MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001528 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: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused October 29 news coverage on the upcoming visit to Taiwan by China's Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin and the planned talks between ARATS and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF); and on a DPP Tainan City councilor, who claimed Tuesday that he was the victim of an assault by pro-China gangsters after having allegedly mobbed ARATS Vice Chairman Zhang Mingqing along with other DPP supporters last week. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an op-ed piece in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" said that President Ma Ying-jeou's planned meeting with ARATS Chairman Chen next week will "severely damage Taiwan's democracy and sovereignty" because, according to Ma's characterization of cross-Strait relations, "the international community will inevitably think that Taiwan is a part of China." An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" also chimed in, saying that Chen's visit will be "a political act of global importance manifesting the PRC's suzerainty over Taiwan. ..." End summary. A) "No Peace at the Cost of the Nation's Sovereignty" Liu Shih-chung, a member of the Advisory Committee at Taiwan Thinktank and a visiting scholar at the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, opined in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (10/29) "... The major pro-US countries are pleased to see cross-strait tensions thawing and cross-strait talks resuming. The outgoing administration of US President George W. Bush and US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama have both recognized the Ma administration's efforts to promote cross-strait reconciliation. However, just because the international community looks forward to cross-strait peace does not mean that the Ma government should curry favor with Beijing by compromising Taiwan's sovereignty and national interests. This is an extremely risky move. The US may ignore the malicious intent hiding behind China's smiles, but Ma, as the president who won more than 7.6 million Taiwanese votes, must not abuse the powers entrusted to him to achieve his own ends. "Ma said in an interview with an international media outlet that the relationship between Taiwan and China was a "region-to-region relationship" and that he would try to sign a peace agreement with China. If Ma really does meet with Chen, the international community will inevitably think that Taiwan is a part of China. It is unnecessary to say that Beijing always does one thing to Taiwan while saying another to the international community. The international impression of reconciliation on the surface - but unification in reality - constructed by the Ma administration and China will severely damage Taiwan's democracy and sovereignty. ... The Taiwanese people need to unite to let the international community understand that the future of our nation can only be decided in a democratic way by the 23 million people of Taiwan. No single party or individual should sacrifice Taiwan in order to achieve their own goals." B) "PRC Envoy to Display Suzerainty over Taiwan" The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 20,000] editorialized (10/29): "... Chen Yunlin might not engage in 'political talks' but his visit be [sic] a political act of global importance by manifesting the PRC's suzerainty over Taiwan and by ensuring Ma's compliance with Beijing's March 2005 'Anti-Secession Law' and the five-point Lien-Hu April 2005 communique and put Taiwan squarely on an irreversible path toward unification as scant more than a tributary state. Given the unwise decision of the electorate March 22 to give the KMT complete control over all branches of government, the only option now open to Taiwan citizens who cherish their democracy, independence and prosperity is to take every opportunity to make their voices heard in demonstrations or other nonviolent actions during Chen's stay." YOUNG