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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003638

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: Major Chinese-language Taipei dailies focused
their coverage September 1 - 2 on the damage caused by
typhoon Talim, and the death of a visiting Chinese official,
Zhu Xiangdong, at a spa on Yangmingshan outside Taipei.
Several Taipei dailies also reported on the schedules of
former President Lee Teng-hui and President Chen Shui-bian's
for their separate visits/transits in the United States.
The conservative, pro-status quo "United Daily News" carried
stories on the schedules topped with the headlines: "Bian
Will Visit Foreign Countries in Late September, and He Will
Meet with Jeb Bush," and "Lee Teng-hui Will Visit the United
States Next Month, and He Will Deliver a Speech in
Washington D.C." The Pro-independence "Taiwan Daily"
carried the news with the headlines: "During the Transit in
the United States, Bian Will Meet with George Bush's Brother
Jeb Bush," and "Lee Teng-hui Will Deliver a Speech in
Washington D.C. October 6." Taiwan's largest daily, the pro-
independence "Liberty Times," downplayed the news about
President Chen's transit in the United States, and
completely ignored former President Lee's upcoming U.S.
visit.


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in
the "Taiwan Daily" said U.S.-Taiwan relations have improved,
as shown by the fact that the United States is allowing
former President Lee Teng-hui to visit the country, and is
allowing President Chen Shui-bian to transit the country.
The limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language
"Taipei Times" urged the Taiwan authorities to take action
to respond to China's "united front" tactics. End summary.


1. "[Former President] Lee Teng-hui's U.S. Visit and
President Chen Shui-bian's Miami Transit are Important
Indicators for Improved Taiwan-U.S. Relations."

The pro-independence, "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000]
carried in its editorial (09/02) that:

". Taiwan has tried to broaden its international space for
survival via "pragmatic diplomacy," and through the
combination of friendly strengths in the United States
amongst politicians and civilians. There is, however, a
long history of China obstructing and thwarting Taiwan's
efforts. This time is no exception. A U.S. Department of
State official previously said [former President] Lee Teng-
hui could only visit the United States as a `private
individual.' U.S. Ambassador (retired) and Heritage
Foundation Senior Researcher Harvey Feldman, however, said
it is not surprising that Beijing submitted objections to
the United States [about the visit], and added that the U.S.
Department of State considers Lee a private individual, and
thereby there is no reason to restrict his U.S. journeys,
including a visit to Washington D.C. .

".[T]he United States knows well that there have been severe
political confrontations in Taiwan, and there is a sharp
distinction between the Pan-Blue and the Pan-Green
alliances; it is thereby difficult for the U.S. arms
procurement bill to get reviewed [in the Legislative Yuan].
The U.S. side has not blamed the Pan-Green alliance or given
it complete responsibility for [the delayed passage of the
bill]. [Former President] Lee Teng-hui's U.S. visit and
President Chen Shui-bian's Miami transit are proof of
improved Taiwan-U.S. relations.

"As a matter of fact, whether Taiwan and China could get
along with each other peacefully depends on not only the
balance between two sides of the Strait in terms of military
and economics, but the balance of the United State and Japan
in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States has been busy
reconstructing Iraq, and it does not want for the peace in
the Asia-Pacific to be threatened. The United States is so
worried about China's military emergence, and U.S. high-
ranking officials have called upon both sides of the Taiwan
Strait to exercise constraint, and to replace confrontations
with dialogues.

". [As far as] Taiwan's situation is concerned, if [Taiwan]
could collaborate with international friendly powers,
including the United States, Japan, or Asian countries like
Vietnam, it would help Taiwan to better confront the brutal
Chinese regime. [That's' why] Lee Teng-hui has
particularly scheduled trips to New York and Washington D.C.
in his U.S. visit.

".[A]s to the speech to be delivered at the National Press
Club in Washington, D.C., it will help to change the
misunderstandings of the U.S. press toward Taiwan's
political situation since 2004. It will also promote the
sympathy of Americans toward Taiwan's situation [in the
world], and it will enable the friendly fractions in the
U.S. Congress to link with Taiwan again and expand their
influence. It will also urge the U.S. authorities to regard
[Taiwan] highly, and to reexamine how the national strengths
of countries in the Asia-Pacific region ebb and flow. ."


2. "Beware of Poisoned Offerings"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (09/01):

"Beijing has stepped up its `united front' against Taiwan by
widening the scope of its offensive to include not only
China-based Taiwanese businesspeople and senior politicians
but farmers, students and low-level party members as well.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, sadly,
appears to be at its wits' end about how to cope with the
problem. In its efforts to avoid whipping up the recent wave
of `China fever,' it has done little more than chant slogans
and talk about `staying cool.' .

".The scholarships won't cost the Chinese leadership very
much, and they offer a huge return on the investment -- the
chance to brainwash young Taiwanese to become a `pure
Chinese' and plant a new generation of pro-China seedlings
who can continue to be cultivated after they return home.
China doesn't much care if its motives are obvious. It has
even said that `its recruitment of Taiwanese students to
study in China is a part of the mother country's unification
agenda.' .

"Beijing, of course, has taken advantage of the DPP's wishy-
washiness to escalate its offensive. Its tactics are
cleverly calculated and substantial. Taipei, bogged down by
inertia, seems barely able to raise its head and then only
to mutter a few more slogans or engage in a half-hearted war
of words with the pan-blue opposition.

"As the saying goes, "to be too lenient is to breed evil."
The government's ineptitude simply encourages China to even
bolder measures, aided and abetted by the opposition
politicians here. Even if the government is incapable of
exerting itself, however, the people of Taiwan should take
it upon themselves to be on guard against Beijing's poisoned
apples. Their future depends on it."

KEEGAN