MEDIA REACTION: AFTERMATH OF PRESIDENT CHEN'S CESSION OF

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001959 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: AFTERMATH OF PRESIDENT CHEN'S CESSION OF POWERS ¶1. Summary: As the pan-Blue and pan-Green camps' moves in the wake of President Chen Shui-bian's decision to relinquish some of his powers continued in Taiwan's media spotlight June 8, news coverage also focused on the investigations into President Chen's son-in-law's insider trading scandal and questionable gifts received by First Lady Wu Shu-chen. The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, ran a front-page banner headline that read "Blue Camp Pushes for Recall Motion, While Green Camp Urges Stop to Political Confrontation." The pro-status quo "China Times," on the other hand, spent the first few pages discussing the possible alliance between Vice President Annette Lu and Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng in a post-Chen era. The newspaper front-paged "Bian Stuck in Crisis, While Lu and Wang Form Alliance;" it also ran a banner headline on page three that said "Attaching Great Importance to 'Lu-Wang Alliance,' KMT Will Support Lu Succession If Bian Steps down." The pro-unification "United Daily News" carried the results of its latest survey, which showed that those who support the plan to recall Chen rose from 33 percent to 48 percent in the past two weeks, while 36 percent said they don't support such a plan. The same poll also showed that 64 percent of respondents said they no longer have faith in Chen as Taiwan's leader, while 20 percent said they still have confidence in him. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "China Times" editorial said given Chen's plunging reputation and the nonstop graft scandals that involve the First Family, the number of those who hope Chen will resign will likely escalate. A separate "China Times" analysis discussed the political alliances forming for the post-Chen era. The same analysis also said the U.S. State Department's immediate rebuttal of a Central News Agency report, which said Washington hopes Chen will finish his term of office, conveyed a strong message that leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties all know very well. An editorial in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" also said the DPP is facing a grave test in the post-Chen era. End summary. A) "Corruption and Misconduct Are Key That Crashes Leaders' Prestige All over the World" The pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] editorialized (6/8): "According to this newspaper's recent poll results, the people who wish President Chen would step down himself have mounted to 47 percent, which is about half of the respondents. Given Chen's plunging reputation and the nonstop graft scandals, the number of those who hope he will resign will likely escalate. Such a public opinion trend will only make Ma Ying-jeou [attitude towards recalling Chen] become tougher, while in the meantime weaken the calls of the three DPP heavyweights to 'stop political confrontation.' It is noteworthy that more and more people have started to believe that only with mounting political pressure can [the Judicial system] be ensured to investigate the scandals to the highest level. As a result, the atmosphere of political confrontation will only intensify, and not subside. In other words, it is almost certain that the situation President Chen is and will be in will not get better. ..." B) "In Post-Bian Era, Alliances Formed Between Ruling and Opposition Parties Will Disturb Political Situation" Journalist Hsiao Hsu-tsen wrote in an analysis in the pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (6/8): "... The moves by the ruling and opposition parties to form alliances have started openly and implicitly. The direct and most severe battlefield will, of course, be the fight over the nativist regime, with Chen Shui-bian as the hinge. Chen has successfully pulled both Su Tseng-chang and Yu Shyi-kun to his side by relinquishing some of his powers to them, while Annette Lu and Frank Hsieh, who didn't benefit from Chen, passively keep a distance from Chen. In the meantime, Lee Teng-hui, the 'Father of Taiwan,' has also joined the battle; as a result, when it comes to the fight over the nativist regime, there are the 'save Bian vs. abandon Bian' frontlines. "In terms of political impact, Chen's presidency will be one that suffers direct and immediate impact from the alliance between Lu and Wang Jin-pyng. When the vice president and the head of the legislature, the two second highest positions under the presidency, want to form an alliance, the significance is already very obvious, and the move has, to a certain extent, articulated something about the legitimacy of the president. The KMT authorities have judged that the most important message released by the Lu-Wang alliance is that the two already know the answer by heart when it comes to the question of whether Chen will stay in his current position. "There is also the U.S. factor behind the scenes. A recent Central News Agency report said the United States supports Chen finishing his remaining term of office, but such a report was immediately denied by the State Department. Leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties know very clearly the strong message conveyed [by the State Department's statement]. That the United States ruthlessly denied the statement that it 'hopes Bian will finish his term of office' is a significant message for both the ruling and opposition parties. Even though leaders in both the Blue and Green camps made different remarks about it, in their hearts, they might think alike with regard to how the political situation will evolve. ... "What's most important is that while Washington and Beijing have inadequate faith in Lu, Wang's role becomes even more intriguing. Washington has full faith in Wang, as evidenced in the fact that he is the first person [AIT Chairman] Ray Burghardt will call on when he comes to Taiwan. Because of Lien Chan, Beijing has also more than once invited Wang to visit China. Without a doubt, it is a calculated move that Lu, who is generally considered as incapable of getting along with other people, chose to cooperate with Wang, who is most popular in Taiwan's political arena. ..." C) "DPP Must Face Challenges of Post-Chen Era" The pro-independence English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 20,000] editorialized (6/8): "The Democratic Progressive Party faces a grave test for its survival in the necessity to complete a transition to the 'post-Chen Shui-bian era' regardless of the result of the new drive by the Kuomintang and People First Party to impeach President Chen or force his resignation. ... We urge citizens to examine the performance of our political leaders and parties on the same standard of who are seriously working for the benefit of the country and people and promoting Taiwan's development in a democratic, progressive, just and sustainable direction. ... While the pan-KMT camp engages in a negative drive to pull down Chen and disrupt social order, the DPP should exercise leadership to launch a positive civic movement to overcome the KMT-PFP's 'scorched earth' strategy with a national movement to upgrade the political, social, economic, environmental and cultural quality of life for Taiwanese." YOUNG