US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3638

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003638 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
1.  Summary: Major Chinese-language Taipei dailies focused 
their coverage September 1 - 2 on the damage caused by 
typhoon Talim, and the death of a visiting Chinese official, 
Zhu Xiangdong, at a spa on Yangmingshan outside Taipei. 
Several Taipei dailies also reported on the schedules of 
former President Lee Teng-hui and President Chen Shui-bian's 
for their separate visits/transits in the United States. 
The conservative, pro-status quo "United Daily News" carried 
stories on the schedules topped with the headlines:  "Bian 
Will Visit Foreign Countries in Late September, and He Will 
Meet with Jeb Bush," and "Lee Teng-hui Will Visit the United 
States Next Month, and He Will Deliver a Speech in 
Washington D.C."  The Pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" 
carried the news with the headlines:  "During the Transit in 
the United States, Bian Will Meet with George Bush's Brother 
Jeb Bush," and "Lee Teng-hui Will Deliver a Speech in 
Washington D.C. October 6."  Taiwan's largest daily, the pro- 
independence "Liberty Times," downplayed the news about 
President Chen's transit in the United States, and 
completely ignored former President Lee's upcoming U.S. 
visit. 
 
2.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in 
the "Taiwan Daily" said U.S.-Taiwan relations have improved, 
as shown by the fact that the United States is allowing 
former President Lee Teng-hui to visit the country, and is 
allowing President Chen Shui-bian to transit the country. 
The limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" urged the Taiwan authorities to take action 
to respond to China's "united front" tactics.  End summary. 
 
1.  "[Former President] Lee Teng-hui's U.S. Visit and 
President Chen Shui-bian's Miami Transit are Important 
Indicators for Improved Taiwan-U.S. Relations." 
 
The pro-independence, "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] 
carried in its editorial (09/02) that: 
 
". Taiwan has tried to broaden its international space for 
survival via "pragmatic diplomacy," and through the 
combination of friendly strengths in the United States 
amongst politicians and civilians.  There is, however, a 
long history of China obstructing and thwarting Taiwan's 
efforts.  This time is no exception.  A U.S. Department of 
State official previously said [former President] Lee Teng- 
hui could only visit the United States as a `private 
individual.'  U.S. Ambassador (retired) and Heritage 
Foundation Senior Researcher Harvey Feldman, however, said 
it is not surprising that Beijing submitted objections to 
the United States [about the visit], and added that the U.S. 
Department of State considers Lee a private individual, and 
thereby there is no reason to restrict his U.S. journeys, 
including a visit to Washington D.C. . 
 
".[T]he United States knows well that there have been severe 
political confrontations in Taiwan, and there is a sharp 
distinction between the Pan-Blue and the Pan-Green 
alliances; it is thereby difficult for the U.S. arms 
procurement bill to get reviewed [in the Legislative Yuan]. 
The U.S. side has not blamed the Pan-Green alliance or given 
it complete responsibility for [the delayed passage of the 
bill].  [Former President] Lee Teng-hui's U.S. visit and 
President Chen Shui-bian's Miami transit are proof of 
improved Taiwan-U.S. relations. 
 
"As a matter of fact, whether Taiwan and China could get 
along with each other peacefully depends on not only the 
balance between two sides of the Strait in terms of military 
and economics, but the balance of the United State and Japan 
in the Asia-Pacific region.  The United States has been busy 
reconstructing Iraq, and it does not want for the peace in 
the Asia-Pacific to be threatened.  The United States is so 
worried about China's military emergence, and U.S. high- 
ranking officials have called upon both sides of the Taiwan 
Strait to exercise constraint, and to replace confrontations 
with dialogues. 
 
". [As far as] Taiwan's situation is concerned, if [Taiwan] 
could collaborate with international friendly powers, 
including the United States, Japan, or Asian countries like 
Vietnam, it would help Taiwan to better confront the brutal 
Chinese regime.  [That's' why]  Lee Teng-hui has 
particularly scheduled trips to New York and Washington D.C. 
in his U.S. visit. 
 
".[A]s to the speech to be delivered at the National Press 
Club in Washington, D.C.,  it will help to change the 
misunderstandings of the U.S. press toward Taiwan's 
political situation since 2004.  It will also promote the 
sympathy of Americans toward Taiwan's situation [in the 
world], and it will enable the friendly fractions in the 
U.S. Congress to link with Taiwan again and expand their 
influence.  It will also urge the U.S. authorities to regard 
[Taiwan] highly, and to reexamine how the national strengths 
of countries in the Asia-Pacific region ebb and flow. ." 
 
2.  "Beware of Poisoned Offerings" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (09/01): 
 
"Beijing has stepped up its `united front' against Taiwan by 
widening the scope of its offensive to include not only 
China-based Taiwanese businesspeople and senior politicians 
but farmers, students and low-level party members as well. 
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, sadly, 
appears to be at its wits' end about how to cope with the 
problem. In its efforts to avoid whipping up the recent wave 
of `China fever,' it has done little more than chant slogans 
and talk about `staying cool.' . 
 
".The scholarships won't cost the Chinese leadership very 
much, and they offer a huge return on the investment -- the 
chance to brainwash young Taiwanese to become a `pure 
Chinese' and plant a new generation of pro-China seedlings 
who can continue to be cultivated after they return home. 
China doesn't much care if its motives are obvious. It has 
even said that `its recruitment of Taiwanese students to 
study in China is a part of the mother country's unification 
agenda.' . 
 
"Beijing, of course, has taken advantage of the DPP's wishy- 
washiness to escalate its offensive. Its tactics are 
cleverly calculated and substantial. Taipei, bogged down by 
inertia, seems barely able to raise its head and then only 
to mutter a few more slogans or engage in a half-hearted war 
of words with the pan-blue opposition. 
 
"As the saying goes, "to be too lenient is to breed evil." 
The government's ineptitude simply encourages China to even 
bolder measures, aided and abetted by the opposition 
politicians here. Even if the government is incapable of 
exerting itself, however, the people of Taiwan should take 
it upon themselves to be on guard against Beijing's poisoned 
apples. Their future depends on it." 
 
KEEGAN