US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2611

UNCLAS TAIPEI 002611 
 
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, Domestic Politics 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: Cross-Strait Relations 
 
Summary: 1.  Taiwan dailies June 14 focused mainly on 
domestic issues: flooding in Southern Taiwan, the 
government's plan to tax the rich, etc.  The centrist, pro- 
status quo "China Times," however, focused on cross-Strait 
relations.  It carried a banner headline on the front page 
that read "Premier Frank Hsieh Announced That The Government 
Will Authorize the Taipei Aviation Transportation 
Association and the Taiwan External Trade Development 
Council to arrange for negotiations with China on cross- 
Strait cargo flights and the sale of Taiwan agricultural 
products to China.  " 
 
2.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, most newspapers 
focused on domestic issues, e.g. a possible correlation 
between tax reduction and birth rate, the wedding in 
Taiwan's first family, and the single constituency, two 
ballots system.  But the pro-independence "Liberty Times" 
focused on cross-Strait relations and editorialized that the 
government as well as Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation 
should secure Taiwan's sovereignty, which is the foundation 
for any future negotiations with China. End summary. 
 
A) "Securing Taiwan's Sovereignty As The Foundation For Any 
Negotiations [with China]" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 
800,000](06/14) editorialized: 
 
". Chang Chun-hsiung, after taking the post as chairman of 
the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), pointed out that 
whether his foundation can resume talks with China's 
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) 
is a difficult and complex question, and added that the 
[possibility of] talks involves the overall international 
situation as well as both sides across the Strait.  It is a 
situation that Taiwan cannot act on alone.  In other words, 
the resumption of cross-Strait talks between the SEF and the 
ARATS is a political question.  The acknowledgement [of 
Chang] is rather correct.  Over the past ten years, the 
cross-Strait situation as well as the international one has 
changed a lot.  Could the `white gloves' [SEF and ARATS] 
that both sides across the Strait set up carry the same 
function as before?  It is indeed a good question. 
 
"Everyone knows that SEF and ARATS carried out exchanges, 
e.g. the meeting between former SEF Chairman C.F. Koo and 
ARATS Chairman Wang Daohan in Singapore in 1993, due to the 
fact that both sides of the Strait were willing to `set 
aside their disputes,' and to talk about routine affairs. 
China, however, has recently changed its attitude, and set 
up unacceptable preconditions for Taiwan to carry out cross- 
Strait contacts. 
 
".It is not a simple cross-Strait problem since China has 
threatened Taiwan with military force, and has attempted to 
annex Taiwan's sovereignty.  Neither is it a domestic 
problem for China, but an international one that involves 
several countries.  There is a huge difference between China 
and Taiwan, and it would not be satisfactory for Taiwan to 
try to counter China by itself.  It is Taiwan's special role 
to understand clearly its strategic position, and to deal 
with cross-Strait issues from a global perspective.  Hence, 
Taiwan cannot rule out its international partners and act 
alone in its policy and behavior toward China.  In that 
vein, unless China is willing to negotiate without 
preconditions in the future, the government as well the SEF 
should not push for negotiations.  To insist on Taiwan- 
centered identity will be good enough." 
 
PAAL