MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS, INTER-KOREAN SUMMIT

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002280 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS, INTER-KOREAN SUMMIT ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news coverage October 4 on Taiwan's UN bid, on the 2008 presidential election, and on a decision reached by the DPP Central Standing Committee Wednesday to ask President Chen Shui-bian to re-assume the party chairmanship. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an op-ed in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" discussed the merits and demerits of the U.S. policy toward Taiwan. The article said the fatal mistake in the U.S. policy toward Taiwan is its lack of respect for Taiwan's public opinion. With regard to the inter-Korean summit that took place Wednesday, an editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" said unification between North and South Korea is more difficult than it looks. An editorial in the conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said the summit should at least have created a better understanding between Seoul and Pyongyang of each other's stance. End summary. ¶2. U.S.-Taiwan Relations "Merits and Demerits of the United States' Policy toward Taiwan" Shen Chieh, a freelance journalist based in Taipei, opined in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] (10/4): "The U.S. government's opposition to Taiwan's UN referendum has triggered tension in Taipei-Washington relations and aroused anti-U.S. sentiment [in Taiwan]. U.S. bureaucrats and scholars who tend to view [cross-Strait] issues from China's perspective only know they need to blame the DPP government, but they have never reviewed the mistakes made by the United States. The predicament that Taiwan is facing today is a result of the mistakes made by Chiang Kai-shek's totalitarian control as well as those made by the United States. One must not demand that the Taiwan people, who did not have a say during the Martial Law period, continue shouldering mistakes committed by Chiang Kai-shek and the United States. Neither should anyone oppose the Taiwan people's pursuit of justice and their efforts to right the wrongs made by dictators and strong powers citing reasons such as a need not to 'change the status quo.' ... "The fatal mistake in U.S. policy toward Taiwan is its lack of respect for Taiwan's public opinion. ... Under the enlightenment and encouragement of the U.S. government, the Taiwan people established a democratic system and, based on their intent, they request the writing of a new constitution, name change, and application for UN membership. All these moves are efforts to redress the mistakes made by Chiang Kai-shek and the United States for failing to show respect for [Taiwan's] public opinion. The U.S. government thus should no longer wrongly oppose these moves." ¶3. Inter-Korean Summit A) "Unification Is Harder Than It Looks" The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (10/3): "... Stability on the Korean Peninsula and unification of the two Koreas is only propaganda to fool the public and the international community. After the first summit between Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il, the situation on the Korean peninsula did not become safer. North Korea was still working hard on the development of missiles and nuclear weapons, which was why six-party talks followed between North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US. The process of halting the six-party talks was manipulated by Kim Jong-il. Although Pyongyang agreed to close down its nuclear reactors, it is highly unlikely that the paranoid North Koreans will follow up on the promises they made during the talks and give up their nuclear aspirations. "If North Korea were to sincerely lay a foundation for peaceful unification in the Korean Peninsula and honor the international community's demands to shut down its nuclear facilities, then it should have already reached an agreement with other states in the six-party talks. Unfortunately, it has all turned out to be the other way around. As a result, there are no high expectations for the summit. It is being held because South Korea needs something from North Korea. But this is just Roh's wishful thinking, and Kim does not expect much from Roh's North Korea visit. ..." B) "Hoping for Permanent Peace on the Korean Peninsula" The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (10/4): "... Whether the meeting between Roh and Kim will lead soon to a major reduction in tensions in the peninsula remains to be seen. And few believe Korea can be reunified in the foreseeable future. But the Roh-Kim summit should have created a better understanding between them of each others stance. If Seoul and Pyongyang keep at it, a permanent peace on their peninsula will become reality one day." YOUNG