MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN CEDING POWERS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001898

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 CEDING POWERS



1. Summary: All Taiwan dailies June 2 front-paged President Chen
Shui-bian's approval of the resignation of two close aides Thursday,
following Chen's relinquishing some of his responsibilities. News
coverage also focused on Premier Su Tseng-chang's becoming the
virtual chief of the administration; the pan-Blue and pan-Green
camps' reactions to this development; alleged involvement by Chen's
son-in-law in the insider trading scandal; and other corruption
scandals. The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" ran a banner headline
on page four that read "Premier Su Obtains Substantive Powers, Good
News for Cross-Strait [Relations]." The pro-status quo "China
Times," in the meantime, carried the results of its latest survey,
which showed that 43 percent of respondents said they believe Chen
should resign, a rise of 9 percent when compared with the
newspaper's last poll on May 27.


2. Most papers editorialized on Chen's political predicament and
Taiwan's controversial constitutional systems, namely, whether it is
a presidential system or a cabinet system. An editorial in the
pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, said the
top priority for Taiwan's democracy to endure and prosper is for the
island to write a new constitution. An editorial in the
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei
Times" said Chen's decision poses dangers for Su as the move is
unlikely to defuse any of the scandals plaguing the administration.
An editorial in the limited-circulation, pro-independence,
English-language "Taiwan News," however, said Chen's move will give
the DPP room for revival and effectively force the DPP to take
responsibility for solving its own problems. A "China Times"
opinion piece said even though Chen's move can stabilize the
political situation for the time being, it will just be balancing on
a needle's tip. An editorial in the limited-circulation,
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said
Chen's delegation of powers will not help him ride out the crisis.
End summary.

A) "To Thoroughly Review Constitutional System and Role of Media to
Lead Democracy Back onto Normal Track"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000]
editorialized (6/2):

"... In a nutshell, even though the insider-trading scandal has
triggered a series of upheavals, which seem to have created the
biggest crisis ever for Taiwan's democracy, this crisis is in
reality related to the ruler's governance of the country, which has
nothing to do with Taiwan's democracy. But this event has taught us
that to ensure that Taiwan's democracy will endure and prosper, the
top priority is to write a new constitution. The new constitution,
the ultimate code that will ensure Taiwan's lengthy peaceful reign,
must clearly stipulate the operational style of [Taiwan's] governing
system and distinguish all power relationships. Also, the media
must adhere to their professional ethics, make a clear distinction
between right and wrong, abandon their biased partisan stands, and
play an objective role to supervise [the government]. Only by doing
so can Taiwan ride out the scandal storms and face its bright
future."

B) "The Grunt Versus the Spider"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (6/2):

"So President Chen Shui-bian has bowed to snowballing scandals and
declared himself a lame duck. There are those within the pan-green
camp who might be happy at the prospect of Premier Su Tseng-chang
being able to distance himself from the Chen administration, which
has wandered from disaster to disaster during the president's second
term. Many are already counting on Su to bear their standard in the
2008 presidential election, viewing his charisma and plain-talking
pragmatism as their only hope against the golden boy from Hong Kong,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou. But the
president's decision poses dangers for Su. After all, it is
unlikely the move will defuse any of the scandals plaguing the
administration. ...

"The basic problem is that, regardless of what happens to Chen, Su
is going to be left with the unenviable task of cleaning up the
mess. It is Su that must deal with the aftermath of the various
scandals that have erupted. It is Su who will have to take the flak
for the landslides, floods, typhoons, crop damage, financial
problems and myriad other issues that a premier has to deal with
each year. ... Of course, what is best for Ma is not necessarily
best for the country. The people should ask themselves why it is
that Su is where he is now. They should ask themselves if they
would prefer a leader who is unafraid of risk his political capital
simply to get things done, as is Su, or one who calculates from the
shadows and takes advantage of others' mistakes, as does Ma. If
Taiwan chooses the spider, it shouldn't cry when it gets bitten."
C) "Chen Gives DPP Room for Revival"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
20,000] editorialized (6/2):

"... Chen's move will effectively force the DPP and its senior
leadership to take responsibility for solving their own problems.
In our view, such a move was long overdue, especially since Chen
will not be able to be a candidate for president in March 2008,
having already been elected to two four-year terms. Whomever the
DPP's presidential standard-bearer will be, he will she will have to
reinvent a new DPP image distinct from the once fresh but now
time-worn 'Chen Shui-bian phenomenon.'

"It should be noted that the president is not devolving all of his
power. After all, the narrowly defined constitutional powers
enjoyed by the president still include policy making responsibility
for national security and defense and foreign affairs (including
cross-strait relations with the People's Republic of China),
emergency powers in the case of national crisis or disasters,
personnel appointments for the Control, Judicial and Examination
Yuan and other fields. Nevertheless, the president's declaration
that he will no longer directly get involved in domestic affairs
serves as a belated signal to potential influence peddlers that
waving the presidential signboard will be of no help in getting
benefits from the DPP government. ..."

D) "A-Bian Ceding Powers, Stability on a Needle's Tip"

Professor Emile Sheng at Soochow University's Department of
Political Science opined in the pro-unification "United Daily News"
[circulation: 400,000] (6/2):

"... When it comes to political impact, President Chen's
announcement Wednesday was akin to using his relinquishing powers in
exchange for Premier Su and the New Tide Faction's agreement not to
jump on the bandwagon to oppose him, so that he could finish his
remaining term with stability. The success of Chen's plan will
depend on how strong Vice President Annette Lu and former Premier
Frank Hsieh's counterattacks will be, and whether follow-up
investigations prove Chen and his wife were also involved in the
corruption scandals. In addition, whether Su's future
administrative direction will conflict with Chen is another point
worthy of observation. In other words, even though Chen's move to
cede some powers can stabilize the political upheaval for the time
being, it will just be balancing on a needle's tip. It does not
indicate that the fuse leading to Chen's crisis of an early
step-down is already removed. ..."

E) "Delegating Power Won't Help Chen Ride out Crisis"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] commented in an editorial (6/2):

"When President Chen Shui-bian announced his decision on Wednesday
to allow Premier Su Tseng-chang to exercise more government powers,
instated of continuing to concentrate them in his own hands, as has
been the case in the last six years of his administration, he
apparently hoped to use a change of his past authoritarian
leadership style to help him weather the political crisis he is
facing. But it is highly doubtful that this strategy will work. ...
The problem now plaguing President Chen is not just a
scandals-triggered political crisis. He is also confronting a
crisis of confidence. It's no news that more than 70 percent of the
people now don't have confidence in him, as shown in the latest
opinion polls by major newspapers and TV networks. What is
surprising is that dozens of young DPP cadres and other ruling party
members came out on Wednesday to openly vent their anger over Chen,
saying that they have lost faith in him and don't believe that he
can continue to perform his role as the leader of the country. ..."

YOUNG