US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2195

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002195 
 
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, Domestic Politics, Cross Strait Politics 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AND 
TAIWAN OPPOSITION RELATIONS WITH BEIJING 
 
 
1. Summary: A surprise election victory for Taiwan President 
Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party and a new 
round of cross-Strait disputes over the World Health 
Organization issue were the highlights of Taiwan dailies May 
14-16.  All major Taiwan newspapers reported May 15 on their 
front pages that the governing DPP affirmed its position as 
Taiwan's largest political party with 42.52 percent of 
votes, compared with the 38.92 percent of votes garnered by 
the KMT, in a special National Assembly election marred with 
record-low voter turnout of 23.36 percent.  Before the 
election, several opinion polls had suggested the DPP might 
lose the election after recent visits to Beijing by KMT 
Chairman Lien Chan and PFP Chairman James Soong. The pro- 
independence "Liberty Times," ran a banner headline that 
read: "National Assembly Members Elected. Constitutional 
Reforms Assured." The front-page headline of the pro- 
unification "United Daily News" said: "Political Parties for 
Constitutional Reform Win National Assembly Election." The 
pro-status quo "China Times" also fronted with a banner: 
"Big Victory for Two Parties. Constitutional Amendments 
Affirmed." 
 
2. Disputes between China and Taiwan over the island's 
efforts to become a member of the World Health Organization 
caught the attention of Taiwan dailies on May 16, with the 
coverage implying that recent "China Fever" has little 
impact the real-world situations. The front-page story in 
the "China Times" read, "China Again Blocks Taiwan's Bid to 
Join WHO with an MOU to Downgrade Taiwan." The "Liberty 
Times" carried a front-page banner that said, "The World 
Medical Association Passes Resolution to Support Taiwan's 
Entry into WHO." Meanwhile, the "United Daily News" 
published a similar story on page 10 with headline: "WHO 
Signs MOU with China without Taiwan's Consent." 
 
3. In terms of editorials, pro-independence "Liberty Times," 
and the "Taiwan News" interpreted the DPP win in the 
National Assembly election as a vote of distrust for the 
China-leaning opposition leaders and a vote reaffirming 
Taiwan identity.  A columnist for the pro-status quo "China 
Times," in reviewing impact generated by recent China visits 
by opposition leaders, warned Taiwan authorities to do more 
to take the lead in solving cross-Strait problems.  A 
separate "China Times" editorial said China should make more 
goodwill gestures to ease cross-Strait tensions.  The pro- 
unification "China Post" lauded the China visits by Lien and 
Soong and said they have made a positive contribution to 
cross-Strait relations, but it noted their missions are far 
from complete. End of summary. 
 
A) "Taiwan People Despise Political Parties Leaning Toward 
China" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 800,000] 
editorialized (5/15): 
 
". although voter turnout in the National Assembly elections 
was the lowest [in Taiwan's election history,] we can still 
interpret some information from it.  Although both the DPP 
(insisting on Taiwan's position) and the KMT (insisting on 
the `One China' [principle] and the `1992 consensus') 
support the motion to put referendum into the Constitution, 
the DPP won more votes than the KMT; both the TSU (insisting 
on Taiwan's name-change plan and the constitutional reform) 
and the PFP (insisting on the `One China' [principle] and 
the `1992 consensus') are against the motion to put 
referendum into the Constitution, but the TSU won more seats 
than the PFP.  The phenomenon shows that KMT Chairman Lien 
Chan and PFP Chairman James Soong cannot cheat mainstream 
Taiwan voters even though Lien and Soong brought back to 
Taiwan gifts from China's President Hu Jintao.  Taiwan 
voters despise Lien and Soong's attempt to `unite with the 
CCP to counter Taiwan.'  The fact is indeed a warning that 
the majority of voters do not support the imaginary meeting 
between President Chen Shui-bian and China's President Hu 
Jintao. ." 
 
B) "Voters Rain Out `China Fever'" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" 
[circulation 20,000] noted in its editorial (5/16): 
 
". The DPP's expansion of its vote share from 35.7 percent 
last December to 42.5 percent should be seen as an 
affirmation of its values of democratic reform and promotion 
of Taiwan autonomy and a reflection of the fact that the DPP 
was the only major party to carry out a genuine grass-roots 
campaign for what it called the `Carnation' constitutional 
reform. 
 
"Moreover, the direct, if controversial, intervention of 
President Chen in the last week broke through the media's 
obsession with `China Fever' and other distractions, while 
the DPP party's trenchant and justified critiques of the 
Lien and Soong trips refocused attention on the importance 
of democratic constitutional reform in `resisting China' and 
ensuring that the Taiwan people have the final right to 
determine their own future. 
 
". The other major loser was the CCP regime in Beijing. 
Taiwan's voters have undoubtedly inflicted a setback on 
Beijing's transparent campaign to `divide and rule' Taiwan 
by fostering a cross-Strait `united front' against Taiwan 
democracy and independence among the opposition KMT and PFP 
with the PRC's ruling CCP. 
 
". We applaud Taiwan's electorate, which has wisely used 
their ballots to squelch this wave of `China Fever'.  We 
urge President Chen to use this momentum wisely as a 
platform to build majority support based on the DPP's core 
values of `democracy, reform, and sincerity' instead of 
pursuing short-term political advantage." 
 
C) "Creating a Grand Future by Making a Grand Resolution" 
 
Columnist Nan Fang-shuo wrote in the centrist, pro-status 
quo "China Times" [circulation: 600,000] (5/16): 
 
". Even though the record low turnout may not reflect 
reality, this is still a formal election regardless of how 
low the turnout was.  The results will be treated and 
interpreted as reality.  This also means that the National 
Assembly election results have eased the public opinion 
pressure caused by the cross-Strait fever.  They have also 
given reasons not to make any adjustment to the `Taiwan 
independence argument.'  Moving toward Taiwan independence 
could even be accelerated because the pressure and crisis 
resulted from the cross-Strait fever have been temporarily 
relieved. . 
 
". For example, `The Washington Post' is following suit and 
playing the word games [of one China, two interpretations or 
two sides, one China].  As this newspaper takes a position 
close to the official [U.S. position], this indeed indicates 
that there are some Americans who have tried hard to play 
the role of resolving the deadlock between the two sides 
across the Strait.  Not only must the United States help to 
resolve the issue. Taiwan, in particular, needs to help 
itself.  From the recent political clashes at the airport 
and the internal chaos of the Pan-Green camp, one can see 
the incumbent government is stuck in the `Taiwan 
independence argument' trap it dug itself in the past. 
Really responsible political figures or parties cannot just 
be the hostage of their past statements.  They must create 
new future public opinions by a `grand resolution.'  This 
may be what the incumbent government should put into 
deliberation. ." 
 
D) "Instead of being Entangled in Words Taiwan would rather 
Face Real Problems" 
 
The centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 
600,000] editorialized (5/15): 
 
". President Chen Shui-bian and the Pan-Green alliance 
mainly criticized the first point in the communiqu released 
after the meeting between PFP Chairman James Soong and 
China's President Hu Jintao.  They criticized in particular 
the interpretation of the so-called `both sides of the 
Strait, One China.' Soong expected that the recovery of the 
oral interpretations [of One China] in the 1992 cross-Strait 
talks could lead to a breakthrough regarding different views 
of the `1992 consensus.'  But since Soong added `both sides 
of the Strait, One China' in quotation marks right behind 
the words `1992 consensus,' he has not solved the old 
problem [the 1992 consensus], but has created a new one. . 
 
" . since Soong's visit to China is caught up in the quarrel 
of `both sides of the Strait, One China,' Soong's efforts in 
other aspects have been totally ignored. . 
 
" . If both sides of the Strait can cooperate on items such 
as economics, agriculture and tourism first, accumulate 
enough mutual trust, then conduct dialogue on contentious 
issues such as the `1992 consensus,' would it be more 
possible to achieve positive outcomes? 
 
" .To be frank, if Beijing still utilizes every means to 
block Taiwan [from participating in the WHA] as it always 
does, or even humiliates Taiwan as China has in previous 
years, the result would show that China cannot pass the 
first test [in terms of China's goodwill toward Taiwan], and 
it would be more difficult for Taiwan to carry out further 
dialogue with China." 
 
E) "Mission Unaccomplished" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China 
Post" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/14): 
 
". The gifts Soong brought back from the mainland include a 
timetable for starting all out direct transport, trade and 
remittance links with the mainland in 2006, and the 
establishment of a free trade area.  But translating these 
words into action would need the help of the government. 
 
"So far the Chen administration is resisting Beijing's 
largess, including Taiwan's fruit exports to the mainland at 
zero tariff.  The government is accusing Lien and Soong of 
selling out Taiwan by cozying up to the Chinese communists. 
But how effective such smear tactics will work remains in 
doubt, as more and more people are beginning to realize the 
importance and benefits of improved relations with the 
mainland. 
 
"The two visits in a row by leaders of the two largest 
opposition parties are epoch-making.  Peace was Lien's goal 
in the first encounter between the Kuomintang and the 
Chinese Communist Party in 60 years.  Peace is the common 
aspiration of the people of both sides.  Lien's visit, in 
the wake of Beijing's passing of its anti-secession law, was 
a positive move to promote peace. 
 
"Soong's subsequent visit to build a bridge of 
reconciliation and a government-to-government contact was 
also an admirable effort.  Yet greater efforts are needed to 
complete the bridge." 
 
PAAL