MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003178

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


1. Summary: While the major Chinese-language Taipei
dailies continued July 28 to focus their coverage on
the game-rigging/player-bribery scandal in Taiwan's
Professional Baseball League, they also reported on the
outbreak of a deadly but unidentified disease in
Sichuan, the escalating incidence of avian flu in the
region, and Taiwan's Han Kuang No. 21 military
exercises. The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" ran an
article on its front page concerning the exercise as
well as a seminar held in Washington, DC, on the recent
Pentagon report on China's military strength. The
headline for this article read: "U.S. military
specialists: Taiwan should enhance its defense
capabilities to prevent [the possibility that U.S.
forces] might not be able to come to Taiwan's aid in
time." The sub-headline added: "If [Taiwan] loses its
capability to resist immediately after it is attacked,
it would be difficult for the United States to turn the
situation [around for the better]. [Taiwan President]
Bian observed the `Han Kuang military exercises' and
requests again [that the Legislative Yuan pass] the
arms procurement bill."

In the wake of President Chen's remarks made about
cross-Strait relations during a video conference with
members of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan
July 26, all the major Chinese-language newspapers
reported in their inside pages July 28 that Premier
Frank Hsieh has already instructed the Mainland Affairs
Council to review cross-Strait economic and trade
collaboration projects as soon as possible to implement
President Chen Shui-bian's policy of "effective
management." The centrist "China Times" carried a news
story that was topped with the headline: "Cabinet: [The
government] will retreat if it fails to effective
manage its westbound [policy]."


2. In terms of editorials, several pro-independence
newspapers continued to editorialize on Chen's remarks
in the videoconference on the cross-Strait ties. An
editorial of the pro-independence "Liberty Times,"
Taipei's biggest daily, said President Chen has
promoted the concept of "a new balance of power across
the Taiwan Strait" to the international community to
mean that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are already
"one country on each side" and the lie of "one China"
has been shattered. A "Taiwan Daily" editorial echoed
Chen's call for "effective management" of Taiwan's high-
tech industry's investment in China, saying that the
economic and trade exchanges across the Taiwan Strait
must be cooled off. An editorial in the limited-
circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei
Times" criticized the Pan-Blue Camp for blocking the
arms procurement bill that would help to strengthen
Taiwan's defense capabilities. End summary.

A) "[The Establishment of] `A New Balance of Power
Across the Taiwan Strait' Must Be Based on Sovereignty"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation:
800,000] editorialized (7/28):

". [President Chen Shui-bian's] advocacy of the concept
of `a new balance of power across the Taiwan Strait' is
a proclamation to the international community that it
is an existing fact that both sides of the Taiwan
Strait are already `one country on each side [of the
Strait]' and shatters the lie of `one China.' In the
meantime, it has instilled the [concept] of `democracy'
into Taiwan's independent sovereignty and highlighted
[the fact] that not only do the sovereignties of both
sides of the Taiwan Strait not belong to one another,
but also the differences in their systems are [that of]
a barbaric communist totalitarianism versus civilized
democracy and freedom. In other words, the conflicts
between China and Taiwan are not only disputes between
sovereignties of two countries, but it also involves
conflicts between two sets of different values and
systems. As a result, [the fact that] Taiwan is
threatened by China is in essence similar to the fact
that the global democratic community is threatened by
communist China. In addition, China's [expansive]
military capability is stretching [beyond the region]
to cover India, Russia, the entire territory of the
United States, and other Asian-Pacific countries such
as Australia and New Zealand. This has all the more
proven that China's rise is a non-peaceful one and
constitutes a serious threat to global peace and
stability.

"It is a fact that given the gap between the national
strengths of Taiwan and China, Taiwan must work with
democratic countries like the United States, Japan and
the European Union in order to resist China's
aggressiveness [aimed at] annexing the island. The
concept of `a new balance of power across the Taiwan
Strait' as advocated by President Chen will connect
`Taiwan's democracy' and `cross-Strait peace' together,
and by the same token, link Taiwan's safety with the
stability and development of the global democratic
community. Chen's well-intentioned move deserves [our]
support and compliments. The purpose of his doing so
was because Taiwan, in the face of China's military
threats, does not only defend itself but is also
serving as a strong pillar for the global democratic
community [in the] fight against the Communism of
centralized authority. ."

B) "China Coerces Taiwan Businessmen [on the Mainland]
to Serve as Tools of Its United Front Tactics in an
Attempt to `Manipulate [the Taiwan] Government via Its
Businessmen], So the Trade Activities across the Taiwan
Strait Should Be Cooled off"

The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation:
150,000] wrote in an editorial (7/28):

". This newspaper agrees with President Chen's
proclamatory remarks. The Beijing government,
following the enactment of the `Anti-Secession Law' in
particular, has used every depraved means it can to
coerce Taiwan businessmen on the mainland to become the
tools of its United Front tactics in an attempt to
`manipulate [the Taiwan] government via its
businessmen.' Taiwan, of course, must no longer have
this wishful thinking or fall into the illusion of
`opening first. .'

"It is evident that in the wake of China's enactment of
the `Anti-Secession Law,' trade activities across the
Taiwan Strait have become a point of emphasis for
Beijing to sow discord within Taiwan. . This newspaper
believes that in addition to `effective management,'
the government must also thoroughly review and slow
down certain exchange activities across the Taiwan
Strait. The government should encourage local
industries to invest in other countries whose
investment risks are much lower that those of China's.
At least, those countries will not dare to employ
depraved tactics, as China does, to coerce Taiwan
businessmen to turn against their own country and
people."

C) "KMT's Flip-flop Endangers the Nation"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times"
[circulation: 30,000] noted in an editorial (7/28):

"China's continued military expansion has not only
increased tension across the Taiwan Strait, but has
also made Japan, the US and other nations nervous. The
US, as the world's policeman, is especially troubled,
for it is responsible for maintaining security in the
Asia-Pacific region. If Taiwan's position became
endangered, the US could not easily ignore the
situation. .

". The arms procurement bill, so long delayed by the
legislature, is really a test of the Taiwanese people's
will to defend themselves. If the bill is passed, it
will substantially improve the nation's ability to
defend itself. And it will also tell the international
community that the Taiwanese people are determined to
continue moving toward greater autonomy.

"At the same time, the pan-blue camp's obstructionism
highlights the lack of a central guiding idea in
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party
(PFP) positions. . The KMT's fickle ways only prove
that the party lacks a clear and constructive political
plan. How could such a party gain the public's trust?"

PAAL