MEDIA REACTION: AP AND CNN INCIDENT WITH VP ANNETTE LU;

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000555 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: AP AND CNN INCIDENT WITH VP ANNETTE LU; PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S "FOUR WANTS" REMARKS ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's newspapers March 10-12 focused their coverage on a KMT decision to revoke the party membership of National Defense Minister Lee Jye for agreeing to remove statues of late KMT leader Chiang Kai-shek from military compounds. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, the pro-independence "Liberty Times" editorialized that that the government should proactively market of Taiwan's democratic image in order to highlight the differences between a democratic Taiwan and an authoritarian China. The pro-unification "United Daily News" asked whether the DPP request to deport an AP reporter in Taiwan is moving Taiwan's status back to that of an authoritative regime. The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" said, however, that Vice President Annette Lu has been useless in promoting legal reform and awareness of civil rights in Taiwan but has brought media outlets such as CNN and The Associated Press (AP) to their knees for quoting abusive language from Beijing. The pro-unification "United Daily News" questioned in its editorial why the eradication of the ROC would be in the interests of Taiwan people. Commentator Sun Ching-yu opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" that President Chen Shui-bian's remarks of "Four Wants and One Without" are his style of child's play and there is no need to bother paying attention to them. An editorial in the pro-unification "China Post" said that Washington's reaction to President Chen's "Four Wants and One Without" was unexpectedly mild and amounted only to a gentle slap on the wrist. End summary. ¶3. Report on Annette Lu's Feud with AP and CNN A) "The Government Should Proactively Market Taiwan's Democratic Image The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 500,000] editorialized (3/10): "One thing worthy of paying attention to is that, although the inappropriate words against Vice President Annette Lu came from China's propaganda, they appeared in [the reports of] internationally famous media such as the Associated Press and CNN. The phenomenon indicates that some international media, perhaps influenced by China's propaganda, or perhaps because they have recruited more Chinese employees, or maybe both, have unconsciously 
shown China's uncivilized ideology in their reports. ... "... We believe that related government agencies in charge of Taiwan's image should proactively market the image of Taiwan's democracy. Especially in wide-ranging international affairs, there are several opportunities to highlight the differences between a democratic Taiwan and an authoritarian China." B) "To Protest or to Oppress: The Sense of Propriety in the Dealing with the Associated Press Incident" The pro-unification United Daily News [circulation: 400,000] noted in its editorial (03/10) "... In the [Associated Press] incident, the most noticeable thing is not the anger of Vice President Annette Lu but the radical reaction of the DPP. It is unimaginable that the political party elevated the 'protest' to 'deportation' within two days. Let's put aside whether it is too severe to 'deport' a journalist whose report is hardly vicious; how can a political party that has experienced the oppression of press freedom by an authoritarian regime and has claimed to 'insist 100 percent press freedom,' speak so easily of 'deportation?' "... Since the DPP cannot discern the difference between 'protest' and 'deportation,' it shows that the political party does not understand the sharpness of the political sword in hand. ... Compared with the deportation of an AP reporter 26 years ago, is Taiwan moving backward to the status of an authoritarian regime?" C) "Annette Lu Tames the World Press" The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] said in its editorial (3/10): "You've got to hand it to Vice President Annette Lu. As the nation's most powerful woman and a self-declared feminist, she has been useless in promoting legal reform and rights awareness in a country that this week received another battering in a US State Department report over its failure to punish physical and sexual abusers of women and children. "But she sure can bring media outlets like CNN and The Associated Press (AP) to their knees for quoting abusive language from Beijing. In the week that she announced her push for the Democratic PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S "FOUR WANTS" REMARKS Progressive Party (DPP) nomination for president, Lu pounced on two of several news outlets that recycled the expressions "scum of the nation" and "insane" just when she was looking to make an extra headline out of her campaign launch. "Beijing's insults are ludicrous and demean every Taiwanese. But they are dramatic, and to many entertaining, which is why news agencies and correspondents turn to them when they seek to spice up their stories. For years, this newspaper has criticized international news agencies for misrepresenting Taiwan and portraying it as a "renegade Chinese province" at the expense of the Taiwanese view. In this instance, however, AP and CNN were simply playing the same old tune. While objectionable, these kinds of reports are nothing new." ¶4. President Chen Shui-bian's "Four Wants" Remarks D) "Why Eradicate the ROC?" The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] said in its editorial (3/12): "... There are at least three points opened for debate in President Chen's manipulation [of 'Four Wants and One Without.'] First, the shift has moved the statement of Taiwan's sovereignty from 'completed Taiwan independence,' meaning that Taiwan 'is already independent,' to 'Taiwan independence in progress,' meaning that Taiwan 'has yet become independent.' Is this shift a move forward or backward? Second, the 'Resolution on Taiwan's Future' is an official document passed by the DPP through a democratic mechanism within the party, while Chen Shui-bian's remarks of 'Four Wants and One Without' are only his political manipulation. Third, from the perspective that Taiwan must maintain its relations with the U.S. and defend against China, will the 'Republic of China in the form of a completed Taiwan independence' or 'Republic of Taiwan in the progress of Taiwan independence' be more advantageous to Taiwan? "... When the United States and Taiwan have drawn their bottom line on 'de jure Taiwan independence,' they have shown explicitly that other than 'de jure Taiwan independence,' the status quo and development of the 'Republic of China' can both be maintained. In other words, it is okay if the national title of the Republic of China is not changed; to some extent, this is the realization of 'Republic of China in the form of Taiwan independence.' "However, the moves of 'name changes and constitutional reform' adopted by Chen Shui-bian and the DPP have narrowed the definition of Taiwan independence and moved backward to 'change in the national title and construct a new Constitution.' These are tantamount to denigrating the ROC and resenting the ROC, and are digging one's own grave in terms of politics. 'ROC' is what Taiwan's life depends on; why expose it to the risk of death?" E) "Don't Bother to Pay Attention to A-Bian's Style of Child's Play" Commentator Sun Ching-yu opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 580,000] (03/10): "... All in all, the remarks of 'Four Wants and One Without' are another A-Bian style of child's play. The United States and China have heard them several times and are therefore reluctant to respond. Taiwan people and media should not be serious about them at all. Just take it as the government is supporting a person who has nothing to do. ..." F) "A Slap on the Wrist" An editorial in the pro-unification China Post [circulation: 30,000] said that (03/10): "... Washington's reaction was unexpectedly mild. State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack commented the following day that Chen's rhetoric was 'unhelpful.' It was a gentle slap on Chen's wrist. "McCormack was unusually mealy-mouthed. 'The United States does not support independence for Taiwan,' he reiterated Washington's position. 'President Bush has repeatedly underscored his opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo by either Taipei or Beijing,' he said, adding, 'any rhetoric that would raise doubts' about Chen's inaugural commitments and guarantees to renounce Taiwan independence is 'unhelpful.' "In fact, 'unhelpful' was the only word the State Department had chosen to comment on Chen's latest utterance. In the lead-up to the 2008 presidential elections, Taiwan's citizens may expect more of such diplomatic rhetoric from Washington, as our fire-brand president is bound to make repeated challenges to Washington's PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S "FOUR WANTS" REMARKS one-China policy and Beijing's red line on Taiwan independence." YOUNG