MEDIA REACTION: TAIWAN'S SOVEREIGNTY ISSUE

UNCLAS TAIPEI 003838

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/RSP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD -
ROBERT PALLADINO
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: TAIWAN'S SOVEREIGNTY ISSUE


A) "To Demonstrate Taiwan's Independent and Autonomous
National Status Using Historical Facts and [Taiwan's ]
Public Opinion"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" editorialized
(12/3):

". [Secretary of State Colin] Powell said in late
October that Taiwan is not a sovereign state. The real
meaning behind Powell's statement is that it has
unveiled [the fact that] Taiwan's sovereignty issue was
not thoroughly resolved after the end of the Second
World War and that Taiwan is still wearing the coat of
the Republic of China that is not recognized by the
international community. Today, Taiwan people have
full control of their national sovereignty; they can
elect their own state leader through the exercise of
the people's free will; they possesses their own
military, currency and judicial system. All of these
have all the more verified Taiwan's independent
sovereign status. We can say that the Taiwan people
have used their actions to make up for the missing
parts in history. But the question for the future lies
in: when will the United Nations and the international
community really face the history and the hard facts
and respect Taiwan people's basic rights under the UN
Charter to establish their own country .?"

B) "Restoring Credibility a Key Issue Facing President
Chen"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language
"China Post" said in an editorial (12/3):

"The past week the people of Taiwan once again had a
chance to see how unabashedly their leader President
Chen Shui-bian uses a two-faced strategy to address his
controversial policies, including his renewed tension
with Washington. But how successful such double-
dealing is remains to be seen. .

"So Chen seemed to be playing a two-faced game. On the
one hand, he wanted to use the action of holding up the
referendum bill to reassure Washington that he would
not push for a popular vote to adopt a new Constitution
during his term.

"But on the other hand, Chen himself would continue his
referendum rhetoric ahead of the December 11
legislative election to rally support for his party
candidates. And he believes that Washington will
understand that his rhetoric was merely election
language intended for the voters. To ensure that will
be the case, he even used the meeting with [Utah
Governor Olene] Walker to call on Washington to trust
him. .

"Therefore, the most urgent issue Chen might need to
address is rebuilding his credibility severely
undermined by his past fondness for saying different
things to different people and his tendency to flip-
flop on policy and position. Unless this credibility
gap can be overcome, it won't be easy for him to
improve relations with either Washington or Beijing or
the opposition even if he finally wins a legislative
majority, which would greatly boost his authority and
strengthen his hand in dealing with domestic and
foreign issues."

PAAL