MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001718 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD 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 August 1 on KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's special mayoral fund case; on the corruption case of the Kaohsiung MRT (Metropolitan Rapid Transit) project, in which three former Kaohsiung City Government officials under then-Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh were acquitted, while the other two were sentenced to four and twelve years, respectively; and on rising oil prices. Interestingly, given the political polarization of most Taiwan newspapers, both Ma's case and the Kaohsiung MRT case involving Frank Hsieh were juxtaposed in most papers either on the front page or on the first few pages. The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" ran a banner headline on page four that said "Frank Hsieh: after Being Elected, Name Change and Writing a New Constitution [Will Be Completed] within Five Years." The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's largest-circulation daily, ran an exclusive news story with a banner headline saying "DPP's Draft Resolution on Normalizing the Nation; Taiwan's Name Will Be Rectified." ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" editorial criticized the United States for constantly suppressing Taiwan's moves to maintain its sovereignty while lacking proactive measures to counter China's military intimidation against the island. A column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" questioned whether DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh will be as mercurial as President Chen Shui-bian. End summary. A) "How Can Taiwan Not Write a New Constitution and Change Its Name As Soon As Possible?" The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] editorialized (8/1): "Sources said a U.S. State Department official said the Taiwan government's attempt to apply for membership for the United Nations using the name Taiwan seems to be inconsistent with President Chen's pledge not to change the island's national title. Following such logic, it would seem as if Taiwan originally had a national title widely acknowledged in the world, and that this national title was not Taiwan. Consequently, the attempt to use Taiwan as the island's name appears designated to change the national title. ... Now, hardly any major country in the world acknowledges that the Republic of China is the national name of a sovereign country. ... Take the United States for example: the U.S. government, which calls the island Taiwan all the time, criticized us for changing our national name - an attempt [according to Washington] suspected of unilaterally altering the status quo across the Taiwan Strait - once it heard we address ourselves as Taiwan. But didn't the U.S. Congress address us as Taiwan when it adopted the 'Taiwan Relations Act'? Was ROC or any other national title used in that law? ... "Ever since 2000, the U.S. government has been frequently chanting the 'incantation crown' of 'Four Nos' to Taiwan [Editorial note: this is a literary allusion to "Journey to the West," in which the Monkey King Sun Wukong wore a crown on his head that the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang could tighten painfully by chanting an incantation. He used this crown to keep the mischievous monkey under control.] and suppressing every one of Taiwan's moves to maintain its sovereignty. But in the meantime, it has never taken any proactive action to counter China's military intimidation, economic united-front tactics, or the 'three guang' diplomatic strategy against Taiwan [i.e., Chinese policies aimed at removing all of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, blocking all of Taiwan's international channels and crushing its entire international presence]. The fact that the cross-Strait situation in recent years has been gradually tipping toward China is related to such an attitude of the U.S. government in one way or another. "The U.S. government seems to have forgotten that there is a very important prerequisite for the 'Four Nos' pledged by President Chen -- namely, as long as China has no intention of using force against Taiwan. [Washington's] disregard for the prerequisite while talking only about the 'Four Nos' is a misinterpretation of Taiwan's pledge to peace. No wonder China is getting more and more arrogant. "Based on this experience, Frank Hsieh asserted during his recent trip to the United States that, given Taiwan's current independent status, there is no need [for the island] to hold an independence referendum. Such an unconditional promise seems rather rash and hasty in that we have unilaterally abandoned our handy and effective tool - the independence referendum - while both Washington and Beijing have yet to acknowledge Taiwan's already independent status. In the future, the U.S. government will only request that [Taiwan] adhere to this 'new one No' pledge, as it did to the 'Four Nos,' and say that it is 'inappropriate to acknowledge' that Taiwan is an independent sovereign state. Honestly speaking, [Hsieh's pledge] is unfavorable for maintaining Taiwan's sovereignty. "Given Taiwan's rapid progress in democratic reforms over the past decade, [Taiwan's] 23 million people have become increasingly eager in their desire for the normalization of their country. It is a pity that, even given Taiwan's evident mainstream public opinion calling for the country's normalization, the U.S. government has more than once said it 'does not support Taiwan's bid to join international organizations for which statehood is a requirement.' Perhaps this position adopted by the U.S. government is based on its national interests and global strategy. But in the eyes of the 23 million people [of Taiwan], it is akin to sacrificing democratic Taiwan in an attempt to curry favor with totalitarian China, a move that has damaged the U.S. position as a world leader of democratic countries. ..." B) "Tai Chi Politics" Journalist Chang You-sheng wrote in the "United Notes" column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (8/1): "... AIT Chairman Raymond Burghardt must have though of something before he addressed Frank Hsieh as a 'Tai Chi expert.' High-ranking U.S. officials spoke frankly that the referendum on joining the United Nations is not in the interests of the Taiwan people, and that the referendum violates President A-bian's pledges. Hsieh's response was that although he has his own idea on certain policies, he cannot do anything because he does not hold a government position now and it is therefore inappropriate for him to express his viewpoints. This is of course an answer that beats around the bush. ... "For a person as smart as Hsieh, how can he not comprehend the overtones of those superior Americans [lit. American big brothers]? Frank Hsieh knew well that his remarks would arouse backlash from the pro-independence faction, but he nonetheless chose to announce at an international press conference that he will not push for a referendum on independence. This has become Hsieh's first major pledge to the United States. Will Hsieh go against his word, as A-bian does? Time will tell. However, the 'One No' pledge has proved that 'Tai Chi politics' still has its limits." YOUNG