US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4571

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004571 
 
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, Domestic Politics, Cross Strait Politics 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS 
 
1. Summary: Major Chinese-language newspapers focused their 
coverage November 11-14 on Taiwan's upcoming 3-in-1 
elections; the Presidential Office's probe into its former 
Deputy Secretary-General Chen Che-nan's misconduct; the 
Examination Yuan's decision to reduce pension payments to 
civil servants, teachers, and servicemen; and the annual 
Golden Horse Award, Taiwan's premier film award.  The pro- 
independence "Taiwan Daily" ran a banner headline on its 
page two November 12 edition that read: "Bian Hopes [Taiwan 
Will] Have a New President and a New Constitution in 2008." 
The sub-headline added: "[President Chen Shui-bian] Hopes 
the New Constitution Will Clearly State that `Taiwan is 
Taiwan and not a Part of China' and Will Hand the Right to 
Amend the Constitution Back to the People of Taiwan." 
 
Several newspapers on November 12 also carried in their 
inside pages a press briefing held by the Washington D.C. 
Foreign Press Center last Thursday, in which a senior U.S. 
official urged China to have a dialogue with Taiwan's duly- 
elected government. 
 
2. While most Taiwan newspapers continued to editorialize on 
local scandals November 11-14, Washington correspondent 
Nadia Tsao commented on U.S.-China relations in a news 
analysis in the pro-independence "Liberty Times."  Tsao said 
Washington-Beijing ties are full of hidden reefs, and 
Washington's concerns over China's military development go 
beyond [China's threat to] cross Strait stability.  An 
editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative, pro- 
unification, English-language "China Post" discussed Chinese 
President Hu Jintao's diplomatic forays, saying China is 
endeavoring to become a major player in the world arena. 
End summary. 
 
A) "U.S.-China Relations Full of Hidden Reefs" 
 
Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in a news analysis 
in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 
600,000] (11/12): 
 
"Chinese President Hu Jintao changed China's `peaceful 
rising' into China's `peaceful development' during his 
meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush at the UN General 
Assembly in September.  But judging from the fact that prior 
to his [November] visit to Beijing, Bush used words such as 
`complicated' and `mixed' to describe Washington-Beijing 
relations and his reiteration to Chinese leaders that the 
United States supports the Taiwan Relations Act, [it is 
evident that] there are hidden reefs everywhere in U.S.- 
China relations. . 
 
"As a matter of fact, Washington's concerns over China's 
military development go beyond [China's threat to] cross 
Strait stability [sic].  Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld 
paid a special visit to Mongolia when he traveled to Asia 
last month, and Bush will be the first U.S. president to 
visit Mongolia during his term of office.  [Washington's] 
intention to curb China strategically is very clear. . 
 
"China's competition for energy, [its influential role in] 
the North Korean nuclear issue, as well as its push into 
Latin America and Africa, have aroused concerns from the 
U.S. Congress.  Over the past two or three years, Washington 
has failed to heed China's role in global affairs, but it 
woke up suddenly to find China all over its radar screen and 
has started to pay attention to China's presence.  Under 
such a circumstance and given the complicated and entangled 
economic issues [to be discussed] between the two countries, 
Bush's upcoming trip to Beijing and his dialogue with his 
Chinese counterpart will certainly not be an easy job." 
 
B) "Hu's Diplomatic Forays" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China 
Post" [circulation: 30,000] wrote in an editorial (11/12): 
 
"Mainland Chinese leader Hu Jintao has been busy, making 
diplomatic forays to capitals all over the world.  This is a 
far cry from his predecessors, who preferred to stay at 
home.  The enigmatic Chinese president is now quite 
ubiquitous, rubbing shoulders with leaders of the world's 
richest as well as poorest nations. . 
 
"Call it an `all-dimensional diplomacy' if you want.  It is 
indeed an all-out diplomatic campaign to establish mainland 
China as an emerging political power in addition to an 
economic power.  It is not only the leader of the developing 
world.  It is endeavoring to become a major player in the 
world arena.  Are his efforts paying off?  Yes, so far. . 
 
"His visit to Pyongyang last month was instrumental in the 
resumption of the six-party talks on Kim Jong Il's nuclear 
weapons programs.  Washington, for one, should feel indebted 
to Beijing for twisting the arm of North Korea to bring it 
to the conference table.  Beijing is the only country that 
wields real influence over this `evil axis' that dared to 
call Washington's bluff. . 
 
"But developed countries are also wooing mainland China and 
welcoming Hu with open arms. . No EU country can afford to 
ignore the mainland's huge market and insatiable appetite 
for European high-tech products such as commercial aircraft 
and high-speed trains. ." 
 
PAAL