MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S "FOUR WANTS"

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000530 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - LLOYD NEIGHBORS DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S "FOUR WANTS" REMARKS, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news coverage March 8 on the pairing between possible candidates vying for the 2008 presidential elections; on Vice President Annette Lu, who on Wednesday demanded a written apology from the Associated Press and CNN for using "Scum of the Nation" in the headlines of their reports of her announcement to run for the 2008 presidential election; and on other local political issues. Two Chinese-language dailies -- the pro-status quo "China Times" and the pro-unification "United Daily News" -- and the three English-language papers all front-paged the agreement reached between former KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng to run on a joint ticket for the 2008 presidential elections. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, the "Black and White" column in the "United Daily News" continued to comment on President Chen Shui-bian's recent "Four Wants and One Without" announcement. The article satirized Chen for putting up a big show of Taiwan independence while discovering in the end that only one of the four DPP bigwigs wants to follow his lead. An op-ed piece in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times," on the other hand, commented on the U.S. presidential election in 2008 and its relation to Asia. The article said "because of the United States' unique role in many walks of Asian life," Asia is more "intense" in watching the U.S. presidential contest. End summary. ¶3. President Chen Shui-bian's "Four Wants and One Without" Remarks "How Sad [President Chen's] Cry Is" The "Black and White" column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] noted (3/8) "Chen Shui-bian tossed off the 'Four Wants and One Without' remarks, but both Washington and Beijing have actually seen through the fact that he looks tough in manner but is cowardly at heart. Even though Washington reprimanded him harshly and Beijing also issued a statement rebuking him, these were nothing but routine practices. The only unfortunate one that bears the brunt of Chen's remarks was the Taiwan stock market, from which some tens of billions of [New Taiwan] dollars simply vaporized without any reason. "Some people believe that Bian's 'Four Wants and One Without' announcement has drawn a clear line limiting the four DPP bigwigs vying for the presidential candidacy. But is this true? As expected, Frank Hsieh, who once advocated "One China under the Constitution" and "reconciliation and co-existence," should have been the one who received the greatest impact from Bian's radical slogans that emphasize independence and name change. But just look at Hsieh's unhurried response; he said he believes Bian must have had control of certain domestic information before he made such remarks, and he totally disregarded the question of whether he personally agreed with Bian or not. ... "Bian wanted to draw a line for the four bigwigs to follow, but when he looked around, he might find that only Yu Shyi-kun, who is the weakest of the four bigwigs in terms of [political] strength, is following him. For Bian, isn't it rather sad that his show promoting Taiwan independence ends up this way?" ¶4. U.S. Presidential Election "The American Election and Asia" Kurt Campbell, chief executive officer and co-founder of the Center for a New American Security, opined in the "On Taiwan" column in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (3/8): "... While Europeans and others watch the US presidential contest with interest and often have strong views about preferred outcomes, Asia is in many ways unique and much more intense. This is because of the US' unique role in many walks of Asian life - the ultimate guarantor of peace and stability in Asia, the primary market for most Asian exports of consumer goods, and still the agenda setter for most matters of regional dialogue and discussion (despite China's enormous gains). ... "... Despite the desire to neatly compartmentalize Democrats and Republicans into different boxes when it comes to policy approaches to Asia, the most obvious truth about US politics when it comes to Asia is that the most intense debates are often within the parties rather than between them. ... US foreign policy and national security debates currently are completely consumed by Iraq, and this preoccupation on the dire circumstances of the Middle East is decidedly bipartisan. This focus on the chaos and ruin of US policy and what to do about it is likely to predominate in policy circles for years to come and will easily cast the longest shadow on the REMARKS, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2008 elections. Nevertheless, it's perhaps not too early to sketch out at least some broad contours of likely policy approaches that may transcend party differences when it comes to the future of Asia in the coming campaign. ... "There are obvious elements of both cooperation and competition in Sino-US relations, but expect to hear more of the latter as the campaign heats up. ... Indeed, there is an increasing appreciation across the political spectrum that the maintenance of a US security role in Asia is of critical importance to the nation (an area for which the Bush team deserves but is unlikely to receive much credit.) This is one area of good news for a coming political campaign that is likely to be one of the bitterest and harshly contested in modern history. ..." YOUNG