US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4501

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004501 
 
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 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN, KOIZUMI CABINET 
RESHUFFLE 
 
 
1. Summary: As major Chinese-language Taipei dailies 
continued November 5-7 to dig up more scandals related to 
the shady recruitment practices regarding the Kaohsiung mass 
rapid transit system, coverage also focused on the year-end 
3-in-1 elections, the Government Information Office's row 
with TVBS, cross-Strait tourism exchanges, and the funeral 
of KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's father.  Several newspapers 
reported on November 5 in their inside pages TECRO Chief 
David Lee's statement that the U.S. government had actively 
expressed concerns over the GIO-TVBS dispute.  The centrist 
"China Times" also carried the remarks by Premier Frank 
Hsieh at the Legislative Yuan last Friday in response to an 
inquiry about Washington's concerns.  Hiseh was quoted as 
saying the United States will respect Taiwan's 
implementation of its domestic law and that "Taiwan does not 
need to ask for Washington's instructions" or change its 
policy because of the U.S. attitude.  The pro-unification 
"United Daily News," on the other hand, spent its entire 
page three on November 7 reviewing Taiwan's economic 
situation over the past five years and posing a question of 
how long Taiwan's people will have to suffer given the 
island's poor economic performance. 
 
2. Most newspapers continued to editorialize on the local 
scandals.  An editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty 
Times" discussed Washington's concerns over the TVBS dispute 
as well as its connection to Taiwan's democracy and freedom. 
The article urged the Taiwan government to clarify the 
dispute with Washington and communicate with the United 
States about how to jointly defend their strategic interests 
of freedom and democracy.  One editorial in the limited- 
circulation, conservative, pro-unification English-language 
"China Post" and an opinion piece in the limited- 
circulation, pro-independence English-language "Taipei 
Times" both discussed the cabinet reshuffle in Japan.  The 
"China Post" editorial expressed a pessimistic outlook for 
China-Japan relations, and the "Taipei Times" article urged 
Taiwan to avoid any wishful thinking about Japan.  End 
summary. 
 
1. U.S.-Taiwan 
 
"Let's Talk about Taiwan's Democracy and Freedom" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
wrote in an editorial (11/7): 
 
"Taiwan's representative to the United States, David Lee, 
said the other day that U.S. officials had expressed 
concerns to him about the TVBS incident.  Lee said he had 
clarified the situation with the United States after 
receiving relevant instructions from the Taipei government. 
According to Lee, Washington expressed concerns over the 
incident because [it believes that] the incident might 
affect the United States' strategic interests, which, 
[according to Washington,] also include democracy and 
freedom. 
 
"This newspaper is not sure whether or not Washington's 
concerns over this incident are related to the pan-Blue's 
speaking ill [of the Government Information Office] to the 
United States.  But since Lee said Washington expressed 
concerns over the incident because it involved strategic 
interests such as democracy and freedom, this newspaper 
believes that the government should not only clarify the 
incident, but also communicate with Washington how to defend 
the joint strategic interests like democracy and freedom. . 
 
". Justice will be served as long as Taiwan democracy and 
freedom continue to thrive, allowing the 23 million people 
to determine their future and allowing Taiwan to become a 
fully normal country.  Some countries said they are 
concerned about Taiwan's democracy and freedom, but they are 
unwilling to recognize Taiwan's sovereign status due to 
bluffing from totalitarian China.  These countries, when it 
comes to the implementation of democracy and freedom, only 
use a red line to frame Taiwan or adopt a double standard 
toward Taiwan.  Will it meet the United States' strategic 
interests if Taiwan people start to question their moves?" 
 
2. Koizumi Cabinet Reshuffle 
 
A) "Yasukuni Dims Prospects for Better Sino-Japan Ties" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China 
Post" [circulation: 30,000] said in an editorial (11/5): 
 
"It seems that Beijing-Tokyo relations, which have never 
been smooth in the past five years, will face a tough ride 
in the future when Japan's hawkish prime minister Junichiro 
Koizumi steps down next year and hands the reins to another 
hard-line successor. 
 
"The reason for this downbeat view is not difficult to see. 
Standing in the way of improved relations between the two 
Asian giants is the `Yasukuni issue' - a shrine that houses 
14 Class-A war criminals of World War II that Koizumi has 
visited five times in as many years as prime minister, in 
disregard of Beijing's protests against such visits that 
they regard as a gesture to justify Japan's war of 
aggression. . 
 
". [A] recent poll in Japan showed that 48 percent of 
Japanese were in favor of Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni, 
compared with 45 percent who were against.  The mass- 
circulation Sankei Shimbun said Beijing's resort to suing 
the `history card' has proved useless.  Therefore, it can be 
anticipated that Koizumi's successor will follow the 
footsteps of his predecessor. 
 
"Beijing, however, is unlikely to abandon the `history 
card.'  On the contrary, Beijing regards the Yasukuni issue 
as a prerequisite for improving Sino-Japanese relations. 
Beijing, in the face of a popular anti-Japan sentiment, is 
unlikely to beat a retreat.  Likewise, Japan's next 
government of hard-line conservatives seems certain to take 
a get-tough-on-China stance.  With the support of public 
opinion, Japan's hawks will resist outside pressure from 
Beijing and Seoul and continue their bold march to the 
shrine, casting a dark shadow on their mutual ties." 
 
B) "Avoid Wishful Thinking on Japan" 
 
Tsai Zheng-jia, Assistant Research Fellow at the Institute 
 
SIPDIS 
of International Relations of National Chengchi University, 
commented in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" [circulation: 30,000] (11/7): 
 
"Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi recently carried 
out the third and most extensive Cabinet reshuffle of his 
team.  Among the 14 new members, nine of them are members of 
the pro-Taiwan Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council 
- the highest number ever. . 
 
"From that observation we can draw the following 
conclusions.  First, Japan's tilt toward the US is not 
necessarily a tilt toward Taiwan.  After Koizumi came to 
power, he has always followed the US anti-terror policy and 
strategic arrangement in East Asia, while gradually changing 
Japan's domestic defense policy to fit the new US policy. 
Japan mostly focuses on defense against North Korea and 
China.  But this does not mean that Taiwan has already been 
included in the umbrella of US-Japan security cooperation, 
or that Tokyo will get involved if a war breaks out in the 
Taiwan Strait.  Thus, Japan's pro-US policy is only a result 
of its concern about its homeland security. 
 
"Second, being tough does not necessarily mean being anti- 
China.  After Koizumi came to power, Japan has replaced its 
cautious and fearful attitude toward China with a tougher 
diplomatic line. . But this does not mean that Tokyo wants 
to fight against Beijing or compete with it for a dominant 
role. 
 
"Finally, being anti-China does not necessarily equate with 
being pro-Taiwan. .  Therefore, we have to break away from 
our old thinking and myths about Taiwan-Japan relations in 
the post-Koizumi era, and throw away unrealistic 
expectations of the Japanese government.  This is the only 
way for us to avoid wishful thinking about Japan." 
 
KEEGAN