US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4621

UNCLAS TAIPEI 004621 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
DEPT FOR EAP/TC, INR/EAP 
 
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TW 
SUBJECT: Southern Taiwan's Tainan County Agricultural 
Associations Extend Support to Incumbent DPP Magistrate 
Candidate 
 
REF:  TAIPEI 4405 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  At a recent press conference, executives 
of Tainan County's farmers' and fishermen associations and 
the County's thirty-one lower level farmers' associations 
expressed public support for DPP Tainan County Magistrate Su 
Huan-chih's re-election bid.  The County's grass root 
agricultural associations, the executives of some of which 
are incumbent KMT party representatives, traditionally have 
favored KMT candidates in previous political campaigns.  The 
executives claimed that they shifted their support to 
Magistrate Su to express appreciation for Su's efforts in 
seeking financial aid for the county's agricultural 
associations.  A few maintained that their endorsement of 
Magistrate Su was pro-forma, only to ensure further 
subsidies.  End Summary. 
 
2.   (U) Thirty-three key executives of Tainan County's 
farmers' and fishermen associations expressed their support 
for the incumbent DPP Tainan County Magistrate Su Huan- 
chih's reelection bid at a press conference held at Su's 
campaign office on November 9.  One of Su's office staff 
admitted that the press conference was arranged by Su's 
campaign office and they were happy to have the 
participation of all the associations' key representatives. 
Traditionally, Taiwan's grass root farmers' and fishermen's 
associations were a stronghold of the KMT and the majority 
of the associations' high ranking executives are long-term 
KMT members. 
 
3.  (SBU) Guantien Town Agricultural Association Secretary 
General, Lin Cheng-jong, who is a senior party 
representative in the KMT Tainan County Office confirmed 
that Magistrate Su has been working hard to assist the 
county's several agricultural associations to resist being 
merged by the government-run Cooperative Bank, a plan 
initiated by Ministry of Finance in an attempt to help bail 
out debt-ridden grass roots credit businesses.  Lin went on 
to say that Su has also assisted the associations to obtain 
agricultural funding from the central authorities when their 
businesses met difficulties.  Secretary Chang Ping-shan of 
Yujing Town Agricultural Association said their group's 
endorsement was because Magistrate Su does not oppose 
selling the area's mangoes to mainland China despite the 
lack of a clear central trade policy toward China. 
 
4.  (SBU) However, Lin complained that Magistrate Su has 
wasted too many resources on large scale national level 
projects and failed to work out practical solutions to 
settle difficulties the area's farmers have suffered.  Lin 
noted that area farmers have criticized Su's promotion of 
plans to build a national airport in Chiku Town and his 
implementation of a candy festival, which when held last 
year generated no real benefit to farmers.  Lin went on to 
say that Mark Chen, Su's predecessor, performed much better 
in upgrading the County's agricultural environment during 
his eight-year magistracy.  Nevertheless, Lin said their 
membership still believes that Magistrate Su can do the best 
job at present, especially since his KMT opponent is less 
experienced in agricultural issues. 
 
5.  (SBU) Secretary Chang told AIT/K that the participation 
of his Secretary General Huang Cheng-ching and himself in 
the press conference was more pro-forma and less real 
support (i.e., their endorsement was purposely to ensure 
further subsidies).  Chang said they also showed up at the 
opening activity of the campaign office of KMT's candidate, 
Kuo Tien-tsai, and many of the area's association executives 
did the same thing.  In fact, one KMT staff member in Tainan 
County said that several Associations' representatives had 
informed the KMT office of their participation and had 
promised nevertheless to vote for KMT candidates.  While 
that staff member admitted that the endorsement may generate 
certain influences on the campaign, the are working to 
minimize the impact on KMT candidates. 
 
 
Thiele 
 
Paal