US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4433

UNCLAS TAIPEI 004433 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS 
 
 
1. Summary: Major Chinese-language Taipei dailies on 
November 2 continued to provide extensive coverage on the 
row between the Government Information Office (GIO) and a 
local cable station, TVBS, over whether or not the station 
complies with local laws governing foreign ownership of 
media outlets.  They also focused on the probe into the 
Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit system scandal and KMT Chairman 
Ma Ying-jeou's father, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 
86.  President Chen Shui-bian's remarks on Tuesday that he 
will not close down any TV station during his term of office 
was the front-page headline story of all Taiwan newspapers 
except for Taiwan's biggest daily, the pro-independence 
"Liberty Times," which reported the news story on page 
three.  Several newspapers also carried in their inside 
pages a statement by a senior State Department official 
Tuesday with regard to the GIO's investigation into TVBS's 
shareholder structure that "the United States places great 
importance on freedom of the press and hopes press freedom 
will continue to be guaranteed in Taiwan." 
 
2. Several newspapers continued on November 2 to 
editorialize on the GIO-TVBS row about the station's 
ownership structure.  An editorial in the "Liberty Times" 
discussed Taiwan's national security, saying that the 
control of Chinese capital over Taiwan's media is 
undermining the island's "political security."  End summary. 
 
"National Security Is No Child's Play" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorial (11/2): 
 
".The ratio of China-made products in Taiwan's overall 
exports has soared to more than 41 percent this year, which 
has had an impact on Taiwan's political climate and created 
problems with regard to Taiwan's `national defense security' 
and `political security.'  The Procedure Committee of 
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan (LY), totally disregarding 
Washington's concerns, has blocked the [U.S.] arms 
procurement package proposed by the Cabinet for the 35th 
time.  The LY's move is akin to trampling Taiwan's national 
defense and military security under the LY's feet.  Is 
national security issue child's play?  Should it be blocked 
simply because one political party dislikes it?  Why do the 
Executive Yuan and the President seem to be at their wit's 
end about how to deal with such traitorous behavior [by the 
LY]?  Can they not resort to public opinion [to resolve the 
issue]? . 
 
"The control of Chinese capital over Taiwan's media is 
undermining the island's `political security.'  The invasion 
of China's `unrestricted warfare' has practically handed 
Taiwan's right to dictate the island's financial and 
economic direction and to interpret its culture in the hands 
of those pro-China media outlets; Taiwan's identity has 
nearly crumbled to dust.   This China-centered way of 
thinking is also infiltrating[the minds of] some key DPP 
members, who began to question [the DPP's] movements pushing 
for the rectification of Taiwan's name, Taiwan's 
localization, and love for Taiwan.  Such developments have 
quickly shattered the DPP's founding ideals and ambitions to 
transform Taiwan into a country.  This explains why the DPP 
is fighting a tough battle in order to win this year's 3-in- 
1 elections.  Taiwan's `political security' is truly in 
danger. ..." 
 
KEEGAN