Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
89TAIPEI3647
1989-06-05 10:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

TAIWAN REACTIONS TO THE TIANANMEN MASSACRE

Tags:  PREL CH TW 
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O 051035Z JUN 89
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO AIT WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY BEIJING
AMCONSUL HONG KONG
AMCONSUL SHANGHAI
AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
AMCONSUL SHENYANG
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
AMEMBASSY SEOUL
CINCPAC HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 03647 

FOR AIT/W ALSO FOR EAP/RA/TC
CINCPAC FOR FPA
BEIJING ALSO PASS CHENGDU

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL CH TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN REACTIONS TO THE TIANANMEN MASSACRE

REF: TAIPEI 3626 (NOTAL)


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 03647

FOR AIT/W ALSO FOR EAP/RA/TC
CINCPAC FOR FPA
BEIJING ALSO PASS CHENGDU

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL CH TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN REACTIONS TO THE TIANANMEN MASSACRE

REF: TAIPEI 3626 (NOTAL)



1. (C) SUMMARY. THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES HAVE REACTED
TO THE DRAMATIC JUNE 4 EVENTS IN BEIJING BY MAKING A
SERIES OF DECLARATIONS. PRESIDENT LEE ISSUED A
DENUNCIATION OF THE BLOODY SUPPRESSION OF THE TIANANMEN
DEMONSTRATORS AND A CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR
THE PRC DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. A SIMILAR RESOLUTION WAS
ADOPTED BY THE KMT CENTRAL COMMITTEE'S SECOND PLENUM,
WHICH ABANDONED ITS AGENDA IN FAVOR OF AN ALL-DAY
DISCUSSION OF MAINLAND POLICY. FOREIGN MINISTER LIEN
CHAN CALLED IN AMBASSADORS TO ASK FOR THEIR GOVERN-
MENTS' SUPPORT, WHILE THE TAIWAN'S ARMED FORCES WERE
PLACED ON ALERT AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. MONEY IS
BEING COLLECTED IN SUPPORT OF THE DEMONSTRATORS, AND
TAIWAN'S RED CROSS IS ATTEMPTING TO FIND WAYS TO
DELIVER ASSISTANCE. MEANWHILE, PREMIER LEE HUAN AND
OTHERS HAVE DECLARED THAT TAIWAN'S POLICY OF ALLOWING
VISITS TO THE MAINLAND WILL NOT CHANGE. IN THE MIDST
OF CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST THE PRC,
SOME VOICES HAVE BEEN RAISED CAUTIONING AGAINST
TAIWAN'S TRADE WITH THE MAINLAND, AND WE EXPECT THAT
THE DETAILS, IF NOT THE OVERALL THRUST, OF TAIWAN'S
MAINLAND POLICY WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE
DEBATE IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE STUDENTS' SUPPRESSION.
END SUMMARY.


2. (U) PRESIDENT LI TENG-HUI, IN A STATEMENT TO THE
KMT CENTRAL COMMITTEE PLENUM JUNE 4, CONDEMNED THE
ATTACK BY THE PLA ON THE DEMONSTRATORS IN BEIJING. LI
SAID THAT THE VIOLENCE IN BEIJING EXPOSES THE CRUELTY
OF THE COMMUNISTS AND WILL LEAD TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE
PRC GOVERNMENT. HE CALLED ON OTHER COUNTRIES TO
CONDEMN THE COMMUNISTS AND ON OVERSEAS CHINESE TO
SUPPORT THE DEMONSTRATORS AND OPPOSE THE COMMUNISTS.
THE PRESIDENT ALSO WARNED OF POSSIBLE COMMUNIST
MILITARY MOVES AGAINST TAIWAN AND TOLD THE PEOPLE AND
THE ARMED FORCES TO BE ON THE ALERT. HE PLEDGED
CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR RESISTANCE ON THE MAINLAND AND
STATED THAT THE GOAL OF TAIWAN IS TO "UNITE ALL ANTI-
COMMUNIST AND PATRIOTIC FORCES IN THEIR UNTIRING
EFFORT TO OVERTURN THIS TYRANNY."


3. (U) THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT WAS ONE OF A
NUMBER OF DECLARATIONS IN THE WAKE OF THE TIANANMEN
CRACKDOWN. THE KMT CENTRAL COMMITTEE PLENUM, MEETING
YESTERDAY ON THE SECOND DAY OF ITS THREE-DAY SESSION,
SCRAPPED ITS ORIGINAL SCHEDULE AND DEVOTED THE ENTIRE

DAY TO A DISCUSSION OF MAINLAND POLICY. A RESOLUTION
ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE CONDEMNED
THE MASSACRE OF THE STUDENT DEMONSTRATORS, DECLARED
CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM ON THE
MAINLAND, CALLED FOR LONG-TERM "MORAL AND MATERIAL
SUPPORT" FROM ABROAD FOR THIS GOAL AND URGED STRONG
INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION AND UNSPECIFIED SANCTIONS
AGAINST THE PRC. IT ALSO PLEDGED SUPPORT FOR CHINESE
COMPATRIOTS STRUGGLING TO COMPEL BEIJING TO GIVE UP
ITS "FOUR CARDINAL PRINCIPLES" AND "EVENTUALLY
OVERTURN THE CHINESE COMMUNIST TYRANNY."


4. (C) MEANWHILE, FOREIGN MINISTER LIEN CHAN MET WITH
AMBASSADORS ACCREDITED IN TAIPEI FROM SOUTH AFRICA,
SOUTH KOREA, HAITI, HONDURAS, AND GUATEMALA TO REQUEST
THAT THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS CONDEMN THE ATTACK
AND TO DEMAND THAT PRC AUTHORITIES PUNISH THOSE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIOLENCE. WHILE THIS MEETING WAS
PUBLICIZED, THE PARALLEL APPROACH BY PRESIDENT LEE TO
AIT (REFTEL) HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED IN THE PRESS.


5. (C) IN A SEPARATE ACTION, PRESIDENT LEE ORDERED
THAT TAIWAN'S ARMED FORCES BE PLACED ON ALERT TO
GUARD AGAINST ANY ATTACK FROM THE MAINLAND. ARMED
FORCES CHIEF OF STAFF HAU PEI-TSUN CONFIRMED THE
ORDER, TELLING THE PRESS THAT HE SAW NO IMMINENT
THREAT TO TAIWAN'S SECURITY BUT WAS CONCERNED THAT
THE PLA COULD TRY TO MAKE TROUBLE IN ORDER TO DIVERT
ATTENTION THE PRC'S INTERNAL DISORDER. DESPITE
THE INCREASED ALERT STATUS, AT LEAST ONE HIGH-RANKING
ADMIRAL WAS STILL ON THE GOLF COURSE SUNDAY AFTERNOON.


6. (U) THE DRAMATIC CRACKDOWN IN BEIJING HAS
IMMEDIATELY RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT TAIWAN'S POLICY
TOWARD MAINLAND CONTACTS. PREMIER LEE HUAN TOLD
REPORTERS JUNE 4 THAT THE POLICY OF ALLOWING PRIVATE
VISITS WOULD NOT ONLY CONTINUE, BUT SHOULD BE EXPANDED
EVEN FURTHER. VICE PREMIER SHIH CHI-YANG, IN
CHARGE OF THE CABINET'S MAINLAND TASK FORCE, LIKEWISE
STATED THAT CONTACTS WOULD CONTINUE, SINCE THEY SERVED
THE LONG-TERM PURPOSE OF FOSTERING DEMOCRACY. TASK
FORCE SECRETARY MA YING-JEOU FOR HIS PART DECLARED
THAT TIANANMEN DEVELOPMENTS WOULD NOT AFFECT ONGOING
EFFORTS TO COMPLETE THE DRAFT REGULATIONS ON CROSS-
STRAIT CONTACTS.


7. (U) OTHER EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO INFLUENCE
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PRC. THE DLRECTOR-GENERAL OF
TAIWAN'S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT CENTER,
JOHN NI, ANNOUNCED AT THE KMT PLENUM THE SETTING UP
OF A FUND TO FINANCE OVERSEAS ADVERTISING DENOUNCING
THE COMMUNISTS' ACTIONS AND SOLICITING SUPPORT FOR
THE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. THE GOAL IS REPORTED TO
BE A FUND OF USD 100 MILLION OF WHICH US$ 280,000 IS
SAID SO FAR TO HAVE BEEN RAISED. THE LOCAL RED CROSS
SOCIETY WILL OFFER MEDICAL PERSONNEL AND SUPPLIES TO
THE PRC RED CROSS SOCIETY ACCORDING TO ITS SECRETARY-
GENERAL. THIS FOLLOWS A PRESIDENTIAL DECISION,
REPORTED IN THE CENTRAL DAILY NEWS, THAT ASSISTANCE
BE OFFERED VIA THE INTER INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS TO
THE VICTIMS OF THE TIANANMEN VIOLENCE AND THEIR
FAMILIES.


8. (U) TAIWAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLYMEN, LEGISLATORS, AND
CONTROL YUAN MEMBERS FROM KMT AND OPPOSITION PARTIES
CONDEMNED THE ATTACK ON THE PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS.
COMMENTS INCLUDE CALLS BY KMT ASSEMBLYMEN AND
SUPPLEMENTAL LEGISLATORS FOR THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES TO
GIVE ALL POSSIBLE SUPPORT TO THE PROTESTORS AND TO MAKE
A CRITICAL REAPPRAISAL OF TAIWAN'S POLLCY TOWARD THE
MAINLAND AS WELL AS EXPRESSIONS OF ANGER AND SORROW ON
THE PART OF OPPOSITION LEGISLATORS AT THE SUPPRESSION
OF DEMOCRACY ON THE MAINLAND.


9. (U) THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN CALLS FOR OTHER COUNTRIES,
INCLUDING THE U.S., TO USE THEIR INFLUENCE TO PUT
AN END TO THE BLOODSHED IN BEIJING. AIT HAS HAD
SEVERAL PRESS INQUIRIES ABOUT WHAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
WOULD DO. IN ADDITION, NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
PROFESSOR THOMAS PENG, CLAIMING TO REPRESENT THE
UNIVERSITY FACULTY ASSOCIATION, CALLED AIT TO ASK
THAT THE U.S. SPEAK OUT STRONGLY AGAINST THE KILLING
OF DEMONSTRATORS.


10. (U) OTHER REPORTED RESPONSES TO THE ATTACK
INCLUDE AN EXPRESSION OF SHOCK AND SORROW BY THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE
PARTY WHO ATTRIBUTED THE VIOLENCE TO THE LACK OF
TOLERANCE FOR DEMOCRACY ON THE MAINLAND AND A REQUEST
OF THE CHINA DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PARTY THAT JUNE 4
BE DECLARED A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THOSE KILLED IN
THE ATTACK AND THAT SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS BE AMENDED TO
RECORD THE EVENT. A LIST OF ACTIONS REPORTED TO BE
UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE AUTHORITIES INCLUDE:

-- A TEMPORARY LIFTING OF THE BAN ON DIRECT FAX
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MAINLAND TO PERMIT MESSAGES
OF SUPPORT FOR THE DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT TO BE SENT TO
THE PRC.

-- A PERIOD OF MOURNING FOR THOSE KILLED AT TIANANMEN
INCLUDING LOWERING THE TAIWAN FLAG TO HALF MAST.

-- THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A "MORE AGGRESSIVE"
MAINLAND POLICY IN WHICH TAIWAN AUTHORITIES WILL
PLAY A "MORE LEADING ROLE" IN INFORMING PEOPLE ON
THE MAINLAND OF TAIWAN'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENT.


11. (C) COMMENT. THE KMT'S EVIDENT DETERMINATION
TO MAINTAIN ITS OPENING TO THE MAINLAND WAS SIGNALLED
THE DAY BEFORE THE PLA'S ACTION IN TIANANMEN WHEN LEE
TENG-HUI ADDRESSED THE OPENING SESSION OF THE KMT
SECOND PLENUM. IN HIS ADDRESS, LEE STATED THAT THE
EASING OF RESTRICTIONS ON VISITS "HAS MADE THE PEOPLE
ON THE CHINESE MAINLAND LONG FOR THE LIFE ON THE
ISLAND" AND HAS INCREASED THEIR DOUBTS ABOUT
COMMUNISM. CALLS FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM, LEE
DECLARED, ARE "ONE INESCAPABLE RESULT OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR MAINLAND POLICY." DESPITE THIS,
THE BLOODSHED IN BEIJING MAY CAUSE THE AUTHORITIES
TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF TRADE AND
INVESTMENT IN THE PRC. LEE HUAN DISTINGUISHED THIS
FROM THE QUESTION OF CONTINUING VISITS, AND SAID IT
WOULD HAVE TO BE STUDIED IN LIGHT OF EVENTS. DEFENSE
MINISTER CHENG WEI-YUAN IS QUOTED AS CALLING FOR TRADE
SANCTIONS AGAINST THE PRC, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT CLEAR
WHETHER HIS REMARKS WERE INTENDED TO INCLUDE TAIWAN'S
OWN TRADE WITH THE MAINLAND. THE DETAILS OF TAIWAN'S
MAINLAND POLICY ARE LIKELY TO BE THE SUBJECT OF INTENSE
DISCUSSION IN THE DAYS AHEAD. END COMMENT.


DEAN