TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON FIJI AND SOLOMON ISLANDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000174

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID AS NZ BP FJ CH TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON FIJI AND SOLOMON ISLANDS

REF: STATE 07966

Classified By: AIT Director Stephen M. Young. Reason(s):
1.4 (B/D)


1. (C REL AUS) Summary. The Director delivered reftel
demarche on Fiji and Solomon Islands to Foreign Minister
James Huang on January 23. Huang responded that Taiwan
"suspended" its assistance to Fiji following the coup and has
not been approached for assistance by the post-coup Fiji
government. He expressed dismay at Australian concerns over
Taiwan assistance to the Solomon Islands, arguing that Taiwan
has provided much beneficial assistance to the Islands and
that Taiwan had no choice but to respond positively to a
request for police training from "an old ally." In response
to DIR's earlier and repeated urging that Taiwan hold
discussions with Australia on the Solomon Islands, Huang said
Taiwan Vice Foreign Minister Chang Hsiao-yueh is scheduled to
meet with her Australian counterpart in Canberra in early
February. End Summary.


2. (C REL AUS) Director Young met with FM James Huang on
January 23 to deliver reftel points on Fiji and Solomon
Islands. Huang listened carefully to the points which, DIR
noted, built on their discussion over lunch last week. It
was particularly important, DIR stressed, that Taiwan follow
its democratic values in its relations with Fiji and Solomon
Islands and stay in close contact with Australia.

Fiji Aid on Hold
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3. (C REL AUS) FM Huang told DIR that Taiwan had a number of
assistance projects in Fiji before the coup, but these had
all been suspended -- "not cut off," he emphasized, "just
suspended" pending further review. DIR asked if the
post-coup Fiji government had approached Taiwan for
assistance or if Taiwan had proffered any assistance. Huang
responded negatively to both questions.

Taiwan Assistance to Solomon Islands Misunderstood
-------------- --------------


4. (C REL AUS) FM Huang took issue with reftel points on
Taiwan activities in the Solomon Islands (SI). He protested
the implication that Taiwan's activities "had anything to do
with the riots" last year, insisting that Taiwan is
"innocent." Australia, he charged, insists all other donors
must implement their aid projects in SI according to
Australian standards. Taiwan, however, has a number of grass
roots projects that actively assist SI Members of Parliament
to improve sanitary and medical conditions in their
districts. Last year, he noted, Taiwan sent six mobile
medical teams to SI and five other Pacific Island countries.
The local people had been so grateful for the assistance that
the governments requested these teams be sent twice yearly in
the future. Explaining that Taiwan has no choice but to
depend on local partners to implement much of its assistance,
Huang surmised that in its SI projects Taiwan might have
given its local implementing partners too much leeway. DIR
responded that the U.S., too, often channels assistance
through local partners, but maintains close oversight.
Providing assistance, he stressed, brings responsibility;
Taiwan aid must be closely monitored and should reflect
Taiwan's values.


5. (C REL AUS) Huang was defensive on the charge that Taiwan
has provided assistance to security forces in the Solomons
Taiwan. Taiwan, he countered, is being treated unfairly.
Australia does not understand the difficult situation in
which Taiwan finds itself, in part because Premier Sogavare
does not get along with Canberra. Taiwan is caught in the
middle. When "our traditional ally" requests police
training, how can Taiwan turn down the request? How would
this affect Taiwan's relations with its ally?

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6. (C REL AUS) DIR stressed that Washington understands
Taiwan has its own diplomatic difficulties, but urged Taiwan
to maintain an open and close dialogue with Australia over
SI, an area in which Australia has historical interests.
Huang responded that Vice Foreign Minister Chang Hsiao-yueh
will transit Australia in both directions on her trip to the
Solomon Islands in early February and had requested a meeting
with her Australian counterpart. Canberra, he said,
responded positively and welcomed the proposal for a meeting
on one leg of Chang's transit. He promised that Chang would
brief AIT after her trip.

Criticisms of Taiwan Unfair
--------------


7. (C REL AUS) FM Huang complained that Taiwan is being held
to an unfair standard. When Chinese PM Wen Jiabao attended
the South Pacific Economic Forum last year and offered USD
370 million in aid to South Pacific nations, Australia and
New Zealand offered no criticism. DIR responded that he
understood that Australia and New Zealand are, in fact,
concerned over PRC assistance and have raised this with
Beijing. At the same time, he acknowledged, we probably do
expect more from Taiwan, a full democracy, than from the PRC,
which turns a blind eye to these issues.


8. (C REL AUS) Australia, moreover, is a close friend of the
U.S., DIR explained, and the two nations share similar views
on nation building in the South Pacific. The U.S. supports
the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)
and, thus, welcomes VFM Chang's meeting and exchange of views
in Canberra.

Comment
--------------


9. (C REL AUS) VFM Chang's stopover in Canberra to discuss
SI issues is a welcome development and follow-up to DIR's
lunch last week with FM Huang, at which time DIR urged that
Taiwan should maintain close and open discussion on South
Pacific issues with Australia. AIT will follow up with VFM
Chang after her return from Honiara and Canberra.
YOUNG