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

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000549 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, JAPAN ¶1. Summary: As the 2008 presidential elections stayed in the spotlight of Taiwan's media, news coverage on March 9 also focused on the Rebar Group financial scandal, in which a total of 107 defendants were indicted and Rebar founder Wang You-theng was recommended for a 30-year prison sentence and a fine of NT$1.71 billion [US$52.13 million]; on Vice President Annette Lu's complaint to the Associated Press and CNN over their reports; and on the by-election of the KMT chairman. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" lashed out at the Blue camp for manipulating the Taiwan people's ideological thinking and ethnic antagonism. A commentary in the pro-status quo "China Times," however, criticized President Chen Shui-bian's recent "Four Wants and One Without" remarks, calling Chen slick and sly. An op-ed piece in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" discussed the urgency for Taiwan to draft a new constitution. A separate "Taipei Times" editorial, on the other hand, criticized Japanese Prime Minister SHINZO ABE for "attempting to deny the culpability of the Japanese government and military in forcing thousands of women to work as sex slaves during and prior to World War II." End summary. ¶3. President Chen Shui-bian's "Four Wants" Remarks A) "Who Is Manipulating [the Taiwan People's] Ideology and Ethnic Antagonism?" The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 500,000] editorialized (3/9): "The nativist regime has been in power for nearly seven years, but its administrative performance has been constantly blocked and sabotaged by the pan-Blue camp. As a result, the national machinery has been in a state in which it has ceased functioning and thus is unable to show any concrete accomplishments. ... The Blue camp has been stuck in a hysterical state in which it opposes only for the sake of opposition. It is opposed to [the government's moves to push for] name changes, writing a new constitution, a UN bid under the name of Taiwan, and any issues relating to the transformation of Taiwan into a normal country. All the more, it has been acting roughly to block the special arms procurements budget, the appointments of the Control Yuan members, the government's budget as a whole, and legislation that concerns the public's welfare and livelihood. In other words, the Blue camp has accused the nativist regime more than once of ruling our country with ideology and is sowing discord by using ethnic antagonism. But in reality, it is the Blue camp itself that has been truly manipulating ideological thinking and ethnic conflicts, which has resulted in clashes in Taiwan's society and poor administrative performance [of the government]. ..." B) "Say No to Four Wants" The "Short Commentary" in the pro-status quo "China Time" [circulation: 400,000] noted (3/9): "... A-Bian is slick and sly. He made his inaugural speech for the ears of the international community only, so there we had the 'Four Nos and One Without.' Following his meeting with James Soong, A-Bian wanted to befriend the People's First Party, so [he said that] the name change campaign and writing a new constitution were moves that 'deceive ourselves and others.' Now that the First Family is plagued with various scandals and Bian needs his deep Green stalwarts to help him secure his position, he naturally had to cry out loud the 'Four Wants and One Without' to pander to the Formosan Association for Public Affairs. "The international community has long seen through the fact that President Chen's above-mentioned remarks were made for domestic consumption only. Who else would care about his mercurial announcements? Besides, A-Bian is already a lame duck. Not only have the United States and China totally disregarded the 'Four Wants and One Without' remarks, but Lee Teng-hui has also said he did not have time to engage in a 'war of words' with A-Bian! ... Just recently, [we have seen] Lee moving toward the center of the political spectrum while Bian rushed toward the hardcore Green supporters. Surely the pro-independence supporters would criticize Lee and compliment Bian. But when it comes to Taiwan independence, Bian is far less competent in his skills compared with Lee. Lee could use his visit to the United States [in 1995] and go to great lengths by turning Taiwan-U.S. relations into both sides joining hands to resist China. For Bian, however, he also toyed with Taiwan-U.S. relations, but the consequence might be that Washington [would] join hands with Beijing to manage Taiwan." C) "The Urgency of Drafting a Constitution in Transition" REMARKS, JAPAN Margot Chen, a research fellow at the Taiwan Advocates, opined in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (3/9): "Let's look at two perspectives of the need for a new constitution. First, a 'one China' Constitution runs counter to the current cross-strait status quo. Creating a constitution for one's own country should be the natural order of things. Taiwan is a sovereign state; therefore, creating a new constitution does not change the status quo but is a true reflection of it. ... Thus, neither domestic opposition nor the international community - including the US, Japan and China - have any reason to oppose Taiwan's creating a new constitution either by obstruction or threats. "Second, amending the Constitution is a formidable challenge. In 2005, the mission-oriented National Assembly amended the Constitution and designed a high threshold for constitutional amendments by requiring that three-quarters of all legislators are present at the vote, and that three-quarters of those present vote for the amendment. The amendment must then be put to a referendum where half of the total electorate must approve and pass the proposal. Implementing such high requirements is no different from blocking Taiwan from normalizing its status as a country. ..." ¶4. Japan "Japan's Shameful Ignorance" The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (3/9): "Shinzo Abe, shame on you. Shame on you for attempting to deny the culpability of the Japanese government and military in forcing thousands of women to work as sex slaves during and prior to World War II. Shame on you for sacrificing the honor of your country to placate a rabid minority of rightist ultra-nationalist. These are the same people who took all of the progress and promise of the Taisho Democracy in the 1920s and tried to turn your country into a savage land of assassins, murderers and suicidal fanatics. "The people you are courting by ignoring undeniable historical facts do not represent the 'Beautiful Japan' that you are constantly evoking - the Japan of Katsushika, Matsuo Basho and Izumi Shikibu. The people you are courting with your revisionism represent a dark, bloody Japan that is a freak of history. ... These people you are placating represent Ugly Japan. So shame on you, Mr. Abe. Again, shame on you. The arrogance, the sheer lack of compassion and of empathy for the people who suffered under the Imperial Japanese Army demonstrates that you have not even attempted to understand the realities of the world in which you live. ..." YOUNG