MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT CHARTER FLIGHTS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002099 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: CROSS-STRAIT CHARTER FLIGHTS ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their coverage June 17-19 on the rallies held by the pan-Green and pan-Blue camps over the weekend to show their support for and opposition to President Chen Shui-bian; inauguration of the Taipei-Ilan Hseuhshan Tunnel; the crash of an F5-F fighter jet in Chiayi Saturday; and further investigations into President Chen Shui-bian's son-in-law's alleged role in an insider trading scandal and into the alleged role of First Lady Wu Shu-chen in the Sogo Department Store ownership case. The pro-status quo "China Times" on June 19 front-paged the results of its latest poll, which show that 53 percent of those polled believe it is inappropriate for President Chen to remain in his position. The same poll also shows that the president's approval rating rose from 21 percent to 28 percent in three weeks in May, and that only two percent more support the recall motion than those who do not support it (42 percent vs. 40 percent). ¶2. Several papers editorialized on the agreement to open up special cross-Strait charter flights. A "China Times" editorial said the cross-Strait charter flights can barely meet the Taiwan people's genuine needs and they are of little significance for Taiwan's economy. An editorial in the pro-unification "United Daily News" said the cross-Strait charter flights will only make the Taiwan people tilt even more toward China, while they do nothing to help build Taiwan's economic independence. An editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said the move is more politics than economics, and more of a gesture than substance. End summary. A) "Opening Cross-Strait Charter Flights Nothing but Small Steps, Slow Dancing" The pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] editorialized (6/17): "Officials on both sides of the Taiwan Strait simultaneously announced the 'special charter flights' and 'holiday passenger charter flights' policy, which indeed was a sign of alleviation in the long-deadlocked, highly confrontational cross-Strait relations. Even though there is still distance between the policy and the real needs of the Taiwan people, and the policy differs from the perception behind the pan-Blue camp's proposed direct transportation bill, it is a small step [for the Taiwan government] after all. It's just that this small step is not a 'tango,' but a 'small-step slow dance,' swinging back and forth. In fact, only one of the four types - 'special cargo flights,' ' emergency medical flights,' 'special humanitarian flights,' and 'institutionalized holiday flights' - is of any genuine significance, that is, the 'institutionalized holiday flights.' "The only breakthrough is the 'institutionalized holiday flights' because this expands the original model for Chinese Lunar New Year charter flights to become regular charter flights on the four major holidays of the year. This is good news for the Taiwan businessmen on the mainland who want to return to Taiwan for the Lunar New Year holidays. But such an opening will only benefit some Taiwan businessmen; it is of little help for Taiwan's economy. ... We don't want to pour cold water on the government, but the opening this time is of little significance. ..." B) "The World Is Flat, but the Taiwan Strait Is Tilted!" The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] editorialized (6/19): "... The four [types of] direct charter flights that both sides of the Taiwan Strait agreed on last week created an impasse; [the policy] will only make the Taiwan people tilt all the more westward in their behaviors and psychology, but it will do nothing to help build Taiwan's economic and trade independence. ... If [Taiwan] wants to be more proactive, it must move further towards more comprehensive direct transportation [with China] and work in a more comprehensive way to enhance Taiwan's liberalization and internationalization, in an attempt to set the groundwork for Taiwan to become an 'Asian-Pacific platform.' [Taiwan] must not just do it for the convenience of the Taiwan businessman, but should also put regional function under consideration. While striving for the goal of becoming an 'Asian-Pacific platform,' [Taiwan] must first ascertain its national identity and the constitutional strategic structure of the Republic of China. If not, it will be a mockery and a tragedy to push for Taiwan independence on the one hand, and to push for direct charter flights on the other. ..." C) "Direct Flights, of Sorts" The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000] wrote in an editorial (6/17): "Are direct flights across the Taiwan Strait in the offing? It seems that there is no light at the end of the tunnel, despite this week's announcement in Taipei and Beijing that the two sides wills start nonstop chartered passenger flights during major Chinese holidays. ... The move is more politics than economics. It is more of a gesture than substance. This is because of the basic ideology of the ruling party, which opposes closer relations with the mainland. The Chen administration has been firmly opposed to direct transportation links with the mainland, for fear that such links would eventually bring the two parts together. ... "Is this a harbinger for the resumption of long-awaited normal transport links? Probably not, judging from the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) political stand. But Premier Su Tseng-chang is a pragmatist who may take some pragmatic measures, SIPDIS including allowing weekend chartered flights, to build up his popularity ahead of the presidential elections two years from now." KEEGAN