US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2335

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 002335 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/RSP/TC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TW, Cross Strait Politics, Cross Strait Economics 
SUBJECT: TAIWAN: GETTING PAST THE ANTI-SECESSION LAW? 
 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, reason 1.4 b/d 
 
1.  (C) Meeting with the AIT Director May 27, Executive Yuan 
Secretary General Lee Ying-yuan said that the DPP leadership 
 
SIPDIS 
recognizes the current opportunity presented by the slight 
softening of the Chinese position on cross-Strait contacts 
and will move to take advantage of the chance to undertake 
pragmatic steps to increase trade and tourism.  Lee insisted 
that President Chen had been planning to ratchet down his 
anti-Chinese rhetoric and move to gradually normalize 
cross-Strait flights after the December Legislative Yuan 
elections, but that his hands had been tied when China 
announced and passed the Anti-Secession Law (ASL).  Chen's 
plans were further delayed when Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman 
Lien and People First Party (PFP) Chairman Soong traveled to 
China, Lee said.  But Lee insisted that the "China fever" 
produced by these events have just about played out and that 
the government would be willing and able to move after the 
KMT leadership election. 
 
2.  (C) Lee suggested several areas where the government 
could respond in ways that would normalize cross-Strait 
contacts -- including reducing the number of prohibited 
imports from China and considering how to allow Taiwan fruit 
exports to the mainland.  He noted that farmers tended to 
strongly support the DPP and insisted that fruit exports 
would happen, but clearly had reservations about reducing 
Taiwan,s agricultural trade barriers to Chinese produce, 
citing the need to protect Taiwan,s environment and health. 
Lee agreed that Taiwan had thus far failed to take advantage 
of opportunities to promote tourism and noted that newly 
appointed DG of the Board of Tourism Hsu Wen-sheng had been 
charged by Premier Hsieh to increase tourism revenues by 
working with the county governments to promote local 
attractions.  However, Lee did not explicitly endorse 
increasing the numbers of Chinese tourists. 
PAAL