US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI1821

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 001821 
 
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: U.S. AND ANTI-SECESSION LAW, 
ANTI-JAPANESE PROTESTS IN CHINA 
 
 
1. Summary: U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas 
Burns' remarks before a Congressional hearing Thursday 
that the United States has spoken out very vigorously 
against the Anti-Secession Law have received wide 
coverage in the major Taipei dailies April 16.  Both 
the centrist "China Times" and pro-unification "United 
Daily News" carried the story on their front pages, 
while the pro-independence "Liberty Times" and "Taiwan 
Daily" printed the news on its third and second page, 
respectively.  "United Daily News" Washington 
correspondent Vincent Chang commented in a news 
analysis that a full month after the passage of the 
Anti-Secession Law, Washington has for the first time 
made a strong statement against the law and chosen to 
stand by Taiwan.  A "Taiwan Daily" editorial criticized 
the Pan-Blue leaders' planned visits to China, saying 
that even the United States, Japan and EU can see 
clearly China's real intentions in passing the law but 
the Pan-Blue Camp cannot. 
 
2. Taipei dailies started to cover extensively the anti- 
Japanese protests in China as the protests grew 
increasingly intense over the weekend. The centrist 
"China Times" ran a banner headline on its front page 
April 17 that read: "Tokyo protests against the anti- 
Japanese demonstrations in Shanghai."  Almost all the 
major Chinese-language newspapers in Taiwan printed on 
their front pages Sunday the photos showing various 
anti-Japanese protests in the major Chinese cities. 
The pro-independence "United Daily News" reported 
Monday on its front page that Beijing refuses to 
apologize for its anti-Japanese protests across the 
country.  A "China Times" editorial cautioned leaders 
in Northeast Asia not to manipulate nationalism, and 
National Taiwan University Professor Yang Yung-ming 
said during an interview with the pro-unification 
"United Daily News" that Taiwan had better keep away 
and not become a bargaining chip in the Sino-Japan 
disputes.  A limited-circulation, pro-unification 
English-language "China Post" editorial urged both 
China and Japan to start building mutual trust in order 
to cool off the situation.  End summary. 
 
1. U.S. and Anti-Secession Law 
 
A) "United States Stands by Taiwan's Side in the Seesaw 
Battle with Regard to the Anti-Secession Law" 
 
Washington correspondent Vincent Chang noted in the 
centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 
600,000] (4/16): 
 
"It has been a whole month since Beijing passed its 
Anti-Secession Law, and in the meantime, U.S. Under 
Secretary of State Nicholas Burns has for the first 
 
SIPDIS 
time made the strongest statement that the U.S. 
government had ever made over the past month saying 
that `the United States has spoken out very vigorously 
against the Anti-Secession Law.' 
 
"Taiwan, which was requested by the United States not 
to overreact to Beijing's passage of the law, was 
finally able to get rid of its strong dissatisfaction 
because Washington is finally willing to clearly state 
its stand and choose to stand by Taiwan, at least in 
the cross-Strait seesaw battle with regard to the Anti- 
Secession Law. ." 
 
B) "Even the International Community Can See through 
China's Real Intention in Enacting the `Anti-Secession 
Law,' But the Pan-Blue Camp Cannot?" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 
150,000] editorialized (4/16): 
 
". The U.S. decision-making officials' remarks and the 
European Parliament's decision [not to lift its arms 
embargo to China] have all proved that China has failed 
in its attempt to clarify to the international 
community regarding its passage of the `Anti-Secession 
Law,' which was merely a move to cover up for its 
intention to annex Taiwan.  Even Chinese President Hu 
Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao's remarks at China's 
National People's Congress in early March that their 
`determination to place hope in Taiwan's people would 
remain unchanged' could not cover up the fact that the 
passage of the Anti-Secession Law was an attempt to 
unilaterally change the status quo, to stir up the 
cross-Strait situation, to trigger tensions, and to 
challenge the United States' determination to maintain 
peace in the Asia-Pacific region.  It is a real pity 
that even the United States, Japan and EU can see 
clearly China's real intentions in passing the Anti- 
Secession Law, but the Pan-Blue Camp are still vying to 
visit China.  Isn't the Pan-Blue Camp's move another 
way of endorsing China's `Anti-Secession Law? .'" 
 
2. Anti-Japanese Protests in China 
 
A) "Leaders of Countries in Northeast Asia Should Be 
Careful When Manipulating Nationalism" 
 
The centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" 
[circulation: 600,000] editorialized (4/18): 
 
"Over the past few days, situations inside every 
country in Northeast Asia have been more or less 
disturbed. . Although Taiwan also belongs to Northeast 
Asia, it chose to remain silent in this wave of 
disputes.  Other than the quarrels caused by the Taiwan 
Solidarity Union's recent visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, 
Taiwan stood aside and watched the whole thing going on 
without taking any action and even tried to keep itself 
out of the trouble.  But nonetheless, Taiwan should not 
underestimate the consequent effects of this regional 
storm. 
 
"A closer look into the storm will find that the 
situation is interchangeably formed by the friction of 
several factors.  Many problems have been there for 
dozens of years but exploded together recently.  What 
lies behind this storm is the `nationalism' that is 
easy to set off but hard to control.  If leaders of 
these countries are not willing to calm down but allow 
the situation to spread, [we are afraid] that these 
protests may result in unmanageable consequences. . 
 
"The lesson that lies ahead of the leaders of the 
countries in Northeast Asia is whether they want to 
choose the approach of a global strategy, or that of a 
nationalism that mobilizes its people when dealing with 
intertwined history and conflicting interests.  The 
European Union represents the result of the former 
approach.  The EU countries have moved beyond 
historical hatred and solved their problems through 
negotiations and dialogues.  If one wants to choose the 
latter approach, the consequence will be that all 
quarrels will be enlarged and turmoil will be created. 
History books show again and again that the consequence 
of a country mobilizing or even indulging the 
mobilization of its nationalism will result in the rise 
of nationalism in another country .  If we just look at 
this point, [we can say that] the recent situation in 
Northeast Asia is very worrisome." 
 
B) "Taiwan Should Not Become the Bargaining Chip in the 
Confrontation between China and Japan" 
 
National Taiwan University Department of Political 
Science Professor Yang Yung-ming said in an interview 
with the conservative, pro-unification "United Daily 
news"  [circulation: 600,000] (4/18): 
 
". For the East Asian situation that is becoming more 
and more tense, the attitude of the United States is 
critical.  Although the United States is constrained by 
the situation in the Middle East, it has not forgotten 
to manipulate the issue to allow Japan become its agent 
in East Asia.  After the war against Iraq, Japan 
unconventionally sent its Self-Defense Forces to Iraq 
to show allegiance to the United States. 
 
"One thing that people should not ignore is that the 
U.S.-China relationship has become potentially 
confrontational.  Under this situation, the United 
States is adopting a counter-balance strategy in East 
Asia, instead of a more traditional means of 
containment. 
 
"In other words, the major strategic thinking of the 
United States is to demonstrate its ability to maintain 
the status quo in East Asia via Japan and to further 
constrain China.  The U.S.-Japan two plus two 
announcement and Japan's 2004 Defense White Paper have 
both clearly demonstrated this kind of strategic 
thinking. . 
 
"Taiwan people should stand firm on the fundamental 
grounds of universal values, human rights, and 
democracy.  They should also expend efforts on regional 
stability and pursue Taiwan's highest interests.  They 
should avoid getting involved in any form of 
confrontation between the rival groups or becoming an 
advocate of either side.  Taiwan should not act either 
haughtily or humbly, but should be firm on the attitude 
of being a `human being' and a member of Asia and 
should not be influenced by nationalism of neither 
side. ." 
 
C) "Tensions Mount in East China Sea" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" [circulation: 30,000] said in an editorial 
(4/16): 
 
".The drilling-rights dispute [between Japan and China] 
is the beginning of a storm in the East China Sea.  The 
two countries have conflicting interests regionally and 
internationally.  China views Japan with suspicion and 
distrust, if not hostility.  The two countries have 
fought two wars in recent history.  Today, they are 
competing for dominance in Asia.  The rivalry may lead 
to war if the leaders of both sides fail to see the 
danger looming large and allow the situation to get out 
of control. 
 
"To cool off the situation, Beijing should rein in the 
anti-Japanese protests, even if they were 
`spontaneous.'  The regime has the responsibility to 
protect innocent Japanese nationals.  On the other 
hand, Tokyo should be sensitive to the feelings of 
those victimized by imperialistic Japan and stop doing 
things that will rub salt into the wounds, such as 
Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro's 
controversial visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, or the 
distortion of history to whitewash its war-time 
atrocities.  Both sides should start building mutual 
trust, however difficult it may be." 
 
PAAL