US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3166

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003166 
 
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: SIX-PARTY TALKS, CROSS-STRAIT 
RELATIONS 
 
1. Summary:  Amid the extensive July 27 coverage of a 
game-rigging/player-bribery scandal in [Taiwan's] 
Professional Baseball League, all the major Chinese- 
language Taipei dailies also ran articles on remarks 
President Chen Shui-bian's made during a video 
conference with members of the Foreign Correspondents 
Club of Japan the previous day.  Among the major 
Chinese-language newspapers, only the pro-independence 
"Taiwan Daily" covered Chen's remarks on the front 
page; the article was topped with the headline: "Bian: 
If [Taiwan] cannot effectively manage [its high-tech 
industry's investments in China], [the government] 
would prefer that the island refrain from moving 
westbound."  The sub-headline added: "[Chen] has for 
the first time released [a message of] `effective 
management coming before active opening'; [Chen] has 
adjusted cross-Strait policy and urges Taiwan 
businessmen to follow the [government's] call of `Four 
First' to first put their investments in Taiwan."  The 
newspaper also spent almost all of page two and three 
reporting on Chen's remarks and related cross-Strait 
trade issues.  The pro-independence "Liberty Times," 
Taiwan's biggest daily, and the centrist "China Times," 
also spent a whole page covering Chen's remarks but 
only in their inside pages. 
 
2.  The Taipei dailies spent much less space July 27 
reporting on the Six-Party Talks regarding North 
Korea's nuclear abilities than they did on local 
topics.  The only daily that offered substantial 
coverage was the centrist "China Times," which spent 
almost one third of its page 13 with articles on the 
topic; outside of a wire story report, the articles 
focused on the possible impact of the Six-Party Talks 
on Taiwan.  "Taiwan Daily," on the other hand, did not 
carry any news story on this topic. 
 
3. In terms of editorials and commentaries, former 
Taiwan National Security Council Deputy Secretary- 
General Antonio Chiang wrote in the mass-circulation 
"Apple Daily" that as South Korea seeks to assume a 
more proactive role in the Six-Party Talks, Seoul has 
become a "wind sleeve" for people wanting to observe 
how the situation changes on the Korean peninsula. 
Only two limited-circulation, pro-independence, English- 
language newspapers published editorials on President 
Chen's video conference remarks with regard to cross- 
Strait relations.  The editorials of both the "Taipei 
Times" and "Taiwan News" said Chen's remarks were 
"significant" and demonstrate his long-term vision of 
democratic values.  End summary. 
 
1. Six-Party Talks 
 
"Wind Sleeve of the Korean Peninsula" 
 
Former National Security Council Deputy Secretary- 
General Antonio Chiang commented in the mass- 
circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] 
(7/27): 
 
". But each country [participating in the Six-Party 
Talks] has its own plans in mind.  The United States is 
the world policeman that wants to maintain order with 
regard to nuclear weapons.  China wants to become a 
safety lever in the Northeastern Asian region and to 
use North Korea as a strategic buffer zone by trying to 
manipulate the issue.  Russia, which used to have a 
profound influence in this region, naturally does not 
want to find itself marginalized.  South Korea, on the 
other hand, is more concerned about the [possible] 
collapse of North Korea and less worried about the 
nuclear weapons possessed by Pyongyang.  It thus has 
tried very hard to assist Pyongyang in improving its 
economy and to persuade Uncle Sam to cease using a 
tough attitude toward North Korea.  As for Japan, even 
though it is a direct victim [of the nuclear crisis on 
the Korean Peninsula], all it can do, due to some 
historical factors, is to hide behind the United States 
and let Washington do the talking for it.  South Korea, 
on the other hand, has criticized Japan for creating 
some kind of hurdles for the Six-Party Talks; Seoul has 
claimed that Tokyo was there to disturb the talks, and 
such an accusation has greatly embarrassed Japan. . 
 
"In the face of such an impasse, South Korea has 
gradually assumed a more proactive role by 
strengthening its ties with both North Korea and China. 
Seoul took the liberty of communicating with North 
Korea and the United States, and the result [of such 
communication] is gradually taking shape.  On the 
surface, Beijing still seems to be the host of the Six- 
Party Talks.  But in reality, Pyongyang may still favor 
Seoul to play a leading role [in resolving the issue] 
because both Koreas are of the same ethnic origin, 
whereas the brotherhood between China and North Korea 
merely exists in name. 
 
"Seoul has changed its policies toward Pyongyang and 
Beijing, and the moves have created tension between 
itself and Washington.  But when it comes to the issue 
of a nuclear crisis in the Korean peninsula, the United 
States, no matter whether it decides to go to war or 
live harmoniously with North Korea, cannot do it 
without the cooperation of South Korea.  As a result, 
Seoul has become the wind sleeve if people want to 
observe [how] the situation changes on the Korean 
Peninsula." 
 
2. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
A) "Time for a Healthy Dose of Reality" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (7/27): 
 
"President Chen Shui-bian, in a videoconference that 
linked him up with the Foreign Correspondents' Club of 
Japan in Tokyo yesterday, focused on the nation's 
attempts to realize the virtue of understanding, 
effective cooperation and long-term peace in cross- 
strait relations.  He said he hoped that under the 
principle of democracy, parity and peace, the door to 
cross-strait negotiations will be reopened. . 
 
"Chen - who, full of wishful thinking, has been 
offering Beijing many goodwill gestures - is finally 
waking up and is tasting the bitter fruit of his 
efforts.  But it is surprising to see that the 
opposition leaders still cannot see the error of their 
ways.  They remain full of hope that the Chinese 
Communist Party (CCP)-KMT show will help improve their 
political prestige. . 
 
"China continues to treat Taiwan as the enemy and, in 
pursuing its cross-strait policy, has sought every 
means to destroy it.  Given this situation, any talks 
in Taipei between the KMT and the CCP are not likely to 
yield any result beyond a mass of propaganda applauding 
their achievements. 
 
"We hope that the KMT will realize its naivety in 
trying to `bargain with a tiger for its skin.'  As Chen 
pointed out at the videoconference, if China's 
`peaceful rising' is not accompanied by `discovering 
peace' and `developing democracy,' then it is unlikely 
to ever have a government that loves peace. ." 
 
B) "Chen Urges Hope for PRC Democracy" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" 
[circulation: 20,000] noted in an editorial (7/27): 
 
"During a rambling 90-minute videoconference with 
members of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan 
yesterday, President Chen Shui-bian proposed that the 
world democratic community work to construct `a new 
balance of power that supports Taiwan democracy and 
cross-strait peace. .' 
 
"No less significant was Chen's decision to take the 
`high road' of expressing active concern for the 
welfare and democratic rights of the 1.3 billion people 
of China as well as of the 23 million residents of 
Taiwan. . 
 
"Given the degree of political polarization and the 
presence of chauvinists in all camps in Taiwan, the 
president's statement required considerable political 
courage and stands as one of his best, if unfortunately 
rare, demonstrations of long-term vision and commitment 
to democratic values." 
 
PAAL