MEDIA REACTION: ASEAN/EAS AFTERMATH, U.S. ARMS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004913 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: ASEAN/EAS AFTERMATH, U.S. ARMS PROCUREMENTS ¶1. Summary: As major Chinese-language Taiwan dailies continued December 17-19 to report and speculate on the possible candidates for the next premier and the race of the DPP chairmanship, coverage also focused on the U.S. arms procurement bill. The centrist "China Times" ran a banner headline on its front page December 18 that read: "Bian Is Willing to Make Concession and the Pan-Blue Camp Is willing to Talk about the [U.S.] Arms Procurements." The newspaper also spent its whole page four discussing how the Chen Shui- bian administration and the pan-Blue camp can work to resolve the deadlocked U.S. arms procurement bill and which items of weaponry the Taiwan military wants to buy. With regard to the WTO ministerial meetings in Hong Kong, Taiwan papers gave moderate coverage to a WTO interim deal reached Sunday to end farm export subsidies by 2013 and the protests staged in Hong Kong. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, several opinion pieces discussed the recently-concluded East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur and its impact on Taiwan's future development. In addition, an editorial in the pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" urged the pan-Blue camp to renounce political manipulation and boycotts against the U.S. arms procurement bill so as to show Taiwan's determination to defend itself. End summary. ¶1. ASEAN/EAS Aftermath A) "An Integration Model That Is Characteristic of East Asia" Hung Tsai-lung, associate research fellow at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, said in an opinion piece in the centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (12/19): ". Even though the East Asia Summit (EAS) has yet to touch upon any substantive issues, its current development showed that a big framework for East Asia's future regional integration has emerged. In other words, EAS did not replace `ASEAN plus three' as it was originally designed to do; instead, both EAS and ASEAN will co-exist and complement each other. The EAS, which has more member states and is basically an opener and more outward-looking organization, will focus on non-economic and trade issues such as regional security and political cooperation, while the core `ASEAN plus three' will be responsible for promoting economic and trade integration in East Asia. It remains to be seen whether such a parallel development system can operate effectively and successfully, but at least a regional integration model that is characteristic of East Asia and different from that of the European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement is taking shape. . "It is generally expected that as regionalism grows more effective in East Asia, the United States will react more strongly [to such a development]. The most convenient method [for the United States to cope with such a development] will be to strengthen the function of APEC, in an attempt to use the broader `Asia Pacific' area to weaken the regional nature of `East Asia.' Other possible strategies [that may be adopted by the United States] include signing bilateral or multilateral free trade agreements with the East Asian nations in an effort to eliminate or at least reduce the weight of regionalism in East Asia. ." B) "EAS Belittled by Actions of ASEAN" Chen Hurng-yu, professor of political history at National Chengchi University, wrote in an opinion piece in the pro- independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (12/19): ". Unexpectedly, the East Asian stats, always planning and scheming, declared that EAS will be led by ASEAN, and that future summits will be held in ASEAN states. This was a sly gamble and ASEAN defeated the major economic powers that had been so eager to try their luck. The future direction and progress of the EAS will now be determined by ASEAN, something that surely vexes China, Japan and Australia. . "It could be said that these developments are belittling the EAS. If ASEAN had from the outset intended to really open up the EAS, it should have let it become a true East Asian organization, with nations from throughout the region enjoying equal membership and rotating hosting rights. This is the only way of giving the organization historic significance and value." C) "Taiwan Deserves a Seat at the EAS Table" Darson Chiu and Alex Hsu, both assistant research fellows at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, noted in an opinion piece in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 300,000] (12/19): ". From a trade and economic standpoint, there is no reason to exclude Taiwan [from the East Asia Summit]. However, lacking common roots, the idea of East Asian integration can only emerge if East Asians come to share a common vision of the future and are happy with their roles in such a vision. But the current reality is that East Asia is still far from fulfilling that vision. . If opportunities for participation don't exist, Taiwan should create them. By taking advantage of its location, Taiwan could serve as the hub between northeast Asian and southeast Asian business networks." ¶2. U.S. Arms Procurements "Only When the Pan-Blue Camp Renounces Political Manipulation and Boycotts Can There Be Real Hope for [the Passage] of U.S. Arms Procurement Bill" The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] editorialized (12/19): ". In an attempt to push for the passage of the U.S. arms procurement bill, all relevant government agencies, including the Defense Ministry and the Executive Yuan, should take the initiative to engage in open-minded communication with the opposition parties and work out a resolution that is acceptable for both sides. Defense Minister Lee Jye's plan to visit KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou in person to lobby and win Ma's and the KMT legislative caucus' support for the bill is a positive move that deserves our encouragement. The Executive branch has the responsibility to do all it can to ensure that the bill will be finally passed. "Taiwan is under increasing military threats from China as Beijing is deploying missiles along its southeastern coast aiming at Taiwan and also strengthening its navy combat capabilities. Taiwan, as a result, must use concrete actions to prove its determination to defend itself so that it can the attention of the international community to this situation. Both the ruling and opposition parties, in the wake of the [island-wide] elections, must put aside their partisan ideology, work together to ensure that the package arms procurement bill will be reviewed by the Legislative Yuan's Procedure Committee by the end of this session. Only by doing so can Taiwan demonstrate its determination and efforts to defend itself." PAAL