MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000744 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 ¶1. Summary: On May 30, Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave extensive coverage to the resumption of talks between Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS),which are scheduled to kick off on June 11. News coverage also focused on the various incentives provided by the Cabinet to improve child and elderly care and to reduce financial strain on the young and on poor people; and also on the impact of the fuel price hike on the general public. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an analysis in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" criticized the Ma Ying-jeou administration for voluntarily surrendering control over the cross-Strait talks. The article urged the Ma administration to first establish a Taiwan-centric awareness before it resumes talks with Beijing. An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" said the meeting between KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung and Chinese President Hu Jintao demonstrated that China actually has the upper hand in cross-Strait negotiation. An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" said by using the term "Chinese nation" in the Wu-Hu meeting, Taiwan's sovereignty has actually been compromised. An editorial in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times," however, focused on Hu's remarks about proactively finding a viable way for Taiwan to join the World Health Organization. The article said one can predict the future course of cross-Strait relations by watching how both sides work together "wisely" to resolve the question of Taiwan's participation in the international community. End summary. A) "Taiwan-Centric Values Must Be Firmly Established before Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait Resume Talks" Journalist Su Yong-yao noted in an analysis in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 700,000] (5/30): "... In addition to limiting the Taiwan government's role in [cross-Strait] talks, Beijing also set out to define the topics it wants to discuss. The content of the talks between the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) is primarily general issues such as direct charter flights and Chinese tourists coming to Taiwan. But more political issues, including Taiwan's participation in the 
international community, were brought up during the meeting between KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung and his Chinese Communist Party counterpart Hu Jintao. China was not only in charge of dealing the cards but was also able to decide whom it wants to deal with. "It is mainly due to economic reasons that Taiwan is anxious to talk [with Beijing]. But via the resumption of talks between SEF and ARATS, China has worked out political strategies to either steer the government [policies] via political parties or to use party and government interchangeably. In July, the Ma administration may get its long-awaited direct transportation links and Chinese tourists, but it is also likely to lose its dominance in dictating the terms of the talks. For the Ma administration, it is impractical and nothing more than wishful thinking to focus simply on returning to the model of talks between SEF and ARATS from the 1990s. In the face of Beijing's [strategy to use] both the first and second tracks [for cross-Strait talks], the top priority for the [Ma] administration is to establish a new internal consensus among the ruling and opposition parties as well as various industries in Taiwan. Only when the Taiwan-centric awareness is firmly established can Taiwan stand firm in future [cross-Strait] talks." B) "Ma's Great Cross-Strait Giveaway" The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/30): "... As the SEF delegation is due in China in just under two weeks to talk about and possibly sign a deal on charter flights and Chinese tourists, one may be forgiven for wondering what the point of Wu's trip really was. The simple answer is there was no point, other than to give Beijing a fresh propaganda coup and soft-soap Taiwanese and anyone else willing to pay attention into believing that China has only good intentions. Why else would Hu dangle the carrot of WHO participation as he did on Wednesday, and say things like China 'cares about and respects' Taiwanese? Wu's hastily arranged visit was China's way of showing Ma who's boss. "Hu's shrewdness is not to be underestimated, as his cross-strait machinations are far more sophisticated than the no-nonsense threats of his predecessors. He is fully aware that Ma promised many things - direct flights, Chinese tourists, enhanced international space and a peace treaty - in his election campaign, all of which were predicated on the goodwill of Beijing. ... Ma made it clear during his inauguration speech that he is willing to compromise the sovereignty of his beloved 'Republic of China' in the search for short-term and questionable economic gain. For all of Beijing's recent friendliness, it will be interesting to see how much Ma and Taiwan really get in return." C) "Wu Gives Taiwan Away to CCP's Hu" The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 20,000] editorialized (5/30): "... The KMT-CCP consensus to enshrine the 'Chinese nation' as the 'final solution' has already surrendered Taiwan's sovereignty in principle to the CCP; the role now earmarked for Taiwan's democratically elected government and its 'authorized SEF is to negotiate the concrete terms of surrender, including the provision of face-saving 'carrots,' with the ARATS. The protest by Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan yesterday that the 'track two' KMT-CCP platform 'cannot override' the government authorized SEF-ARARTS channel is doomed to futility because the PRC, which is obviously the dominant partner in this asymmetrical political dance, has placed primacy on 'party-to-party' negotiations and uses ARATS only as its tool. ..." D) "Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait Should Go All out to Use Their Wisdom to Resolve Substantive Problems" The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] editorialized (5/30): "... In addition to ensuring that both sides of the Taiwan Strait will resume talks and implement direct charter flights and open Taiwan to Chinese tourists as early as possible, the recent Wu-Hu meeting has also directly addressed Taiwan's elbow room in the international community, in particular, Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO). Previously when it came to Taiwan's participation in the international community, it was always Taiwan which cried out unilaterally, while Beijing either ignored it or dealt with it in an ambiguous manner. But this time, Beijing took the initiative in stating clearly that 'Taiwan's participation in the WHO can take precedence and be discussed first' when cross-Strait talks are formally launched. Beijing also indicated that [both sides] 'should have the wisdom to identify viable ways' to resolve the issue. Since these statements were made personally by the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, its ground-breaking significance naturally deserves close attention. "As it stands, in terms of sensitive issues such as direct transportation or opening Taiwan to Chinese tourists, as long as neither side tries to find fault with them, what really remains to talk about is nothing but technical matters. But Taiwan's participation in the international community is a totally different issue, which will certainly touch on the core subject of the controversy over [Taiwan's] sovereignty. Previously, the Beijing authorities had constantly adopted a tough zero-sum strategy [toward Taiwan's sovereignty issue], and that was where most of the barriers to cross-Strait reconciliation lie. Now that the Beijing authorities are willing to negotiate [with Taiwan] about this issue proactively, it is almost certain that by looking at how both sides of the Taiwan Strait 'find a viable way' for Taiwan to 'wisely' join the WHO, one will be able to observe future development in cross-Strait relations. All the more, it will likely become a key indicator to tell whether both sides will move further toward positive and benign interaction. ..." WANG