Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AITTAIPEI386
2009-04-02 08:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #0386 0920832 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 020832Z APR 09 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1279 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9080 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0519
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000386
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: G-20
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused April 2
news coverage on the meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and
his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao at the G-20 meeting in London
Wednesday; on the ongoing investigations into former President Chen
Shui-bian and his family's legal cases; and on the year-end mayor
and magistrate elections. In terms of editorials and commentaries,
a column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" discussed the
possible international political landscape that will unfold in the
wake of the G-20 meeting. The article said Obama will have a tough
trip to Europe this time, as the U.S. leadership position is
declining. An op-ed piece in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China
Times" also discussed the G-20 meeting and the position of U.S.
currency in the world. The article said if China decides to dump
its U.S. currency reserves to safeguard its national interests, it
will surely shake the foundation of U.S. dollar as the global
reserve currency. End summary.
A) "The International Political Landscape Unfolded after the G-20
[Summit]"
Professor Liu Bi-rong of Soochow University's Department of
Political Science wrote in his column in the pro-unification "United
Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (4/2):
"... To observe the G-20 summit, one not only has to look at the
impact it generates on international economics but should also pay
attention to the repercussions it creates on the international
political landscape in the wake of the summit -- namely, a brand new
set-up will unfold in the following directions:
"The first direction is the decline of the United States' leadership
status. Despite [U.S. President Barack] Obama's repeated emphasis
on the importance of solidarity among the G-20 nations and his
constant accentuation, starting from his inaugural speech, that the
United States is capable of, and interested in, leading the world,
reactions from other countries remain indifferent. Both the U.S.
style of capitalism and Obama's economic stimulus plan have met with
doubts everywhere in the world. As a result, unity among the G-20
nations may be probable, but it surely will not happen under the
sole leadership of the United States.
"In addition to the G-20 meeting, Obama will also participate in the
NATO summit and a summit between the European Union and the United
States, in the hope of rebuilding the United States' leadership in
the international community. But it is generally believed that such
a prospect will be difficult to fulfill. The European nations
question the U.S. role in creating the [global] financial crisis and
ask what right Washington has to tell them what to do. Not only
that, but Obama will also feel pressure over his plans to hold
individual meetings with the leaders of China and Russia during the
G-20 meetings, because both countries desire to corrode the U.S.
leadership position. Thus, Obama will have a tough trip this time.
When U.S. foreign policy objectives are no longer the common
objectives shared by all, the United States' relations with the
world will have to be adjusted. ..."
B) "Does the U.S. Currency Retain a Stable Position in the World?"
Assistant Professor Liao Shunyo at Tunghai University's Department
of Political Science opined in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China
Times" [circulation: 150,000] (4/2):
"The topic of a global reserve currency will certainly be a focus of
discussion on the G-20 agenda currently being held in London. ...
Generally speaking, China still adopts a relatively low-profile
attitude toward the United States. In the foreseeable future, when
China's GDP has yet to reach two-thirds or three-quarters of that of
the United States, it is unlikely that Beijing will openly challenge
the United States in terms of global politics or economics. But
given [China's recent questioning of] the position of the U.S.
currency, China has made it very clear that U.S. practices have
affected China's interests. Should a similar situation occur again,
China will definitely take actions (such as dumping its holdings of
U.S. currency) to safeguard its national interest. When that
happens, it will definitely shake the foundation of the U.S.
currency as the global reserve currency."
YOUNG
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: G-20
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused April 2
news coverage on the meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and
his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao at the G-20 meeting in London
Wednesday; on the ongoing investigations into former President Chen
Shui-bian and his family's legal cases; and on the year-end mayor
and magistrate elections. In terms of editorials and commentaries,
a column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" discussed the
possible international political landscape that will unfold in the
wake of the G-20 meeting. The article said Obama will have a tough
trip to Europe this time, as the U.S. leadership position is
declining. An op-ed piece in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China
Times" also discussed the G-20 meeting and the position of U.S.
currency in the world. The article said if China decides to dump
its U.S. currency reserves to safeguard its national interests, it
will surely shake the foundation of U.S. dollar as the global
reserve currency. End summary.
A) "The International Political Landscape Unfolded after the G-20
[Summit]"
Professor Liu Bi-rong of Soochow University's Department of
Political Science wrote in his column in the pro-unification "United
Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (4/2):
"... To observe the G-20 summit, one not only has to look at the
impact it generates on international economics but should also pay
attention to the repercussions it creates on the international
political landscape in the wake of the summit -- namely, a brand new
set-up will unfold in the following directions:
"The first direction is the decline of the United States' leadership
status. Despite [U.S. President Barack] Obama's repeated emphasis
on the importance of solidarity among the G-20 nations and his
constant accentuation, starting from his inaugural speech, that the
United States is capable of, and interested in, leading the world,
reactions from other countries remain indifferent. Both the U.S.
style of capitalism and Obama's economic stimulus plan have met with
doubts everywhere in the world. As a result, unity among the G-20
nations may be probable, but it surely will not happen under the
sole leadership of the United States.
"In addition to the G-20 meeting, Obama will also participate in the
NATO summit and a summit between the European Union and the United
States, in the hope of rebuilding the United States' leadership in
the international community. But it is generally believed that such
a prospect will be difficult to fulfill. The European nations
question the U.S. role in creating the [global] financial crisis and
ask what right Washington has to tell them what to do. Not only
that, but Obama will also feel pressure over his plans to hold
individual meetings with the leaders of China and Russia during the
G-20 meetings, because both countries desire to corrode the U.S.
leadership position. Thus, Obama will have a tough trip this time.
When U.S. foreign policy objectives are no longer the common
objectives shared by all, the United States' relations with the
world will have to be adjusted. ..."
B) "Does the U.S. Currency Retain a Stable Position in the World?"
Assistant Professor Liao Shunyo at Tunghai University's Department
of Political Science opined in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China
Times" [circulation: 150,000] (4/2):
"The topic of a global reserve currency will certainly be a focus of
discussion on the G-20 agenda currently being held in London. ...
Generally speaking, China still adopts a relatively low-profile
attitude toward the United States. In the foreseeable future, when
China's GDP has yet to reach two-thirds or three-quarters of that of
the United States, it is unlikely that Beijing will openly challenge
the United States in terms of global politics or economics. But
given [China's recent questioning of] the position of the U.S.
currency, China has made it very clear that U.S. practices have
affected China's interests. Should a similar situation occur again,
China will definitely take actions (such as dumping its holdings of
U.S. currency) to safeguard its national interest. When that
happens, it will definitely shake the foundation of the U.S.
currency as the global reserve currency."
YOUNG