KMT LY SPEAKER WANG JIN-PYNG'S UPCOMING VISIT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 000027 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL TW SUBJECT: KMT LY SPEAKER WANG JIN-PYNG'S UPCOMING VISIT TO CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE U.S Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) Summary: Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Legislative Yuan (LY) Speaker Wang Jin-pyng announced January 2 that President Chen has asked him to serve as his special envoy to the inauguration of Honduran President-elect Manuel Zelaya, scheduled for January 27. Wang also announced he will make a two-day stopover in Washington to see "old friends." Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) told AIT that it is arranging Wang's Washington meetings as well as his schedule in Central America. Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General James Huang categorically denied rumors SIPDIS that President Chen might be planning to name Wang Jin-pyng as premier, replacing Frank Hsieh (Chang-ting) from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). End Summary. ¶2. (U) KMT LY Speaker Wang Jin-pyng announced to the press on January 2 that he will represent President Chen at the inauguration of Honduran President-elect Manuel Zelaya on January 27. Wang said he also plans to make a two-day stopover in Washington during his trip to "have conversations with some old friends," including senators and representatives, adding that he does not intend to discuss arms procurement with his American interlocutors or pass messages from President Chen. Wang said he agreed to serve as Chen's special envoy because the LY will be in recess and he stressed that he has previously represented Chen at presidential inaugurations, including those of President Bush in January 2001 and Costa Rican President Pacheco in 2002. ¶3. (U) Both Wang and the Presidential Office deny rumors that President Chen intends to invite Wang to form a new cabinet. Wang reiterated he has no intention to serve as premier, and Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General James Huang called a press conference at which he denied rumors that Chen intends to name Wang as the next premier, reasoning that if Chen did intend to do so, he would not be sending Wang overseas "at this critical moment." (Note: President Chen is widely expected to announce a cabinet restructuring, which may or may not include a change in premier, perhaps in the second half of January. End Note.) ¶4. (C) MOFA North American Affairs First Section Chief Vincent Yao confirmed to AIT on January 4 that his office will arrange meetings for Wang's U.S. visit, while MOFA's Latin American Affairs department will handle the balance of the trip. Wang and a delegation of 20 or so are tentatively scheduled to depart Taiwan on January 21 and to return on the 31st. The dates and destinations for Wang's U.S. visit have not yet been fully determined. Yao promised to inform AIT as soon as more information becomes available. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Despite the denials of James Huang and Wang Jin-pyng, we expect Wang's trip, especially his U.S. stopover, to again fuel rumors that Chen may name Wang as premier. Most AIT contacts discount this possibility, however, especially following Chen Shui-bian's New Years address, which included some strong language aimed against the KMT. PAAL