Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
05TAIPEI4571 | 2005-11-14 23:06:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | American Institute Taiwan, Taipei |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004571 |
1. Summary: Major Chinese-language newspapers focused their coverage November 11-14 on Taiwan's upcoming 3-in-1 elections; the Presidential Office's probe into its former Deputy Secretary-General Chen Che-nan's misconduct; the Examination Yuan's decision to reduce pension payments to civil servants, teachers, and servicemen; and the annual Golden Horse Award, Taiwan's premier film award. The pro- independence "Taiwan Daily" ran a banner headline on its page two November 12 edition that read: "Bian Hopes [Taiwan Will] Have a New President and a New Constitution in 2008." The sub-headline added: "[President Chen Shui-bian] Hopes the New Constitution Will Clearly State that `Taiwan is Taiwan and not a Part of China' and Will Hand the Right to Amend the Constitution Back to the People of Taiwan." Several newspapers on November 12 also carried in their inside pages a press briefing held by the Washington D.C. Foreign Press Center last Thursday, in which a senior U.S. official urged China to have a dialogue with Taiwan's duly- elected government. 2. While most Taiwan newspapers continued to editorialize on local scandals November 11-14, Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao commented on U.S.-China relations in a news analysis in the pro-independence "Liberty Times." Tsao said Washington-Beijing ties are full of hidden reefs, and Washington's concerns over China's military development go beyond [China's threat to] cross Strait stability. An editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative, pro- unification, English-language "China Post" discussed Chinese President Hu Jintao's diplomatic forays, saying China is endeavoring to become a major player in the world arena. End summary. A) "U.S.-China Relations Full of Hidden Reefs" Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in a news analysis in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] (11/12): "Chinese President Hu Jintao changed China's `peaceful rising' into China's `peaceful development' during his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush at the UN General Assembly in September. But judging from the fact that prior to his [November] visit to Beijing, Bush used words such as `complicated' and `mixed' to describe Washington-Beijing relations and his reiteration to Chinese leaders that the United States supports the Taiwan Relations Act, [it is evident that] there are hidden reefs everywhere in U.S.- China relations. . "As a matter of fact, Washington's concerns over China's military development go beyond [China's threat to] cross Strait stability [sic]. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid a special visit to Mongolia when he traveled to Asia last month, and Bush will be the first U.S. president to visit Mongolia during his term of office. [Washington's] intention to curb China strategically is very clear. . "China's competition for energy, [its influential role in] the North Korean nuclear issue, as well as its push into Latin America and Africa, have aroused concerns from the U.S. Congress. Over the past two or three years, Washington has failed to heed China's role in global affairs, but it woke up suddenly to find China all over its radar screen and has started to pay attention to China's presence. Under such a circumstance and given the complicated and entangled economic issues [to be discussed] between the two countries, Bush's upcoming trip to Beijing and his dialogue with his Chinese counterpart will certainly not be an easy job." B) "Hu's Diplomatic Forays" The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000] wrote in an editorial (11/12): "Mainland Chinese leader Hu Jintao has been busy, making diplomatic forays to capitals all over the world. This is a far cry from his predecessors, who preferred to stay at home. The enigmatic Chinese president is now quite ubiquitous, rubbing shoulders with leaders of the world's richest as well as poorest nations. . "Call it an `all-dimensional diplomacy' if you want. It is indeed an all-out diplomatic campaign to establish mainland China as an emerging political power in addition to an economic power. It is not only the leader of the developing world. It is endeavoring to become a major player in the world arena. Are his efforts paying off? Yes, so far. . "His visit to Pyongyang last month was instrumental in the resumption of the six-party talks on Kim Jong Il's nuclear weapons programs. Washington, for one, should feel indebted to Beijing for twisting the arm of North Korea to bring it to the conference table. Beijing is the only country that wields real influence over this `evil axis' that dared to call Washington's bluff. . "But developed countries are also wooing mainland China and welcoming Hu with open arms. . No EU country can afford to ignore the mainland's huge market and insatiable appetite for European high-tech products such as commercial aircraft and high-speed trains. ." PAAL |