MEDIA REACTION: TAIWAN'S POLITICAL SITUATION

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002957 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: TAIWAN'S POLITICAL SITUATION ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to focus their coverage August 25 on the DPP's personal attacks against former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh; the investigations into the Presidential Office's special state affairs expense account; a scuffle on a live TV talk show Thursday evening between two persons arguing over President Chen Shui-bian; and the KMT's party assets report. The pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a banner headline on page two that read "Sit-in Campaign to Oust Bian Will Kick off September 1 at the Earliest." ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, called for a gentler, rational middle-way force to harmonize the confrontations between those who support President Chen and those who oppose him. A "United Daily News" editorial, on the other hand, discussed the KMT's party assets and urged the party to thoroughly investigate its assets and get rid of them as early as possible. End summary. A) "We Need a Gentle, Rational Middle-Course Force to Assuage the Atmosphere of Violence" The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] editorialized (8/25): "... In the face of the voices calling for Bian's ouster, Taiwan society is divided into bipolar camps; it seems that the people are either supportive of or oppose Bian. But in reality, a democratic society should not be like that; there must be a gentle, rational middle-course force between the two extremes to harmonize confrontation and conflict. This middle-course force is not aimed at supporting or ousting Bian, but at adhering to the democratic system. In other words, perhaps some people in this force are opposed to Bian, but they will definitely follow the rules of the game in a democratic system. When they want the president to step down, they will do it by means of recall or impeachment, and will not mobilize the public to force the president to step down. This is because they are aware that once the move to mobilize the public to bring down an unpopular president succeeds, no matter who the ruler is in the future, his opponents can all follow suit. Should that happen, will Taiwan society live in peace again? ..." B) "Party Assets Are in Fact the KMT's Unbearable Debts" The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] editorialized (8/25): "... The KMT has for the first time publicized its party assets. People did not see the rumored mountains of gold but rags and losses everywhere. The fact that Ma Ying-jeou made public the KMT's confusing party accounts at least showed that he is willing to face the issue, and to show it to society honestly. But reviewing the party assets issue can never end at the point of only publicizing the accounts or putting the assets in trust. The KMT must thoroughly investigate the whole story of its party assets and be determined to give them away, returning the ill-gotten wealth back to the country, and donating the wealth it acquired by luck or chance to the pubic. If the KMT fails to do so, this heavy burden will remain on the party's back and crush it for all time. ..." YOUNG