US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4329

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004329 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS 
 
 
Summary:  1. Taiwan dailies October 25 downplayed former 
President Lee Teng-hui's return from the U.S. visit.  The 
pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" is the only local daily that 
carried the report on Lee's return on its front page with 
the headline "Uncle A-huei Promotes Taiwan's Democratic 
System."  Other Taiwan dailies focused on two local issues: 
Monday's cargo train derailment Taipei City which paralyzed 
railway transportation in northern Taiwan for most of the 
day; and a reduction of gas prices by Taiwan's two major 
suppliers of oil products, the Formosa Petroleum Corporation 
and the state-run Chinese Petroleum Corporation. 
 
2.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, the pro- 
independence, Taiwan's largest daily, "Liberty Times" 
editorialized that the comments former President Lee Teng- 
hui's made in his U.S. visit really represented the Taiwan 
people.  The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" commented in 
its editorial that KMT Vice Chairman P.K. Chiang's upcoming 
China visit will protect only China's interest, but not that 
of Taiwan businessmen.  The editorial of the pro- 
independence, English-language "Taiwan News" commented that 
President Chen Shui-bian's recent visit to Latin America 
would create room to escape Beijing's web of containment and 
marginalization.  End summary. 
 
1.  "Former President Lee Teng-hui Spoke for 23 Million 
Taiwan People in the United States" 
 
The pro-independence, Taiwan's largest daily, "Liberty 
Times" [circulation: 600,000] editorialized (10/25): 
 
". [F]ormer President Lee Teng-hui emphasized in Washington 
D.C. that Taiwan is already a sovereign independent country, 
and it therefore needs not declare independence.  The name- 
change plan and the construction of a new constitution are 
necessary steps for Taiwan to move toward a normalized 
country.  Former President Lee analyzed that Taiwan has 
currently two options from which to choose: one is to let 
the international community recognize Taiwan, and the other 
is to change the name and let the international community 
accept it.  The former obviously cannot work out. . 
 
". Liberty, democracy, and human rights, stability, 
prosperity, and peace are what 23 million Taiwan people long 
for.  However, before Taiwan completes the process of 
normalization as a country, Taiwan people may never realize 
these things, they might be destroyed by an authoritative 
China. ." 
 
2.  "Pan-Blue Politicians Are Busy Traveling To Beijing. 
Superficially, They Protect the Rights of Taiwan 
Businessmen; Substantially, They Protect China's Interests" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] 
said in its editorial (10/25): 
 
". The KMT and the PFP make use of Taiwan's national 
interests to carry out political struggles [on the island], 
and they use such interests as a stepping-stone to enhance 
the level of political reception they receive in China.  To 
be frank, their behaviors have cased severe damages to 
Taiwan and its people.  This is the most severe crisis 
facing Taiwan at the moment.  We consider, from every 
perspective, that political figures such as [KMT Chairman] 
Lien Chan, [PFP Chairman] James Soong, [KMT Vice Chairman] 
P.K. Chiang could not rule out worries of [the Taiwan 
peoples] that they will jeopardize Taiwan's overall 
interests, and sell out the Taiwan people's benefits. ." 
 
3.  "`Go East' Drive has Potential Benefits" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" 
[circulation: 20,000] editorialized that (10/25): 
 
"Combined with diplomatic efforts to squeeze Taiwan's 
breathing space in international society, Beijing's 
utilization of such `carrot and stick' tactics aim at the 
eventual incorporation of Taiwan into her economic system to 
make gradual political incorporation seen `inevitable.' 
 
"While the `Go South' route absolutely must not be 
neglected, Taiwan has greater potential room to escape 
Beijing's web of containment and marginalization by going 
east to Central and Latin America where she has some 
traditional allies dating from the Cold War era that are now 
fellow emerging democracies. 
 
". President Chen's flurry of state visits in September to 
Central America and the Caribbean have indicated the 
strategic importance of this region. 
 
". Moreover, the government should make special effort to 
ensure that the arrangement is `win-win' by facilitating the 
entry of Central American goods and services into the Taiwan 
market, including wider cultural interaction. 
 
". We must accelerate efforts to become a more global, 
cosmopolitan and pluralistic society by broadening our 
degree of openness of interaction with other societies, 
including Latin America and the Middle East. ." 
 
KEEGAN