US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3294

S E C R E T TAIPEI 003294 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2030 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TW, US, Foreign Policy, Domestic Politics, Cross Strait Politics 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE EXPLAINS SUBTLE MESSAGE IN TSU 
SPEECH 
 
REF: TAIPEI 3240 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
 1. (S)  President Chen Shui-bian spoke to the fourth 
anniversary of the Taiwan Solidarity Union August 6 (reported 
septel),echoing many of the themes he sounded in his remarks 
to the Formosa Foundation on August 2 (reftel). Presidential 
Office Deputy Secretary General James Huang called AIT DDIR 
the evening of August 6, saying that he was calling at the 
instruction of President Chen to inform the U.S. of the 
intent of his speech to the TSU Fourth Anniversary that day 
to avoid the possibility of any misreading. 
 
2. (S) He stressed that the intent of the speech was: 
 
1.    The presentation of the Four Stages of the Republic of 
China was a "subtle way" to counter Lee Teng-hui's statement 
that the ROC no longer exists.; 
 
2.    Since the ROC exists, this was a "subtle way" for Chen 
to insist that there is no need to establish a new 
constitution or change the name of the country. 
 
3.    CSB made it clear that he did not foreclose any option 
regarding Taiwan's future, including reunification with 
China, provided it was in accordance with the principle of 
public sovereignty (zhu-quan zai min) and self determination 
(gong-min zi-jue). 
 
3. (S) This means, Huang explained, that Chen, unlike Taiwan 
independence advocates or fundamentalists who favor permanent 
separation from China, is willing to consider a future that 
includes the possibility of reunification with the mainland. 
DDIR promised to convey this message to Washington. 
 
4. (S) Despite these gestures to Taiwan identity and the 
sympathies of the TSU, Chen's speech received a decidedly 
tepid reaction from the TSU faithful at the event, who a few 
moments later enthusiastically cheered President Lee's more 
clearly fundamentalist message. The editorial in the Monday 
edition of the pro-independence Liberty Times confirmed the 
verdict of the TSU faithful. It noted that President Chen and 
Premier Frank Hsieh have abandoned any advocacy of making a 
new constitution or new name for Taiwan. Ever since Chen met 
with James Soong in February, he has begun to advocate the 
three and then the four stage history of the ROC and Taiwan. 
His advocacy of the theory that "the Republic of China" is 
Taiwan makes Taiwan the loser and is so much "claptrap." 
 
5. (S) The Chinese text of Chen's speech published on the 
President's Office website the next day does include twice 
the statement that any future course is possible for Taiwan 
is possible so long as the 23 million people, who have 
sovereignty over Taiwan, agree. Neither time, however, does 
Chen say that reunification is one possible future course. 
While Chen may have intended to emphasize the importance of 
"the Republic of China," it is remarkable that on almost 
every occasion where the word "country" or "sovereignty" 
appears, the country is called "Taiwan." This emphasis is 
less remarkable for someone accustomed to the President's 
rhetoric over the last few years. He has repeatedly used the 
term "ROC" just enough to insist that he is protecting the 
status quo. While Chen clearly failed to win the hearts of 
the TSU speech with this speech, it offers equally little 
solace to those urging Chen to steer a predictable centrist 
course that will enhance peace and stability. 
PAAL