US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2589

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002589 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations 
 
 
Summary: 1.  Taiwan dailies focused June 11-13 on two 
domestic issues, i.e. a local kidnapping case and a Grand 
Justices' decision.  The conservative, pro-unification 
"United Daily News" and the pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" 
both reported June 11 on their front pages about the Taiwan 
Grand Justices' decision to temporarily suspend plans to 
collect fingerprints when issuing new ID cards.  The 
centrist, pro-status quo "China Times," the conservative, 
pro-unification "United Daily News," and the pro- 
independence "Taiwan Daily" all reported June 12 on their 
front pages about the kidnapping of Taichung County Jenlan 
Temple Deputy Chairman Cheng Ming-kun. 
 
2.  Regarding editorials and commentaries, Taiwan dailies 
focused June 11-13 on domestic issues such as the second 
stage of constitutional reforms, insufficient job 
opportunities for teachers, the implications of the recent 
Taiwan fishermen's protest against Japan, etc.  The pro- 
independence "Liberty Times" did publish an editorial, 
however, suggesting that President Chen Shui-bian should 
seek a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush rather 
than a meeting with China's President Hu Jintao.  The Pro- 
independence, English-language, "Taiwan News" editorialized 
that the United States should play a more active role in 
incorporating China into the world community, and in 
protecting Taiwan's security.  A commentary in the pro- 
independence, English-language, "Taipei Times" said U.S. 
warnings about China's military buildup could serve as an 
appeal to the Taiwan people since the United States has 
found it hard to alter the pro-China thinking of some Taiwan 
politicians.  Another commentary in the "Taipei Times" said 
Taiwan farmers should not merely focus on short-term profits 
that could result from China's policy to allow imports of 
Taiwan fruit, but should watch out for the problem of over- 
production as well.  End summary. 
 
A) "One Would Rather Seek a `Bian-Bush Meeting' Than to Hope 
For a `Bian-Hu Meeting'" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 800,000] 
(06/13)editorialized: 
 
". [I]f the United States continues to ignore the status quo 
of Taiwan's sovereignty, and refuses to conduct exchanges 
with high-ranking Taiwan officials, the `magnetic force' of 
China toward Taiwan will not decrease, but will increase. 
As one can imagine, the United States, which is concerned 
about cross-Strait issues, will not be glad to see this kind 
of development. 
 
". We hope the government will not only focus on China, but 
also on the United States . because Taiwan and the United 
States are real democratic partners.  In other words, for 
the next three years, we suggest that President Chen Shui- 
bian seek a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush to 
replace a meeting between him and China's President Hu 
Jintao.  That means President Chen should set as a goal the 
seeking after a breakthrough in Taiwan-U.S. relations. 
 
". Recently, U.S. experts have proposed new thinking on 
cross-Strait issues, including a review of the `One China' 
policy.  Moreover, the U.S. Congress has often passed 
resolutions friendly to Taiwan.  These changes in the 
external environment will obviously contribute to talks 
between high-ranking Taiwan and U.S. officials.  . [I]t is 
reasonable for Taiwan to talk to a friend before it talks to 
an enemy.  We thus suggest that President Chen seek a `Bian- 
Bush meeting' to replace any `Bian-Hu meeting' in order to 
protect Taiwan's sovereignty and security." 
 
B) "U.S. Should Play Constructive Role in Cross-Strait 
Affairs" 
 
The Pro-independence, English-language, "Taiwan News" 
[circulation: 22,000](06/13) editorialized: 
 
". In the past, the PRC government had long insisted that 
its relations with Taiwan were "domestic affairs" and 
refused interference from the outside, especially from the 
U.S. However, beginning in late 2003, the Beijing 
authorities adopted a new strategy to put pressure on Taipei 
through the U.S. and other countries in the wake of 
President Chen's push to incorporate the right of referendum 
into law and hold Taiwan's first "peace" referenda in tandem 
with the last presidential election on March 20, 2004. 
 
". Despite its official "non-involvement" stance, Washington 
should also play a more active role given the critical 
importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and 
hopes that the PRC can continue its own reforms and be 
incorporated peacefully into the world community. 
 
"Moreover, it is essential that Washington continue to 
uphold its commitment to the security of Taiwan, in 
accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, by helping to 
bolster the security of Taiwan as a whole, by continuing to 
stress the respect of the free will of the 23 million Taiwan 
people and by persuading Beijing to pragmatically consider 
Chen's offer to build a mutually beneficial peace 
framework." 
 
C) "Warnings on China Also Meant for Taiwan" 
Bill Chang, a former deputy director of the Chinese Affairs 
Department of the Democratic Progressive Party, commented in 
the pro-independence, English-language, "Taipei Times" 
[circulation: 30,000](06/11): 
 
". Although China's military power has grown rapidly in 
recent years, the US' "revolution in military affairs" has 
not slowed down either. US defense spending has been 
increasing every year, indicating that the American's have 
no intention of falling behind in an arms race. In other 
words, the gap in military strength between China and the US 
has not been closed to any significant extent. The alarm 
raised by the US over China's militarization is not meant 
for its own people, but for China's neighbors. 
 
". The US will not forget what happened in the late years of 
Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's regime in Iran, who was deposed in 
an Islamic revolution in 1979. As the anti-US forces in that 
country grew, they finally took over the Iranian regime, and 
US interests in the country were rooted out overnight. 
Washington was in great trouble, despite the fact that the 
anti-US forces did not cooperate with the Soviet Union -- 
the US' strategic enemy at the time. 
What if Taiwan, which shares a common language and ethnicity 
with China and enjoys great economic and military strength, 
became China's ally? 
 
"Since the US is unable to alter or shake the pro-China 
stance of certain Taiwanese politicians, highlighting 
Beijing's threat is a direct appeal to the Taiwanese people. 
 
"To surrender to China and disregard the nation's interests 
will only deepen US distrust of Taiwan. Such damage could be 
fatal. The Pentagon's harsh words regarding China's arms 
buildup are not just a warning to China, but also to 
Taiwan." 
 
D) "Beijing's Attempted Fruit Attack Won't Work" 
 
Woo Rhung-jieh, a professor in the Department of 
Agricultural Economics at National Taiwan University, 
commented in the pro-independence, English-language, "Taipei 
Times" [circulation: 30,000](06/12): 
 
". There are many benefits to be had from exporting Taiwan's 
agricultural produce to China in a planned way, for this 
will help relieve the negative pressure on Taiwanese farmers 
brought by the deregulation of trade in agricultural 
produce. 
 
"But the preconditions of establishing trade relations with 
China are the absence of political interference, respecting 
the WTO regulations and the free operation of the market 
under a "normal" situation. Only in this way could we 
prevent the possibility of suffering a big loss for a little 
gain, and only by doing this can we refrain from being 
confronted with a predicament nobody wants. 
 
". The prospect of short-term benefits may cause domestic 
farmers to increase production to meet the demands of an 
illusory market, disrupting Taiwan's agricultural export 
development plan. After some business people are drawn by 
the bait, China can go back on its promise on various 
pretexts, to achieve political ends. Unable to halt or 
redirect production when the market is no longer able to 
absorb production, large investments of money and effort 
will find no outlet. As a result, the price of Taiwan's 
agricultural produce for exports will fall sharply, and at 
the end, farmers will suffer severe losses. Who will be 
there to listen to the complaints of the farmers? Who will 
shoulder responsibility for farmers' losses and the 
consequent social unrest? 
 
"Speaking of national defense in particular, if China uses 
its preferential tariff treatment to cajole Taiwan into 
reciprocally opening imports of China's agricultural 
produce, China could flood Taiwan with its agricultural 
produce, which is cheap, but of questionable quality. The 
victims will not be limited to disadvantaged farmers and the 
agricultural sector." 
 
PAAL