Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TAIPEI314
2009-03-20 09:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
AIT CHAIRMAN BURGHARDT'S MARCH 18 MEETING WITH MAC
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 000314
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PAS
SUBJECT: AIT CHAIRMAN BURGHARDT'S MARCH 18 MEETING WITH MAC
CHAIR LAI SHIN-YUAN
Classified By: AIT Deputy Director Robert S. Wang,
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 000314
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PAS
SUBJECT: AIT CHAIRMAN BURGHARDT'S MARCH 18 MEETING WITH MAC
CHAIR LAI SHIN-YUAN
Classified By: AIT Deputy Director Robert S. Wang,
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Chairman Burghardt opened his March 18 meeting with
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) by expressing the good will of
the incoming Obama administration and emphasizing U.S.
support and satisfaction with the pace and substance of
cross-Strait talks. MAC,s ultimate goal and responsibility
is to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Lai
stressed. To this end, the MAC must maintain the status quo
for as long as possible to ensure all contentious issues can
be discussed and resolved. Thus, MAC is engaged in
coordinating cross-Strait negotiations and researching
possible future areas of common interest so it can provide
policy recommendations to the President. Furthermore, as
Taiwan's Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) and China's
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS)
are only implementers in the process, it is MAC,s duty to
provide substance to the negotiations to ensure Taiwan's
equities, such as sovereignty and economic interests, are
addressed, stated the Chairperson.
2. (C) Tracking public opinion on cross-Strait issues is one
of MAC,s main tasks, Lai explained. Specifically, MAC
conducts a poll every three months asking about cross-Strait
issues. Among other questions, these polls have consistently
asked respondents about their views on Taiwan's political
status. The latent results indicate strong public support
for maintaining the status quo in political relations with
China (91.8%). Nineteen percent of those polled support
eventual independence, with a slightly lower number
supporting eventual unification. Only 2% of the respondents
support immediate independence, she noted. Lai also
commented that, since last fall, polls have registered
low-level general concern among respondents that cross-Strait
talks are moving too fast, but this has slightly increased.
When asked what specific aspect of the relationship is of
concern, people mentioned "sovereignty." She noted, however,
that those polled generally are unable to pinpoint how
cross-Strait agreements have, in fact, infringed on Taiwan's
sovereignty. Therefore, in MAC,s view, anxiety over
cross-Strait talks has been generated not by concrete issues
but by the opposition party and certain media outlets for
partisan political reasons and it is MAC,s job to help
change this perception by doing public outreach.
3. (U) Chairperson Lai was accompanied by MAC Director
General James Shi Chu and MAC notetaker. Chairman Burghardt
was accompanied by the Deputy Director, EAP/TC Director Ted
Mann, AIT PolOffs Angelo Chang (notetaker) and Deanna Kim.
4. (U) Chairman Burghardt did not have an opportunity to
clear this cable.
YOUNG
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PAS
SUBJECT: AIT CHAIRMAN BURGHARDT'S MARCH 18 MEETING WITH MAC
CHAIR LAI SHIN-YUAN
Classified By: AIT Deputy Director Robert S. Wang,
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Chairman Burghardt opened his March 18 meeting with
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) by expressing the good will of
the incoming Obama administration and emphasizing U.S.
support and satisfaction with the pace and substance of
cross-Strait talks. MAC,s ultimate goal and responsibility
is to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Lai
stressed. To this end, the MAC must maintain the status quo
for as long as possible to ensure all contentious issues can
be discussed and resolved. Thus, MAC is engaged in
coordinating cross-Strait negotiations and researching
possible future areas of common interest so it can provide
policy recommendations to the President. Furthermore, as
Taiwan's Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) and China's
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS)
are only implementers in the process, it is MAC,s duty to
provide substance to the negotiations to ensure Taiwan's
equities, such as sovereignty and economic interests, are
addressed, stated the Chairperson.
2. (C) Tracking public opinion on cross-Strait issues is one
of MAC,s main tasks, Lai explained. Specifically, MAC
conducts a poll every three months asking about cross-Strait
issues. Among other questions, these polls have consistently
asked respondents about their views on Taiwan's political
status. The latent results indicate strong public support
for maintaining the status quo in political relations with
China (91.8%). Nineteen percent of those polled support
eventual independence, with a slightly lower number
supporting eventual unification. Only 2% of the respondents
support immediate independence, she noted. Lai also
commented that, since last fall, polls have registered
low-level general concern among respondents that cross-Strait
talks are moving too fast, but this has slightly increased.
When asked what specific aspect of the relationship is of
concern, people mentioned "sovereignty." She noted, however,
that those polled generally are unable to pinpoint how
cross-Strait agreements have, in fact, infringed on Taiwan's
sovereignty. Therefore, in MAC,s view, anxiety over
cross-Strait talks has been generated not by concrete issues
but by the opposition party and certain media outlets for
partisan political reasons and it is MAC,s job to help
change this perception by doing public outreach.
3. (U) Chairperson Lai was accompanied by MAC Director
General James Shi Chu and MAC notetaker. Chairman Burghardt
was accompanied by the Deputy Director, EAP/TC Director Ted
Mann, AIT PolOffs Angelo Chang (notetaker) and Deanna Kim.
4. (U) Chairman Burghardt did not have an opportunity to
clear this cable.
YOUNG