US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4387

UNCLAS TAIPEI 004387 
 
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: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Taiwan dailies October 28 focused on the 
latest development of a local scandal: local prosecutors 
reportedly will summon today former Presidential Office 
Deputy Secretary-General Chen Che-nan to further investigate 
his role in the Kaohsiung MRT scandal. 
 
2. Editorials and Commentaries: Pro-independence "Liberty 
Times" urged in its editorial that the government should not 
allow Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan, due to unimaginable 
consequences.  Another pro-independence newspaper, "Taiwan 
Daily," editorialized that the Taiwan government should 
penalize Taiwan politicians who sell-out Taiwan.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
1. "China People Who Came to Taiwan Frequently Illegally 
Overstayed in Taiwan.  Consequences of Allowing China 
Tourists to Visit China are Unimaginable" 
 
Pro-independence, Taiwan's largest newspaper, "Liberty 
Times" [circulation: 600,000] editorialized (10/28): 
 
". China is paying a high price to buy-off Senegal, a 
country that used to have diplomatic ties with Taiwan. 
China at the same time is sending National Tourism 
Administration Director [Shao Qiwei] to Taiwan to construct 
a phony image (i.e. China is allowing its people to visit 
Taiwan.)  China is actually playing a trick that `carries 
out the United Front policy in the name of sightseeing.' 
Taiwan's countrymen therefore should not relax their 
vigilance. 
 
". Once Taiwan opens its market for China's tourists, Taiwan 
might suffer from the damage caused by their illegal 
overstays and infiltration before Taiwan receives actual 
benefit. ." 
 
2. "The Pan-Blue Alliance Echoed with China to Divide 
[Taiwan's] Domestic Politics, and Isolate [Taiwan's] Foreign 
Relations.  The [Taiwan] Government Should Begin the 
National Security Investigations and Penalize Such Treason" 
 
Pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 150,000] 
editorialized (10/28): 
 
". China adopted means, through the cooperation with Taiwan 
opposition politicians, to divide [Taiwan's] domestic 
politics, and isolate [Taiwan's] foreign relations.  Not 
only Taiwan's status as a sovereign state would be 
jeopardized, but Taiwan's democracy would be destroyed as 
well.  Moreover, China's attempts might intensify political 
confrontations and disturbances on the island.  The United 
States, as a bystander, sees the situation clearly.  This is 
why former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Randy 
Schriver said `Beijing wants to contact only the pan-Blue 
alliance on the economic, trade, and other cross-Strait 
issues.  The development that Beijing rules out the 
possibility of contacting the elected DPP government might 
negatively impact cross-Strait relations.  Schriver also 
said the United States supports Taiwan people to decide 
their own future.  Schriver added that it would be Taiwan's 
loss if Taiwan people make concessions under Beijing's 
pressure.  .' 
 
". At this moment, the government should be more cautious 
than before, and should begin national security 
investigations in order to obtain information whether or not 
Taiwan politicians have sold-out Taiwan. ." 
 
KEEGAN