US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI347

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000347 
 
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, Cross Strait Politics, Foreign Policy 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: BUSH'S INAUGURAL SPEECH, U.S.- 
CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
1.  Bush's Inaugural Speech 
 
A) "Taiwan Will Not Be Alone on Its Road to Fight 
against Totalitarianism and Tyranny" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" editorialized 
(1/27): 
 
".  Honestly speaking, President Bush's inaugural 
address for his second term may be viewed as the most 
idealistic speech since [President] Kennedy's in the 
1960s, as it was able to precisely demonstrate the 
spirit of the founding fathers of the United States, 
which has been passed on through the Declaration of 
Independence and the U.S. Constitution. . 
 
". President Bush's address is both enlightening and 
inspiring.  Some people may question the United States' 
on-going war on terrorism, but without the American 
people's willingness to shoulder the costs of war and 
to sacrifice themselves, how could tyrannies like 
Saddam Hussein's regime and the Taliban regime ever be 
overthrown?  How long will the oppressed people of 
Afghanistan and Iraq wait for the day when they can be 
the masters of their countries? 
 
"In the real environment of the international 
community, China is sometimes regarded by the United 
States as a `strategic rival' or a `strategic partner.' 
It is nonetheless a power that the United States cannot 
deny or not interact with.  . China may share something 
in common and can thus work with the United States on 
certain issues of practical interest, but Taiwan's 
ideal to implement democracy and freedom, and its 
protection of human rights and social justice can all 
the more permanently match up with the spirit on which 
the United States was founded.  It is the right 
direction for Taiwan to choose democracy and 
independence.  Judged by the spirit conveyed by 
President Bush's inaugural speech, Taiwan people will 
never feel lonely when they choose to walk on the road 
that insists on human dignity and resists 
totalitarianism and tyranny.  It will and must win the 
moral support of all democracy- and freedom-loving 
peoples." 
 
B) "From Axis of Evil to Outposts of Tyranny" 
 
Lin Cheng-yi, Research Fellow and Director of the 
Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi 
University, noted in the centrist, pro-status quo 
"China Times" (1/27): 
 
". The Bush administration, during its second term, 
will shift its foreign policy-making center to the 
State Department headed by Condoleezza Rice, and it 
will attach great importance to public diplomacy and 
transformation diplomacy.  . 
 
"The Bush administration wants to promote democracy and 
freedom outside the United States, and it has announced 
that the United States will work with Taiwan to 
introduce Taiwan's democratic experiences to other 
countries.  Taiwan rarely has a chance to play the role 
as leverage between China and the United States.  The 
Bush administration's announcement of its foreign 
policy direction and the forming of Taiwan's new 
cabinet as well as its renewed focus on democratic 
diplomacy have all joined together to shed some light 
on the stalemated mutual trust between Washington and 
Taipei." 
 
2. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations 
 
A) "Taiwan Needs Strategy to Deal with PRC Law" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" 
commented in an editorial (1/27): 
 
". For the PRC, the anti-secession law would be only a 
transformed version of its `one China principle.'  In 
other words, Beijing is asserting the right to 
unilaterally define the status quo and block Washington 
and, of course, Taiwan itself from promoting their own 
definitions. 
 
"The anti-secession law aims to serve as a major piece 
of propaganda and a diplomatic leverage to subvert the 
U.S.-Taiwan relationship. 
 
"In addition, the Chinese Communist Party aims to 
impose its own model of martial law on Taiwanese 
citizens who express views, whether in China or in 
Taiwan, that are not in accordance with Beijing's 
ambitions to annex Taiwan. 
 
"In any case, it is evident that Beijing's anti- 
secession law is a logically absurd feint to provide a 
legal pretext for the CCP's intention to annex Taiwan 
by any means necessary, including military force. . 
 
". [T]he best policy for Taiwan may be to energetically 
explain to the world the nature of Beijing's game but 
to adopt a more moderate stance in action in order to 
earn international sympathy." 
 
B) "U.S. Policy an Obstacle for Taiwan" 
 
Lin Cheng-yi, Director of the Institute of European and 
American Studies at Academia Sinica, said in the pro- 
independence, English-language "Taipei Times" (1/27): 
 
". US policy is contradictory, and it has a double 
standard toward democracy.  It supports Taiwan's 
democracy, but does not support its desire for self- 
determination.  The US either acknowledges or agrees 
with China's `one China' principle, but doesn't have 
the courage to openly regard Taiwan as a part of China. 
As such, the US is clearly giving in to Chinese 
pressure. 
 
"Given the ambivalent US position, both sides of the 
Taiwan Strait urgently want the US as their partner to 
put pressure on their adversary. 
 
"While both sides of the Strait hold fast to their 
political strategies, they assume a moderate attitude 
when dealing with minor issues, but use this to convey 
to the US that their side is flexible in negotiations. 
Against this backdrop, the belief that the US should be 
a helper rather than an adversary in cross-strait 
relations is beginning to take shape. 
 
"The greatest danger for [President] Chen is to find 
himself simultaneously fighting Taiwan's opposition 
parties, China and the US at the same time.  The 
reasons the US is dissatisfied with Taiwan, apart from 
other issues, is because of requests that the US 
reassess its `one China' policy, improve its treatment 
of visiting Taiwanese officials, opposition boycotts of 
the arms deal and its suggestion that it would target 
Shanghai in the event of a cross-strait war. 
 
"In contrast, the instances in which the US has harshly 
criticized China have decreased, while Taiwan's 
domestic situation has become increasingly divided.  In 
the eyes of the US and China, it is Taiwan which seeks 
to change the status quo. 
 
"This may be because of successes in Chinese 
propaganda, but this is how the situation is perceived. 
It also goes to show that if Taiwan carries on with the 
`two governments' in the US [i.e. the executive branch 
and the Congress], it will find itself fighting 
opponents both inside and outside the country." 
 
PAAL