MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S TRANSITS IN THE

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001525

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: PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S TRANSITS IN THE
UNITED STATES



1. Summary: Taiwan's dailies gave significant reporting and
editorial coverage May 3 to the details of President Chen
Shui-bian's transits in the United States. With the exception of
the mass-circulation "Apple Daily," all papers reported on their
front page that Chen may postpone his departure for a trip to
Paraguay and Costa Rica due to haggling with Washington over his
transit sites in the U.S. The pro-independence "Liberty Times,"
Taiwan's biggest daily, ran a banner headline on its front page that
read: "At the Critical Moment When [Washington] Is Mediating the
Iranian Nuclear Crisis, the United States Decides to Allow Bian Pure
Transits [in the U.S.]" The "Apple Daily," on the other hand, ran a
color banner headline on its page two that said: "The United States
Rudely Makes Things Difficult [for Chen]; Bian Gets Insulted on His
Trip Overseas." The front-page headline of the pro-unification
"United Daily News" said "A Big Setback: The United States Does Not
Allow Bian to Transit in the U.S. Mainland," while the front-page
news story of the pro-status quo "China Times" read: "The United
States Allows Bian to Transit in Hawaii and Alaska." The "United
Daily News" also ran a news story on its page two with the headline:
"The United States Has Had Enough of Bian's Playing [the Tricks of]
'Cutting One's Feet to Fit the Shoes' [i.e. Chen has been trying to
gain his own POLITICAL benefits at the expense of U.S.-Taiwan
relations]."


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, the "Free Talk" column
in the "Liberty Times" firmly told Washington that Taiwan will not
be crushed under pressure and that it is against the U.S. founding
spirit and its long-term interests if it tries to put pressure on
Taiwan when the latter is suppressed by China. An "Apple Daily"
editorial said Chen will not lose no matter whether he gets to
transit in the United States or not - that is, he can upset China if
he is allowed to transit in the United States, and he can win the
pro-Green voters' support if he gets insulted for failing to transit
in the continental U.S. Columnist Antonio Chiang, however, said in
the "Apple Daily" that Washington's humiliation of Chen will be
shared by all the Taiwan people. An editorial in the
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei
Times" urged Taiwan to restrain itself from conducting 'stopover
diplomacy' and to put the focus of its diplomatic enterprise on
allies that have official ties with Taiwan. A "United Daily News"
editorial, however, called Washington's way of handling Chen's
transits a big slap in Chen's face and a severe blow to
Taipei-Washington ties. A "China Times" news analysis said Taiwan's
space in the international community is quickly squeezed under
attacks from both the United States and China. An editorial in the
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language
"China Post" urged Chen to quickly repair Taiwan's RELATIONS with
Washington. End summary.

A) "Taiwan Will Not Be Crushed Under Pressure"

The "Free Talk" column in the pro-independence "Liberty Times"
[circulation: 600,000] wrote (5/3):

"... The series of [diplomatic] gaffes that happened during [Chinese
President] Hu Jintao's recent trip to the United States upset China,
which, instead, vent its anger by suppressing Taiwan. China's
Foreign Ministry demanded that the U.S. government disallow
President Chen to transit [in the United States] and its bottom line
is that A-bian must not set foot on the U.S. mainland. China also
falsely accused A-bian for attempting to promote Taiwan independence
in the United States.

"China's attempts evidently succeeded. Even though the Bush
administration agreed with Chen's transits, it did not allow him to
transit in the U.S. mainland. Such a development has again made the
Taiwan people feel China's rudeness and barbarity, and we are very
sorry to learn about the United States' succumbing to the interests
of international reality and failure to stick to its principle!

"Today, history repeats itself again. We want to formally inform
the United States that Taiwan and the United States share common
faith in democracy and share long-term interests. Taiwan will not
be crushed under pressure. It is not only against the U.S. founding
spirits but also its long-term interests if it tries to put pressure
on Taiwan when the latter is suppressed by China!"

B) "Striving for Embarrassment Diplomacy"

The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000]
editorialized (5/3):

"... For bian, he can upset China and sow discord between Washington
and Beijing if he succeeds in making stopovers [in the United
States]. If he gets insulted for his transits, the pro-Green voters
in Taiwan that are originally not close to Chen will share the same
feelings as his and will increase their support for him and the DPP.
As a result, if judging from a brighter perspective, Chen will not


loss in either situation. Besides, over the past few years, Taiwan
has successfully kidnapped the United States, forcefully making it
to confront China in order to protect Taiwan's democracy and
strategic position. Thus, despite the fact that Washington dislikes
Chen, it has to let him transit in the U.S. Washington is concerned
that if it keeps pushing Chen into a corner, he will react
drastically and make it more difficult for the United States to
manage the situation. ...

"On the surface, Chen looks like he is insulted this time. But it
is really strange that Taiwan insists on overstressing [the
President's] transits as the core of his trip overseas while the
countries that he visits seem to become less important. Perhaps the
United States does not intend to insult Chen; instead, Taiwan's
weird way of handling diplomacy can easily humiliate the island
itself."

C) "Insult Diplomacy"

Columnist Antonio Chiang noted in his column in the mass-circulation
"Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] (5/3):

"A-bian's plan to stop over in the United States has been delayed
[by Washington] with all sorts of excuses until there is no time
left for Taiwan to make proper arrangements. Even though Taiwan has
no formal diplomatic ties with the United States, Washington's move
is deliberately aimed at humiliating A-bian. ... [U.S. President
George W.] Bush does not want to give Bian face this time, and many
people blame it on Bian. But as the head of the state, when A-bian
is humiliated, the humiliation is shared by all the Taiwan people.
..."

D) "Getting the Priorities Right"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (5/3):

"Today, President Chen Shui-bian is scheduled to depart for Paraguay
and Costa Rica for a 10-day state visit. But on the eve of his
departure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential
Office have not bee able to confirm Chen's transit stop in the US en
route to these allies. This is not the first time a Taiwanese head
of state has faced this kind of situation, but it nevertheless goes
against the spirit of Taiwan-US RELATIONS and violates diplomatic
etiquette. It is regrettable that the US has showed no respect for
Taiwan by making it difficult for Chen to stop in the US. ...

"Perhaps the US is still annoyed with Chen over his decision to
cease the functions of the National Unification Council and the
application of its guidelines, and is showing its displeasure.
Because Taipei and Washington reached a consensus on this issue
through diplomatic negotiations, and because Chen agreed to 'cease'
rather than 'terminate' the NUC as well as its guidelines, it seems
petty of the US to act in this way. ... The US is dragging its feet
in preventing Chen from passing through New York as a sop to Beijing
in the wake of these gaffes, observers claim. However, the gaffes
and Chen's trip are unrelated and should not be linked. ... The
government must restrain itself when conducting this 'stopover
diplomacy,' putting the focus of its diplomatic enterprise on allies
that have official ties with Taiwan. ..."

E) "A Mudslide Erupted Between Taiwan and the United States: Bush's
Penalty, a Shame for Chen Shui-bian!"

The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000]
editorialized (5/3):

"The United States granted President Chen Shui-bian a treatment that
allows him 'to get [his plane] refueled but not enter [the United
States];' this is an alternative that is unacceptable for Chen in
terms of his personal dignity and national reputation. ... This is
not simply a severe setback for Chen's personal POLITICAL career but
also an unprecedented heavy blow to Taipei-Washington Relations.
...

"Chen should be held fully responsible for making such a mistake.
He misestimated the situation and his own limited strength, trying
to push and bump against the bottom line of
Washington-Beijing-Taipei RELATIONS that should not be easily tested
and use such actions as a bargaining chip for his attempt to play up
the POLITICAL struggles inside Taiwan. In the end, [he] has not
only inflicted a severe blow on the trust between Washington and
Taipei but has also made the POLITICAL ambiance inside Taiwan
deteriorate because of his decision to 'cease the functions of the
National Unification Council (NUC).' The 'cessation of the NUC'
itself thus became a self-orchestrated and totally meaningless
political farce. ...

"Now, Bush is akin to telling Chen: there is no way Chen can
maintain Taipei-Washington RELATIONS without credibility and shared
responsibilities! The United States will not accept a policy that
allows Taiwan to toy with independence but has the United States
shoulder the risks [of such a move]. It is such a pity that this
seems to be exactly Chen's international perception and POLITICAL
illusion. ... Bush's POLITICAL penalty toward Chen not only tells
[Taiwan] that Chen's Taiwan independence route is less hopeful than
before but also gives Chen, who has lost his credibility, a big slap
in the face! ..."

F) "U.S. and China Attack Bian's and Su's Diplomatic Visits from
Both Sides"

Journalist Chiang Hui-ying said in a news analysis in the pro-status
quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (5/3):

"President Chen was forced to postpone his transits [in the United
States] while Premier Su Tseng-chang was turned down for his planned
visit to Haiti. These two issues seem totally irrelevant on the
surface, but they both are results from the same impasse if one gets
to the bottom of it: that is, Taiwan's decision to cease the
functions of the National Unification Council and the [diplomatic]
gaffes Beijing experienced during the U.S.-China summit have made
Washington decide to handle China's displeasure more prudently.
Under the attacks by China and the United States from both sides,
Taiwan's space in the international community was suddenly squeezed
and the island quickly fell into the frustrated diplomatic low tide.
..."

G) "Chen's U.S. Transit Woes Reflect Need to Repair Ties"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/3):

"... Washington's unwillingness to follow that friendly tradition in
processing Chen's transit request this time obviously was a
reflection of its dissatisfaction with his recent stubborn refusal
to back off from his provocative plan to scrap the unification
guidelines with China. During the month-long diplomatic tensions,
Washington had tried again and again to reach a compromise with him
to save his face. But he remained defiant until the last minute
when it issued him an ultimatum. The only way for Chen to repair
his Washington RELATIONS now is to restore the confidence of policy
makers there by ensuring that there will be no more 'surprises' in
addressing cross-strait RELATIONS in the future."

YOUNG