Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI2195
2005-05-16 09:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AND

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO TW 
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160913Z May 05
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002195 

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: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AND
TAIWAN OPPOSITION RELATIONS WITH BEIJING


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002195

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: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AND
TAIWAN OPPOSITION RELATIONS WITH BEIJING



1. Summary: A surprise election victory for Taiwan President
Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party and a new
round of cross-Strait disputes over the World Health
Organization issue were the highlights of Taiwan dailies May
14-16. All major Taiwan newspapers reported May 15 on their
front pages that the governing DPP affirmed its position as
Taiwan's largest political party with 42.52 percent of
votes, compared with the 38.92 percent of votes garnered by
the KMT, in a special National Assembly election marred with
record-low voter turnout of 23.36 percent. Before the
election, several opinion polls had suggested the DPP might
lose the election after recent visits to Beijing by KMT
Chairman Lien Chan and PFP Chairman James Soong. The pro-
independence "Liberty Times," ran a banner headline that
read: "National Assembly Members Elected. Constitutional
Reforms Assured." The front-page headline of the pro-
unification "United Daily News" said: "Political Parties for
Constitutional Reform Win National Assembly Election." The
pro-status quo "China Times" also fronted with a banner:
"Big Victory for Two Parties. Constitutional Amendments
Affirmed."


2. Disputes between China and Taiwan over the island's
efforts to become a member of the World Health Organization
caught the attention of Taiwan dailies on May 16, with the
coverage implying that recent "China Fever" has little
impact the real-world situations. The front-page story in
the "China Times" read, "China Again Blocks Taiwan's Bid to
Join WHO with an MOU to Downgrade Taiwan." The "Liberty
Times" carried a front-page banner that said, "The World
Medical Association Passes Resolution to Support Taiwan's
Entry into WHO." Meanwhile, the "United Daily News"
published a similar story on page 10 with headline: "WHO
Signs MOU with China without Taiwan's Consent."


3. In terms of editorials, pro-independence "Liberty Times,"
and the "Taiwan News" interpreted the DPP win in the
National Assembly election as a vote of distrust for the
China-leaning opposition leaders and a vote reaffirming
Taiwan identity. A columnist for the pro-status quo "China
Times," in reviewing impact generated by recent China visits
by opposition leaders, warned Taiwan authorities to do more

to take the lead in solving cross-Strait problems. A
separate "China Times" editorial said China should make more
goodwill gestures to ease cross-Strait tensions. The pro-
unification "China Post" lauded the China visits by Lien and
Soong and said they have made a positive contribution to
cross-Strait relations, but it noted their missions are far
from complete. End of summary.

A) "Taiwan People Despise Political Parties Leaning Toward
China"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 800,000]
editorialized (5/15):

". although voter turnout in the National Assembly elections
was the lowest [in Taiwan's election history,] we can still
interpret some information from it. Although both the DPP
(insisting on Taiwan's position) and the KMT (insisting on
the `One China' [principle] and the `1992 consensus')
support the motion to put referendum into the Constitution,
the DPP won more votes than the KMT; both the TSU (insisting
on Taiwan's name-change plan and the constitutional reform)
and the PFP (insisting on the `One China' [principle] and
the `1992 consensus') are against the motion to put
referendum into the Constitution, but the TSU won more seats
than the PFP. The phenomenon shows that KMT Chairman Lien
Chan and PFP Chairman James Soong cannot cheat mainstream
Taiwan voters even though Lien and Soong brought back to
Taiwan gifts from China's President Hu Jintao. Taiwan
voters despise Lien and Soong's attempt to `unite with the
CCP to counter Taiwan.' The fact is indeed a warning that
the majority of voters do not support the imaginary meeting
between President Chen Shui-bian and China's President Hu
Jintao. ."

B) "Voters Rain Out `China Fever'"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News"
[circulation 20,000] noted in its editorial (5/16):

". The DPP's expansion of its vote share from 35.7 percent
last December to 42.5 percent should be seen as an
affirmation of its values of democratic reform and promotion
of Taiwan autonomy and a reflection of the fact that the DPP
was the only major party to carry out a genuine grass-roots
campaign for what it called the `Carnation' constitutional
reform.

"Moreover, the direct, if controversial, intervention of
President Chen in the last week broke through the media's
obsession with `China Fever' and other distractions, while
the DPP party's trenchant and justified critiques of the
Lien and Soong trips refocused attention on the importance
of democratic constitutional reform in `resisting China' and
ensuring that the Taiwan people have the final right to
determine their own future.

". The other major loser was the CCP regime in Beijing.
Taiwan's voters have undoubtedly inflicted a setback on
Beijing's transparent campaign to `divide and rule' Taiwan
by fostering a cross-Strait `united front' against Taiwan
democracy and independence among the opposition KMT and PFP
with the PRC's ruling CCP.

". We applaud Taiwan's electorate, which has wisely used
their ballots to squelch this wave of `China Fever'. We
urge President Chen to use this momentum wisely as a
platform to build majority support based on the DPP's core
values of `democracy, reform, and sincerity' instead of
pursuing short-term political advantage."

C) "Creating a Grand Future by Making a Grand Resolution"

Columnist Nan Fang-shuo wrote in the centrist, pro-status
quo "China Times" [circulation: 600,000] (5/16):

". Even though the record low turnout may not reflect
reality, this is still a formal election regardless of how
low the turnout was. The results will be treated and
interpreted as reality. This also means that the National
Assembly election results have eased the public opinion
pressure caused by the cross-Strait fever. They have also
given reasons not to make any adjustment to the `Taiwan
independence argument.' Moving toward Taiwan independence
could even be accelerated because the pressure and crisis
resulted from the cross-Strait fever have been temporarily
relieved. .

". For example, `The Washington Post' is following suit and
playing the word games [of one China, two interpretations or
two sides, one China]. As this newspaper takes a position
close to the official [U.S. position], this indeed indicates
that there are some Americans who have tried hard to play
the role of resolving the deadlock between the two sides
across the Strait. Not only must the United States help to
resolve the issue. Taiwan, in particular, needs to help
itself. From the recent political clashes at the airport
and the internal chaos of the Pan-Green camp, one can see
the incumbent government is stuck in the `Taiwan
independence argument' trap it dug itself in the past.
Really responsible political figures or parties cannot just
be the hostage of their past statements. They must create
new future public opinions by a `grand resolution.' This
may be what the incumbent government should put into
deliberation. ."

D) "Instead of being Entangled in Words Taiwan would rather
Face Real Problems"

The centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation:
600,000] editorialized (5/15):

". President Chen Shui-bian and the Pan-Green alliance
mainly criticized the first point in the communiqu released
after the meeting between PFP Chairman James Soong and
China's President Hu Jintao. They criticized in particular
the interpretation of the so-called `both sides of the
Strait, One China.' Soong expected that the recovery of the
oral interpretations [of One China] in the 1992 cross-Strait
talks could lead to a breakthrough regarding different views
of the `1992 consensus.' But since Soong added `both sides
of the Strait, One China' in quotation marks right behind
the words `1992 consensus,' he has not solved the old
problem [the 1992 consensus], but has created a new one. .

" . since Soong's visit to China is caught up in the quarrel
of `both sides of the Strait, One China,' Soong's efforts in
other aspects have been totally ignored. .

" . If both sides of the Strait can cooperate on items such
as economics, agriculture and tourism first, accumulate
enough mutual trust, then conduct dialogue on contentious
issues such as the `1992 consensus,' would it be more
possible to achieve positive outcomes?

" .To be frank, if Beijing still utilizes every means to
block Taiwan [from participating in the WHA] as it always
does, or even humiliates Taiwan as China has in previous
years, the result would show that China cannot pass the
first test [in terms of China's goodwill toward Taiwan], and
it would be more difficult for Taiwan to carry out further
dialogue with China."

E) "Mission Unaccomplished"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China
Post" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/14):

". The gifts Soong brought back from the mainland include a
timetable for starting all out direct transport, trade and
remittance links with the mainland in 2006, and the
establishment of a free trade area. But translating these
words into action would need the help of the government.

"So far the Chen administration is resisting Beijing's
largess, including Taiwan's fruit exports to the mainland at
zero tariff. The government is accusing Lien and Soong of
selling out Taiwan by cozying up to the Chinese communists.
But how effective such smear tactics will work remains in
doubt, as more and more people are beginning to realize the
importance and benefits of improved relations with the
mainland.

"The two visits in a row by leaders of the two largest
opposition parties are epoch-making. Peace was Lien's goal
in the first encounter between the Kuomintang and the
Chinese Communist Party in 60 years. Peace is the common
aspiration of the people of both sides. Lien's visit, in
the wake of Beijing's passing of its anti-secession law, was
a positive move to promote peace.

"Soong's subsequent visit to build a bridge of
reconciliation and a government-to-government contact was
also an admirable effort. Yet greater efforts are needed to
complete the bridge."

PAAL