MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY,

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000269

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, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY,
U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS


1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused March
11 news coverage on the unexpected resignation of Taiwan's National
Security Bureau Director-General Henry Tsai Tuesday; on Taiwan's
sagging economy; and on the controversy over the assassination
attempt against former President Chen Shui-bian and former Vice
President Annette Lu on March 19, 2004, one day ahead the
presidential election. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a
column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed the
U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise and North Korea's reaction
to it. The article listed two options that Washington will likely
face but concluded that neither option will meet the U.S. national
interests. A separate "China Times" column cited some recent
examples and said the United States has entered an era of envoy
diplomacy. An editorial in the conservative, pro-unification,
English-language "China Post" discussed the U.S.-China-Taiwan
relations and said "the United States is no longer revered as
Taiwan's mentor and protector but a potential obstacle to its
joining the normal international community" while "China, Taiwan's
traditional adversary, has become the most effective distribution
center of the island's exports." End summary.


2. North Korea

"Worries Stemming from U.S.-South Korea Military Exercise"

The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning
"China Times" [circulation: 150,000] wrote (3/11):

"The annual joint military exercise between the United States and
South Korea will last for twelve days, and it remains to be seen
what kind of counter-actions North Korea will take during this
period. The [same drama of] military exercise being joined by
protests is staged every year. Though the scale of this year's
[U.S.-South Korea] military exercise is much bigger, and Pyongyang's
reaction is much stronger, the chances may not be too high that a
war will be triggered [in the region]. The disputes between
Washington and Pyongyang are difficult to resolve, and the
fundamental reason lies in the fact that the two do not trust each
other at all. As a result, every move taken by one side is deemed
by the other as an attempt of sabotage and conspiracy. ...

"What is worrisome is: If Pyongyang launches a satellite or
missile, will Washington and Seoul really act to intercept it? ...
Will [U.S. President Barack] Obama be stuck in a quandary? Should
the aforementioned situation [i.e. Washington and Seoul intercept
North Korea's missiles and the latter decides to launch
counterattack] really happen, the United States must not drag its
feet any more with regard to its North Korean policy. Washington
has only two options: the first is to adopt military means to deal
a heavy blow to North Korea, and the second is to give in and
acknowledge that North Korea is a nuclear country. But neither
option will meet the U.S. national interests, and both will be akin
to a nightmare for South Korea. ..."


3. U.S. Foreign Policy

"The United States Entering an Era of Envoy Diplomacy"

Columnist Lin Po-wen noted in his column in the centrist,
KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 150,000] (3/11):

"... Some pundits believe that appointing special diplomatic envoys
will, instead, undermine the authority of the Secretary of State,
but such concerns may be totally groundless. Both [President] Obama
and [Secretary of State] Clinton are very powerful supervisors, and
they will certainly be able to 'control' those special envoys. ...
Now [the United States] has entered an era of [appointing]
diplomatic envoys; the Secretary of State will spend most of her
time mapping out strategic plans at headquarters in Foggy Bottom in
Washington D.C., while issues of complexity and sensitivity that are
essential to U.S. security will be taken care of by the special
envoys. ... Clinton hopes to integrate 'soft power' and exercise
'smart power' in her promotion of the new diplomacy of the United
States. But the diplomatic situation she is facing is likely to be
the most dangerous and steepest one. Clinton's future may be full
of hardships!"


4. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations

"Waiting for a Better World"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (3/10):

"The world's economy has gone down fast in unexpected ways, but its
leader the United States does not yet have a grasp of the cause and
means to stop it. ... In less than a year, the world is turned
upside down. And there is no indication of the end of the tunnel.
U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS

Taiwan, the sixth biggest economy in Asia, has been hit hard by the
global financial crisis, with record falls in its key export sector
and rising unemployment. And the United States is no longer revered
as Taiwan's mentor and protector but a potential obstacle to its
joining the normal international community. On the other hand,
China, Taiwan's traditional adversary, has become the most effective
distribution center of the island's exports. The U.S., the biggest
buyer of Taiwan's products, is blamed for doing too little to expand
Taiwan's diplomatic breathing space but a lot to restrict its
maneuvering in the international community. One case in point: the
U.S. so far still has shown no interest in signing an FTA with
Taiwan. (Taiwan has signed FTAs with five of its 23 diplomatic
allies - El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua.)

"Probably Washington foresaw the inevitability of Taiwan's becoming
part of China some day. But this stance deviates from the
traditional U.S. Taiwan policy, which has been guided by the
strategy of separating democratic Taiwan from communist China. ...
Being among the freest on earth, Taiwan's 23 million people will
never sacrifice their freedom for anything else.
They are looking forward to a better new world."

YOUNG