US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI1225

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 001225 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/W 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TW, Cross Strait Politics 
SUBJECT: TAIPEI WELCOMES SECRETARY'S PUBLIC REMARKS IN 
BEIJING 
 
REF: A. 2004 TAIPEI 3353 
     B. TAIPEI 1188 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, Reason: 1.4 (B/D) 
 
1. (C) Taiwan officials have expressed appreciation for 
Secretary Rice's public remarks on the Anti-Secession Law and 
 
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Taiwan Relations Act during her March 20-21 visit to Beijing. 
 Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Joseph Wu told AIT 
the Secretary's statements were "wonderful" and would help 
refute Taiwan media and opposition claims that the USG had 
"accepted" the PRC's new law.  Wu added that the Secretary's 
Tokyo call for democratization on the Mainland was also 
warmly welcomed in Taipei.  MOFA North American Affairs 
Section Chief Vincent Yao told AIT that Foreign Minister Mark 
Chen is drafting a letter to thank the Secretary personally 
for her public statements on the Anti-Secession Law before 
and during her Beijing visit.  Yao added that Taipei also 
appreciated the Secretary's request that Beijing take steps 
to reduce cross-Strait tensions in the wake of the 
Anti-Secession Law's enactment. 
 
2. (SBU) The Taiwan media's coverage of the Secretary's visit 
was less sensational than is usually the case with high-level 
U.S.-China meetings.  Reports focused on the Secretary's 
characterization of the PRC law as "unwelcome," the absence 
of any reference to U.S. "non-support" or "opposition" to 
Taiwan independence, and public inclusion of the Taiwan 
Relations Act in her statement on U.S. China policy.  While 
one analysis in the pro-opposition United Daily News 
contrasted the Secretary's "mild" rebuke to Beijing over the 
Anti-Secession Law to President Bush's strong 2003 warning to 
"Taiwan's leaders" over changing the status quo, most media 
reports credited the USG with striking an effective balance 
in the relationship. 
 
3. (C) Both MAC and the Foreign Ministry issued press 
releases on March 21 thanking the Secretary for her firm 
statements on the Anti-Secession Law.  Executive Yuan 
Spokesman Cho Jung-tai told reporters that the Secretary's 
comments "clearly articulated" U.S. opposition to the 
Anti-Secession Law.  National Security Council (NSC) Senior 
Advisor Lin Jin-chang told AIT that the NSC instructed 
government agencies in advance not to "over-interpret" the 
Secretary's public remarks in Beijing.  Lin said that as long 
 
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as the visit was not portrayed in the Taiwan media as a major 
setback to Taiwan, the government's efforts to prevent 
pro-independence fundamentalists from hijacking the March 26 
Taipei mass rally will remain on track. 
 
Comment: A Welcome Message 
-------------------------- 
 
4. (C) The public messages coming out of the Secretary's 
visit have clearly come as a relief to officials in Taipei. 
In the lead-up to the visit, many AIT interlocutors recalled 
with trepidation the media and political fallout that 
resulted from former Secretary Powell's media interviews 
during and after his October 2004 visit to Beijing (Ref A). 
Taipei received exactly what it asked for from the 
Secretary's visit (Ref B), at least in public diplomacy 
 
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terms.  Officials say that the Secretary's public remarks 
will boost the government's efforts to block demands from 
pro-independence fundamentalists for a more destabilizing 
reaction to the PRC's Anti-Secession Law. 
PAAL