US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI687

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/W 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, CH, TW, Cross Strait Politics 
SUBJECT: NEW DPP CHAIR ASKS FOR USG SUPPORT ON 
ANTI-SECESSION LAW 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, Reason: 1.4 (B/D) 
 
1. (C) Summary: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman 
Su Tseng-chang urged the USG to press Beijing not to proceed 
with an Anti-Secession Law during a February 17 meeting with 
the Director.  Su warned that the new law could change the 
cross-Strait status quo by giving Beijing the right to 
legally define the relationship between the two sides.  The 
Director said that the USG will continue to urge Beijing not 
to move ahead on the law.  However, he took exception to 
criticism in Taiwan that the USG was not doing enough over 
the Anti-Secession Law, noting that Beijing's move was just 
the latest in a series of actions, many initiated by Taipei, 
that have raised the level of cross-Strait tensions.  Turning 
to domestic politics, Su said that the DPP will not 
participate in activities to commemorate the "2/28" incident 
and would avoid pushing divisive ideological themes during 
the lead-up to the May National Assembly and December county 
magistrate elections.  However, DPP International Affairs 
Department Director Bi-khim Hsiao subsequently clarified that 
the party would participate in 2/28 events and may employ 
cross-Strait themes in the May election campaign.  End 
Summary. 
 
Familiar Line on Anti-Secession Law 
----------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) During a February 17 meeting with AIT Director Paal, 
DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang requested that the USG press 
Beijing not to proceed with passage of an Anti-Secession Law. 
 Su said that an attempt by Beijing to legally define the 
relationship between Taiwan and the Mainland would amount to 
a unilateral change in the status quo.  He also warned that 
Beijing might try to define what constitutes "splittist" 
activities and enforce the law's provisions through the use 
of force.  While acknowledging that Taipei does not know what 
is in the law, Su warned that if the contents seriously 
threatened Taiwan's interests, Taiwan might respond with a 
referendum or pass an "Anti-Annexation Law." 
 
3. (C) The Director said that the USG will continue to make 
it clear to the PRC that action on the law could create the 
sort of destabilizing cycle that Su alluded to.  He added, 
however, that the USG does not appreciate efforts by some in 
Taiwan to portray Washington's response to the PRC move as 
insufficient.  The Director noted that the Anti-Secession Law 
is only the latest in a long series of destabilizing actions, 
many of them initiated by Taipei, that have produced the 
current level of tensions across the Taiwan Strait. 
 
DPP Priorities: Elections in May and December 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Turning to domestic politics, Su asserted that his 
overriding priority as DPP Chairman will be to secure 
victories in the National Assembly election in May and the 
county/city magistrate/mayor election in December.  Su 
asserted that both elections would focus on local issues, 
adding that the DPP plans to base its campaign on the quality 
of its candidates.  The Director replied that Taiwan 
elections always seem to return to sensitive cross-Strait 
related themes.  He added that many Taiwan watchers in the 
United States are under the mistaken impression, perhaps due 
to inaccurate western media reporting, that there are no 
major elections in 2005. 
 
5. (C) Su asserted that the DPP will not employ ideologically 
divisive themes during either of the 2005 elections nor would 
it participate in activities organized by grass-roots groups 
to mark the February 28 Kaohsiung Incident.  However, DPP 
International Affairs Director Bi-khim Hsiao contacted AIT 
after the meeting to clarify that the DPP would organize a 
symposium on ethnic reconciliation in Taipei to mark 2/28. 
She added that the party's Social Development Department was 
also helping NGOs organize Anti-Secession Law activities in 
southern Taiwan.  Hsiao said that Su had not been briefed yet 
on the party's 2/28 activities since taking office on 
February 15.  (Comment: Hsiao also disagreed with Su's 
statement that the National Assembly election campaign would 
be non-ideological, predicting that all parties would seek to 
exploit cross-Strait tensions for partisan purposes.  End 
Comment.) 
 
Special Defense Procurement Budget: DPP Supporting Role 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
6. (C) Su said that the DPP would support the government's 
efforts to win opposition approval for the Special Defense 
Procurement Budget.  The Director noted that senior Pan-Blue 
officials have indicated that they support the Special 
Defense Budget only if the package does not include the 
submarines.  Su replied that he was aware that the opposition 
wanted a reduction in the overall cost of the package, but 
said he had not known the Pan-Blue planned to oppose 
submarine procurement.  Su said that the DPP would defer to 
the government and support whatever position it formulates. 
 
Su Plans for U.S. Visit 
----------------------- 
 
7. (C) Su said he plans to use his new position to advance 
party-to-party relations with major countries in North 
America, Asia, and Europe.  Su noted that he first visited 
the United States 22 years ago at the invitation of AIT (on 
the International Visitor Program).  Su said he would like to 
make a formal visit later in the year in addition to a 
possible private trip in May, when his daughter will receive 
her Master's degree from New York University.  The Director 
said that Su was welcome to visit the U.S. at anytime. 
PAAL