Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SHANGHAI288
2007-05-15 08:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Shanghai
Cable title:
SHANGHAI ACADEMIC ON BEIJING'S TAIWAN POLICY
how-toVZCZCXRO5271 RR RUEHCN RUEHGH DE RUEHGH #0288 1350857 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 150857Z MAY 07 FM AMCONSUL SHANGHAI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5813 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1073 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0514 RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0636 RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 0640 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0743 RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0618 RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 6211
C O N F I D E N T I A L SHANGHAI 000288
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV CH TW
SUBJECT: SHANGHAI ACADEMIC ON BEIJING'S TAIWAN POLICY
CLASSIFIED BY: Simon Schuchat, Deputy Principal Officer, ,
U.S. Consulate Shanghai.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SHANGHAI 000288
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV CH TW
SUBJECT: SHANGHAI ACADEMIC ON BEIJING'S TAIWAN POLICY
CLASSIFIED BY: Simon Schuchat, Deputy Principal Officer, ,
U.S. Consulate Shanghai.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) During a discussion with Deputy Principal Officer (DPO)
and Poloff on May 15, Shanghai Center for RimPac Strategic and
International Studies Vice Director Zhuang Jianzhong said that
there had been a slight shift in Beijing's policy towards Taiwan
that supported opening unofficial channels of communication with
the DPP. For this reason, the government "sort of sent him" to
Taiwan in February to meet with DPP officials, including senior
officials in the Mainland Affairs Council and Presidential
Office. He said that Beijing could not open official channels
with the DPP and was, therefore, looking to academics like him
to establish relations with DPP officials. While the government
did not officially send him to Taiwan, Zhuang reported his
conversations to Beijing upon his return. He added that
Beijing, as well as other interlocutors, were comfortable with
him since he was very discreet and did not speak to the press.
He did not provide any details on what he discussed with DPP
officials.
2. (C) Zhuang said that he was not surprised that Frank Hsieh
(Xie Chang-ting) had won the DPP's Presidential candidacy.
Hsieh had run a very smart campaign by being quiet. The other
candidates, in particular presumed front-runner Su Tseng-chang,
were also too closely associated with President Chen Shui-bian.
Zhuang believed that this was an indication that there had been
a drop in support for President Chen Shui-bian within the DPP.
Chen's recent focus on getting Taiwan into the World Health
Organization was solely motivated by domestic political
concerns, and was nothing more then an attempt to regain power
and show that he was not a "lame duck" President.
3. (C) Comment: Although, it is unclear whether Beijing
initiated Zhuang's travel to Taiwan, it would have been
impossible for Zhuang, a former PLA Colonel, to travel to Taiwan
and meet with DPP officials without the central government's
support. Zhuang has traveled a great deal this year to
participate in various conferences, including active "track 2.5"
cross-Straits meetings. In addition to traveling to Taiwan in
February, he was in Hong Kong during the same month and then the
United States in March and South Korea in April. He added that
he might lead a delegation to South Korea in the near future.
JARRETT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV CH TW
SUBJECT: SHANGHAI ACADEMIC ON BEIJING'S TAIWAN POLICY
CLASSIFIED BY: Simon Schuchat, Deputy Principal Officer, ,
U.S. Consulate Shanghai.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) During a discussion with Deputy Principal Officer (DPO)
and Poloff on May 15, Shanghai Center for RimPac Strategic and
International Studies Vice Director Zhuang Jianzhong said that
there had been a slight shift in Beijing's policy towards Taiwan
that supported opening unofficial channels of communication with
the DPP. For this reason, the government "sort of sent him" to
Taiwan in February to meet with DPP officials, including senior
officials in the Mainland Affairs Council and Presidential
Office. He said that Beijing could not open official channels
with the DPP and was, therefore, looking to academics like him
to establish relations with DPP officials. While the government
did not officially send him to Taiwan, Zhuang reported his
conversations to Beijing upon his return. He added that
Beijing, as well as other interlocutors, were comfortable with
him since he was very discreet and did not speak to the press.
He did not provide any details on what he discussed with DPP
officials.
2. (C) Zhuang said that he was not surprised that Frank Hsieh
(Xie Chang-ting) had won the DPP's Presidential candidacy.
Hsieh had run a very smart campaign by being quiet. The other
candidates, in particular presumed front-runner Su Tseng-chang,
were also too closely associated with President Chen Shui-bian.
Zhuang believed that this was an indication that there had been
a drop in support for President Chen Shui-bian within the DPP.
Chen's recent focus on getting Taiwan into the World Health
Organization was solely motivated by domestic political
concerns, and was nothing more then an attempt to regain power
and show that he was not a "lame duck" President.
3. (C) Comment: Although, it is unclear whether Beijing
initiated Zhuang's travel to Taiwan, it would have been
impossible for Zhuang, a former PLA Colonel, to travel to Taiwan
and meet with DPP officials without the central government's
support. Zhuang has traveled a great deal this year to
participate in various conferences, including active "track 2.5"
cross-Straits meetings. In addition to traveling to Taiwan in
February, he was in Hong Kong during the same month and then the
United States in March and South Korea in April. He added that
he might lead a delegation to South Korea in the near future.
JARRETT