MEDIA REACTION: KMT CHAIRMAN MA YING-JEOU'S U.S. TRIP,

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000952

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: KMT CHAIRMAN MA YING-JEOU'S U.S. TRIP,
WASHINGTON-TAIPEI RELATIONS



1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their
coverage March 22 on KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's U.S. trip; new AIT
Taipei Director Stephen Young's meeting with President Chen
Shui-bian; the investigation of the alleged 2004 "Soft Coup"; the
freeway electronic toll collection system scandal; and other local
issues. Almost all papers carried news stories and photos of Young's
meeting with Chen Tuesday and Chen's statement that "there will be
no more surprises in U.S.-Taiwan relations." The pro-independence
"Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, ran an exclusive news story
on its front page with the headline: "The KMT Sells Its Central
Headquarter Building [to Taiwan's Evergreen Group] at a Price of
NT$3 Billion." Most papers also reported on Ma's statement at the
Council on Foreign Relations in New York Monday that "the Republic
of China has been an independent sovereign state since 1912, so
there is no need for it to declare independence twice."


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a news analysis in the
pro-status quo "China Times" said Ma's remarks on Taiwan's
sovereignty status are pragmatic and flexible. An editorial in the
pro-independence "Taiwan Daily," however, said Ma's statement
deceived the Americans, the Taiwan people, and himself. An
editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification,
English-language "China Post" said Ma is trying to maintain a
balanced position between the United States and China. With regard
to Washington-Taipei relations, an opinion piece in the
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" said Taipei must have a clear
strategic goal behind its decision to cease the functions of the
National Unification Council (NUC) and the application of the
National Unification Guidelines (NUG). The article said Taiwan
should not just try to arouse the attention of Washington and the
international community but should tell the world what Taiwan really
wants. A separate "China Times" news analysis said Chen's remarks
made while meeting with AIT Director Young Tuesday indicated that he
is making a goodwill gesture to Washington in the wake of the NUC
and NUG uproar. End summary.


3. KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's U.S. Trip

A) "[Ma's] Discourse on [Taiwan's] Sovereignty Status Is Pragmatic
and Flexible"

Journalist Hsiao Hsu-tseng said in a news analysis of the pro-status
quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (3/22):

"Speaking in front of a full house of elite American think tank
scholars that included former U.S. Ambassador to Beijing Winston
Lord and his Harvard University Professor Jerome Cohen, Ma Ying-jeou
unavoidably spoke of a discourse that was kept vague while he was in
Taiwan. Ma's remarks included: 'the Republic of China (ROC) has
independent sovereignty and there is no need for it to declare
independence twice.' Ma guaranteed the ROC's sovereignty and
further pledged to the United States that [his party] will work to
maintain the status quo of this sovereignty. ...

"Such a position [held by Ma] dodged the 'Taiwan independence' issue
that Beijing cares most because Ma insists on 'one China' even
though the 'one China' he means refers to the ROC. Ma also
recognized the '1992 Consensus,' so Beijing could hardly find fault
with him and that also released concerns of the Americans. For the
American people who strive for pragmatism in everything, Ma has
demonstrated both pragmatism and flexibility. ..."

B) "Ma Ying-jeou's Statement That 'One China' Means 'the Republic of
China' Not Only Deceives Americans and the Taiwan People, But Also
Himself"

The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000]
editorialized (3/22):

"... Frankly speaking, in order to fulfill his ultimate goal of
leading Taiwan to be unified by China, Ma is ready to trample on
[the Taiwan people's] human rights and deny their right of
self-determination. The fact that Ma's accomplice, the pan-Blue
camp under his leadership, is opposed to [President Chen's]
cessation of the NUC, [the government's] constitutional amendments,
[Taiwan's] holding a referendum, and the [U.S.] arms procurement
bill, is a clear proof. ... As a result, Ma's constant articulation
of democracy and the 'residents' right of self-determination' are
all fake, while anti-Taiwan, anti-democracy, and [Taiwan's] ultimate
unification [with China] are actually his true color and the only
thing he believes in! ..."

C) "Ma's Balancing Act Between U.S. and PRC"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
said in an editorial (3/22):

"... Upon departure to the U.S., the Taipei mayor told the press

that his primary mission was to communicate with various U.S.
authorities explaining his and his party's policy on key issues.
What Ma didn't mention was a concern that increasingly he has been
portrayed in Washington, presumably by supporters of Taipei's ruling
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP),as an opposition politician who
holds an anti-American stance in favor of improving relations with
Beijing. ... For Washington officials, they obviously will not
just want to get a face-to-face appraisal of Ma about his U.S. view.
Equally important, they will try to win over Ma and build a close
relationship with him in the hope that he will be a Taiwan leader
Washington can trust and work with.

"Undoubtedly, Ma is aware of his advantageous position and will
capitalize on it to fortify Washington's faith in him and secure its
support for him. However, it is unlikely that Ma will allow him to
be lopsided toward the U.S., as President Chen has been. Chen in
the last two years since the start of his second four-year term has
been even more aggressive in trying to work with Washington and
Tokyo to forge a triangular military alliance against China. Unlike
Chen, Ma will only want to develop a U.S. relationship built on a
mutually favorable basis, not targeting Beijing or any third party.
... It's clear that the KMT's potential 2008 presidential candidate
is attempting to exercise a delicate balancing act in dealing with
Taiwan's most important relations with the U.S. and China.
Maintaining such a balance might not be that easy, but this appears
to be the best option available to a Taiwan sandwiched between two
superpowers and yet looking for a way to survive and prosper."


4. Washington-Beijing-Taipei Relations

A) "Let the World Know 'What Taiwan Wants'"

Wu Rei-kuo, Deputy Director of the Cross-Strait Interflow Prospect
Foundation, opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily"
[circulation: 500,000] (3/22):

"New AIT Taipei Director Stephen Young said the current status of
the National Unification Council is that it 'has been put into
abeyance.' It is evident that there is a gap between the United
States and Taiwan in interpreting [President Chen's] decision to
'cease the NUC functions and the application of the NUG,' and this
development has added variables to the bilateral relations between
Washington and Taipei. ...

"The focus of the recent debates between the United States and
Taiwan did not lie in the 'cessation of the NUC and NUG' itself.
Instead, Washington is concerned about whether Taipei will make
other surprising or explosive remarks or actions and what it is that
Taiwan is really after behind the NUC and NUG uproar. Taipei must
have a clear strategic goal and concrete national interests behind
its move to 'speak loudly to challenge' [both Beijing and
Washington], whether it be to prevent Beijing from expanding its
military buildup that sabotages cross-Strait peace and regional
stability, or to accelerate the pace for signing a U.S.-Taiwan free
trade agreement. Taipei should not just try to arouse Washington's
and the international community's attention. It should let the
world know 'what Taiwan really wants.'"

B) "In the Wake of the Cessation of the NUC and NUG, Bian Reminds
[the United States] of the Favors He Did and Uses Them as a Goodwill
Gesture to Washington"

Journalist Lin Shu-ling said in a news analysis of the pro-status
quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (3/22):

"When visiting Taiwan's Foreign Ministry Monday, [AIT Taipei
Director] Stephen Young publicly used the word 'abeyance' as a new
definition for [President Chen's] decision 'to cease the functions
of NUC and application of NUG.' But Young merely mentioned the word
once and did not talk about it again. Bian, on the other hand, in
addition to guaranteeing that there would be no more 'surprises'
between Washington and Taipei in the future, proactively mentioned
that there used to be only 'Three No's' pledges rather than the
'Five No's' pledges. Bian's move was of great significance because
he was akin to telling the United States clearly that he meant what
he said and that not only the 'Three No's' pledges that Washington
requested, but also the other "Two No's' that he personally added
would remain valid. At the time when the United States is receiving
Ma Ying-jeou with a high-profile treatment, Bian's remarks signified
that he is trying to compete with Ma and extend a goodwill gesture
to Washington.

"Bian was smiling happily when he met with Young Tuesday. In
addition to the reasons that the NUC and NUG matter was finally over
for the time being, and that Young is an old acquaintance of his,
the most important reason is that the Bian administration once
judged that Washington might postpone Young's arrival in Taiwan as a
penalty for Chen's decision over the NUC and NUG. When it turned

out that Washington did not do so, and Young arrival as scheduled
gave Bian the feeling that the NUC and NUG uproar is really over."

YOUNG