US embassy cable - 04TAIPEI3807

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003807 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/W 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TW 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE DEFENDS CONSTITUTIONAL RHETORIC 
 
REF: A. TAIPEI 3265 
 
     B. TAIPEI 3782 
     C. TAIPEI 3797 
     D. TAIPEI 3796 
     E. TAIPEI 2662 
 
Classified By: AIT Deputy Director David J. Keegan, Reason: 1.4 (B/D) 
 
1. (C) Summary: Presidential Office Deputy Secretary General 
James Huang asked AIT to convey a request for USG 
understanding over President Chen Shui-bian's recent 
constitution-related campaign rhetoric.  Huang acknowledged 
that some of Chen's recent language had been "a little 
strong," especially his reference to "putting an end to the 
Chinese constitution."  However, Huang asserted that Chen has 
been careful to remain within the bounds of his May 20 
inaugural policy line in substantive terms.  Huang asserted 
that Chen's approach on the constitution in the campaign has 
been calibrated to marginalize calls by former President Lee 
Teng-hui to completely replace the current constitution. 
Huang said that the Chen administration will seek in the 
coming days to lay out for AIT and Washington the 
government's thinking on constitutional reform after December 
11.  Huang's comments to AIT came on the same day the 
president publicly thanked the State Department Spokesman for 
"welcoming" Chen's November 30 pledge not to go beyond past 
commitments.  End Summary. 
 
Political Calculations 
---------------------- 
 
2. (C) Presidential Office Deputy Secretary General James 
Huang asked AIT December 1 to convey to Washington the 
president's sincerity in abiding by his May 20 inaugural 
promises.  Huang asserted that Chen has been trying to walk a 
fine line on the constitution issue during the ongoing 
presidential campaign.  On the one hand, Huang claimed that 
Chen is seeking to fend off attempts by Lee Teng-hui to 
dominate the constitution debate (Comment: Which 
coincidentally might also help Lee poach Democratic 
Progressive Party (DPP) votes for his own Taiwan Solidary 
Union (TSU) party.  End Comment).  At the same time, Huang 
continued, Chen has been careful not to say anything that 
would substantively alter the limits he imposed on the 
constitutional revision process on May 20 and in subsequent 
statements.  Huang acknowledged that some of Chen's recent 
language has been "a little strong," especially his reference 
to "putting an end to the Chinese constitution."  However, he 
said that this sort of hyperbole is commonplace in Taiwan 
election campaigns. 
 
3. (C) Huang stated that Chen's October 10 reference to "the 
Republic of China equals Taiwan" (Ref A) and more recent 
comments about constitutional revision were attempts to 
undercut Lee's campaign to "establish a new 
constitution/rectify the name (of the country)" (zhixian 
zhengming).  Huang noted that during Chen's November 27 
Taiwan Advocates speech, and in subsequent campaign 
references to constitutional reform (Ref B), the president 
had explicitly stated that constitutional reforms would be 
conducted within the procedures established by the current 
constitutional framework.  Huang added that Chen's decision 
to attend the November 27 Taiwan Advocates conference was 
intended to ensure that Lee's constitutional plan did not 
dominate the weekend headlines. 
 
Taipei Surprised? 
----------------- 
 
4. (C) Huang claimed that prior to the State Department 
Spokesman's November 29 comments (Ref C), the Chen 
administration was not aware that the USG was concerned over 
recent rhetoric.  He added that Taipei assumed that 
Washington was less concerned about campaign language than 
about formal policy statements.  In light of the most recent 
episode, Huang said that there is an internal review underway 
over how to enhance communications with the U.S.-side over 
Taipei's intentions on the constitution, both before and 
after the December 11 election.  Huang said that he would 
likely contact AIT in the next 24-48 hours to convey a more 
formal message for Washington.  Huang added that, in his 
view, dialogue over the constitution and other sensitive 
issues should be conducted on a regular basis via existing 
AIT/TECRO channels rather than one-off special missions.  In 
this context, Huang said the delegation going to the U.S. 
after the election (whose members include Presidential 
Advisor Tsai Ing-wen, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 
Deputy Secretary General Y.Y. Lee, and Deputy Minister of 
Defense Michael Tsai) would not be authorized to convey any 
policy message to the USG.  Huang described the group as 
purely "academic" in nature. 
 
5. (C) AIT responded that while we would welcome enhanced 
communications, the track record of the past several months 
has been decidedly mixed.  AIT expressed appreciation for the 
government's willingness to consult in advance about major 
policy speeches, but pointed out that clarifications over 
Chen's October 10 "ROC equals Taiwan" and more recent 
constitutional formulations came only after the fact.  This, 
it was noted, raised questions about whether AIT was being 
consulted or simply "spun."  In addition, AIT was not 
informed in advance of the president's intention to speak on 
constitutional revision at Lee Teng-hui's Taiwan Advocates 
conference.  (Note: This is true even though National 
Security Advisor Chiou I-jen had made a point of reassuring 
AIT two days earlier concerning Chen's planned campaign event 
with Lee on December 4 (Ref ).  End Note.)  Huang said Taipei 
would try to do a better job of keeping AIT abreast of the 
president's plans.  He also reiterated that the only venue 
where Chen and Lee will appear together between now and 
election day is at a December 4 evening rally in Kaohsiung 
City.  Huang emphasized that Chen would not take part in the 
TSU's December 5 "name rectification" rally. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CSB Reiterates No Changes, "Thanks" Boucher 
------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) On the same day as Huang's remarks to AIT, President 
Chen used an open press meeting with the Utah Governor 
attended by the AIT Director to amplify his November 30 
pledge to abide by past commitments regarding constitutional 
reform (Ref C).  Chen explained in detail the process for 
constitutional revision under the procedures passed in August 
by the Legislative Yuan (LY) (Ref E).  Chen noted that a 
referendum is stipulated under these provisions, but only 
after "three out of four" members of the LY approve them. 
(Note: Chen acknowledged that these new procedures have not 
yet been approval by a yet-to-be-selected National Assembly. 
End Note.).  During his December 1 remarks, Chen also 
expressed appreciation for State Department Spokesman 
Boucher's reported reaction to the president's November 30 
clarification.  Chen told the press "I have learned that the 
State Department's Spokesman welcomed my remarks, and I would 
like to express sincere appreciation for that." 
 
Comment: Damage Control Mode 
---------------------------- 
 
7. (C) Chen and his aides were clearly spooked by the 
Spokesman's warning and the widespread media coverage it 
received in Taipei.  Coming the same week that Standard and 
Poor's cited cross-Strait tensions among its reasons for 
downgrading Taiwan's risk rating, Chen is likely to chart a 
more cautious rhetorical course in the coming days.  The 
president and his advisors are also likely to seek to enhance 
consultations with AIT and Washington, if for no other reason 
than to avoid any further public rebukes.  However, we do not 
accept their claims to be surprised over USG concerns over 
Chen's recent "campaign rhetoric."  AIT has repeatedly 
emphasized in private to Chen administration officials from 
the president on down that both Washington and Beijing would 
pay particular attention to the language used during the 
legislative campaign.  With the president in full election 
mode, it apparently required a public reminder and 
accompanying political costs before the president and his 
advisors chose to moderate his rhetoric. 
PAAL