be
critical to restarting communications. Huang added that the
PRC's refusal to accept the "Republic of China" nomenclature
makes the Chen administration's attempts to suppress
fundamentalists calls for a name change even more difficult.

Beware of PRC Suspicions
--------------


6. (C) The Deputy Director noted in response that Beijing
remains deeply suspicious of any statement from President
Chen that relates to Taiwan's sovereignty, especially in the
lead-up to discussions on constitutional reform. He added
that the PRC is extremely unlikely to discriminate between
messages meant for domestic constituencies and those aimed
across the Taiwan Strait. The Deputy Director added that
Beijing's leadership also faces intense internal political
pressures to stand firm on Taiwan, making a public positive
gesture unlikely. That said, he noted that there are some
signs that Beijing may be willing to de-link political and
economic issues in the coming months. For this reason, the
Deputy Director urged the Chen administration to tread very
cautiously during the ongoing Legislative Yuan (LY) election
campaign, and to consistently reiterate the president's
conciliatory message.

Comment: Washington Remains Priority Number One
-------------- --


7. (C) President Chen's quick response to our observations
makes it clear that he remains determined to persuade the
United States of his commitment to a conciliatory approach to
the PRC. We are, as many here have noted, his primary
audience. He is willing to accept, at least in the short
term, a more chilly response from Beijing. It is not clear,
however, that he accepts the need to be consistent in his
message.
PAAL