Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AITTAIPEI554
2009-05-08 08:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #0554/01 1280841 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 080841Z MAY 09 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1535 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9161 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0596
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000554
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
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused May 8 news
coverage on former President Chen Shui-bian, who protested after a
court hearing Thursday that his detention is illegal and politically
motivated; on the massive May 17 anti-government protest planned by
the DPP; and on Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman P. K.
Chiang, who tendered his resignation Monday, and which President Ma
declined to accept. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an
editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times"
criticized the policy of the Ma Ying-jeou Administration and of the
United States to engage with Beijing. The article said "[T]he utter
failure of the US' policy was apparent during U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton's February visit to Beijing, when she said
issues such as human rights couldn't be allowed to 'interfere' with
the tackling of economic problems. Clinton's reluctance to bring up
issues unpalatable to Chinese leaders seems to indicate that,
instead of changing China, engagement has produced the opposite
effect." An editorial in the conservative, pro-unification,
English-language "China Post" discussed a naval confrontation
incident between the United States and China in the Yellow Sea last
Friday and Beijing's strategy toward the United States. The article
said "China's strategy seems to be working ... the U.S. is inclined
to see China more as a partner than a competitor. Such a situation
could pose a great challenge for Taiwan." End summary.
A) "Engagement Is Not Changing China"
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (5/8):
"President Ma Ying-jeou has said several times that he believes
Taiwan's democracy can act as a positive example for China and that
the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will only consider unification
if and when Beijing embraces universal suffrage. Ma's theory is not
unique. It is almost identical to that of the US government, which
for many years has trumpeted its policy of engagement with Beijing
as a way of changing China's authoritarian system, leading to its
eventual democratization. But were it to be ranked on its
effectiveness so far, the US policy would most definitely receive a
failing grade. ...
"The utter failure of the U.S.' policy was apparent during U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's February visit to Beijing, when
she said issues such as human rights couldn't be allowed to
'interfere' with the tackling of economic problems. Clinton's
reluctance to bring up issues unpalatable to Chinese leaders seems
to indicate that instead of changing China, engagement has produced
the opposite effect. ... If a country as powerful as the U.S. has,
to all intents and purposes, admitted defeat in its attempts to
influence China, it does not take a genius to work out what the
consequences will be for Taiwan with the Ma administration's
accelerating rapprochement."
B) "Learning from Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'"
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/8):
"Last Friday marked the latest in a string of naval confrontations
between China and the U.S., when, according to the Pentagon, two
ships from China's Bureau of Fisheries Patrol came 'dangerously
close' (within 27 meters) to the surveillance ship USNS Victorious
operating in the Yellow Sea. ... The recent showdowns between the
so-called G-2 nations are seen as indicators of China's increasing
confidence in its naval might and Washington's reluctance to
escalate situations in a time when it needs Beijing on board to
tackle issues such as the financial crisis, global warming, and
North Korea's arms race. ... While China's naval power is still far
behind that of the U.S., China's recent clashes with the U.S. are
more than simple calls for attention, and should be regarded with
caution. ...
"In other words, Beijing opted not to overpower the U.S. Navy, but
to obtain the capability of area denial. By showcasing its nuclear
submarines and its growing confidence in the seas, Beijing had
averted the U.S.' attention out of East Asia, which is in line with
the oldest of Chinese military wisdoms, Sun Tzu's Art of War: 'When
your opponent is in superior strength, evade it.' Other
'shashoujian' (the assassin's mace) such as China's ability to smash
orbiting satellites and its cyber-warfare capability (though Beijing
denies its development of such technologies) are all aimed at
disrupting U.S. military communications and making it difficult to
coordinate an operation in East Asia. For now, China's strategy
seems to be working. Facing a global financial crisis and two
ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. is inclined to see
China more as a partner than a competitor. Such a situation could
pose a great challenge for Taiwan.
"While Beijing and Taipei seem to be on their way to diplomatic
detente, the option of attacking the island by force has never left
the table. Even best friends fight sometimes, so while the people
of Taiwan should hope for improving relations, they should not leave
their fate to the mercy of a heavily-armed big brother. The long
term survival of the ROC should not be assumed, but earned.
Taiwan's military should learn from China and develop its own
area-denial capabilities to prepare for the unthinkable. These
include capabilities to create surprise and opportunities, such as
better intelligence and cyber-warfare. After all, one of the best
ways to maintain peace and promote camaraderie among friends,
ironically, is to make dispute an ugly option."
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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused May 8 news
coverage on former President Chen Shui-bian, who protested after a
court hearing Thursday that his detention is illegal and politically
motivated; on the massive May 17 anti-government protest planned by
the DPP; and on Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman P. K.
Chiang, who tendered his resignation Monday, and which President Ma
declined to accept. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an
editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times"
criticized the policy of the Ma Ying-jeou Administration and of the
United States to engage with Beijing. The article said "[T]he utter
failure of the US' policy was apparent during U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton's February visit to Beijing, when she said
issues such as human rights couldn't be allowed to 'interfere' with
the tackling of economic problems. Clinton's reluctance to bring up
issues unpalatable to Chinese leaders seems to indicate that,
instead of changing China, engagement has produced the opposite
effect." An editorial in the conservative, pro-unification,
English-language "China Post" discussed a naval confrontation
incident between the United States and China in the Yellow Sea last
Friday and Beijing's strategy toward the United States. The article
said "China's strategy seems to be working ... the U.S. is inclined
to see China more as a partner than a competitor. Such a situation
could pose a great challenge for Taiwan." End summary.
A) "Engagement Is Not Changing China"
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (5/8):
"President Ma Ying-jeou has said several times that he believes
Taiwan's democracy can act as a positive example for China and that
the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will only consider unification
if and when Beijing embraces universal suffrage. Ma's theory is not
unique. It is almost identical to that of the US government, which
for many years has trumpeted its policy of engagement with Beijing
as a way of changing China's authoritarian system, leading to its
eventual democratization. But were it to be ranked on its
effectiveness so far, the US policy would most definitely receive a
failing grade. ...
"The utter failure of the U.S.' policy was apparent during U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's February visit to Beijing, when
she said issues such as human rights couldn't be allowed to
'interfere' with the tackling of economic problems. Clinton's
reluctance to bring up issues unpalatable to Chinese leaders seems
to indicate that instead of changing China, engagement has produced
the opposite effect. ... If a country as powerful as the U.S. has,
to all intents and purposes, admitted defeat in its attempts to
influence China, it does not take a genius to work out what the
consequences will be for Taiwan with the Ma administration's
accelerating rapprochement."
B) "Learning from Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'"
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/8):
"Last Friday marked the latest in a string of naval confrontations
between China and the U.S., when, according to the Pentagon, two
ships from China's Bureau of Fisheries Patrol came 'dangerously
close' (within 27 meters) to the surveillance ship USNS Victorious
operating in the Yellow Sea. ... The recent showdowns between the
so-called G-2 nations are seen as indicators of China's increasing
confidence in its naval might and Washington's reluctance to
escalate situations in a time when it needs Beijing on board to
tackle issues such as the financial crisis, global warming, and
North Korea's arms race. ... While China's naval power is still far
behind that of the U.S., China's recent clashes with the U.S. are
more than simple calls for attention, and should be regarded with
caution. ...
"In other words, Beijing opted not to overpower the U.S. Navy, but
to obtain the capability of area denial. By showcasing its nuclear
submarines and its growing confidence in the seas, Beijing had
averted the U.S.' attention out of East Asia, which is in line with
the oldest of Chinese military wisdoms, Sun Tzu's Art of War: 'When
your opponent is in superior strength, evade it.' Other
'shashoujian' (the assassin's mace) such as China's ability to smash
orbiting satellites and its cyber-warfare capability (though Beijing
denies its development of such technologies) are all aimed at
disrupting U.S. military communications and making it difficult to
coordinate an operation in East Asia. For now, China's strategy
seems to be working. Facing a global financial crisis and two
ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. is inclined to see
China more as a partner than a competitor. Such a situation could
pose a great challenge for Taiwan.
"While Beijing and Taipei seem to be on their way to diplomatic
detente, the option of attacking the island by force has never left
the table. Even best friends fight sometimes, so while the people
of Taiwan should hope for improving relations, they should not leave
their fate to the mercy of a heavily-armed big brother. The long
term survival of the ROC should not be assumed, but earned.
Taiwan's military should learn from China and develop its own
area-denial capabilities to prepare for the unthinkable. These
include capabilities to create surprise and opportunities, such as
better intelligence and cyber-warfare. After all, one of the best
ways to maintain peace and promote camaraderie among friends,
ironically, is to make dispute an ugly option."
YOUNG