MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000446 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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused April 10 news coverage on a Taiwan Intellectual Property Court ruling Thursday, in which the defendant is required to compensate Hermes US$7.58 million for her sale of pirated Hermes Birkin handbags; on the corruption scandals involving high-ranking Taiwan military officials; and on developments in cross-Strait relations. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) was the focus of several editorial pieces, as April 10 marks its thirtieth anniversary. An op-ed in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" said that, given the Ma Ying-jeou Administration's alleged pro-China policy, structural changes have been seen in the triangular relationship among Taiwan, the United States and China. An op-ed in the pro-unification "United Daily News" said, given that U.S. interests prevail, there is no way Washington will revise or abolish the TRA in the foreseeable future. An op-ed in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" said the United States should attach great importance to China's rise, which does not necessarily indicate the decline of U.S. national strength. An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" expressed hope that the United States would continue its commitment to Taiwan in the future as required by the TRA, especially when Taiwan faces increasing challenges posed by China. A separate "Taipei Times" op-ed, written by a writer based in Australia, discussed U.S.-China relations and said that China will exercise its leverage and "reap maximum mileage" in its relations with the United States. End summary. A) "Slanted Relations among Taiwan, the United States and China" Chen Lung-chu, Founder and Chairman of the New Century Foundation, opined in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 700,000] (4/10): "... The Taiwan Relations Act underscores Taiwan's security, which is essential to peace and security in the Western Pacific and is closely interrelated to the national interests of the United States. But the reality before our eyes shows that China's military and international influence in the Asia-Pacific region has been constantly on the rise, yet the Ma Administration is tilting toward China wholeheartedly, completely ignoring the fact that Taiwan's national security is under threat. Structural changes have been seen in the triangular relationship among Taiwan, the United States and China. "Three decades have passed since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, and how the Act will evolve in the future will have repercussions on the developments of Taipei-Washington-Beijing ties and profound implications on Taiwan's future. It will also be a big test for the foreign policy of the Obama Administration. ..." B) "Taiwan Relations Act Is Kept Deliberately Ambiguous; With Its Interests Overriding Everything, the United States Will neither Revise nor Abolish It" Dr. Wu Hsin-hsing, Executive Vice President of the Southern Taiwan University of Technology, opined in the pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (4/10): "... The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) is a U.S. [domestic] law, so it all lies in the hands of Washington as to how to define, interpret and implement the Act. Governments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait can hardly say or do anything about it. In addition, the creation of the TRA was a paragon and highest achievement of the embodiment of international power politics. The United States singlehandedly determined which structure and approach it would adopt to handle its relations with Taiwan; Taiwan could only put its desire aside and cater to [what the United States wanted], while Beijing was even more powerless to do anything. ... "A Western saying goes like this: 'If it is not broken, do not repair it." In the foreseeable future, there is no way Washington will revise or abolish the Taiwan Relations Act. The United States has used its domestic law to control tightly the developments in cross-Strait relations, and in the meantime, it has maintained its national interests. To do so, it requires not only wisdom but also great national strength." [Ed. Note: As most of our readers know, the correct, if ungrammatical version of this expression in English is, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."] C) "How Should Taiwan Cope with the Emerging U.S.-China Co-management of the World?" Francis Yi-hua Kan, an associate research fellow at the Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University, opined in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 150,000] (4/10): "... On the other hand, the rise of mainland China as a global power does not necessarily indicate the decline of U.S. national strength. It goes without saying that the international unilateralism adopted by the United States over the past eight years has alienated Washington from its allies and at the same time fortified the enemies it wants to fight. However, the U.S. government under the leadership of its new President Barack Obama is quickly reversing the decline of the United States. With a modest, cooperative and confident attitude, the United States has again won the respect of its allies and the world -- an indication of the advancement, not the weakening, of U.S. strength. President Obama just made the most important trip to Europe since he took office, and he received the highest possible attention and applause during the entire trip. This development indicates that the U.S. global leadership still meets the expectations and interests of a majority of countries. "When it comes to its definition of the position of mainland China, previous U.S. administrations have been swinging between whether China was a competitor or a partner. But in any case, the United States must attach great importance to the rise of China. ... On Taiwan's part, when [the importance of] mainland China is constantly on the rise in terms of global economics and political strength, Taiwan, given the mutually beneficial nature of cross-Strait economics and its strategic edge in geopolitics, should all the more pragmatically promote 'normalization' of cross-Strait trade relations and engage in negotiations with mainland China over the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement. ..." D) "Happy Birthday, Taiwan Relations Act" The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (4/10): "Today marks the 30th anniversary of the US government's enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). ... Taiwanese of all shades should be proud of this achievement and grateful for the security that this vital piece of legislation has provided. Without the TRA, the arms sales provisions enshrined in the legislation and the staunch support offered by the US over the decades, it is doubtful that Taiwan would be the success story it is today. But 30 years on, and with regional circumstances changing rapidly, some have begun to question whether the TRA is still relevant. ... China's growing clout on the global stage, both economically and diplomatically, and the enthusiasm with which it is adopting the role of challenger to the supremacy of the US have drastically increased the threat to Taiwan's democracy. "Despite this, the TRA is a document that covers all issues pertinent to Taiwan today and is well equipped to deal with these and future challenges. Taiwan's future status, its security, progress in human rights and participation in international organizations are all listed as issues of concern for the US. ... However, there is more to the US-Taiwan security relationship than the TRA can provide. As the late Harvey Feldman, one of the architects of the TRA, told a forum in November 1998, the effectiveness of the legislation depends on whether the US 'acts in accordance with the spirit and the letter of the TRA.' "If it were to do so, Feldman said, 'it should return to its former policy of taking no position on Taiwan's final status ... and reiterate [that] the US can accept any solution arrived at peacefully, without coercion, so long as it is acceptable to the people of Taiwan.' The TRA may not be perfect, but it is an important piece of legislation that has stood the test of time. Sticking to it will ensure a safe, prosperous and peaceful future for the people of Taiwan. Those in Taiwan who cherish freedom and democracy can only hope that the US will do so for many more years to come." E) "Rumblings in U.S.-China Relations" Sushil Seth, a writer based in Australia, opined in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (4/10): "... Diplomacy is about creating leverage to influence and shape the policies of competing powers. While the US remains the dominant world power, Chinese options for power projection are still limited. But China will exercise its leverage at multiple levels with its military, economy and policy to reap maximum mileage in its relations with the US." YOUNG