US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI699

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000699 
 
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: TAIWAN STRAIT SECURITY IN U.S.- 
JAPAN SECURITY PACT 
 
1. Summary:  The focus of Tuesday's Taipei dailies 
shifted from the coverage of the joint statement of the 
U.S.-Japan Consultative Committee to local politics. 
On straight news coverage, only the largest Taiwan 
daily, the pro-independence "Liberty Times" reported on 
page two that Taiwan's National Security Council 
decided in a meeting Monday that Taiwan should seize 
this opportunity to strengthen communications with the 
United States and Japan over defense and diplomatic 
issues to show Taiwan's interest and determination to 
maintain peace in the Asia-Pacific region.  The 
centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" said on its 
cross-Strait news page (P. 13) that President Chen Shui- 
bian welcomed the new U.S.-Japan security pact in a low- 
profile manner. 
 
2. With regard to editorials and commentaries, 
Washington correspondent James Wang of the pro- 
independence "Taiwan Daily" said in a column that the 
U.S.-Japan security pact indicated that the two 
counties have joined together to restrain China's 
military threats against Taiwan.  An editorial in 
limited circulation, conservative, pro-unification, 
English-language "China Post", however, said the new 
development reflects U.S. perceptions that China's 
military build-up and dangers of Taiwan's pro- 
independence moves could pose a greater risk to 
regional stability than North Korea.  End summary. 
 
A) "United States, Japan Working Together to Restrain 
China's Military Threats against Taiwan" 
 
Washington correspondent James Wang commented in the 
"Washington Review" column of the pro-independence 
"Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000]  (2/22): 
 
". Such a document [i.e. the joint statement of the 
U.S.-Japan Consultative Committee issued Saturday] can 
be viewed as [a result of] the concerns expressed by 
the United States and Japan over the unpredictable 
future direction of the `rising' China and a clear 
declaration by the two allies that they will not allow 
any use of force to alter the status quo in the Taiwan 
Strait.  Washington's and Tokyo's firm positions are 
naturally related to their own interests, but they also 
meet Taiwan's national and security interests.  The 
document, in the meantime, also offered a good 
opportunity for Taiwan to act on these common interests 
and to strength its cooperation with the United States 
and Japan. . 
 
"The card played by the United States and Japan of 
course has a dual function for it also offers room for 
China to walk on a correct track and play a 
`constructive and responsible role.'  But obviously 
this document is aimed at China's hegemonic power and 
its focus is to show concern about Taiwan and to 
restrain China.  Among the 12 `common strategic 
objectives' listed by the United States and Japan for 
the Asia-Pacific region, six of them are related to 
Taiwan, while only four of them are related to North 
Korea. 
 
"Among these common strategic objectives, the one that 
most clearly and directly concerns Taiwan is `encourage 
the peaceful resolution of issues concerning the Taiwan 
Strait through dialogue.'  Please note that in this 
sentence, it does not use the word `Taiwan issues' and 
that the `Taiwan issues' is a plural form.  For Taiwan, 
this [change] signifies a progress.  It has never been 
a new policy [that the United States encourages both 
sides of the Taiwan Strait] to resolve the cross-Strait 
issues via dialogue and peaceful means.  Washington can 
explain that its position of opposition to `any 
unilateral attempt to change the status quo [in the 
Taiwan Strait]' remains unchanged.  But in this 
statement, the focus of this sentence is, without 
doubt, to deter China from using force to alter the 
status quo in the Taiwan Strait, which is that both 
sides do not belong to each other. ." 
 
B) "U.S. Raising Japan Profile" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" [circulation: 30,000] observed in an 
editorial (2/22): 
 
"The U.S. and Japan have reinforced their alliance with 
a new set of common security objectives (CSO) on North 
Korea's nuclear program, China's rising military power 
and tension across the Taiwan Strait. . 
 
"This new development reflects U.S. perceptions that 
China's military build-up and dangers of Taiwan's pro- 
independence moves could pose a greater risk to 
regional stability than North Korea. 
 
"Though the Taiwan issue has always been on the Japan- 
U.S. security agenda, this is the first time that Tokyo 
has publicly, in a diplomatic document, expressed such 
a concern. 
 
"In principle, the Japan-U.S. security alliance applies 
only to `emergences in areas surrounding Japan,' but 
Japan's involvement in U.S.-led operations in 
Afghanistan and Iraq already demonstrates its readiness 
to go further. 
 
". For Taiwan, the U.S.-Japan joint statement shows the 
island is not isolated or uncared for, which could 
deflate arguments for independence and reduce tensions 
in the straits over time.  If only China doesn't feel 
cornered." 
 
PAAL