Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AITTAIPEI219
2009-02-26 09:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #0219 0570923 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 260923Z FEB 09 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0988 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8950 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0400
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000219
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: NORTH KOREA
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to focus
February 26 news coverage on the debate between the ruling and
opposition parties over whether Taiwan should sign a Comprehensive
Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with China; and on the
on-going investigation into the corruption case against former
President Chen Shui-bian and his family. In terms of editorials and
commentaries, a column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times"
discussed North Korea's relations with the United States and said it
seems quite obvious that Pyongyang wants to dominate the situation
on the Korean Peninsula. End summary.
"North Korea Wants to Dominate the Situation on the Korean
Peninsula"
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning
"China Times" [circulation: 150,000] wrote (2/26):
"Pyongyang said what it is about to launch is an artificial
satellite, but other countries such as Japan and South Korea say
North Korea plans to launch a long-range ballistic missile. Nothing
has really happened yet, but the international community has grown
anxious about [the situation on the Korean Peninsula]. It seems
quite obvious that everything happening on the Korean Peninsula is
dancing to the tune of North Korea, and that Pyongyang has full
control [of the situation on the peninsula]. ... [North Korean
Leader] Kim Jong Il ..., in contrast, adopted a proactive strategy
by deploying a battle formation first and then awaiting [U.S.
President Barack] Obama's reaction. [North Korea] started by
sending out a series of war threats to South Korea, followed by
declarations that it is about to launch satellites or long-range
missiles, just one step short of [announcing that it will] carry out
a nuclear test explosion. Pyongyang's plan was to seek to define
its nuclear policy first -- namely, there is no way it will
compromise [on the nuclear issue], and that it will not hesitate in
any way to retain its status as a nation in possession of nuclear
weapons. ...
"Kim Jong Il ... basically does not trust the United States, as any
commitment the United States makes with other countries will likely
be changed overnight, and things like communiques can be regarded as
waste paper. There have been too many such precedents, which also
happened between China and the United States. Given Pyongyang's
strength, it will be nothing if it does not hold the nuclear weapons
card tightly in its hand; joint forces from the United States, Japan
and South Korea will be able to choke it to death easily. ..."
WANG
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: NORTH KOREA
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to focus
February 26 news coverage on the debate between the ruling and
opposition parties over whether Taiwan should sign a Comprehensive
Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with China; and on the
on-going investigation into the corruption case against former
President Chen Shui-bian and his family. In terms of editorials and
commentaries, a column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times"
discussed North Korea's relations with the United States and said it
seems quite obvious that Pyongyang wants to dominate the situation
on the Korean Peninsula. End summary.
"North Korea Wants to Dominate the Situation on the Korean
Peninsula"
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning
"China Times" [circulation: 150,000] wrote (2/26):
"Pyongyang said what it is about to launch is an artificial
satellite, but other countries such as Japan and South Korea say
North Korea plans to launch a long-range ballistic missile. Nothing
has really happened yet, but the international community has grown
anxious about [the situation on the Korean Peninsula]. It seems
quite obvious that everything happening on the Korean Peninsula is
dancing to the tune of North Korea, and that Pyongyang has full
control [of the situation on the peninsula]. ... [North Korean
Leader] Kim Jong Il ..., in contrast, adopted a proactive strategy
by deploying a battle formation first and then awaiting [U.S.
President Barack] Obama's reaction. [North Korea] started by
sending out a series of war threats to South Korea, followed by
declarations that it is about to launch satellites or long-range
missiles, just one step short of [announcing that it will] carry out
a nuclear test explosion. Pyongyang's plan was to seek to define
its nuclear policy first -- namely, there is no way it will
compromise [on the nuclear issue], and that it will not hesitate in
any way to retain its status as a nation in possession of nuclear
weapons. ...
"Kim Jong Il ... basically does not trust the United States, as any
commitment the United States makes with other countries will likely
be changed overnight, and things like communiques can be regarded as
waste paper. There have been too many such precedents, which also
happened between China and the United States. Given Pyongyang's
strength, it will be nothing if it does not hold the nuclear weapons
card tightly in its hand; joint forces from the United States, Japan
and South Korea will be able to choke it to death easily. ..."
WANG