ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTER WINSTON DANG ON TAIWAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 002494

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR OES/ENV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV SENV CH TW
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTER WINSTON DANG ON TAIWAN'S
ENVIRONMENT AND THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS

REF: A. TAIPEI 02360

B. BEIJING 7110

Classified By: AIT DIRECTOR STEPHEN M. YOUNG FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D


1. (C) SUMMARY. Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency
(TEPA) Minister Winston Dang told the Director on November 14
that President Chen Shui-bian's outspokenness on Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) issues has caused problems for both
the party and presidential candidate Frank Hsieh. Dang said
he hopes to invite former colleague and USEPA Secretary Steve
Johnson for a visit to Taiwan. OnQnvironmental issues, Dang
expressed concern about transboundary airQollution from the
PRC which is depositing mercury, arsenic and dioxins in
neQhboring countries and the U.S. Dang said TEPA was being
pressured by President Chen to approve completion of major
infrastructure projects in spite of the controversies they
generate (ref a) and that the environmental impact assessment
(EIA) process was being modified to make it more tractable.
END SUMMARY

CHEN OUTSPOKENNESS NOT HELPFUL
--------------


2. (C) Dang noted that President Chen, as DPP Party
Chairman, cannot keep quiet on party issues as the
presidential elections loom closer. Dang admitted that
Chen's statements have harmed the DPP's image and cohesion
and said the DPP Central Executive Committee might discuss
this issue on November 15. However, Dang said he felt
confident the DPP would win 50 seats in the upcoming
legislative elections, particularly with the recent
defections of four Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) members and
one Kuomingtang (KMT) member to the DPP. He was confident of
the DPP's ability to attract women, minorities and disabled
to its ranks and said the party's leadership was younger and
more dynamic than its KMT opponents. Dang was positive about
presidential candidate Frank Hsieh, pointing out that Hsieh
is calm, not prone to come out with rash decisions, and has
focused on the state of the economy. Dang also praised
vice-presidential candidate Su Tseng-chang for contributing
to party unity and agreeing to run with Hsieh.

KMT LEADERSHIP --A SHAMBLES
--------------


3. (C) Dang (a deep green DPP member) had nothing good to
say about the opposition KMT party. He felt the KMT
leadership was run by a clique of old-timers who included no
scholars or minorities but only unimaginative leaders such as
Party Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung. Dang believes that Wu will
promise to take care of any party problems but won't be able
to deliver. If the KMT loses this election, it will take them
10-to-20 years to regain their position. Dang repeated
familiar accusations that KMT presidential candidate Ma is a
former "campus spy" who while a Harvard student reported on
anyone opposing the KMT regime in Taiwan. (Note: Dang was
blacklisted for decades and could not return to Taiwan until
the ban was lifted under the DPP).


POLLUTION FROM THE MAINLAND
--------------


4. (C) Dang expressed concern about increasing levels of
transboundary air pollution from the PRC, which he claimed is
depositing mercury, arsenic and possibly dioxins on the
island and other countries including the U.S. The Director
asked him if he had met with his mainland counterpart, and
Dang said the PRC has so far been unresponsive to his
overtures for such a meeting. Dang said a joint Taiwan-U.S.
weather station on top of Mt. Lulin (next to Mt. Yushan) in
south-central Taiwan is gathering data on pollutants coming
from the mainland and he hoped to be able to discuss its
findings with his PRC counterpart. According to Dang, China
is emitting as much as 40 percent of the world output of
mercury into the atmosphere. This is being transported by
dust storms which periodically blanket the industrial areas
of China, in particular Shandong province. Dang would like
to engage the PRC environment minister, but was not hopeful
about the prospects.

INVITE TO EPA ADMINISTRATOR
--------------



5. (C) Dang wants to invite USEPA Administrator Steve
Johnson, a former colleague from his time in USEPA, to visit
Taiwan and discuss global warming and bilateral environmental
issues (note Dang spent 15 years working at USEPA). The
Director told Dang, that the current atmosphere makes it
difficult for such a visit to take place, because the Chen
administration has repeatedly pushed on issues such as the
WHO membership and the UN referendum which in the U.S. view
were not helpful in maintaining cross-Strait stability. The
Director indicated that if such a visit becomes possible, it
would probably
have to take place under the auspices of Trade and Investment
Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks or a regional conference.

HYBRIDS IN TAIWAN?
--------------


6. (C) Dang said he had just participated in a Legislative
Yuan session discussing the conversion of
gasoline powered vehicles to liquid propane gas (LPG),a
measure which would save energy costs and lower pollution.
The Director suggested to Dang that Taiwan could benefit from
the introduction of hybrid vehicles (gas and electric),which
are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S., by providing
the right incentives to industry and the public to encourage
their use. Dang agreed and said he would broach the idea
with President Chen.

CSB'S PET PROJECT--THE SUHUA EXPRESSWAY
--------------


7. (C) Of the major infrastructure projects, the Suhua
expressway project has been the most controversial, Dang
noted. Critics have slammed it as a wasteful and unnecessary
project which will adversely affect the economy of the east
coast by lowering occupancy rates in hotels and business in
general. Dang said President Chen is committed to completing
the project in order to address the periodic closures of the
eastern coastal highway caused by typhoons or earthquakes.
Dang said building a new expressway may not be a good idea
economically but special interests are keen to see it
completed. The project has undergone a second environmental
impact assessment (EIA) and is being reviewed by the Ministry
of Transportation.

APPLYING USEPA EXPERIENCE TO TAIWAN
--------------


8. (C) Dang was optimistic about his ability to reform
TEPA. He cited in particular his efforts to reform the EIA
process by limiting the participation of NGO's, although not
excluding those with prior involvement. He said Taiwan NGO's
are too keen to object to industrial and infrastructure
projects and their emotional interventions during the EIA
review do not reveal a clear understanding of the EIA
process. Dang wants to focus on proper procedure in order to
provide a reasoned assessment of the
merits of a project and to disentangle the numerous proposals
that have stalled due to the objections of some EIA members.
He refuted media allegations that the EIA process is not
transparent.

COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) Winston Dang, formerly a DPP legislator and the
party's International Affairs Director, has been actively
involved in DPP party politics for a long time. He worked in
the USEPA for fifteen years before returning to Taiwan early
in this decade. Although his focus currently is on the
environment, he can, by virtue of his long-standing
involvement in the DPP, provide us with a useful take on
current developments within the party.
YOUNG