US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4227

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004227 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ERIC 
BARBORIAK 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, KPAO, TW, Cross Strait Politics, Domestic Politics 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: RUMSFELD'S TRIP TO CHINA 
 
1. Summary: The second part of a TV interview with 
President Chen Shui-bian, which was aired Monday 
evening, carried the front-page headlines in most major 
Chinese-language Taipei dailies October 18.  (The first 
part of the interview was broadcast on Sunday night.) 
Almost all major Taipei newspapers reported on their 
front pages Chen's remarks in the interview claiming 
that he can provide evidence to prove that People First 
Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong had a secret meeting 
with Chen Yunlin, the director of China's Taiwan 
Affairs Office, during a trip to the United States 
earlier this year, in which Soong promised opposition 
to Taiwan's arms procurements from the United States in 
exchange for Beijing's nod on his China tour. 
According to the news reports, Soong soon refuted 
Chen's accusation and demanded a public apology from 
Chen. 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest 
daily, also carried on page two Chen's remarks in the 
interview with regard to his appointment of Legislative 
Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng to attend the APEC summit 
with the headline: "Bian: China Is Worried That Wang's 
Rise Will Affect [Taipei Mayor] Ma [Ying-jeou's Plan] 
to Run in the [2008] Presidential Elections."  The pro- 
unification "United Daily News," on the other hand, ran 
an inclusive interview in its inside page with U.S. 
Pacific Command Chief Admiral William Fallon, which was 
topped with the headline: "Fallon: Taiwan Should Be 
Prepared for Beijing's Attacks." The sub-headline 
added: "The Pacific Command Will Continue to Satisfy 
the Requirements [Stipulated in] the Taiwan Relations 
Act and Defend Taiwan When the U.S. President Orders It 
to Do So, But Taiwan Itself Also Needs to Have 
Effective Defense Capabilities." 
 
2. Several newspapers editorialized on Chen's remarks 
made during his interview with Sanlih TV.  Columnist 
Antonio Chiang commented on U.S. Defense Secretary 
Donald Rumsfeld's current visit to China in the mass- 
circulation "Apple Daily."  Chiang said Rumsfeld's trip 
will heat up Washington-Beijing ties, but in the 
meantime, it also indicated that the United States' 
attempt to stabilize its Asian policy will remain 
relatively the same.  An editorial in the limited- 
circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English- 
language "China Post" said Rumsfeld's visit is long 
overdue and hopefully will help to restore some trust 
and momentum to the U.S.-China military and strategic 
relationship.  End summary. 
 
A) "The United States Wants a Soft Landing on China" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang commented in the mass- 
circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 570,000] 
(10/18): 
 
"U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who has many 
times criticized China's military expansion in public, 
arrives in Beijing today for his first official visit. 
Rumsfeld's trip will heat up Washington-Beijing ties, 
but in the meantime, it also indicated that the United 
States' attempt to stabilize its Asian policy will 
remain more or less the same. . 
 
"As a matter of fact, the Bush administration is now 
putting a majority of its energy and efforts on Middle 
East issues because the area ranging from the Middle 
East to Central Asia and from South Asia to Iran has 
long-term strategic interests for the Americans, 
whether it is with regard to oil, the war on terrorism 
or nuclear proliferation. 
 
"Subtle changes have occurred in the Middle East region 
recently, which have thus produced a strong impact on 
the ties between Israel and Palestine and politics of 
those countries like Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi 
Arabia.  U.S. President George W. Bush believes that 
his Mideast policy has harvested good results, but 
evidently only a few people agree with him. 
Nevertheless, once the United States sets foot in this 
area, it will only be dragged deeper and will not be 
able to get away easily in a short period of time. 
 
"Bush has put the United States' strategic focus as 
well as history's evaluation of him in the Middle East; 
he can hardly divert his attention to issues in Asia 
and can only seek a `soft landing' in the region via 
micro adjustment.  Even though Rumsfeld is well-versed 
in the China threat, he still needs to adjust his 
attitude toward China for the sake of U.S. strategic 
interests because China now plays a key role in the 
United States' plan of soft landing in Asia. ." 
 
B) "Reluctant Rumsfeld in PRC" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized 
(10/18): 
 
". The Beijing trip [by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald 
Rumsfeld] is a must and can't be further delayed. 
China's recent effort at Westernization, particularly 
in supporting the U.S.-led anti-terror war and curbing 
North Korea's nuclear ambition, have been helpful and 
gratifying.  The rising China is not a fundamental 
rival like the former Soviet Union but a vital 
`stakeholder' in advancing America's global agenda. 
 
"The Pentagon hoped the visit could contribute to 
improving a military-to-military relationship that 
fractured in April 2001 with the midair collision of a 
Chinese fighter and an American surveillance plane over 
China's southern coast.  Ship visits and officer 
exchanges have resumed since then, but slowly. 
 
"On the other hand, Beijing seeks to demonstrate, by 
hosting a Bush administration hardliner, that 
Washington is not shunning China as a looming military 
foe, and that China is not a security threat or a 
strategic competitor to the U.S. . 
 
"Rumsfeld's visit is long overdue, and hopefully will 
help to restore some trust and momentum to the U.S.- 
China military and strategic relationship.  Yet the 
depth of distrust and misperceptions in both military 
establishments toward the other is palpable and not 
easily overcome. 
 
"For Taiwan, Rumsfeld's visit is a welcome change of 
approach for the Bush administration.  With China as a 
`responsible stakeholder' in managing global affairs, 
Washington is better posed to maintain the peaceful 
Taiwan status quo." 
 
PAAL