US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3198

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003198 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
1. Summary: The major Chinese-language Taipei dailies, 
in addition to covering local politics July 30-August 
1, also carried extensive coverage of the Japan-Taiwan 
fishery talks, the aftermath of China's announcement 
regarding duty-free entry of Taiwan fruit, the outbreak 
of melioidosis in southern Taiwan, and a fire on a 
Taiwan ferry in southern Taiwan that killed four local 
people.  With regard to U.S.-China-Taiwan relations, 
the pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" carried a news 
story on its page two July 31 that was topped with the 
headline: "John Tkacik criticized the Pan-Blue alliance 
for acting in favor of China and opposing the arms 
procurement [budget]."  The newspaper also ran an 
editorial supporting Tkacik's remarks and cautioned 
U.S. officials stationed in Taiwan to pragmatically 
observe Taiwan's public opinion and not hold any 
unrealistic expectations about the Pan-Blue alliance. 
An editorial of the limited-circulation, conservative, 
pro-unification "China Post," on the other hand, 
criticized President Chen Shui-bian for showing no 
desire at all to talk with Beijing, regardless of the 
calls by some western leaders.  The "Taiwan Daily" ran 
another editorial during this time period that 
contrasted the Irish Republican Army's announcement 
that it would renounce violence with China's 
continuation of warmongering behavior.  The editorial 
said only when Beijing really renounces the use of 
force to resolve the "Taiwan issue" can both sides of 
the Taiwan Strait live in peace.  End summary. 
 
A) "U.S. Think Tank Scholars Have Seen Through the Pan- 
Blue Political Parties' Deviant Behaviors of `Joining 
Hands with China to Restrain Taiwan and Oppose the 
United States'" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 
150,000] commented in an editorial (8/1): 
 
"John J. Tkacik, Jr., senior research fellow at the 
`Heritage Foundation,' a renowned U.S. think tank, was 
recently invited to testify before the U.S. House of 
Representatives.  During his testimony, Tkacik 
criticized members of the Pan-Blue alliance in Taiwan 
for acting in favor of China and for deliberately 
blocking the arms procurement budget, and he suggested 
that the U.S. government cut ties with the pro-China 
Pan-Blue people in Taiwan. . 
 
"Pan-Blue political party leaders do not have to wait 
until they hear questions or criticism from the U.S. 
think tank scholars to realize that the Chinese 
government in Beijing is by no means a friendly or 
lovable country to Taiwan.  They should also understand 
that a country that has aimed hundreds of missiles at 
Taiwan has already turned cross-Strait ties to a 
hostile state.  The Pan-Blue political parties in 
Taiwan, in addition, have shown no intention at all to 
hide their attempt to `join hands with China to oppose 
the Untied States so as to restrain Taiwan' and have 
tried to lock Taiwan into the cage of `one China' by 
advocating the `both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait, one 
China' doctrine.  Such acts and intentions of Pan-Blue 
members are naturally viewed by U.S. think tank 
scholars, who believe in democracy, as some sort of 
deviant behavior that they can neither understand nor 
forgive. 
 
"No people of a democratic country that implements 
party politics will tolerate [having] the opposition 
parties in their country oppose their country's ideals 
and act in favor of the country's enemy. . The Pan-Blue 
parties are already scorned by those Taiwan people with 
a Taiwan-centered consciousness; how do they dare to 
think that they are entitled to seek support from 
democratic countries like the United States?  The U.S. 
officials stationed in Taiwan should also pragmatically 
observe and understand Taiwan's public opinion and 
should no longer hold any unrealistic expectations 
about members of the pro-China Pan-Blue alliance. ." 
 
B) "President Chen: A Minster No" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" [circulation: 30,000] noted in an 
editorial (8/1): 
 
"Western leaders never tire of urging Beijing to talk 
to Taipei.  Condoleezza Rice, U.S. secretary of state 
did so again earlier last month.  Jose Manuel Barroso, 
new president of the European Commission, followed suit 
a little later when he met Chinese President Hu Jintao 
in Beijing.  They want Hu to start dialogue with 
President Chen Shui-bian.  They should save their 
breath, because Chen is a Mister No, albeit he, as an 
able defense lawyer, never says an outright `no' to 
anybody, who disagrees with him. . 
 
"We are sure that Washington by now knows full well 
President Chen does not want any government dialogue 
between Taipei and Beijing.  If the United States were 
truly interested in such dialogue, which would be in 
the interests of all concerned, more pressure - truly 
very hard pressure - should be brought to bear on 
President Chen.  In fact, Washington is capable of 
compelling him to go along. 
 
"Friendly persuasion will never work to make President 
Chen agree to talk with his Chinese opposite number 
[sic]. And the United States should stop calling 
Beijing to start talking with the `elected government' 
in Taipei and start tightening subtle screws on 
President Chen to accept the consensus of 1992." 
 
C) "The Irish Republican Army Could Replace Military 
Action With Political Negotiations, Why Can't China? - 
Not Until the Beijing Government Really Abandons the 
Use of Force to Settle the So-Called `Taiwan Problem,' 
Can Reciprocal Peace and Coexistence Be Created Through 
Equal Political Negotiations across the Taiwan Strait." 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 
150,000] editorialized (7/30): 
"The Irish Republican Army (IRA) made a major 
announcement yesterday . [It] said it will end the 
armed campaign, and ordered its members dump their 
weapons, cease all military operations, and seek the 
independent status of North Ireland through peaceful 
means. . 
"If the Chinese authorities really cannot understand 
[the situation], nor follow the major trend in the 
international community, i.e. to adopt peaceful 
coexistence in place of military attacks, then it 
proves that the Chinese government is composed of 
another sort of force-loving terrorism.  Taiwan, the 
United States, Japan, and other democratic countries 
should closely examine the militant essence of the 
Chinese authorities in order to be prepared; the Taiwan 
people should clearly understand the militant essence 
of the Chinese authorities in order to get rid of 
China's military threat." 
 
 
PAAL