Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06AITTAIPEI2481
2006-07-24 09:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: DPP PARTY CONGRESS, MIDDLE EAST

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO TW 
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VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2481/01 2050908
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240908Z JUL 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1224
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5448
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6655
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002481 

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: DPP PARTY CONGRESS, MIDDLE EAST


UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002481

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: DPP PARTY CONGRESS, MIDDLE EAST



1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their
coverage July 22-24 on the DPP party congress, in which the DPP
decided to return to collective leadership and to dissolve party
factions; and the Grand Justices' ruling last Friday on the
constitutionality of the National Communications Commission. The
pro-independence "Liberty Times" ran a front-page banner headline
July 23 that read "Yu Shyi-kun: DPP Must Return to Collective
Leadership." The pro-status quo "China Times" also ran a banner
headline on page four July 22 that said "Issuing Statement Prior to
DPP Congress, Bian Says He Wants to Accomplish Unfinished Missions,
Will Neither Resign Nor Quit Party."


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "China Times"
editorial said the DPP's congress was concluded, but the party's
trial is just about to begin. The article added that President Chen
Shui-bian, the game of power in the post-Bian era, and the year-end
Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections are the factors that will
decide whether the DPP will walk out of its current predicament in
the next six months. An editorial in the limited-circulation,
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" urged the DPP to
"walk the talk" to improve its reputation for political integrity.
An editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative,
pro-unification, English-language "China Post," on the other hand,
discussed the crisis in the Middle East, urging Israel to exercise
restraint and bring peace back to the Middle East. End summary.


3. DPP Party Congress

A) "Trial That DPP Should Undergo Is Just About to Begun"

The pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000]
editorialized (7/24):

"... Many pro-independence heavyweights said they want to give
President Chen a six-month grace period. For the DPP, the next six
months following the conclusion of the party congress is also very
critical. Several factors are involved as to decide whether the DPP
will recover or collapse: The first factor is of course President
Chen. ... Chen will enjoy a greater maneuvering space following
his announcement to 'relinquish some of his powers.' He may likely
continue to restrain the party line and policy direction by forming

a strategic alliance with the deep-Green elders and social groups.
The Sustainable Economic Development Conference will be one of the
indicators [to monitor Chen's moves].

"The second factor is the game of power in the post-Bian era, that
is, whether the DPP can move from the collective leadership now to a
new leadership; or to put it plainly, does Su Tseng-chang have a
chance to become a new leader? ... The final factor will be the
year-end Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral races. Even though they are
just elections for the mayors and city council members in two
special municipalities in northern and southern Taiwan, they have
clear indicator significance: Namely, they will tell whether public
opinion is satisfied with the DPP's performance after the party's
reflection and reform for the next six months. ...

"Over the next six months, the DPP's look will be: a political
party that has entered the post-Bian era in its form, but in which
Chen's influence remains omnipresent; a political party which said
it has dissolved all factions, but in which all factions remain
active; and a political party which has passed clean politics
regulations, but remains inactive in dealing with its core clean
politics issues. Let's just wait and see if the DPP can really walk
out of its predicament."

B) "Time for DPP to Walk the Talk"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
20,000] editorialized (7/24):

"The governing Democratic Progressive Party took a major step toward
recovery yesterday by adopting more moves to improve its reputation
for political integrity, begin a transition back to collective and
democratic leadership after over six years of 'charismatic'
domination by President Chen Shui-bian and, at least partially,
revive guidance by progressive and democratic values. ...

"Whether the DPP will truly be able to 'move the Taiwan people' and
regain their confidence will not be decided by any panacea, but by
whether Taiwan's party of democracy and progress can return to the
'Taiwan road' in more than words and truly 'walk the talk.' The
pressure to rebuild the DPP's reputation will be borne mainly by
Premier Su Tseng-chang, who has gained a dominant hand in the party
leadership in alliance with DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun and is now the
party's front-runner or the March 2008 presidential race and now
must show his ability to both articulate and execute progressive
policies. ..."


4. Middle East

"Mideast's Never-Ending Crisis"

The conservative, pro-independence, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] noted in an editorial (7/24):

"... With the United States and Great Britain, the two chief
supporters of Israel, ready to mediate, the armed conflict in
southern Lebanon is expected to come to an end shortly, but peace
will never return. ... The only way to peace between the Jewish
state and the Arab nation is for the Israelis to accept the
Christian virtue of turning their right cheeks to their enemy when
their left cheeks are slapped. They are strong enough to practice
self-restraint. As a matter of fact, the Israelis overreacted to
trigger the war. Nobody thinks it plausible for Israel to invade
Gaza and attack Lebanon just to rescue three captured soldiers, two
of them held by Hezbollah. The restraint from retaliation on the
part of the Israelis will finally convince the Arabs that they all
will be able to live in peace. It takes decades or maybe a century
before the Arabs will finally come to accept the Israelis as their
cousins again. They are. They were before 1948. Their common
ancestor is Abraham."

YOUNG