US embassy cable - 04TAIPEI3505

UNCLAS TAIPEI 003505 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/RSP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - 
ROBERT PALLADINO 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, KPAO, TW, Foreign Policy 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: BUSH RE-ELECTION 
 
"Taiwan May Be Priority Issue for Bush's New Foreign 
Agenda" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" said in an editorial (11/5): 
 
"U.S. President George W. Bush, who won a second term 
in the Tuesday poll after defeating his Democratic 
challenger Senator John Kerry with 274 Electoral 
College votes and a projected margin of 3.5 million 
national popular ballots, is very likely to set Taiwan 
as one of his major diplomatic priorities during the 
next four years of his new administration. 
 
"The reason is simple and clear: Bush does not want 
Taiwan, an issue which has already troubled him and his 
administration during much of his first term, to 
continue to stand in the way of his effort to 
strengthen Washington's Beijing relations. . 
 
"A new U.S. administration would no longer just 
passively express a position of not supporting Taiwan 
independence.  It could distinctly tell Chen that 
Washington disagrees with his claim that Taiwan is a 
sovereign country.  And that it is opposed to any moves 
by Taipei to pursue de jure independence. 
 
"Meanwhile, any new U.S. initiative in easing tension 
in the Taiwan Strait can be expected to include in 
increased effort to bring Taipei and Beijing to the 
negotiating table.  A resumption of contacts and 
dialogue has been believed by Washington to be the best 
way to settle differences between the two sides. ." 
 
PAAL