Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TAIPEI3971
2006-11-27 09:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
MINISTER HU SHENG-CHENG ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 003971
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW WTO
SUBJECT: MINISTER HU SHENG-CHENG ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
Classified By: AIT Director Stephen M. Young, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 003971
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW WTO
SUBJECT: MINISTER HU SHENG-CHENG ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
Classified By: AIT Director Stephen M. Young, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) Summary: November 22, Minister Without Portfolio and
Council for Economic Development and Planning Chair Hu
Sheng-cheng said he thought China opposed the Free Trade Area
of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) because it undermined China's
efforts to marginalize U.S. economic influence in East Asia.
Hu spoke about his upcoming trip to Washington and his
impressions of the recent APEC Leaders' Meeting. Dr. Hu will
be the featured speaker at the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council
Lunch on November 28 where he will outline Taiwan's
strategies for continued economic development. End summary.
2. (C) During his November 22 meeting with AIT Director
Young, Dr. Hu emphasized that Taiwan strongly supports both a
resumption of Doha talks and a Free Trade Area of the Asia
Pacific (FTAAP). However, Hu questioned whether the FTAAP
could ever be realized in the face of China's strong
opposition. Hu explained that China opposes the FTAAP not
just because of Taiwan's likely participation, but the FTAAP
would undermine its plans for an ASEAN X FTA, which, Hu said,
was designed to "marginalize" the U.S. economic presence in
Asia.
3. (C) Dr. Hu said he was very pleased to hear President
Bush's endorsement of the FTAAP since this showed the U.S.
had decided to continue to play a major role in Asia. He
noted that the different levels of development of APEC
economies also presented a major challenge to an APEC-wide
FTA and suggested that a U.S.-Taiwan FTA could serve as a
model for the rest of APEC to follow.
4. (C) Dr. Hu praised the upbeat tone of the Director's
November 21 speech to AmCham (which Hu said he had read
online) and appreciated receiving English and Chinese texts
and a transcript of the Q&A session from the Director. The
Director highlighted several of the points in the speech,
including the need for dialogue between Taiwan and the PRC,
but emphasized that the message in the speech was not new.
5. (C) In light of a recent Legislative Yuan report
criticizing Taiwan's decision to reopen its market to U.S.
beef imports, the Director asked for Hu's support in
insisting on science-based consideration of the U.S. beef
issue and in persuading Taiwan's Council on Agriculture (COA)
to be more forthcoming in planning for a Consultative
Committee on Agriculture (CCA). He noted that in recent
discussions COA had tried to exclude sanitary and
phytosanitary issues from the scope of the CCA. Dr. Hu
reassured the Director that the Executive Yuan would make
sure Taiwan implemented its TIFA commitments.
YOUNG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW WTO
SUBJECT: MINISTER HU SHENG-CHENG ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
Classified By: AIT Director Stephen M. Young, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) Summary: November 22, Minister Without Portfolio and
Council for Economic Development and Planning Chair Hu
Sheng-cheng said he thought China opposed the Free Trade Area
of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) because it undermined China's
efforts to marginalize U.S. economic influence in East Asia.
Hu spoke about his upcoming trip to Washington and his
impressions of the recent APEC Leaders' Meeting. Dr. Hu will
be the featured speaker at the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council
Lunch on November 28 where he will outline Taiwan's
strategies for continued economic development. End summary.
2. (C) During his November 22 meeting with AIT Director
Young, Dr. Hu emphasized that Taiwan strongly supports both a
resumption of Doha talks and a Free Trade Area of the Asia
Pacific (FTAAP). However, Hu questioned whether the FTAAP
could ever be realized in the face of China's strong
opposition. Hu explained that China opposes the FTAAP not
just because of Taiwan's likely participation, but the FTAAP
would undermine its plans for an ASEAN X FTA, which, Hu said,
was designed to "marginalize" the U.S. economic presence in
Asia.
3. (C) Dr. Hu said he was very pleased to hear President
Bush's endorsement of the FTAAP since this showed the U.S.
had decided to continue to play a major role in Asia. He
noted that the different levels of development of APEC
economies also presented a major challenge to an APEC-wide
FTA and suggested that a U.S.-Taiwan FTA could serve as a
model for the rest of APEC to follow.
4. (C) Dr. Hu praised the upbeat tone of the Director's
November 21 speech to AmCham (which Hu said he had read
online) and appreciated receiving English and Chinese texts
and a transcript of the Q&A session from the Director. The
Director highlighted several of the points in the speech,
including the need for dialogue between Taiwan and the PRC,
but emphasized that the message in the speech was not new.
5. (C) In light of a recent Legislative Yuan report
criticizing Taiwan's decision to reopen its market to U.S.
beef imports, the Director asked for Hu's support in
insisting on science-based consideration of the U.S. beef
issue and in persuading Taiwan's Council on Agriculture (COA)
to be more forthcoming in planning for a Consultative
Committee on Agriculture (CCA). He noted that in recent
discussions COA had tried to exclude sanitary and
phytosanitary issues from the scope of the CCA. Dr. Hu
reassured the Director that the Executive Yuan would make
sure Taiwan implemented its TIFA commitments.
YOUNG