MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003072

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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS


1. Summary: While the Taipei dailies continued July 20
to focus their coverage on the aftermath of Typhoon
Haitang and local politics, it is noteworthy to see
that the pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's
biggest daily, printed a banner headline on its front
page that read: "United States joins hands with India
to restrain China by lifting the ban on exports of
nuclear technology to India." The centrist "China
Times" approached the issue of the rise of China from a
different angle -- it reported on its front page that
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) test-fired a
revised version of the Dongfeng-15 short-range tactical
missile last week, and that the PLA has moved its
troops to Dongshan Island in preparation for its annual
military exercises.


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, several
Chinese-language Taipei dailies editorialized on the
new tasks facing new KMT Chairman-elect Ma Ying-jeou.
Journalist Sun Yang-ming of the pro-unification "United
Daily News," on the other hand, focused on U.S.-China-
Taiwan relations. In his June 20 op-ed piece, Sung
said KMT Chairman Lien Chan's trip to Beijing in April
was, to a certain extent, facilitated by the Bush
administration. End summary.

"To Ponder on [KMT Chairman] Lien Chan's Trip to
Washington"

Journalist Sun Yang-ming noted in the "United Notes"
column of the conservative, pro-unification "United
Daily News" [circulation: 600,000] (7/20):

". [KMT Chairman] Lien Chan's reputation reached a peak
in Taiwan following his visit to Beijing in April;
opinion surveys showed that Lien's approval rating was
much higher even than that of President Chen Shui-
bian's. But few people knew that Lien's Beijing trip
was, to a certain extent, facilitated by the Bush
administration.

"Washington has lately stopped using the so-called
`3Cs' - `Constructive, Candid, and Cooperative' - to
describe its `China policy' and has replaced them with
the words `hedge,' a word of uncertainty, or `complex,'
as used by [U.S. President George W.] Bush.
Nonetheless, the United States remained as a proactive
factor that pushed for Lien's trip to Beijing in April.

"When planning for his journey of peace to mainland
China, Lien was once very hesitant [about whether to go
on the trip or not] because he was very cautious about
the possibility that the Chen Shui-bian administration
might [seize the opportunity to] accuse him of being an
ally of China. But Washington clearly indicated at
that time that it was `happy to see' Lien take his
Beijing trip as planned. As a result, even though the
Bian administration had attempted to [adopt the
traditional method] by describing Lien's Beijing trip
as a move to `sell out Taiwan,' it was forced to put on
the brake immediately afterwards. The U.S. attitude
was precisely the main reason behind this [dramatic
change].

"As a matter of fact, during the summit between Bush
and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao last year, Bush
clearly told Hu that he could meet with Taiwan's
opposition parties first if the current situation did
not allow him to talk with Chen. Certain U.S. influence
was [obviously] involved behind the fact that Beijing
was willing to meet with the chairmen of the KMT and
PFP.

"What's more intriguing is [the fact] that in the wake
of Lien's mainland trip, the United States and Lien
started to bypass the Bian administration and work on
plans for Lien's trip to Washington. Their original
plan was to have Lien, as part of a non-stop effort,
start his trip to Washington in June, but the trip was
postponed due to U.S. factors.

"The positive evaluation given by Washington to Lien
following his Beijing trip, and Lien's planned follow-
up trip to Washington, plus his planned meeting with
Bush, are viewed, in reality, as moves by the United
States to place pressure on the Bian administration's
cross-Strait policy; they are also part of the United
States' `one China policy.'

"Lien's Beijing trip has sparked a new wave of
`mainland fever' in Taiwan. Some people in Beijing,
based on this development, believe that in the
foreseeable future, the United States will surely try
to put on the brake on Taiwan's `mainland fever.'
Nonetheless, Lien's trip to Washington this time has
practically indicated that Washington has offered
formal approval in public to Lien's Beijing trip. Such
a development has indeed astonished many people.

"But following the development of the current
situation, it is worth paying attention to see what the
next step of the United States' Asia-Pacific/cross-
Strait policy will be."

PAAL