US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4413

UNCLAS TAIPEI 004413 
 
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, Foreign Policy, ESTH 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-JAPAN-TAIWAN STRATEGIC 
COOPERATION, AND BIRD FLU 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Taiwan dailies on November 1 focused on 
President Chen Shui-bian's comments during a National 
Security Council meeting on October 31 that urged the 
international community to monitor the transparency of bird 
flu control in China.  Taiwan dailies also focused on the 
battle between the Government Information Office and a local 
cable station, TVBS, over whether or not the station 
complies with local laws governing foreign ownership of 
media outlets. 
 
2.  Editorials and Commentaries: On U.S.-Japan-Taiwan 
Strategic Cooperation, Taiwan Think Tank's Foreign Policy 
Studies Director Lai I-chung wrote in the pro-independence 
"Taiwan Daily" that the "Taiwan issue" has become more 
critical than ever in U.S.-Japan-Taiwan relations, and he 
urged closer cooperation between the three sides.  Regarding 
the bird flu issue, in the limited circulation, pro- 
independence, English language "Taipei Times", Associate 
Professor Chen Kow-tong of National Cheng Kung University's 
Department of Public Health suggested appropriate ways to 
control a possible bird flu outbreak.  END SUMMARY 
 
1. U.S.-Japan-Taiwan Strategic Cooperation 
 
"Critical Agenda for U.S.-Japan-Taiwan Strategic Cooperation 
- Part II" 
 
Lai I-chung, Taiwan Think Tank's Director for Foreign Policy 
Studies, commented in the pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" 
[circulation: 100,000] (11/01): 
 
". The `U.S.-Japan-Taiwan Strategic Dialogue' concluded that 
the most critical variable influencing current U.S-Japan- 
Taiwan relations is Taiwan.  Taiwan's economy will be 
marginalized, and the delay in Taiwan's military 
modernization has a negative influence on the security 
balance across the Taiwan Strait.  Moreover, the current 
situation of Taiwan politics makes it impossible to predict 
Taiwan's future democratic development.  The situation is 
therefore quite serious.  Hence, there is greater need and 
urgency for U.S.-Japan-Taiwan cooperation.  This is what 
constitutes the `Taiwan issue.'  The critical agenda for 
U.S.-Japan-Taiwan cooperation in the next two years will not 
only be the `cross-Strait issue,' but also the `Taiwan 
issue.'  It is therefore necessary to hold further 
discussions in order to formulate one or more policies that 
could be handled by all sides." 
 
2. Bird Flu 
 
"Avian Flu Needs to be Stopped in its Tracks" 
 
Chen Kow-tong, National Cheng Kung University's Department 
of Public Health Associate Professor wrote in the pro- 
independence, English language Taipei Times [circulation: 
30,000] (11/01): 
". An effective surveillance system is needed to discover 
the origins of an outbreak and any new cases of bird flu. 
The first reaction is to take people's temperature on a 
daily basis. As of yet, there have been no proven cases of 
human-to-human bird flu transmission and only around 120 
confirmed cases of bird flu being transmitted to humans 
globally. Therefore, finding cases of actual bird flu given 
the amount of people who have a fever is like finding a 
needle in a haystack. Disease prevention personnel may well 
overlook an actual case given the sheer amount of data to 
review. To ensure an effective surveillance system, there 
should be a stricter definition of which symptoms 
characterize the onset of bird flu. Once a case of bird flu 
is confirmed in Taiwan, the government should amend its 
definition to be more inclusive. Only by doing so can the 
government get the situation under control and prevent panic 
from setting in. 
"A disease prevention program should be specific, flexible 
and able to change depending on how the disease behaves. The 
recent cases of bird flu have all been reported among people 
who have had frequent contact with fowl. Therefore, the 
government should strengthen its efforts in this regard. 
"A local outbreak will increase demands on human and 
material resources. Therefore, the government has to come to 
grips with the pandemic at an early stage and prevent the 
disease from spreading within the nation. 
"We should also make good use of the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, 
since it is capable not only of curing the disease but also 
of preventing the spread of the bird flu virus. However, we 
should not regard it as a wonder drug and distribute it to 
everyone in Taiwan. ." 
PAAL