Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI1366
2005-03-24 08:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: RICE'S BEIJING TRIP AND THE

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO TW 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001366

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: RICE'S BEIJING TRIP AND THE
ANTI-SECESSION LAW

Summary: The focus of the major Chinese-language Taipei
dailies has shifted March 24 from China's Anti-
Secession Law to local politics and the planned mass
rally that will be hosted by the DPP this coming
Saturday to protest the law. Former AIT Chairman
Richard Bush and incumbent Director of the Center for
Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings
Institute, out of concern for the cross-Strait
situation, said in an op-ed piece in the centrist
"China Times" that in response to the Anti-Secession
Law, the exercise of restraint will best meet Taiwan's
own interests and will win approval from the United
States. When commenting on U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice's recent trip to Beijing, Washington
correspondent James Wang said in the pro-independence
"Taiwan Daily" that Rice's decision not to repeat the
sentence that "Washington does not support Taiwan
independence" is the easiest way for the Bush
administration to show its displeasure over China's
hegemonic behavior. A limited-circulation, pro-
independence English-language "Taiwan News" editorial
said the actual focus of Rice's greatest concern with
regard to her trip to Asia was related to the PRC. End
summary.

A) "It Would Be Best for Taiwan If It Does Not
Overreact Too Much [to China's Anti-Secession Law]"

Former AIT Chairman Richard Bush wrote to the centrist,
pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 600,000]
(3/24):

" . Then how should Taiwan keep an appropriate balance
between challenging Beijing's `Anti-Secession Law' and
exercising self-restraint? I believe it to be correct
for the Taiwan authorities to exercise restraint by
far. Taiwan should avoid moves that would add oil to
the fire, or it will be unable to adopt more positive
steps when the atmosphere across the Taiwan Strait gets
better. .

"The third reason for Taiwan to exercise restraint has
something to do with the role of the United States.
Because the United States has a security commitment to
Taiwan and the fact that Beijing might misjudge the
impact of the clash of interests caused by Taiwan's
moves, Washington and Taiwan need to deal with the
situation adroitly through close negotiations. The
Bush administration has explicitly told Beijing that it

opposes the Anti-Secession Law. One day when the
conditions for China to utilize `non-peaceful measures'
are ready, Washington will make a detached judgment and
take action. No matter now or hereafter, the United
States can take powerful action to constrain Beijing's
moves if Taiwan can live up to Washington's
expectations from the beginning to the end.

"Lastly, if Taiwan maintains its self-control, it would
be more easier to extend from the negotiations during
cross-Strait charter flights for the Lunar New Year to
positive development on bilateral relations. It would
suit Taiwan's needs to keep pushing for progress in a
way with principles. To show self-control for the time
being can keep [alive] precious possibilities in the
future. Until then, Taiwan could also win approvals
from the United States.

"Maybe some people think Beijing will interpret
Taiwan's self-control as showing weakness. However,
self-control in this case could strengthen Taiwan's
position. It would allow Taiwan to cultivate an
internal consensus, which is rare, to cope with China's
moves. To keep self-control would not increase the
chance for China's misjudgment, and could show to the
international community that who the strength that
maintains cross-Strait stability is. Keeping self-
control could consolidate the foundation of Taiwan's
security, which is the relationship with the United
States."

B) "Rice Is Using the Measures to Counter Russia When
Dealing with China"

Washington correspondent James Wang commented in the
pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 150,000]
(3/24):

". In her remarks [made in Beijing], [U.S. Secretary of
State Condoleezza] Rice evidently avoided mentioning
two sentences that Washington has constantly repeated
in the past: `The United States does not support Taiwan
independence' and `Disputes across the Taiwan Strait
should be resolved by both sides using peaceful means.'
It would be totally implausible if [we said] the fact
that Rice skipped the sentence about not supporting
Taiwan independence has nothing to do with China's
arbitrary enacting of the Anti-Secession Law. In the
name of anti-Taiwan independence, the law attempts to
annex Taiwan's sovereignty and deprive Taiwan people of
the right to make a free choice. If Rice made the
remark that [the United States] does not support Taiwan
independence in Beijing, it would be like giving verbal
support to China to suppress Taiwan people's basic
political rights - an act that is inconsistent with the
Bush administration's `to create a balance of power
that is favorable for freedom.' [Rice's decision] not
to repeat that sentence is the easiest way for the Bush
administration to show its displeasure to the Chinese
hegemonic behavior. .

"Given the fact that China's future direction is yet
unclear and it is attempting to intimidate Taiwan using
the Anti-Secession Law, the possibility of a `peaceful
resolution' to the cross-Strait issue does not exist at
all, whether judged by reality or U.S. interests. The
United States itself does not want to see any
alteration to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait;
therefore, a `peaceful resolution' is a distant goal.
What really concerns the United States is that neither
side should use any words or actions to create tensions
across the Taiwan Strait. [Rice's] remarks have
changed the injustice that has been done to Taiwan by
the [criteria] of `Taiwan does not declare independence
while Beijing does not use force against Taiwan. .'
This is a favorable change for Taiwan created by the
Anti-Secession Law. ."

C) "Rice Visit Defines PRC as U.S. Worry"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News"
[circulation: 20,000] editorialized (3/24):

". On the surface, the focal point of [U.S. Secretary
of State Condoleezza] Rice's hectic excursion, which
took her through Pakistan, Japan and China, was still
Washington's effort to resuscitate the dormant six-
sided talks over the brewing crisis regarding the North
Korea's apparent possession of nuclear weapons.
However, the actual object of her greatest concern lay
in the People's Republic of China.

"Even before she arrived in Beijing, Rice had used a
carefully crafted and orchestrated series of lectures
and leaks to set the dominant theme of her visit,
namely, at least for the next few years, Washington
considered China as a national security threat instead
of a `strategic partner. .'

"Even when Rice was the National Security Adviser for
U.S. President George W. Bush, she believed that the
main danger to U.S. security in the Pacific region came
from China.

"Rice's prime concern is the defense of U.S. interests
and security in the Pacific, not the defense of Taiwan.
As far as Rice is concerned, China is the chief
geopolitical rival of the U.S. in the Pacific region
and is not simply one side or actor in the more narrow
dispute over the Taiwan Strait.

"The key tone set by Rice in her visit may well remain
in effect and guide Washington's security and
diplomatic strategy in Pacific area geopolitics for the
remainder of Bush's term. ."

PAAL