PARTISAN POLITICS AND POSTURING CLOUD NATIONAL DAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002312

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: PARTISAN POLITICS AND POSTURING CLOUD NATIONAL DAY
CELEBRATIONS

REF: 2006 TAIPEI 03480

Classified By: AIT Acting Director Robert S. Wang,
Reasons: 1.4 (b/d)


1. (SBU) Summary: Taiwan's October 10 National Day
celebrations, including a speech by President Chen to senior
officials, had a partisan slant but produced no major
"surprises." In his speech, President Chen highlighted the
recent application to the UN under the name "Taiwan" and the
importance of referenda, including the DPP's UN referendum,
and he defended his administration's economic performance
against opposition naysayers. Chen then joined guests
outside the Presidential Office Building (POB) to view a
military parade, the first in 16 years, that displayed
publicly for the first time the Taiwan-developed Hsiung-feng
III supersonic antiship missile, the Tien-kung III
surface-to-air anti-tactical ballistic missile, and an
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Although the parade also
included a short-range Hsiung-feng II anti-ship missile
launcher, it did not include the controversial Hsiung-feng
IIE land attack cruise missile. Protest activities were very
limited compared to last year. KMT leaders, led by
presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou, boycotted the official
event, which they claimed denigrated the "ROC," and they held
rival ceremonies in Taipei City and County. End Summary.

President Chen Reaffirms UN Bid, Referendum Drive
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2. (SBU) Taiwan celebrated the 96th anniversary of the
Republic of China on October 10. Departing from past
practice in which the President delivered a speech and
shouted slogans in front of an audience assembled outside the
Presidential Office Building (POB),this year President Chen
spoke only to senior officials at the preliminary formal
ceremony that takes place inside the building. After joining
in singing the Republic of China (ROC) national anthem and
thrice bowing to ROC Founding Father Sun Yat-sen's portrait
and the ROC flag, President Chen delivered a thirty-minute
address in which he consistently used the name "Taiwan"
rather than "ROC." Chen reaffirmed the administration's
stance on applying to the UN under the name "Taiwan,"
pointing out that the reviewing stand in front of the POB
was, in a break from past practice, adorned with a giant
banner reading "UN for Taiwan, Peace Forever." He emphasized
at the outset that Taiwan is an "independent, sovereign
country" and only its 23 million citizens have the right to
decide their country's future.


3. (SBU) Chen asserted that his administration's new
strategy to join the UN under the name "Taiwan" has been
successful in raising international awareness of Taiwan's
situation. He said Taiwan did not seek to "return" to the UN
as the ROC as such a move would be a direct challenge to UN
Resolution 2758 that would only further isolate Taiwan
internationally--an indirect criticism of the opposition
KMT's proposed referendum to do just that. Chen
characterized referenda as the "most direct expression of
democracy" and urged the Central Executive Commission to hold
the UN-related referenda in conjunction with the March 22
presidential election. He argued that "mothballing" the
National Unification Council and Guidelines in 2006 had
dispelled "the misconception of 'ultimate unification' with
China as a foregone conclusion, thereby enabling the 23
million people of Taiwan to enjoy the right to decide the
future of their nation via referendum."


4. (SBU) Chen cited President Bush's public praise of
freedom and democracy in Taiwan as a model for China and
other nations. He said "the international community should
not, in fear of China's military might, demand that Taiwan
keep quiet." He urged the international community to
"squarely face" the "reality" that cross-Strait problems do
not derive from democratic Taiwan but from China, which is
"still under totalitarian, dictatorial rule." Chen then
defended his administration's economic record, citing
statistics to undercut KMT claims that DPP mismanagement has
allowed South Korea to outdistance Taiwan in recent years.

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Without referring directly to Ma Ying-jeou or KMT Vice
Presidential candidate Vincent Siew, Chen rejected their
proposal to create a cross-Strait "common market," saying
such a market would be a "one-China market" based on
Beijing's "one China principle" that would cause Taiwan to
lose its economic autonomy. Chen also said direct
cross-Strait links must evolve in an orderly, gradual manner,
adding that it is impossible to open such links "in one huge
leap, or to impose any timeline."

Military Hardware Showcased
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5. (C) After the speech and after public remarks outside
the POB by Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (the formal
host of the event),President Chen joined other officials,
foreign dignitaries, and guests in a viewing stand to observe
the national day parade, which included a display of military
weaponry. The first such military display in 16 years
showcased Taiwan air and land military hardware and elite
units. The parade began with overflies by S-70 rescue
helicopters, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters, and AH-1W
Cobra Attack helicopters, and CH-47 helicopters, which were
followed by a series of other aircraft, including F-16s,
Mirage 2000s, and Indigenous Defense Fighters, and AT-3 flown
by the Thunder Tiger Demonstration Team. A parade of ground
forces then passed the reviewing stand and included
transporters for Tien-kung I and Patriot II surface-to-air
anti-tactical ballistic missiles and Hsiung-feng II anti-ship
missiles. Three advanced weapons developed by Taiwan's
Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology were shown to
the public for the first time: an unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV),the Hsiung-feng III supersonic anti-ship missile, and
the Tien-kung III surface-to-air anti-tactical ballistic
missile. Notably absent from display was the controversial
Hsiung-feng IIE land attack cruise missile, which Ministry of
National Defense officials had told AIT are still under
development and would not be displayed.

Red Shirt Sideshow
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6. (SBU) Last year's "Double Ten" celebration was marred by
protests during President Chen's public speech and afterwards
(reftel). By comparison, this year's celebrations went
smoothly. Former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh, leader of the
anti-Chen "Red Shirt" movement, walked to the surrounding
barricades and was, to his surprise, invited by Wang Jin-pyng
to join the audience on the parade viewing stand. In the
stands, Shih was seated next to National Security Bureau
Director Hsu Hui-you. Shih, who caused no disruption,
departed after about ten minutes. In remarks to the media,
Shih criticized the DPP for having become corrupt in power,
and said that the day marked a time for "self-examination
rather than celebration." Shih also raised questions about
the KMT, suggesting it had not discarded its authoritarian
legacy. Two red-clad protesters seated in the viewing stand
created a minor disturbance by shouting "Chen Shui-bian Step
Down" when the president entered to take his seat. The
protesters were promptly hustled away by security personnel.


The KMT Goes its Own Way
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7. (SBU) The DPP government this year angered pan-Blue
supporters by insisting on displaying the words "Taiwan
Enters the UN" on the Presidential Office tower rather than
the customary words "Celebrate the ROC National Day." (Note.
The "Republic of China" name was however displayed
prominently on a large makeshift board immediately behind the
speaker's podium.) To show their displeasure, KMT leaders
(except Wang Jin-pyng, who is host of the official
celebration),boycotted the government's National Day
proceedings and attended "ROC" ceremonies hosted by the
KMT-controlled Taipei County and City governments. Ma
Ying-jeou accused President Chen of disrespecting the ROC by
not displaying the standard "ROC National Celebration" signs.
He claimed the KMT was defending the ROC against the ruling

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DPP and Beijing, which, he said, were "colluding" to suppress
the ROC.

Comment
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8. (C) This year's National Day celebrations went rather
smoothly given the highly partisan political atmosphere in
the run-up to legislative and presidential elections early
next year. By underscoring Taiwan identity themes and
denigrating the "ROC," President Chen may have hoped both to
attack the pan-Blue and to appease Deep Green
fundamentalists, disappointed that the DPP did not pass a
more radical "Normal Country" resolution at its recent party
congress. The KMT, once again put on the defensive,
boycotted the national ceremonies in favor of their own
events that emphasized "loyalty" to the ROC, an appeal that
plays to Deep Blue base supporters but may have limited
resonance among the general population.
WANG