MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT MA YING-JEOU'S CROSS-STRAIT

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001349 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT MA YING-JEOU'S CROSS-STRAIT POLICY Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news coverage September 11 on the Ma Ying-jeou Administration's decision to cut the securities transaction tax to boost domestic economy; and on the continued probe into former President Chen Shui-bian's alleged corruption cases. The pro-independence "Liberty Times" and its sister paper, the English-language "Taipei Times," continued running reports on recently-issued State Department guidelines governing contacts between Taiwan and U.S. officials and speculated on the current status of Washington's Taiwan policy. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" criticized President Ma Ying-jeou's cross-Strait policy direction and lamented that Ma has tossed away almost all the cards Taiwan can play in the game across the Taiwan Strait. An op-ed in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" also chimed in, saying that Ma's definition of a "special non-state-to-state relationship" is tantamount to "a unilateral change in the status quo that will have a serious impact on cross-Strait relations, Taiwan's international exchanges and the future of Taiwan's democracy." End summary. A) "Ma Ying-jeou has Tossed away Too Many Cards Too Early" The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 300,000] editorialized (9/11): "... President Ma Ying-jeou and the KMT administration's position in opposition toward Taiwan independence has already stripped Taiwan of the cards of 'Taiwan independence' and 'one China one Taiwan' that it can play in the game between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. It goes without saying that this has been the consistent position held by the KMT, but in terms of the remaining cards it holds, [Ma] has again discarded those such as 'dual recognition,' 'two Chinas' and 'state-to-state." As it stands, what other cards doe Taiwan still have other than the 'one China' and 'unification' cards? ... "During the very long period of cross-Strait confrontations, there is not a single moment that we do not believe we are a nation with independent and complete sovereignty, and there is not a single moment that we have stopped hoping that other people will recognize us as such. But such a sense of certainty and desire seems to have faded away since the Ma Administration took office. ... Disputes can be put aside, but not [a country's] sovereignty; neither should we set aside all our moves to safeguard our sovereignty. We believe President Ma has no intention to make concessions in terms of [Taiwan's] sovereignty, but given the always-changing cross-Strait situations, Ma, as a state head, must be prudent and vigilant at all times. Any bit of negligence, unilateral goodwill gesture, or seemingly harmless concessions will likely eat away bit by bit at Taiwan's national interests or even gradually result in unredeemable crises. ..." B) "Non-State to State Risks 'Status quo'" Lai I-chung, an executive committee member of Taiwan Thinktank and former director of the DPP's Department of International Affairs, opined in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (9/11): "President Ma Ying-jeou's first interview with an international media outlet after the end of the Beijing Olympics sent shock waves through the international community after he said cross-strait relations are a 'non-state-to-state special relationship.' Ma's proclamation of Taiwan's position forgoes the sovereignty that former presidents Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian insisted on following democratization of the country, and firmly returns Taiwan to the 'one country, two governments' or the 'one country, two regions' framework. Ma's move is tantamount to a unilateral change to the 'status quo' that will have a serious impact on cross-strait relations, Taiwan's international exchanges and the future of Taiwan's democracy. The cross-strait 'status quo' may change by 2012, just as the international community fears. "Ma defined the relationship between Taiwan and China as a 'non-state-to-state special relationship.' If we combine this proposition with the 'one China with different interpretations' and the idea that Taiwan is not a country but a region, Ma is clearly telling the world that Taipei recognizes Taiwan as a part of China, and that both Taipei and Beijing are two governments in 'one China' and that this is why the special relationship came about. ... China should be pleased with Ma's proclamation because it also means the Taiwanese government has accepted the 'Anti-Secession' Law and recognizes that the Civil War is ongoing, which means that the two sides have yet to achieve de facto unification but that de jure unification is already a fact. "If the government has accepted that Taiwan is part of China, Taiwan is, legally speaking, no different than a separate region controlled by a local warlord. This gives more legitimacy to Beijing's demands POLICY that other countries not recognize Taiwan; that approval from Beijing is required for Taiwanese applications for membership in international organizations; and that the US not sell weapons to rebellious Taiwan. ... Ma's biggest problem lies in the fact that his proposition is not recognized or accepted by the majority of Taiwanese. ..." YOUNG