MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001381

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS



1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage June 16-18 on the Taipei District Court's decision to
detain Eastern Multimedia Group Chairman Gary Wang Sunday night for
alleged involvement in a string of embezzlement cases and financial
crimes; on the Kaohsiung District Court's decision Friday evening to
annul the result of last December's Kaohsiung mayoral election; on
the Legislative Yuan's passage of the long-stalled central
government budget bill for Fiscal 2007 Friday, which also covers
partial funding for the U.S. arms procurements; on the
interpretation by the Council of Grand Justices Friday, which
confirmed the president's constitutional right to decide what
constitutes a state secret and his right to refuse disclosure; and
on a serious train collision accident in Yilan County Friday. The
pro-independence "Liberty Times" ran a banner headline on page six
on June 17 that read "With the Budget Finally Passed, the Three
Major Arms Deals Speed up to Catch up with the Schedule." In
addition, all papers carried reports on visiting AIT Chairman
Raymond Burghardt's roundtable meeting with local journalists Friday
and his meeting with the two major presidential candidates - the
DPP's Frank Hsieh and the KMT's Ma Ying-jeou - Saturday.


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" op-ed
cited the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration's remark
that the Cairo Declaration was not a treaty and called on AIT
Chairman Burghardt to tell U.S. President George W. Bush to abolish
the one-China policy and support Taiwan's bid to join the United
Nations using the name Taiwan. An analysis in the pro-unification
"United Daily News" commented on President Chen Shui-bian's request
to AIT Chairman Burghardt that the United States reiterate its "Six
Assurances." The article said it is President Chen that has been
changing all the time and that the Americans will not be taken in
any more. An editorial in the limited-circulation,
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" called on the
United States to try to bridge the gap in U.S.-Taiwan relations.
End summary.

A) "Raymond Burghardt, Please Tell George W. Bush"

Shen Chien-teh, former associate professor at National Chung Hsing
University, opined in the pro-independence "Liberty Times"
[circulation: 500,000] (6/17):

"... Visiting AIT Chairman Raymond Burghardt also said the United
States does not support Taiwan's participation in international
organizations for which statehood is a requirement. But NOW the
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration has already
exposed the fact that, according to the U.S. federal regulations
regarding archives, the 'Cairo Declaration' was not a treaty. [We]
thus want to ask Burghardt to tell [U.S. President George W.] Bush
when he returns to the United States that he should no longer be
kept in the dark but should abolish the one-China policy and support
Taiwan's bid to join the United Nations as a new member using the
name Taiwan. ..."

B) "Bian Has Been Changing All the Time, Americans Will Not Be Taken
in Any More"

Journalist Lu De-yun noted in an analysis in the pro-unification
"United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (6/16):

"President Chen Shui-bian's campaign to push for Taiwan's bid to
join the international organizations using the name Taiwan has
caused concerns from the United States. Sources quoting
high-ranking officials of the Bian administration said that AIT
Chairman Raymond Burghardt's visit to Taiwan this time was closely
related to [Chen's moves]. Just as expected, Chen asked Burghardt
during the latter's visit Thursday to clarify [Washington's]
position with regard to former President Ronald Reagan's Six
Assurances made in 1982. But Burghardt did not directly respond to
Chen's request.

"The fact that Burghardt chose to have a face-to-face discussion
with local and foreign journalists in Taipei Friday also indicated
something unusual. He spent an hour and let the journalists ask
whatever questions they wanted. Such a move fully showed that
Burghardt wanted to convey the U.S. position and concerns publicly
to the Taiwan people and those 'who are interested in knowing,' not
just 'speaking something incomprehensible' to Taipei's Presidential
Office alone. ...

"Such a way of not responding [directly] to the question has a
flavor of 'your words against mine.' Regarding Chen's repetition of
the 'Four Nos' pledge he made when he was inaugurated in 2000,
[particularly] after he has substantively violated the 'Four Nos'

pledge many times, it fell on deaf ears with the Americans. ...
Chen questioned the Americans whether the Six Assurances have been
changed, but it is basically Chen himself who has been changing all
the time."

C) "U.S. Needs to Bridge Gap in Taiwan Ties"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
20,000] editorialized (6/18):

"In his meeting with American Institute in Taiwan Board Chairman
Raymond Burghardt last Thursday, President Chen Shui-bian expressed
deep concern over whether the Republican administration of U.S.
President George W. Bush has altered the commitment of the United
States government to the so-called 'six assurances' of July 1982.
In particular, Chen asked Washington to offer, at an appropriated
time, an open reaffirmation of its commitment to the fifth of the
six assurances given by then U.S. president Ronald Reagan that the
U.S. "had not altered its position on the sovereignty of Taiwan.
Coincidently, in a Congressional hearing the same day, U.S. Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia and the Pacific Richard
Lawless accused the People's Republic of China of 'changing the
status quo' in the Taiwan strait through its rapid buildup of
ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan and thus became the first U.S.
official to openly confirm that the PRC's military expansion had
unilaterally altered the cross-Strait status quo.

"Besides illustrating the complicated nature of U.S.-Taiwan
relations, these two statements in Washington and Taipei have shown
the urgent need for leaders in both capitals to engage in a more
candid, cooperative and constructive dialogue in the next nine
months in the run-up to Taiwan's next presidential election. ...
The obsession of some Washington analysts with their claim that
President Chen's Democratic Progressive Party administration is
driving for 'legal Taiwan independence' has blinded them to the
gravity of Beijing's diplomatic maneuvers which not only aim to
exclude Taiwan's participation in international organizations but
more aggressively aim to 'legalize' a status for Taiwan that is
officially subordinate to the PRC. The official U.S. position
toward Taiwan and China is to oppose any unilateral change by either
side to the 'status quo,' although U.S. officials habitually use
this phrase only after the Taiwan government has acted in a manner
perceived to be aggravating the PRC. ...

"We are gratified to finally see public recognition by the Bush
administration that the PRC's military threats against Taiwan
constitute an explicit move to 'change' the status quo, but we also
believe that more than words are needed from Washington to remedy
the damage done to Taiwan's international status and security. ...
Moreover, Washington's apparent preoccupation with whether the DPP
government would attempt to alter the status quo has provided cover
for substantial actions by the PRC which have indeed actually
"unilaterally changed the status quo" in a dangerous direction. A
balance needs to be struck through more and better dialogue, the
importance of which has regretfully not been recognized sufficiently
by the two sides so far and which is impeded by Washington's
disinclination to allow direct dialogue between Bush or senior Bush
administration officials and the DPP government.

"Leaders of the Taiwan and U.S. governments should refocus on the
fundamental commonality of interests and cease exaggerating the
differences before it is too late. In a recent speech in Prague,
Bush himself offered a direction for Taipei and Washington to
rethink their bilateral relationship by citing both South Korea and
Taiwan as examples to show that the U.S. can maintain a friendship
and push a nation toward democracy at the same time. If Bush is
serious about his rhetoric, he should display his appreciation for
the hard work of the Taiwan people in increasing democracy on the
island and resisting annexation by an authoritarian state by
offering greater support for Taiwan in the international arena and
by actively opposing the PRC's drive to 'legalize' its claim of
sovereignty over Taiwan in international organizations."

YOUNG