Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AITTAIPEI777
2009-06-26 09:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0007 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #0777 1770909 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 260909Z JUN 09 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1847 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9267 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0701
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000777
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, 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 June 26
news coverage on the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office's search
of the Kaohsiung City Council Thursday for evidence connected to an
embezzlement case; on President Ma's upcoming overseas trip; on the
continuous probe into the legal cases involving former President
Chen Shui-bian; and on South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's affair
and his disappearance for several days. In terms of editorials and
commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence, English-language
"Taipei Times" discussed the "Six Assurances" the Reagan
administration made to Taiwan in 1982. The article pointed out one
of the assurances, on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, and the defense
talks between Beijing and Washington this week, and said "a public
reiteration of these assurances from Washington would be more than
welcome." A separate "Taipei Times" op-ed piece discussed the
theories of some U.S. experts on China and said they "should change
the way they think." End summary.
A) "Assurances on Assurances"
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (6/26):
"In July 1982, the US government informed Congress of the 'six
assurances,' a clarification of the Taiwan Relations Act that would
serve as guiding principles for continued US-Taiwan relations. ...
One of the assurances agreed to by the US was: 'The United States
will not consult with China in advance before making decisions about
US arms sales to Taiwan.' However, if recent media reports are to
be believed, U.S. and Chinese officials did exactly that in talks in
Beijing and Washington this week.
"It is no secret that Taiwan has wanted to buy 66 F16C/D fighter
jets from the US for several years, and recent signs from Washington
indicate that support for a deal is gathering pace. Such a sale
would be anathema to Beijing, and Chinese officials must have made
their objections loud and clear during this week's talks. If it were
just a case of the usual Chinese protestations then it would be
nothing to worry about, but the problem for Taiwan is that over the
past few years the U.S. has found itself increasingly reliant on
China, both financially and diplomatically. This is a problem the
U.S. has brought on itself by relying heavily on the Chinese
government for help in dealing with North Korea, an approach that
has been of questionable value. With Washington under such
pressure, it would come as no surprise to discover that arms sales
to Taiwan had been affected by the relentless efforts of Beijing.
...
"The joint communique signed between Beijing and Washington in 1982
advocated a gradual reduction in the amount of arms the US would
sell Taiwan. But writing in 2007, late US ambassador Harvey Feldman
said that after signing the communique, former US president Ronald
Reagan was so concerned over 'its possible effect on Taiwan' and put
so little trust in Chinese promises, that in addition to the six
assurances he also filed a secret memorandum in the National
Security Council files. ... In light of this week's meetings and
given Beijing's continued military buildup, which is largely focused
on settling the Taiwan issue in its favor, a public reiteration of
these assurances from Washington would be more than welcome."
B) "U.S. 'Experts' on China Have Got It All Wrong"
James Wang, a Taiwan-based senior media commentator, opined in the
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] (6/26):
"... There is no question that economic exchanges between Taiwan and
China should be normalized. But if integration means political
compromise on Taiwan's sovereignty and annexation by China, then how
could it reduce Taiwan's security problem? Ever since President Ma
Ying-jeou took office, Chinese military invasion has not been one of
Taiwan's security problems: The problem has been the 'peaceful
annexation' of Taiwan by China. Those US China experts should
change the way they think. Neither China's peaceful rise nor
collapse is a bad thing since such an anti-humanistic regime as
China's should be overthrown at any rate. If the Chinese leadership
wanted to engage in an external adventure to distract attention from
its serious internal situation, it would dig its own grave. Chinese
President Hu Jintao is not as stupid as those experts think."
YOUNG
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, 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 June 26
news coverage on the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office's search
of the Kaohsiung City Council Thursday for evidence connected to an
embezzlement case; on President Ma's upcoming overseas trip; on the
continuous probe into the legal cases involving former President
Chen Shui-bian; and on South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's affair
and his disappearance for several days. In terms of editorials and
commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence, English-language
"Taipei Times" discussed the "Six Assurances" the Reagan
administration made to Taiwan in 1982. The article pointed out one
of the assurances, on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, and the defense
talks between Beijing and Washington this week, and said "a public
reiteration of these assurances from Washington would be more than
welcome." A separate "Taipei Times" op-ed piece discussed the
theories of some U.S. experts on China and said they "should change
the way they think." End summary.
A) "Assurances on Assurances"
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (6/26):
"In July 1982, the US government informed Congress of the 'six
assurances,' a clarification of the Taiwan Relations Act that would
serve as guiding principles for continued US-Taiwan relations. ...
One of the assurances agreed to by the US was: 'The United States
will not consult with China in advance before making decisions about
US arms sales to Taiwan.' However, if recent media reports are to
be believed, U.S. and Chinese officials did exactly that in talks in
Beijing and Washington this week.
"It is no secret that Taiwan has wanted to buy 66 F16C/D fighter
jets from the US for several years, and recent signs from Washington
indicate that support for a deal is gathering pace. Such a sale
would be anathema to Beijing, and Chinese officials must have made
their objections loud and clear during this week's talks. If it were
just a case of the usual Chinese protestations then it would be
nothing to worry about, but the problem for Taiwan is that over the
past few years the U.S. has found itself increasingly reliant on
China, both financially and diplomatically. This is a problem the
U.S. has brought on itself by relying heavily on the Chinese
government for help in dealing with North Korea, an approach that
has been of questionable value. With Washington under such
pressure, it would come as no surprise to discover that arms sales
to Taiwan had been affected by the relentless efforts of Beijing.
...
"The joint communique signed between Beijing and Washington in 1982
advocated a gradual reduction in the amount of arms the US would
sell Taiwan. But writing in 2007, late US ambassador Harvey Feldman
said that after signing the communique, former US president Ronald
Reagan was so concerned over 'its possible effect on Taiwan' and put
so little trust in Chinese promises, that in addition to the six
assurances he also filed a secret memorandum in the National
Security Council files. ... In light of this week's meetings and
given Beijing's continued military buildup, which is largely focused
on settling the Taiwan issue in its favor, a public reiteration of
these assurances from Washington would be more than welcome."
B) "U.S. 'Experts' on China Have Got It All Wrong"
James Wang, a Taiwan-based senior media commentator, opined in the
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] (6/26):
"... There is no question that economic exchanges between Taiwan and
China should be normalized. But if integration means political
compromise on Taiwan's sovereignty and annexation by China, then how
could it reduce Taiwan's security problem? Ever since President Ma
Ying-jeou took office, Chinese military invasion has not been one of
Taiwan's security problems: The problem has been the 'peaceful
annexation' of Taiwan by China. Those US China experts should
change the way they think. Neither China's peaceful rise nor
collapse is a bad thing since such an anti-humanistic regime as
China's should be overthrown at any rate. If the Chinese leadership
wanted to engage in an external adventure to distract attention from
its serious internal situation, it would dig its own grave. Chinese
President Hu Jintao is not as stupid as those experts think."
YOUNG