Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08AITTAIPEI161
2008-02-01 08:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #0161/01 0320841 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 010841Z FEB 08 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8054 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7796 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 9060
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000161
SIPDIS
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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage February 1 on KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's
green card controversy, on the March presidential poll, and on some
public health hazard cases in Taiwan. In terms of editorials and
commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times"
called the public's attention to China's military expansion, which,
according to the article, will result in regional military imbalance
and create a threat to cross-Strait security and world peace. An
editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News"
discussed Taiwan's UN referenda and criticized other democratic
countries for putting themselves at Beijing's service to put
pressure on the DPP administration over the UN referendum. End
summary.
A) "Be Vigilant That China's Military Expansion Will Result in
[Military] Imbalance in the Region"
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000]
editorialized (2/1):
"... China's military development over the past few years, be it in
the aspect of military scale, budgets, adjustments in its strategy
and tactics, and in particular, its military purpose, has attracted
worldwide attention and generated considerable discussion. It is
generally believed that ... China's threats have created a severe
impact on world peace and order. ... The United States, as a
result, has published reports seven times on China's military
strength in which it expressed worry about the regional [military]
imbalance caused by China's military expansion and Beijing's true
intent behind such a move. Washington also pointed out that China's
capabilities to develop advanced weapons systems have empowered
Beijing the 'destructive military technology' and the 'greatest
potential' to counterbalance U.S. military strength. Indeed, it is
difficult for any outsider to judge China's real intent behind its
military expansion. But the negative impact that has already been
generated [by China's continuous military buildup] can highlight the
fact that China's intent is by no means self-defense, rather [it is]
secret schemes against Taiwan and attempts to intervene in
SIPDIS
international affairs.
"In other words, even if China asserted that its rise is peaceful
and it will not seek hegemony, various signs show that China is
making full preparation for turning itself into a hegemonic power.
China has deployed more than one thousand missiles targeting Taiwan
and conducted exercises using guided missiles in the Taiwan Strait,
triggering severe threats in the Taiwan Strait, the so-called
'lifeline' of East Asia. In addition, in order to secure its energy
resources, China also supports some notorious totalitarian countries
that suppress human rights, [support] international terrorism and
violate non-proliferation practice. In short, China follows a
policy of expansionism by military means, whereas Taiwan is, without
a doubt, its number one prey. But China's evil ambitions will by no
means be satiated solely by invading Taiwan. If China fails to
renounce its belief in socialism, its obsession with Great China
nationalism, and its autocracy, the constant expansion of Beijing's
military buildup will only turn the country into a source of turmoil
and conflict for the world. This is the focal point that the entire
world should be concerned about."
B) "Possible Fates Awaiting Taiwan"
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
20,000] editorialized (2/1):
"... Despite repeated claims of fealty to the values of democracy
and freedom, the U.S. and the EU, along with many less democratic
states, continue to oppose the entry of a democratic and highly
developed Taiwan into sovereignty-based international organizations,
such as the United Nations and the global security system, simply
because of the claim and threats of an expansionist authoritarian
power. By encouraging the belief among Beijing's hardliners that
'might is right,' this renewed policy of appeasement could spark a
regional or perhaps even global conflict as well as result in the
selling out of the 23 million people of Taiwan and their right for
democratic self-determination, just as London and Paris sold out the
democratic Republic of Czechoslovakia to Hitler and acquiesced in
the overthrow of the Spanish Republic by the fascist forces of
Francisco Franco, who received active support from Nazi Germany and
Fascist Italy.
"But Taiwan also appears to be in the process of sharing analogous
historical experiences with its relationship with democratic
leaders, specially the U.S., with Latin American states such
Guatemala and Chile as Washington has shifted in recent months from
a 'strategic ambiguity' regarding the PRC's threat to Taiwan's
democratic republic to a position of actively assisting Beijing in
putting Taiwan's democracy into a Chinese-designed birdcage. The
'timely' intervention of the U.S. administration of right-wing
Republican President George W. Bush against the center-left DPP
government of President Chen Shui-bian parallels the actions of the
Republican administration of the late U.S. president Dwight D.
Eisenhower against the center-left government of the late Guatemalan
president Jacobo Arbenz in the early 1950s. ...
"Despite the fact that all of the countries opposing Taiwan's
referendums regularly conduct referendums, senior diplomatic
officials in the U.S. and the EU have expressed open opposition to
the referendum on whether Taiwan should apply to join the United
Nations under the name of Taiwan proposed by the DPP and other civic
organizations and put on the ballot not by the will of President
Chen but by the signatures from 2.72 million citizens. ... As
foreign diplomats in Taipei have privately admitted, such
'democratic' governments have put themselves at Beijing's service to
put pressure on the DPP government and overlooked the possibility
that such pressure could contribute to the restoration of 'one party
monopoly' KMT rule. The capturing of absolute legislative control
by the KMT on January 12 has made the reversal of Taiwan's
democratic progress a very real possibility, but this prospect has
evidently not discouraged U.S. officials from continuing to pressure
the DPP government. ..."
YOUNG
SIPDIS
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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage February 1 on KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's
green card controversy, on the March presidential poll, and on some
public health hazard cases in Taiwan. In terms of editorials and
commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times"
called the public's attention to China's military expansion, which,
according to the article, will result in regional military imbalance
and create a threat to cross-Strait security and world peace. An
editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News"
discussed Taiwan's UN referenda and criticized other democratic
countries for putting themselves at Beijing's service to put
pressure on the DPP administration over the UN referendum. End
summary.
A) "Be Vigilant That China's Military Expansion Will Result in
[Military] Imbalance in the Region"
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000]
editorialized (2/1):
"... China's military development over the past few years, be it in
the aspect of military scale, budgets, adjustments in its strategy
and tactics, and in particular, its military purpose, has attracted
worldwide attention and generated considerable discussion. It is
generally believed that ... China's threats have created a severe
impact on world peace and order. ... The United States, as a
result, has published reports seven times on China's military
strength in which it expressed worry about the regional [military]
imbalance caused by China's military expansion and Beijing's true
intent behind such a move. Washington also pointed out that China's
capabilities to develop advanced weapons systems have empowered
Beijing the 'destructive military technology' and the 'greatest
potential' to counterbalance U.S. military strength. Indeed, it is
difficult for any outsider to judge China's real intent behind its
military expansion. But the negative impact that has already been
generated [by China's continuous military buildup] can highlight the
fact that China's intent is by no means self-defense, rather [it is]
secret schemes against Taiwan and attempts to intervene in
SIPDIS
international affairs.
"In other words, even if China asserted that its rise is peaceful
and it will not seek hegemony, various signs show that China is
making full preparation for turning itself into a hegemonic power.
China has deployed more than one thousand missiles targeting Taiwan
and conducted exercises using guided missiles in the Taiwan Strait,
triggering severe threats in the Taiwan Strait, the so-called
'lifeline' of East Asia. In addition, in order to secure its energy
resources, China also supports some notorious totalitarian countries
that suppress human rights, [support] international terrorism and
violate non-proliferation practice. In short, China follows a
policy of expansionism by military means, whereas Taiwan is, without
a doubt, its number one prey. But China's evil ambitions will by no
means be satiated solely by invading Taiwan. If China fails to
renounce its belief in socialism, its obsession with Great China
nationalism, and its autocracy, the constant expansion of Beijing's
military buildup will only turn the country into a source of turmoil
and conflict for the world. This is the focal point that the entire
world should be concerned about."
B) "Possible Fates Awaiting Taiwan"
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
20,000] editorialized (2/1):
"... Despite repeated claims of fealty to the values of democracy
and freedom, the U.S. and the EU, along with many less democratic
states, continue to oppose the entry of a democratic and highly
developed Taiwan into sovereignty-based international organizations,
such as the United Nations and the global security system, simply
because of the claim and threats of an expansionist authoritarian
power. By encouraging the belief among Beijing's hardliners that
'might is right,' this renewed policy of appeasement could spark a
regional or perhaps even global conflict as well as result in the
selling out of the 23 million people of Taiwan and their right for
democratic self-determination, just as London and Paris sold out the
democratic Republic of Czechoslovakia to Hitler and acquiesced in
the overthrow of the Spanish Republic by the fascist forces of
Francisco Franco, who received active support from Nazi Germany and
Fascist Italy.
"But Taiwan also appears to be in the process of sharing analogous
historical experiences with its relationship with democratic
leaders, specially the U.S., with Latin American states such
Guatemala and Chile as Washington has shifted in recent months from
a 'strategic ambiguity' regarding the PRC's threat to Taiwan's
democratic republic to a position of actively assisting Beijing in
putting Taiwan's democracy into a Chinese-designed birdcage. The
'timely' intervention of the U.S. administration of right-wing
Republican President George W. Bush against the center-left DPP
government of President Chen Shui-bian parallels the actions of the
Republican administration of the late U.S. president Dwight D.
Eisenhower against the center-left government of the late Guatemalan
president Jacobo Arbenz in the early 1950s. ...
"Despite the fact that all of the countries opposing Taiwan's
referendums regularly conduct referendums, senior diplomatic
officials in the U.S. and the EU have expressed open opposition to
the referendum on whether Taiwan should apply to join the United
Nations under the name of Taiwan proposed by the DPP and other civic
organizations and put on the ballot not by the will of President
Chen but by the signatures from 2.72 million citizens. ... As
foreign diplomats in Taipei have privately admitted, such
'democratic' governments have put themselves at Beijing's service to
put pressure on the DPP government and overlooked the possibility
that such pressure could contribute to the restoration of 'one party
monopoly' KMT rule. The capturing of absolute legislative control
by the KMT on January 12 has made the reversal of Taiwan's
democratic progress a very real possibility, but this prospect has
evidently not discouraged U.S. officials from continuing to pressure
the DPP government. ..."
YOUNG