MEDIA REACTION: U.S. ARMS PROCUREMENTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004062

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ERIC
BARBORIAK
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. ARMS PROCUREMENTS


1. Summary: Major Chinese-language Taipei dailies
centered their coverage October 1-3 on Typhoon Longwang
(that hit Taiwan Sunday); the bombings in Bali,
Indonesia Saturday; Taiwan's year-end "3-in-1"
elections; and President Chen's unexpected stopovers in
Abu Dhabi and Bali. The pro-unification "United Daily
News" carried an exclusive news story on its second
page October 3 topped with the headline: "The
Deadlocked Arms Procurements May Be Resolved after the
Year-end [3-in-1] Elections." The sub-headline-added:
"The KMT, Acting in Accordance with [the Results] of an
Opinion Survey, Is Inclined to `Conditionally Allow
Arms Procurements [Bill to Be Reviewed]' in December or
the Next Legislative Yuan Session. The Proposal Will
Be Forwarded to Ma Ying-jeou for Final Decision."


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, Academia
Sinica's Institute of History and Philosophy Researcher
Hsu Cho-yun said in a commentary in the centrist, pro-
status quo "China Times" that it is in Taiwan's best
interest for "both sides of the Taiwan Strait [to]
reconcile and join hands." Following the people who
are promoting the U.S. arms procurement deal, he
maintains, would lead Taiwan to become "a scorched
battlefield." A commentary in the limited-circulation,
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China
Post" said the arms deal will get through in the end,
but the Taiwan's self-defense problem will remain. End
summary.

A) "Choices between Arms Procurements and Public
Opinion"

Hsu Cho-yun, research fellow at the Academia Sinica's
Institute of History and Philosophy, commented in the
centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation:
400,000] (10/3):

"A U.S. State Department official made strongly worded
remarks recently with regard to Taiwan's [blocked] arms
procurement bill. In terms of basic courtesy in
international relations, this medium-ranking official's
remarks were really inappropriate. .

"Taiwan's economy is already part of the global
economic network, in which mainland China's economy
plays a significant role. To revive Taiwan's economy,
the island's top priority is to work with Beijing in
creating a win-win situation within a peaceful climate
across the Taiwan Strait. The worst scenario, however,
will be that Taiwan relies on the United States as its
sole supporter and exhausts all its resources to
purchase armaments that it can hardly afford to buy in
an attempt to confront China. Washington's national
policy states clearly that it wants to seek China's
cooperation and it does not want to easily get into
conflict with Beijing. If Taiwan unilaterally and
rashly believes in the persuasions of those arms-deal
interest groups, deeming that the United States, in an
attempt to contain China, will definitely try the best
it can to help defend Taiwan should a war break out in
the Taiwan Strait, . the island will turn itself into a
scorched battlefield. .

"Judged from the afore-mentioned conclusion, [we know
that] the best way to save Taiwan is to maintain peace.
If both sides of the Taiwan Strait can reconcile and
join hands, the East Asian economic community can
rapidly develop and become one of the three major rival
forces in the world, standing balanced with North
America and Europe. ."

B) "Is U.S. Arms Deal No More Than a Political
Football?"

Joe Hung said in the conservative, pro-unification,
English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000]
(10/3):

". Washington's patience is wearing thin. What it
considers obscurantism on the part of the opposition
alliance of the Kuomintang (KMT) and the People First
Party (PFP) has compelled a ranking Pentagon official
to warn Taiwan against the delay in the arms
procurement. Edward Ross, director of the Defense
Security Cooperation Agency, lamented the arms package
has become a `political football' in Taipei and said:
`We cannot help defend you, if you cannot defend
yourself. In the end, the U.S. ability to contribute
to Taiwan's defense in a crisis is going to be measured
against Taiwan's ability to resist, defend and survive
based on its own capabilities.'

"That's very blunt warning. What in gist he said was
if Taiwan does not buy the weapons and equipment, the
United States will not be able to help it defend
itself. The truth is that the arms purchase is not a
simple political football. .

"The arms deal will get through in the end. But the
problem of self-defense remains. Generals of admirals
doubt their officers and men can effectively use all
the sophisticated weapons and equipment in defense of
Taiwan. Morale is low. Discipline is lax at best.
Training is insufficient. . Can admirals trust the crew
of a yet-to-be-purchased submarine with costly
torpedoes, which, more likely than not, would miss
their targets in combat?

"What's the use of expensive, sophisticated weapons
that cannot be put into effective use? The last
question strengthens the determination of war planners
to reject any expensive arms purchase from the United
States."

PAAL