US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2752

UNCLAS TAIPEI 002752 
 
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, Foreign Policy, Military Issues 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN 
 
1. Summary:  As the Taipei dailies continued to keep 
their eyes on local politics and a local public 
security incident, the pro-independence "Liberty 
Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, carried a news story on 
page two that reported on Acting Under Secretary of 
Commerce Peter Lichtenbaum's testimony before a 
Congressional hearing Thursday; it carried the 
headline:  "United States bans exports of sensitive 
military and civil dual-use technology to China."  The 
sub-headline added: "Acting [U.S.] under secretary of 
commerce testifies before a Congressional hearing that 
[his Department] will propose new restrictions to 
strengthen control of exports to China; [He] also names 
China's semi-conductor plants as a big challenge [for 
the United States]." 
 
2. The limited-circulation, pro-independence, English- 
language "Taiwan Daily" ran an editorial criticizing 
the upcoming KMT chairmanship election.  The editorial 
also criticized the Pan-Blue Camp's attempt to block 
the bill governing U.S. arms sales to Taiwan in the 
Legislative Yuan.  End summary. 
 
"Taiwan Must Reject KMT's Jingoism" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (6/24): 
 
". The opposition KMT and its shrinking splinter People 
First Party have already made significant 
`contributions to the cause of unification' by blocking 
the NT$480 billion purchase of advanced defensive 
weapons by Taiwan from Washington. 
 
"These systems, especially the proffered eight diesel- 
electric submarines and P-3C `Orion' submarine hunting 
aircraft, would play a major role in enhancing the 
overall quality of anti-submarine defenses from the 
Luzon Strait through Taiwan and Japan's Okinawa island 
chain. 
 
"Breaking the U.S.-managed line of dense in the western 
Pacific, which stands in the way of the PRC's ambitions 
to become an ocean-based naval power, is one of 
Beijing's top strategic priorities. 
 
"The sensitivity of this region was demonstrated by the 
repeated prowling of the area by PRC surveillance ships 
and by China's attempt to slip a submarine through the 
Okinawa chain last November that sparked a formal 
protest to Beijing by Tokyo. 
 
"Regardless of sovereignty issue, the bottom line is 
that it is absolutely in Taiwan's best interests that 
another democracy, namely Japan, continues to exercise 
substantial control over the Diaoyutais. 
 
"The only real-world alternative is allowing the zone 
to become a sieve for surface or submarine naval 
incursions by a hostile and authoritarian PRC. ." 
 
PAAL