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