TAIWAN REACTION TO DAS CHRISTENSEN SPEECH:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002112

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2032
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN REACTION TO DAS CHRISTENSEN SPEECH:
NOBODY'S BUDGING

REF: TAIPEI 2078

Classified By: Acting Director Robert S. Wang, reasons: 1.4 (B/D).


1. (C) Summary: Following DAS Christensen's September 12
remarks, high-ranking DPP officials continue to insist that
U.S. objections to the DPP UN referendum are the result of
inadequate communication between Taipei and Washington. The
referendum should continue, DPP proponents argue, because it
will not affect name change, is supported by a majority of
Taiwan's people, and is a natural expression of Taiwan's
democratic society. More strident DPP critics accuse the
U.S. of blaming Taiwan for the U.S.'s inability to manage
cross-Strait relations. Deep-Greens will not let President
Chen retreat from the referendum even if he wants to, DPP
insiders say, and they fully expect U.S. criticism to boost
voter support for DPP candidates in upcoming legislative and
presidential elections. KMT presidential candidate Ma
Ying-jeou was "not surprised" by the pointed U.S. criticism,
which KMT Vice Chairman John Kuan said was in "perfect
harmony" with the KMT's rationale to offer its own referendum
as the "lesser of two evils." Local media outlets split
predictably along Blue-Green lines. A pro-independence
newspaper accused the U.S. of "provoking" President Chen into
pursuing the referendum by failing to stand up for Taiwan
interests at the U.N. and World Animal Health Society, while
pro-unification papers portrayed Chen as a "betrayer of
Taiwan's interests." Some politicians have urged that both
referenda should be withdrawn for the good of the country,
but nobody is listening. One KMT official said that the
party would withdraw its referendum if the DPP does so first,
but there is no reason to believe that is likely to happen
any time soon. End summary.

DPP Government Reaction: No Retreat
--------------


2. (U) A few hours after DAS Christensen's speech, Secretary
General of the Executive Yuan Chen Chin-jun held a press
conference to respond. Chen repeated the assertions that the
DPP UN referendum "has no relationship to changing the
country's official designation," does not violate President
Chen's "five noes" pledge, and is supported by more than 70
percent of the Taiwan people. For these reasons, Chen
continued, the government will continue promoting the UN bid.
The United States and the international community "should
respect the voice of the Taiwan people," Chen argued, adding
that, according to UN resolution 2758, the "Republic of
China" no longer exists.


3. (U) At the same press conference, Secretary General of the
Presidential Office Yeh Chu-lan echoed Chen Chin-jun's
remarks, insisting that the government has "reiterated many
times" that Taiwan's bid to be included in the UN as Taiwan
"is unconnected to any change of the national title." Yeh
claimed that the DPP UN referendum was proposed to further
develop Taiwan's democracy, and that the name "Taiwan" was
chosen because "it is the name most commonly known to the
public."


4. (U) Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Chien-yeh stated
publicly that "Taiwan understands the U.S. stance concerning
the (UN membership) bid," and "regrets that differences
between the two sides ... had not been smoothed out." Wang
stated the DPP UN referendum was in response to "a
spontaneous request by Taiwan's grass roots to the
administration." Not only did the UN referendum idea enjoy a
high level of public support, Wang claimed, "the ruling and
opposition parties had (also) reached a consensus" on each
pushing for its own referendum on UN membership. Detailing
China's recent efforts to hem Taiwan in diplomatically, Wang
said the U.S., on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, could
never understand the "sense of oppression" that Taiwan feels
from China. The referendum "meets every core value of
democracy," Wang insisted, and he expressed the hope that
"cognitive differences" between the U.S. and Taiwan could be
reconciled through improved communication between Taipei and
Washington. In a separate statement to the press, DPP
Chairman Yu Shyi-kun lashed out at the U.S., charging that
the U.S. was wrongfully blaming Taiwan for Washington's

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inability to manage cross-Strait affairs.


5. (C) DPP elder and Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen
told AIT on September 13 that the DPP will definitely go
ahead with its UN referendum: "We," referring to his working
group of deep-Green elders, "will not let Chen Shui-bian
retreat" on the referendum issue. Yao insisted that Taiwan
people, especially those in his native central and southern
Taiwan, care very much about the UN issue. He is planning to
accompany the DPP leadership to Kaohsiung on Saturday to
participate in the mass rally in support of the DPP UN
referendum. The recent publicity, he surmised, will help
build support for the DPP in its legislative and presidential
election campaigns.

KMT: Glad To Be Of Service
--------------


6. (U) KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou told the press
that he was not surprised that a senior State Department
official had spoken at length to detail U.S. objections to
the DPP UN referendum. "The U.S. is well aware of the DPP's
motives" to use its UN referendum to gain an edge at the
polls, Ma said, so it made sense for the U.S. to stake out
its position with greater clarity.


7. (C) KMT Vice Chairman John Kuan told the Acting Director
on September 13 that the KMT was "very pleased" by DAS
Christensen's remarks opposing the DPP UN referendum, which
were "in complete harmony" with the KMT's rationale to offer
its own, competing referendum. Kuan admitted that there had
been considerable debate within the party over whether to go
forward with a KMT-sponsored referendum on UN membership.
However, the party leadership concluded that the KMT could
not afford to ignore or oppose the overwhelming public
support for the idea, without being accused of "selling out"
to Beijing. In crafting its own referendum, Kuan told the
ADIR, the KMT tried to give voters a way to endorse UN
membership without endorsing "Taiwan independence." Kuan
added that he and others considered DAS Christensen's speech
to be an endorsement, even an expression of appreciation, for
the KMT "lesser of two evils" referendum strategy.

Press Reaction: Along Blue-Green Lines
--------------


8. (U) The pro-Green, English-language Taiwan News published
an editorial alleging that Washington "fails to grasp" the
meaning of the UN referenda. Washington "fails to
appreciate" that most of Taiwan's 23 million people believe
they merit "equal treatment with the rest of the world's
people" and a "proper role" as a developed and democratic
state in the world community. "National cohesion and
identity" are the foundation of Taiwan's ability to "defend
itself from aggression or annexation." Therefore, the UN
referenda are "key democratic processes" toward the formation
of a "consensus on national identity" that is "essential" to
Taiwan's defense, and not "unnecessary provocations" as DAS
Christensen asserted. The editorial alleges that, by
supporting China's resolution to downgrade Taiwan's status
within the World Animal Health Society, and by reacting too
slowly to UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon's interpretation of UN
resolution 2758, the U.S. worsened Taiwan's "international
space" crisis. The "unilateral change in Taiwan's
international status" is what "provoked" President Chen to
push the "UN for Taiwan" referendum, as a defensive measure
to uphold Taiwan's separate identity from the PRC.


9. (U) An editorial from the pro-Blue United Daily News
concluded that "the United States believes that Chen
Shui-bian is a betrayer of Taiwan's interests." Each of the
three recent statements by high-ranking U.S. government
officials has stressed the U.S.'s "friendship and commitment"
to the Taiwan people, and the commonality of interests
between the U.S. and Taiwan. In his remarks, DAS Christensen
implied that the "Taiwan interests" the U.S. seeks to protect
are "real," and those being vindicated by President Chen and
his UN referendum are "false." The U.S. is telling the
Taiwan people that they must use their best judgment to
choose between the United States and President Chen "in terms

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of which one has correctly interpreted and maintained
Taiwan's interests." The pro-unification China Post
editorialized that it is anyone's guess whether the DPP will
win the upcoming presidential election, "but the party has
damaged relations between Taiwan and the U.S."

Voices of Reason?
--------------


10. (U) On September 6, in a break from the KMT party line,
KMT LY Speaker Wang Jin-pyng publicly suggested that both the
KMT and DPP should withdraw their UN referendum proposals.
Wang alleged that both referenda are simply campaign
strategies to draw like-minded voters to the polls, and that
for the good of the country, both sides should agree to
withdraw. KMT Chairman Wu Po-hsiung rejected Wang's
proposal, arguing that the referendum decision had been made
by the party, and it would not be withdrawn. Wu added that
if the KMT were to stand in opposition to holding a UN
referendum, the DPP would accuse the KMT of kowtowing to
Beijing. KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou has stated
repeatedly that the KMT would not back away from its UN
referendum, which was "consistent" with the party's efforts
while in power to gain access to the WTO and other
international organizations. Although Ma and KMT Chairman Wu
have pledged publicly not to withdraw the KMT's UN
referendum, others within the party, including KMT campaign
coordinator Liao Feng-te, have told AIT in private that, if
the DPP withdrew its UN bid, the KMT would promptly do the
same (see reftel).


11. (U) On September 12, before DAS Christensen delivered his
remarks, former president Lee Teng-hui stated publicly that
he would not endorse a UN referendum because Taiwan's
"unclear legal status" disqualifies it for admission to the
UN. Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties should work
together to settle the island's legal status before trying to
join the UN and other global bodies. Lee added that it would
be a good idea, for the sake of national unity and social
harmony, for the DPP and KMT to both retract their referendum
proposals. Lee also chided President Chen for pushing for a
referendum alongside the presidential election: "An outgoing
president shouldn't interfere too much in a matter that
should be dealt with by a new president."


12. (U) Thus far, no one within the DPP has suggested that
President Chen would be willing to amend or retract the "UN
for Taiwan" referendum. Nonetheless, the DPP Standing
Committee and DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh
(Chang-ting) have taken steps to soften some of the overtly
anti-American rhetoric coming out of the party. On September
12, the Standing Committee rejected a proposal to encourage
protesters to wear "Bush shoes" during the upcoming September
15 demonstration in Kaohsiung in support of the "UN for
Taiwan" referendum. (Note: "Bush shoes" are the local
nickname for "Croc"-type sandals, which earned the nickname
after President Bush was depicted wearing them in local
media. Some demonstrators had planned to wear the shoes to
express their dissatisfaction with President Bush and U.S.
opposition to the UN referendum. End note.) Frank Hsieh
strongly opposed the "Bush shoes" proposal, arguing that
President Bush had lauded Taiwan at the recent APEC summit,
and that Taiwan should not do anything to "provoke tension"
in US-Taiwan relations.

COMMENT
--------------


13. (C) The DPP leadership seems to be digging in its heels,
repeating the same arguments DAS Christensen dispatched in
his speech. The KMT sees the speech as a vindication of its
alternative referendum tactic. The ones calling for both
parties to drop the issue don't have much political power,
and nobody is paying them much attention. Judging by the
parties' initial reactions, there is little reason to believe
that either party will be backing away from the UN referendum
issue any time soon.
WANG