MEDIA REACTION: LIEN CHAN'S CHINA TRIP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002022

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: LIEN CHAN'S CHINA TRIP


1. Summary: KMT Chairman Lien Chan's return from his
trip to China and President Chen Shui-bian's comment on
Lien's trip Tuesday were the spotlight of the Taipei
dailies May 4. The front-page news story of the pro-
unification "United Daily News" and the page-two news
stories of the pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan
biggest daily, and the centrist "China Times" all
reported on Chen's remarks in Kiribati that cross-
Strait dialogue may come faster and earlier than
expected. In the meantime, these newspapers also
carried reports saying Chen denied that there is a
"1992 consensus" across the Taiwan Strait. The
"Liberty Times" reported on Chen's remarks on its front
page from a different angle which headlined: "Bian
strongly criticized Lien's comments that the KMT will
cooperate with China to counter Taiwan independence."
In addition, almost all the Chinese-language Taiwan
dailies carried State Department Spokesman Richard
Boucher's remarks Monday that the United States
supports a dialogue across the Taiwan Strait and that
Washington does not intend to try to manipulate or
organize such a process.


2. Almost all the editorials of the major Taipei
dailies sought to evaluate Lien Chan's China trip.
Editorials of the pro-independence "Liberty Times,"
"Taiwan Daily" and the limited-circulation, pro-
independence English-language "Taipei Times" defined
Lien's trip as a journey of failure that will bring
disaster for Taiwan. The centrist "China Times"
editorial, however, said Lien's trip has unveiled the
first page of a peace roadmap for both sides of the
Taiwan Strait. The editorial of the limited-
circulation, pro-unification English-language "China
Post" also said Lien's ice-breaking trip will have far-
reaching implications on Taiwan's domestic politics,
its relations with the mainland and the role Washington
plays in cross-strait ties. End summary.

A) "It Is Easy to Sell out [One's] Country but Very
Difficult to Pursue Honor - Something That Defeated
Politicians Should Ponder"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation:
600,000] editorialized (5/4):

". [KMT Chairman] Lien Chan's trip to China was by no
means a journey of peace but absolutely a journey of
failure, a journey that fawned over the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) and betrayed Taiwan. Lien's trip
is not a historical trip that ends civil war animosity
and starts the third round of cooperation between the
KMT and CCP but a trip that seeks to join hands with Hu
Jintao of the CCP in order to oppress and restrain
Taiwan and Chen Shui-bian. . In short, Lien's China
trip has exposed his narrow view, inflexibility, strong
mindset of hatred, and his grand Chinese mentality of
seeing himself as a `genuine Chinese." It is fortunate
that Taiwan is a democratic country whose politicians
need not to hide their mentality. It is even more
fortunate that the voters in Taiwan made a correct
judgment by not voting for Lien, or the island would
face an unprecedented disaster now."

B) "Lien Chan Fails to Secure Peace But Has Brought
Disasters to Taiwan's Democracy"

The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation:
150,000] commented in its editorial (5/4):

". Lien's China trip has made things very clear: under
the grand Chinese nationalism, the KMT's grudges with
the Chinese Communist Party are merely `internal
conflicts,' while the KMT's arguments with the DPP
government under Taiwan's democracy are the real
`clashes between one country and its enemy.' This is
the real historical disaster that Lien's China trip has
brought to the democratic Taiwan."

C) "It's Time for Lien to Come Clean"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times"
[circulation: 30,000] said in an editorial (5/3):

". Lien's trip has succeeded in cementing a place,
however small, in China's history. It has also
generated reasonable suspicion that he is preparing to
act treacherously against Taiwan. On his return, Lien
should present [President] Chen with a report on his
trip. He should also instruct the KMT legislative
caucus to end its boycott of the arms-procurement
budget. This will help repair the damage he has done
to his image among Taiwanese people.

"Lien must show that domestic stability is on his
agenda, otherwise he will have demonstrated that
Taiwan's basic interests do not coincide with his own."

D) "What Changes Has Lien Chan's China Trip Brought [to
Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait]?"

The centrist, pro-status quo "China Times"
[circulation: 600,000] commented in an editorial (5/4):

". First, it is certain that [KMT Chairman] Lien Chan's
China trip has successfully transformed the atmosphere
across the Taiwan Strait. Take a look at the cross-
Strait atmosphere about one and a half months ago when
Beijing insisted on enacting the Anti-Secession Law or
the atmosphere around half a year ago when Taiwan was
immersed in the heated debates of whether to change its
names or hold a referendum on a new constitution. At
that time, the international community was gravely
concerned that unpredictable conflicts might occur
anytime across the Taiwan Strait, and the United States
even strongly criticized Taiwan several times. Also at
that time, there was no possibility for a dialogue
across the Taiwan Strait, let alone talk about a peace
treaty or confidence-building measures. But now [we]
hear proposals regarding cross-Strait peace and
exchanges. The change of the atmosphere started
immediately when Lien set foot in mainland China!

"Lien's trip to China has also uncovered the current
mainstream public view in Taiwan; namely, people here
crave peace across the Taiwan Strait. Lien's China
trip has won the majority of the Taiwan people's
support despite the harsh criticism and attacks from
the Green Camp. The approval rate of Lien's trip
indicates that the `status quo' yearned for by the
Taiwan public now is not the status quo of `hostility
and confrontation' but the status quo of `peace and
interaction.' .

"Another point that is worth noting is that Lien's
China trip has made it impossible for Beijing to avoid
the `Republic of China' any more. Even though it may
still be too early for Beijing to treat the ROC
positively, Beijing has at least started to accept
indirectly that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are now
divided. .

"Perhaps [we] will have to wait until [PFP Chairman]
James Soong's trip to China, or even President Chen's
future trip to China to see substantive breakthroughs
in cross-Strait relations. But [we] believe that no
one can deny that such a big historical transformation
[with regard to the cross-Strait relations] was
triggered by Lien. Lien's China trip has indeed
unveiled the first page of a peace roadmap for both
sides of the Taiwan Strait, and no one can take away
his role in the history!"

E) "Lien's Triumphant PRC Visit May Have Wide
Implications"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language
"China Post" [circulation: 300,000] observed in an
editorial (5/4):

"Main opposition KMT chairman Lien Chan returned home
triumphantly yesterday after having made history
through a high-profile eight-day Chinese mainland trip
that culminated in a summit meeting with China's new
paramount leader Hu Jintao. The ice-breaking trip will
have far-reaching implications for Taiwan's domestic
politics, its relations with the mainland and the role
Washington plays in cross-strait ties. .

"The growing China fever brought about by the Lien
visit could eventually erode the role the U.S. has been
traditionally playing in relations between Taiwan and
the Chinese mainland. Once the thaw is achieved in the
political standoff across the strait, Taiwan would be
able to directly deal with Beijing, reducing the need
for Washington to play an intermediary role.

"If relations improve to the extent that leads to the
conclusion someday of a peace agreement between Taipei
and Beijing, this island might no longer feel necessary
to invest heavily in military equipment. Such a
development could reduce Taiwan's dependence on the
U.S. for the supply of weapons. ."

PAAL