TAIWAN: GETTING PAST THE ANTI-SECESSION LAW?

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 002335 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/RSP/TC E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL TW SUBJECT: TAIWAN: GETTING PAST THE ANTI-SECESSION LAW? Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, reason 1.4 b/d ¶1. (C) Meeting with the AIT Director May 27, Executive Yuan Secretary General Lee Ying-yuan said that the DPP leadership SIPDIS recognizes the current opportunity presented by the slight softening of the Chinese position on cross-Strait contacts and will move to take advantage of the chance to undertake pragmatic steps to increase trade and tourism. Lee insisted that President Chen had been planning to ratchet down his anti-Chinese rhetoric and move to gradually normalize cross-Strait flights after the December Legislative Yuan elections, but that his hands had been tied when China announced and passed the Anti-Secession Law (ASL). Chen's plans were further delayed when Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien and People First Party (PFP) Chairman Soong traveled to China, Lee said. But Lee insisted that the "China fever" produced by these events have just about played out and that the government would be willing and able to move after the KMT leadership election. ¶2. (C) Lee suggested several areas where the government could respond in ways that would normalize cross-Strait contacts -- including reducing the number of prohibited imports from China and considering how to allow Taiwan fruit exports to the mainland. He noted that farmers tended to strongly support the DPP and insisted that fruit exports would happen, but clearly had reservations about reducing Taiwan,s agricultural trade barriers to Chinese produce, citing the need to protect Taiwan,s environment and health. Lee agreed that Taiwan had thus far failed to take advantage of opportunities to promote tourism and noted that newly appointed DG of the Board of Tourism Hsu Wen-sheng had been charged by Premier Hsieh to increase tourism revenues by working with the county governments to promote local attractions. However, Lee did not explicitly endorse increasing the numbers of Chinese tourists. PAAL