MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001671

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.-TAIWAN RELATIONS



1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their
coverage May 16 on alleged involvement by President Chen Shui-bian's
son-in-law in insider trading, a press conference called by the
suspended chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission in an
attempt to clear his name, and other local political issues. Most
papers reported on inside pages remarks President Chen made when
receiving former U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for
Asian Affairs Michael Green on Monday; Chen said the transit
incident is over and that it will not affect future Taiwan-U.S.
relations. The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest
daily, ran a banner-headline news story on page two that said the
United States will restore diplomatic ties with Libya, followed by a
Presidential Office announcement that Taiwan will develop
comprehensive trade and economic relations with Libya.


2. One Chinese-language paper and three English-language papers
editorialized on President Chen's recent trip to Latin America and
on Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick's remarks at a
congressional hearing last Wednesday. A "Liberty Times" editorial
criticized Zoellick and said it is unwise for U.S. cross-Strait
policy to dance to China's tune. DPP Legislator Lin Cho-shui opined
in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language
"Taipei Times" that Washington's transit ploy was aimed at Chen. An
editorial in the limited-circulation, pro-independence,
English-language "Taiwan News" said Chen's trip will be remembered
as the beginning of Taiwan's adoption of an autonomous, mature
diplomacy which does not first look to Washington for guidance or to
Beijing to see what Taiwan should oppose. An editorial in the
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language
"China Post," on the other hand, said a "U.S.-China united front
against Taiwan independence is in force already." End summary.

A) "It Is Unwise for U.S. Cross-Strait Policy to Dance to China's
Tune"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000]
editorialized (5/16):

"... Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, during a recent
congressional hearing, corrected a U.S. congressman for referring to
Taiwan as a country. Zoellick emphasized that Taiwan is an economy,
and he added: The precondition for [President Chen Shui-bian's]
five no's pledge is that China has no intention to use force against
Taiwan, and China indeed hasn't used force against the island.
Judging from Zoellick's relevant remarks, it is not difficult to see
that to maintain its sovereignty, Taiwan must bear in mind the
phrase that 'God helps those who help themselves.' ...

"... When China proactively applied its united-front tactics on the
pan-Blue leadership, American officials often urged China publicly
to engage in a dialogue with Taiwan's elected leaders. Such a call
does make sense, but the United States itself does not practice what
it preaches. Under China's brutal interference, Washington always
ignores Taiwan's elected leader. Don't these American officials
know that the arrangements that overlooked President Chen's dignity
would hurt Taiwan people's feelings? ...

"The primary spirit of the 'Taiwan Relations Act' is to underscore
Taiwan's democratic and strategic values. The 'one China policy'
defined by the United States must be combined with the 'Taiwan
Relations Act' in order to achieve a constructive balance. If
people follow what some American officials prescribe and bow to the
'one China principle' as defined by China, it will not only
jeopardize Taiwan's national interests but will also harm the United
States' national interests, or even cause other allies' trust in the
United States to waver. ... Under such circumstances, if
Washington's cross-Strait policy dances to the Chinese tune and
makes Taiwan people mistakenly believe that the United States fails
to practice what it preaches, democratic values will lose their
luster in Taiwan. If Taiwan's democracy regresses and thereby
offers more room for China's united-front tactics, it will be more
difficult for the United States to fix the strategic imbalance that
might take shape in the future."

B) "US Transit Ploy Was Aimed at Chen"

DPP Legislator Lin Cho-shui opined in the pro-independence,
English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (5/16):

"... In addition, this [transit] incident has highlighted the
difficult situation that independence fundamentalists are in. Chen
met their demands and, after the cessation of the National
Unification Council and its guidelines, DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun
initiated a call for constitutional re-engineering and a change to
the nation's title in an attempt to achieve de jure independence.
Unexpectedly, however, the US' reaction means that we are now even
further away from internationally recognized de jure independence.
..."
C) "Taiwan's Diplomacy Begins to Grow up"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
20,000] editorialized (5/16):

"The nine-day and 33,000-mile 'journey of peace and sustainability
and of consolidating friendship' completed by President Chen
Shui-bian and his entourage Friday will be remembered as the
beginning of Taiwan's adoption of an autonomous and mature diplomacy
and not as a 'flight to nowhere' as charged by critics in the
conservative opposition camp and our myopic mainstream media.
Besides upholding our national dignity, the greatest lasting legacy
of President Chen's journey is the realization that a democratic
Taiwan can and must conduct its own foreign policy without first
looking to Washington for guidance or to Beijing to see what we
should oppose. ...

"Washington's exercise in 'real politics' thus turned out to be
somewhat of a blessing in disguise. It provided a stronger impetus
for President Chen and the foreign ministry to finally take the
plunge and enter diplomatic adulthood by showing the resolve to make
our own decisions based on our own interests and values and to take
responsibility for those decisions. ... Hence, any display of
autonomy by Taiwan or open expression of differences with Washington
does not signify the 'bankruptcy' of U.S.-Taiwan relations, nor is
it necessary that Taiwan must at all times and on all occasions
oppose everything done or advocated by the PRC. ..."

D) "Chen Shaking Status Quo"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/16):

"President Chen Shui-bian's recent theatric nine-day trip to seven
nations, four more than originally planned, was an act of impulse,
unbecoming of a prudent leader. ... The United States, the main
architect of Taiwan's past, present and, certainly, future, was both
the cause and target of President Chen's unorthodox journey of
'upholding Taiwan's dignity.' Refuting both Washington and
Beijing's one-China principle, Chen stressed that 'Taiwan is an
independent state, not a part of China.' ...

"Explaining the U.S. rejection of Chen's wish to visit prominent
cities on America proper, Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick
told a congressional hearing last week that Chen testing the U.S.
one China policy under which the U.S. switched diplomatic
recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. Chen was 'hitting into
a wall,' Zoellick said. ... And for the first time, Stephen Young,
director of the American Institute in Taiwan, said at a business
association luncheon last week that 'the U.S. opposes Taiwan
independence,' instead of the usual 'no support' for it. These
unprecedented straightforward U.S. policy statements are not enough
to deter Chen's independence legacy to assure political relevance
after he leaves office in 2008.

"Chen's quixotic attempt to challenge U.S. policies only deepens
U.S. distrust of him and his administration. Fortunately, U.S.
goodwill toward Taiwan remains intact as Washington has repeatedly
assured afterwards. The drama has stirred little public response
from Beijing, except making ritual protests to Tripoli and Jakarta
for allowing Chen's jet to land. A U.S.-China united front against
Taiwan independence is in force already."

YOUNG