US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI661

UNCLAS TAIPEI 000661 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS 
 
A) "The Moves by Both the Ruling and Opposition Parties 
in Vying to Toady to China Will Surely [Be] 
Misunderstood by the International Community" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" commented in an 
editorial (2/17): 
 
". The [Taiwan] Government is strongly opposed to 
China's enactment of the `anti-secession law' on one 
hand, but on the other hand, it is using issues such as 
cross-Strait charter flights for the Chinese New Year 
and the plan to develop direct cross-Strait air cargo 
links as bargaining chips to promote the direct three 
links with China.  Such kind of political thinking is 
basically self-contradictory because the anti-secession 
law is an `open robbery" whereas the three links are a 
`clandestine theft,' and neither of them is conducive 
to [the interests of] Taiwan.  How can [the Taiwan 
government] express opposition to one but accept the 
other? . 
 
". The moves by both the ruling and opposition parties 
in vying to toady to China will give the international 
community a false impression about China's ambitions 
and thus eradicate the moral content of Taiwan's 
petition against China's attempted annexation [of 
Taiwan].  Such moves by the ruling and opposition 
parties, which may be motivated by a desire to 
eliminate cross-Strait tension, may in the end bring 
disaster to the Taiwan people." 
 
B) "China's Enactment of the `Anti-Secession Law' Is an 
Open Challenge to the United States' `Taiwan Relations 
Act'" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" editorialized 
(2/17): 
 
".  We support [U.S. Deputy Secretary of State- 
designate Robert] Zoellick's remarks [at the Senate 
hearing Tuesday] and hope that the U.S. government, 
acting in a firm and clear attitude, could formally 
tell the Chinese authorities to stop using provocative 
acts such as the `anti-secession law to obnoxiously 
sabotage the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. 
 
"As the time approaches for China to review the `anti- 
secession law,' everyone in Taiwan and the 
international community must know the [following] fact 
clearly:  the `anti-secession law' is China's attempt 
to use so-called `domestic law' to carry out its scheme 
of annexing Taiwan; it is an open challenge to the 
United States' `Taiwan Relations Act'..  The Chinese 
authorities either use `military' missile intimidation 
or `legislated' rhetoric or acts to rip Taiwan's 
national sovereignty and dignity.  [Our] government 
should strive to develop adequate power to resist 
[China's] pressure and should insist on maintaining 
Taiwan's independent and integrated sovereignty.  It 
should also fully communicate with the people of Taiwan 
and the international society about the fact that 
Taiwan's sovereignty truly exists. . 
 
". Washington should solemnly tell Beijing that it must 
not adopt any unilateral move that might possibly alter 
the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.  If the United 
States simply sits back and watches China arrogantly 
enact the `anti-secession law,' any [U.S.] moves to 
help defend Taiwan in the future, should a war break 
out in the Taiwan Strait, will be ripped by Beijing as 
an attempt to `interfere with [China's] domestic 
affairs.'" 
 
PAAL