MEDIA REACTION: CAMPAIGN TO OUST PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN,

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003289

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: CAMPAIGN TO OUST PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN,
U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS



1. Summary: Taiwan major Chinese-language dailies focused their
coverage September 22 on former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh's
campaign to oust President Chen Shui-bian; on the violent clashes
that erupted between the pro-Chen and anti-Chen protesters in
southern Taiwan Thursday; on the possible solutions that may help to
bring an end to the current political stand-off in Taiwan; and on
KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's open apology for having supported the
incumbent mayor of Keelung, who was convicted of corruption and
sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday. The pro-status quo
"China Times" ran a front-page banner headline that read "Shih: Bian
[Should] Step Down Unconditionally." The pro-independence "Liberty
Times," Taiwan's largest circulating daily, on the other hand, ran a
banner headline on page two that said "Is Shih Organizing a Third
Power and Discussing [the Possibility of] Forming a Party?"


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times"
editorial criticized KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou for conniving at the
"Oust Bian" campaign's plan to "besiege" the President Office on the
Double Ten Day. A "China Times" editorial, on the other hand,
criticized the blind support of some DPP seniors for President Chen.
Regarding U.S.-China-Taiwan relations, an opinion piece in the
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei
Times" discussed the DPP's and KMT's stances with regard to
cross-Strait relations. End summary.


3. Campaign to Oust President Chen Shui-bian

A) "Is Ma Ying-jeou Ready to Go to Extreme Lengths by Conniving to
Besiege the Republic of China?"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000]
editorialized (9/22):

"... People may have different political stances now with regard to
whether to oust Bian or to oppose the 'oust Bian' movement, and
arguments over this matter are inevitable. But judged from the
national level, we are all compatriots and we share joys and sorrows
together; we are citizens of the same nation and we use the same
passports when we travel abroad. How can the public be divided into
two distinct groups by whether or not they support the 'Oust Bian'
movement? Is it possible that the 'Oust Bian' campaign headquarters
does not understand the concept 'the world is a commonwealth for
all' and it is therefore ready to go to extreme lengths by
'besieging' its own country on a national holiday? ... The plan to
'surround' a national celebration ceremony will be another test for
Ma Ying-jeou. Let's just wait and see how he is going to 'safeguard
the Republic of China.'

B) "Return to the Scales of Democracy and Ethics of Accountability
to Talk about Resignation and Removal from Office"

The pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000]
editorialized (9/22):

"... Let's turn our eyes onto the situation Mr. Chen Shui-bian is
now in. Almost all opinion surveys indicated that, over a long
period of time, A-Bian's approval rating with regard to his
administrative performance has been below 20 percent, while the
percentage of the people who believe he should resign of his own
accord has stayed around 60. As for President Chen's honesty and
integrity, it has slumped to the ground after he said in publicly
that he did not 'directly' accept any SOGO Department Store gift
certificates. The bankruptcy of Chen's integrity happened not only
happened in Taiwan; the situation may also be more serious in the
eyes of the Americans. Judging from the current situation, Chen
evidently has neither ethics nor prestige, both of which are
essential elements for promoting national affairs, regardless of how
popular the red-clad movement to oust Bian is in northern Taiwan and
how violent the skirmishes by the Green supporters have become in
southern Taiwan. In the face of such a situation, is it fair for
all the Taiwan people if some people still believe that Chen should
not consider resigning from his position and insist on leaving
Taiwan in a state of stagnation until May 2008? What about the
sentence in the president's inaugural pledge, which assures his
people that [he] 'will never fail the people's empowerment?' Is
those DPP seniors' blind support [for Chen] a move to topple or to
maintain the nativist regime? Can their remarks really stand the
test of democratic ideals? ..."


4. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations

"Will the Future Be Any Different?"

Nat Bellocchi, former chairman of AIT and now a special adviser to
the Liberty Times Group, opined in the pro-independence,
English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (9/22):

"... In the midst of all the domestic political turbulence, the

chairman of the two main political parties - Chinese Nationalist
Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou and Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun - have visited the US to spell out
policies that might be of interest to Washington. ... Comparing the
two presentations is difficult. Yu focused on Taiwan's potential in
describing the path it could take (with help, of course) in moving
China toward democracy - an important objective for the US and other
states. He did not intend to raise a wide number of issues in
cross-strait or bilateral matters, at least not for the moment.
Continuous attention to Taiwan's internal struggles, however, makes
decisions difficult to arrive at. The lack of high-level and open
dialogue makes it more difficult still, not only for the ruling
party but the opposition as well.

"Ma, while covering a range of matters, focused on one broad issue -
cross-strait relations. The first broad grouping of concerns
involved problems to be inherited from the Chen administration; the
second involved Taiwan-China dialogue itself. Regardless of how the
issues play out, a Ma presidency would discover quite quickly that
China will be obstructive on no small number of contentious matters.
With regard to US-Taiwan ties, there remains a need to stay abreast
of changes in people and issues on both sides that might impact on
that relationship. A bilateral dialogue keeping both sides aware of
domestic changes in the pre-election period will be helpful for both
sides, as the presidential campaign threatens to muddy the waters
considerably. At the same time, the debate on national identity
will be intense, and the results very important, not just for the
people of Taiwan, but for the US, China and most of East Asia."

YOUNG