US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3072

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003072 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
1. Summary: While the Taipei dailies continued July 20 
to focus their coverage on the aftermath of Typhoon 
Haitang and local politics, it is noteworthy to see 
that the pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's 
biggest daily, printed a banner headline on its front 
page that read: "United States joins hands with India 
to restrain China by lifting the ban on exports of 
nuclear technology to India."  The centrist "China 
Times" approached the issue of the rise of China from a 
different angle -- it reported on its front page that 
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) test-fired a 
revised version of the Dongfeng-15 short-range tactical 
missile last week, and that the PLA has moved its 
troops to Dongshan Island in preparation for its annual 
military exercises. 
 
2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, several 
Chinese-language Taipei dailies editorialized on the 
new tasks facing new KMT Chairman-elect Ma Ying-jeou. 
Journalist Sun Yang-ming of the pro-unification "United 
Daily News," on the other hand, focused on U.S.-China- 
Taiwan relations.  In his June 20 op-ed piece, Sung 
said KMT Chairman Lien Chan's trip to Beijing in April 
was, to a certain extent, facilitated by the Bush 
administration.  End summary. 
 
"To Ponder on [KMT Chairman] Lien Chan's Trip to 
Washington" 
 
Journalist Sun Yang-ming noted in the "United Notes" 
column of the conservative, pro-unification "United 
Daily News" [circulation: 600,000] (7/20): 
 
". [KMT Chairman] Lien Chan's reputation reached a peak 
in Taiwan following his visit to Beijing in April; 
opinion surveys showed that Lien's approval rating was 
much higher even than that of President Chen Shui- 
bian's.  But few people knew that Lien's Beijing trip 
was, to a certain extent, facilitated by the Bush 
administration. 
 
"Washington has lately stopped using the so-called 
`3Cs' - `Constructive, Candid, and Cooperative' - to 
describe its `China policy' and has replaced them with 
the words `hedge,' a word of uncertainty, or `complex,' 
as used by [U.S. President George W.] Bush. 
Nonetheless, the United States remained as a proactive 
factor that pushed for Lien's trip to Beijing in April. 
 
"When planning for his journey of peace to mainland 
China, Lien was once very hesitant [about whether to go 
on the trip or not] because he was very cautious about 
the possibility that the Chen Shui-bian administration 
might [seize the opportunity to] accuse him of being an 
ally of China.  But Washington clearly indicated at 
that time that it was `happy to see' Lien take his 
Beijing trip as planned.  As a result, even though the 
Bian administration had attempted to [adopt the 
traditional method] by describing Lien's Beijing trip 
as a move to `sell out Taiwan,' it was forced to put on 
the brake immediately afterwards.  The U.S. attitude 
was precisely the main reason behind this [dramatic 
change]. 
 
"As a matter of fact, during the summit between Bush 
and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao last year, Bush 
clearly told Hu that he could meet with Taiwan's 
opposition parties first if the current situation did 
not allow him to talk with Chen. Certain U.S. influence 
was [obviously] involved behind the fact that Beijing 
was willing to meet with the chairmen of the KMT and 
PFP. 
 
"What's more intriguing is [the fact] that in the wake 
of Lien's mainland trip, the United States and Lien 
started to bypass the Bian administration and work on 
plans for Lien's trip to Washington.  Their original 
plan was to have Lien, as part of a non-stop effort, 
start his trip to Washington in June, but the trip was 
postponed due to U.S. factors. 
 
"The positive evaluation given by Washington to Lien 
following his Beijing trip, and Lien's planned follow- 
up trip to Washington, plus his planned meeting with 
Bush, are viewed, in reality, as moves by the United 
States to place pressure on the Bian administration's 
cross-Strait policy; they are also part of the United 
States' `one China policy.' 
 
"Lien's Beijing trip has sparked a new wave of 
`mainland fever' in Taiwan.  Some people in Beijing, 
based on this development, believe that in the 
foreseeable future, the United States will surely try 
to put on the brake on Taiwan's `mainland fever.' 
Nonetheless, Lien's trip to Washington this time has 
practically indicated that Washington has offered 
formal approval in public to Lien's Beijing trip.  Such 
a development has indeed astonished many people. 
 
"But following the development of the current 
situation, it is worth paying attention to see what the 
next step of the United States' Asia-Pacific/cross- 
Strait policy will be." 
 
PAAL