MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS

UNCLAS TAIPEI 004387

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: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS



1. SUMMARY: Taiwan dailies October 28 focused on the
latest development of a local scandal: local prosecutors
reportedly will summon today former Presidential Office
Deputy Secretary-General Chen Che-nan to further investigate
his role in the Kaohsiung MRT scandal.


2. Editorials and Commentaries: Pro-independence "Liberty
Times" urged in its editorial that the government should not
allow Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan, due to unimaginable
consequences. Another pro-independence newspaper, "Taiwan
Daily," editorialized that the Taiwan government should
penalize Taiwan politicians who sell-out Taiwan. END
SUMMARY


1. "China People Who Came to Taiwan Frequently Illegally
Overstayed in Taiwan. Consequences of Allowing China
Tourists to Visit China are Unimaginable"

Pro-independence, Taiwan's largest newspaper, "Liberty
Times" [circulation: 600,000] editorialized (10/28):

". China is paying a high price to buy-off Senegal, a
country that used to have diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
China at the same time is sending National Tourism
Administration Director [Shao Qiwei] to Taiwan to construct
a phony image (i.e. China is allowing its people to visit
Taiwan.) China is actually playing a trick that `carries
out the United Front policy in the name of sightseeing.'
Taiwan's countrymen therefore should not relax their
vigilance.

". Once Taiwan opens its market for China's tourists, Taiwan
might suffer from the damage caused by their illegal
overstays and infiltration before Taiwan receives actual
benefit. ."


2. "The Pan-Blue Alliance Echoed with China to Divide
[Taiwan's] Domestic Politics, and Isolate [Taiwan's] Foreign
Relations. The [Taiwan] Government Should Begin the
National Security Investigations and Penalize Such Treason"

Pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 150,000]
editorialized (10/28):

". China adopted means, through the cooperation with Taiwan
opposition politicians, to divide [Taiwan's] domestic
politics, and isolate [Taiwan's] foreign relations. Not
only Taiwan's status as a sovereign state would be
jeopardized, but Taiwan's democracy would be destroyed as
well. Moreover, China's attempts might intensify political
confrontations and disturbances on the island. The United
States, as a bystander, sees the situation clearly. This is
why former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Randy
Schriver said `Beijing wants to contact only the pan-Blue
alliance on the economic, trade, and other cross-Strait
issues. The development that Beijing rules out the
possibility of contacting the elected DPP government might
negatively impact cross-Strait relations. Schriver also
said the United States supports Taiwan people to decide
their own future. Schriver added that it would be Taiwan's
loss if Taiwan people make concessions under Beijing's
pressure. .'

". At this moment, the government should be more cautious
than before, and should begin national security
investigations in order to obtain information whether or not
Taiwan politicians have sold-out Taiwan. ."

KEEGAN