AIT DIRECTOR AND NOBEL PRIZE WINNER LEE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001558

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STATE FOR EAP/TC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2011
TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV SOCI EDU CH TW
SUBJECT: AIT DIRECTOR AND NOBEL PRIZE WINNER LEE


Classified By: AIT DIRECTOR STEPHEN M. YOUNG FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D


1. (C) Summary: Taiwan Nobel Prize winner Lee Yuan-Tseh told
AIT Director he felt that the PRC's policy of only talking
with the opposition Kuomingtang (KMT) was unequivocally
wrong. While disappointed with President Chen's performance,
he also criticized the KMT for its dealings with the PRC. He
will step down as Academia Sinica President in October, but
will continue doing research in Taiwan. End summary.

LEE: TAIWAN PEOPLE FED UP WITH PARTISAN BICKERING
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2. (C) During AIT Director Young's initial call on Academia
Sinica President and Nobel Prize winner (chemistry 1986) Lee
Yuan-tseh on April 14, Lee said that the people of Taiwan
were tired of bickering between the KMT and Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP). He thought this would lead to a
popular backlash against incumbent politicians. Looking
towards the next presidential election in 2008, Lee said that
KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's squeaky-clean image may not
overcome the KMT's long history of corruption in Taiwan
politics. Ma's support level is high right now, but Lee
doubted this would translate into support for the KMT. Lee
felt that former (and currently the honorary) KMT chairman
Lien Chan typified Pan Blue politicians who want to maintain
their privileged status. He said mainlanders (i.e., residents
of Taiwan born in Mainland China) felt threatened by the rise
of democracy in Taiwan and wanted to use KMT-PRC links as a
means of keeping power.


3. (C) As for DPP prospects, Lee said that because the public
is unhappy with the current situation, anything is possible.
While Premier Su Tseng-chang is thought to be a good
candidate for the DPP in 2008, Lee thought that a KMT
candidate like Wang Jyng-ping might be able to garner support
from DPP voters.

HOPE FOR TAIWAN'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
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4. (U) Lee said that science education in Taiwan is doing
well, noting that many non-profit organizations sponsor
student training programs to promote science, and that
physics ranked no. 2 in popularity as a subject at the
National Taiwan University. Lee said he had contributed to
educational reform efforts early in the Chen Administration.
He had hoped that by offering more choices on text books and
different tracks to enter universities the system would move
away from being "test-centered." Unfortunately, he said, his
educational reforms plans have been criticized as having
increased student workloads considerably.

PRC POLICY OF ONLY TALKING WITH KMT WRONG
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5. (C) As a Nobel laureate and respected educator, Lee's
support on policy issues is often sought by both the ruling
and opposition parties. PRC officials have also sought Lee's
views and support for their policies. Lee has access to a
wide range of people on cross-Strait issues. Deng Xiaoping,
Lee said, once asked Lee why the DPP was promoting
independence. Lee explained that this was a reaction to
oppression by the KMT. According to Lee, Deng thought the
issue of reunification was best left to the next generation
to solve. The Director asked Lee's opinion of PRC Party
Secretary Hu Jintao, whom Lee had met at an APEC meeting in

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2004. Lee thought Hu a more capable person than former Party
Secretary Jiang Zemin and said Hu understood the problems

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created by the disparity of wealth in China.


6. (C) Lee said the PRC leadership thought that talking only
with the opposition party would benefit their goal of
unification and thus they have refused to negotiate with the
Chen Administration. Lee said that, when President Chen was
elected in 2000, Chen asked him to become the chairman of a
nonpartisan committee that would open channels with the
mainland. But such opportunities were lost when the PRC
authorities shunned the Chen administration. Lee said his
access to China's leaders has generally been good. Lee noted
he had attended two APEC leaders' meetings (in 2003 and 2004)
at the President's behest but that he was no longer involved
in APEC.


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COMMUNISM AND NATIONALISM
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7. (C) Lee cited a colleague from Academia Sinica who
observed that the PRC rule in China is even more corrupt than
was the KMT rule in Taiwan. The Director said that Taiwan
should be confident about its democratization and predicted
that a future more democratic Mainland China could change the
current calculus of cross-Strait relations for the better.
Lee felt that the PRC government was inciting nationalistic
feelings (particular against Japan and the United States) to
the detriment of its neighbors.

NEED TO STAY ENGAGED TO KEEP U.S. SUPPORT
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8. (C) The Director told Lee he had met with Ma Ying-jeou,
Wang Jyng-ping, James Soong and others and had told them that
conflict between the KMT and DPP about the defense
procurement bill could have negative effects on the long term
relationship with the U.S. Lee agreed that Taiwan should
work on national defense and do so in the people's interest
and not for partisan political reasons.

FUTURE PLANS: STEP DOWN AND STAY
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9. (C) Lee said he will step down as head of Academia Sinica
in October, but he would remain on staff and conduct research
on biomass energy. Note: A week later at an environmental
meeting, Lee spoke in favor of continued use of nuclear
energy. End note.


10. (C) Comment: Lee appeared guarded in his views of the DPP
and President Chen. He has clearly been disappointed by
Chen's performance, but sees equally skeptical of policy
choices the Pan Blue might adopt should they win in 2008.
Because of his status as a Nobel Prize laureate and respected
scholar, Lee's views and actions still carry weight in
Taiwan's political environment.
YOUNG