MEDIA REACTION: TAIWAN'S UN REFERENDUM, NATIONAL DEFENSE

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000291 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: TAIWAN'S UN REFERENDUM, NATIONAL DEFENSE ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news coverage March 4 on the upcoming presidential poll, on the two presidential candidates' campaign platforms on cross-Strait issues, and on the Environmental Protection Administration's decision Monday to approve conditionally the construction of a controversial freeway. The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" devoted its entire page two to reporting on the behind-the-scenes stories concerning the establishment of the island's first-ever controversial arms dealing company "Taiwan Goal." ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the pro-unification "United Daily News" urged the public not to pick up referendum ballots on March 22 in order to "punish" President Chen Shui-bian. An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" discussed the "Taiwan Goal" arms dealing company, which will soon be disbanded. The article said by "closing the door on new possibilities for weapons development and acquisition, the KMT has revealed an inability to move beyond the unhealthy reliance on the U.S. as a patron for the nation's defenses, which also imposes a needless financial burden on the taxpayer." End summary. ¶3. Taiwan's UN Referenda "To Punish Chen Shui-bian, Say No to the Referendum Ballots!" The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] editorialized (3/4): "... The opposition to the [DPP-proposed] 'UN referendum' is precisely a 'no-confidence vote' cast by most voters to Chen Shui-bian and the DPP. Chen said '[the public] should support the UN referendum, even if they dislike Chen Shui-bian.' But for most people, their thinking is: 'We oppose the UN referendum because [we] dislike Chen Shui-bian!' ... "What makes the people even more bitterly disappointed is that Chen even called out in public that 'it is fine that [voters] do not vote for Hsieh to be the president, but they must support the UN referendum.' Chen's statement is akin to saying that 'it is fine if Hsieh loses the presidential election, but Chen Shui-bian's UN referendum has to win.' It is a widely acknowledged fact that the 'UN referendum' was originally leverage that Chen planned to use to put the presidential election and the political situation following the election on a short leash. As for the outward appearance [of the UN referendum], Chen chose to wrap it up in the political jingle of 'bundling the referendum with the presidential election to solicit support for Frank Hsieh.' Now that Hsieh's candidacy seems to be faring badly, Chen did not prop up Hsieh by either de-linking the referendum and the presidential poll or 'cancelling' the referendum; instead, he was selfish enough to say such things as,'Hsieh can lose the race, but my referendum must pass.' Simply because of this, and to punish the ruthless Chen, there is no point in the Taiwan people supporting the 'UN referendum.' ..." ¶4. Taiwan's National Defense "The KMT Is Killing National Defense" The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (3/4): "The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has struck again. After years of successfully blocking arms appropriation bills in the legislature, the party has now managed to shoot down, before it could even take off, a venture that could have been of tremendous benefit to the nation's ability to defend itself. ... Taiwan Goal, while no panacea, would have been a step in the right direction, and unlike what some critics have argued, it would have tapped into the nation's world-class private technology industries -- with or without help from the government. "By shutting it down and by opposing a deterrence strategy, the KMT has demonstrated a total ignorance of what the cost of a Chinese invasion would be for Taiwan. By closing the door on new possibilities for weapons development and acquisition, the KMT has revealed an inability to move beyond the unhealthy reliance on the US as a patron for the nation's defenses, which also imposes a needless financial burden on the taxpayer. Such an approach to defense could only have been dreamed up by a party that does not believe that China would resort to force to settle cross-Strait tensions. But as we saw from the manner in which Taipei's envoys to Seoul were treated last week -- a delegation that included Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng of the KMT -- the pan-blue camp has a rare talent for misreading Beijing's intentions." YOUNG