MEDIA REACTION: TSUNAMI RELIEF, U.S.-CHINA-

UNCLAS TAIPEI 000030

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: TSUNAMI RELIEF, U.S.-CHINA-
TAIWAN RELATIONS


1. Tsunami Relief

"Relief Efforts for South Asia's [Tsunami Disaster]
Must Be Based on Human Rights and Also Serve Diplomatic
Purposes in Order to Win the [International
Community's] Respect"

The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" said in an
editorial (1/5):

". The United States' relief efforts [for the tsunami
disaster in South Asia] are also a demonstration of its
political strength. Washington has not only increased
its relief fund from USD35 million to 350 million - an
amount that exceeds that donated by China - but has
also sent battleships to the devastated areas in
Indonesia, using its navy helicopters to help deliver
food and other major supplies to the tsunami victims.
Another U.S. fleet carrying 1,500 Marine Corps soldiers
has also arrived in Sri Lanka for relief operations.
U.S. influence, which was believed to have disappeared
rapidly some time earlier, is now back [to the region]
because of this natural disaster. In the meantime, the
United States is acting proactively in an attempt to
use this opportunity to mend its deteriorating
relations with the Muslim countries. ."


2. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations

"Stability Offers Hope for Better Cross-Strait Ties"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News"
editorialized (1/5):

". Although the U.S. has upheld what it calls `our one-
China policy' for over 30 years, Washington has never
clearly defined what this `our one-China policy'
actually is and has stressed its hope that no side will
take actions to arbitrarily change the so-called
`status quo.'

"In effect, the U.S. has adopted a `legally ambiguous
but strategically in the U.S. sphere of influence'
stance regarding the position of Taiwan.

"In the future, relations between Washington and
Beijing will probably continue to develop on the basis
of this principle, which apparently cannot be altered
arbitrarily by any one person or political party. .

"Owing to the improvement in U.S.-PRC ties, the
situation in cross-strait relations should also tend to
become more stable and predictable.

"Washington is very anxious to encourage both Beijing
and Taipei to resume dialogue in order to ease cross-
strait tensions and open the possibility for more
positive mutual interaction.

"The statement made by President Chen Shui-bian in his
October 10 National Day Address that such dialogue
could resume on the foundations of the September 1992
talks in Hong Kong between Taipei's semi-official
Strait Exchange Foundation and Beijing's counterpart
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait
offered a `new element' to the picture that can act as
a lever to prepare the way for new talks.

"Whether the two sides can succeed in arranging lunar
new year holiday charter flights for Taiwan
businesspersons in China may provide a crucial test to
see whether cross-strait relations will worsen or
improve in the new year."

PAAL