MEDIA REACTION: Cross-Strait Relations

UNCLAS TAIPEI 002611

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: Cross-Strait Relations

Summary: 1. Taiwan dailies June 14 focused mainly on
domestic issues: flooding in Southern Taiwan, the
government's plan to tax the rich, etc. The centrist, pro-
status quo "China Times," however, focused on cross-Strait
relations. It carried a banner headline on the front page
that read "Premier Frank Hsieh Announced That The Government
Will Authorize the Taipei Aviation Transportation
Association and the Taiwan External Trade Development
Council to arrange for negotiations with China on cross-
Strait cargo flights and the sale of Taiwan agricultural
products to China. "


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, most newspapers
focused on domestic issues, e.g. a possible correlation
between tax reduction and birth rate, the wedding in
Taiwan's first family, and the single constituency, two
ballots system. But the pro-independence "Liberty Times"
focused on cross-Strait relations and editorialized that the
government as well as Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation
should secure Taiwan's sovereignty, which is the foundation
for any future negotiations with China. End summary.

A) "Securing Taiwan's Sovereignty As The Foundation For Any
Negotiations [with China]"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation:
800,000](06/14) editorialized:

". Chang Chun-hsiung, after taking the post as chairman of
the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF),pointed out that
whether his foundation can resume talks with China's
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS)
is a difficult and complex question, and added that the
[possibility of] talks involves the overall international
situation as well as both sides across the Strait. It is a
situation that Taiwan cannot act on alone. In other words,
the resumption of cross-Strait talks between the SEF and the
ARATS is a political question. The acknowledgement [of
Chang] is rather correct. Over the past ten years, the
cross-Strait situation as well as the international one has
changed a lot. Could the `white gloves' [SEF and ARATS]
that both sides across the Strait set up carry the same
function as before? It is indeed a good question.

"Everyone knows that SEF and ARATS carried out exchanges,
e.g. the meeting between former SEF Chairman C.F. Koo and
ARATS Chairman Wang Daohan in Singapore in 1993, due to the
fact that both sides of the Strait were willing to `set
aside their disputes,' and to talk about routine affairs.
China, however, has recently changed its attitude, and set
up unacceptable preconditions for Taiwan to carry out cross-
Strait contacts.

".It is not a simple cross-Strait problem since China has
threatened Taiwan with military force, and has attempted to
annex Taiwan's sovereignty. Neither is it a domestic
problem for China, but an international one that involves
several countries. There is a huge difference between China
and Taiwan, and it would not be satisfactory for Taiwan to
try to counter China by itself. It is Taiwan's special role
to understand clearly its strategic position, and to deal
with cross-Strait issues from a global perspective. Hence,
Taiwan cannot rule out its international partners and act
alone in its policy and behavior toward China. In that
vein, unless China is willing to negotiate without
preconditions in the future, the government as well the SEF
should not push for negotiations. To insist on Taiwan-
centered identity will be good enough."

PAAL