MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA SUMMIT

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001383

SIPDIS

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

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A


TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA SUMMIT



1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to
give significant coverage April 20 to the alleged bribery scandal
involving former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Chen
Che-nan, while Chinese President Hu Jintao's U.S. trip and his
scheduled meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush only received
moderate coverage. The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's
biggest daily, spent half of its page two on the Bush-Hu meeting and
ran a banner headline that read: "China Hopes Bush Will Openly
Express Opposition to [Taiwan] Independence, But the United States
Rejects [Such a Request]." The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" ran
a wire service news story on its page two with the headline: "U.S.
Congress Severely Criticizes China's Human Rights [Records]." The
pro-status quo "China Times" devoted two thirds of its page two on
Hu's speech delivered at the Microsoft headquarters and what will be
discussed during the upcoming Bush-Hu meeting. "China Times"
Washington correspondent Liu Ping said in a news analysis that while
there are reports about Taipei's anxiety over the Bush-Hu meeting,
Taiwan can remain cautiously optimistic as the Taiwan issue will
receive a moderate treatment, namely, the same U.S.-Taiwan policy as
before. The pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a news story on
its page four with the headline: "[U.S. Deputy Secretary of State
Robert] Zoellick: Bush Expects Bian to [Keep] His Five-Point Pledge
[to the U.S.]." A separate "United Daily News" news story quoted
Taiwan's representative to Washington David Lee as saying that
Washington has promised Taiwan it will resist Beijing's new pressure
on Taiwan.


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, "Liberty Times"
Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in a news analysis that as
the ideas that China will not challenge the United States and that
Washington is interested in accepting China as a hegemonic power in
the international community are gaining more and more momentum, it
will be more difficult for Taiwan to directly challenge Beijing in
Washington D.C. The "International Outlook" column in the "China
Times" said what's more noteworthy is whether Beijing and Washington
will, in their discussions, link the Taiwan issue with issues such
as North Korea's and Iran's nuclear programs. "China Times" Beijing
correspondent Angela Yu noted in a news analysis that the U.S. side
has done "vaccination" work to lower China's expectation over U.S.
treatment of the Taiwan issue and Bush is not expected to make any
harsh comments on Taiwan. Liu Kuan-teh, a Taipei-based political
commentator, opined in the limited-circulation, pro-independence,
English-language "Taipei Times" that for the Bush-Hu meeting, "more
attention should be focused on the extent to which the Bush
administration can transform China into a 'responsible
stakeholder.'" End summary.

A) "Lien Chan's Pro-China Stand Damages Taiwan's Diplomatic
Efforts"

Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in a news analysis in the
pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] (4/20):

"[Chinese President] Hu Jintao's move to play up the KMT-CCP forum
prior to his visit to the United States was clearly aimed at
promoting to the Bush administration his strategy of peaceful
development [across the Taiwan Strait] when he visits Washington
D.C. It was also aimed at highlighting Beijing's intention to
stabilize and improve cross-Strait relations and emphasizing the
fact that the Bian administration, which Beijing has constantly
refused to talk to, is the only trouble [for cross-Strait
relations]. Evidently, Beijing is fully confident that both the
United States and China can join hands to fight [Taiwan]
independence and use their united-front efforts to crash any force
in Taiwan that opposes them by turning democracy into a mechanism
that divides Taiwan and fuels infighting on the island. It is a
pity that Lien Chan has assisted Hu with his show of peace in
Washington while keeping mum about China's military threats and
suppression of Taiwan's space in the international community.

"[The ideas] that China will not challenge the United States and
that Washington is interested in accepting China as a hegemonic
power in the international community are gaining more and more
momentum. As a result, it will be more and more difficult for
Taiwan to directly challenge Beijing in Washington D.C. In the face
of such an increasingly difficult international climate, the Taiwan
leaders should ponder how the island can survive in peace while not
surrendering itself [to China]."

B) "North Korea's Nuclear Program, Iran's Nuclear Program, and the
Taiwan Issue [to Be Discussed] in the Bush-Hu Meeting"

The "International Outlook" column in the pro-status quo "China
Times" [circulation: 400,000] commented (4/20):

"U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said [Wednesday]
during a TV interview that during the talks between President George

W. Bush and [Chinese President] Hu Jintao, both sides will discuss
North Korea's nuclear program, Iran's nuclear program, and the

Taiwan issue. This is the first time that a high-ranking American
official has revealed that the nuclear programs on the Korean
Peninsula and in Iran will be included in the agenda of the
U.S.-China summit. ... What's more noteworthy is whether [Beijing
and Washington] will, in their discussions, link the Taiwan issue
with these two issues, since the former issue is something that
Washington is interested in talking about but Beijing tries to
avoid, while the latter ones are those that Washington does not want
to talk about but China will not easily let go of. ...

"In terms of the Taiwan issue, some [new] changes have occurred over
the past few years. Many China hands have discovered that Hu is
much tougher than [former Chinese President] Jiang Zemin when it
comes to the principles of the Chinese Communist Party and China as
a nation. [Under Hu's leadership,] China enacted the Anti-Secession
Law while at the same time is pursuing a conciliatory policy toward
Taiwan. ... Since the DPP government in Taiwan wants to proceed with
its roadmap of scrapping the National Unification Council and
pushing for a referendum on Taiwan's new constitution, Beijing will
thus turn to Washington for its opinion, [sources said]. If the
United States continues to stall Beijing off with the three
[U.S.-China] communiqus and the Taiwan Relations Act, Hu can thus
use [excuses like] lack of influence and peace talks as [vague]
resolutions to the nuclear problems on the Korean Peninsula and
Iran. ..."

C) "The United States and China Have Done Vaccination Work Over the
Taiwan Issue"

Beijing correspondent Angela Yu said in a news analysis in the
pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (4/20):

"... During his meeting with [KMT Honorary Chairman] Lien Chan two
days prior to his departure for a trip to the United States, Hu
Jintao announced 'four suggestions' [with regard to cross-Strait
situation] and expressed his hope to resume talks with Taiwan as
early as possible. Even though the Chinese officials involved in
Taiwan affairs denied that such a move was aimed at showing the
American people China's goodwill gesture to Taiwan before Hu's
meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, Washington nonetheless
saw Beijing's 'actions.'

"The United States believes that tensions across the Taiwan Strait
have been alleviated recently, and Bush does not want to see any new
problems related to the 'Taiwan issue' arise unexpectedly while
people inside Washington are still debating over 'China's rise' and
'China's threat.' A well-informed source in the U.S. revealed that
during the negotiations between Washington and Beijing, both sides
have already done some 'vaccination work' in an attempt to lower
Beijing's expectations over the U.S. treatment of the Taiwan issue.
In addition to directly indicating that the Taiwan issue is not a
focus of the Bush-Hu meeting, Washington also added that even if
Bush mentions the Taiwan issue, his remarks will not go beyond what
he said before but will simply emphasize that [Washington] 'does not
want to see any unilateral attempt by either side to alter the
status quo.' ..."

D) "Can China Really Be a Responsible Stakeholder?"

Liu Kan-teh, a Taipei-based political commentator, opined in the
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] (4/20):

"Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to meet US President
George W. Bush in the White House today. While most analyses have
said the discussion would focus on trade disputes and issues related
to the Korean Peninsular and Iran, more attention should be focused
on the extent to which the Bush administration can transform China
into a 'responsible stakeholder.' ...

"Therefore, instead of wildly guessing whether Bush will verbally
condemn recent moves by Taiwan's leader to provoke Beijing when he
meets Hu, the public and the local media should take into account
the larger political picture of how China should bear responsibility
internationally as a rising power. Moreover, discussion should also
focus on how a democratic Taiwan can help shape China's belligerent
and undemocratic mentality. Only by distinguishing Taiwan's
democracy and peace-loving free will from China's military-oriented
authoritarian rule will the global community fully understand the
need to breed a politically democratic and economically liberal
China."

YOUNG