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 Some politicians have urged that both referenda should be withdrawn for the good of the country, but nobody is listening.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 TAIPEI 00002112 002 OF 003 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 TAIPEI 00002112 003 OF 003 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