Cablegate: Media Reaction: Cross-Strait Relations
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 002003
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/RSP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD -
ROBERT PALLADINO
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS
1. Summary: As Taiwan dailies continued to cover KMT
Chairman Lien Chan's China trip May 3, the focus has
shifted to President Chen Shui-bian's speech Monday to
the Parliament of the Marshall Islands with regard to
cross-Strait confidence-building measures. The pro-
unification "United Daily News" ran a banner headline
on its front page that read "Bian: both sides of the
Strait should establish confidence-building measures."
Other major Chinese-language dailies also carried the
same news story in their inside pages. The centrist,
pro-status quo "China Times" reported on page two that
"Both sides of the Taiwan Strait have for the first
time shared the same view with regard to a military
mutual trust mechanism." The pro-unification "United
Daily News" also printed a banner headline on page
three that read: "Lien: confidence-building measures
are auxiliary to a peace agreement."
2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty
Times" editorial strongly criticized President Chen
with regard to his changed attitude toward Lien's visit
to China. A "Taiwan Daily" editorial blasted Lien's
trip as helping China to succeed with its `united front
strategy' toward Taiwan. A "United Daily News"
editorial, on the other hand, commented on Lien's
preliminary success in his visit to China, noting that
Lien has brought a win-win idea into the plan of a
cross-Strait common market. A "China Times" news
analysis noted that the opposition party leaders'
visits to China has forced Chen to re-focus his
attention to China and thus regained his leadership in
the cross-Strait issues. A "United Daily News"
commentary discussed the change in China's policy
toward Taiwan and urged the Taiwan government to
respond to it with care. "China Times" Washington
correspondent Norman Fu discussed the U.S. role in
cross-Strait relations, saying the United States has
not lost control over cross-Strait issues because China
still relies on the United States to solve the Taiwan
issue. End summary.
A) "What Exactly Does President Chen Shui-bian Have in
Mind?"
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation:
800,000] editorialized (5/3):
". President Chen Shui-bian gave his blessings to the
visits conducted by the opposition leaders to China.
Chen regarded positively KMT Chairman Lien Chan's talks
and behaviors in China and asked PFP Chairman James
Soong to be his envoy to China. Hence, it is evident
that Chen's `China fever' is as serious as that of
Lien's and Soong's. The fact that Lien and Soong
concurred with the `1992 consensus' in China is already
[powerful] enough to enable the Beijing authorities to
display fully its united front strategy and to divide
the Taiwan people. If Chen also dreams about a meeting
with China's President Hu Jintao, Hu will be more than
happy to act as an arbitrator between Taiwan's ruling
party and opposition parties. As a result, Taiwan will
lose in the game [toward its struggle with China] for
sure. High-ranking DPP officials recently warned
Taiwan people not to show [positive] emotions toward
China, adding that what's happening to Taiwan now and
here is the most important thing. The officials also
said Taiwan should not shake hands with China in haste,
and it is more important for the ruling party to work
on domestic affairs in collaboration with the
opposition parties. Based on such comments, we believe
the government and the DPP should have consistent and
not divided opinions."
B) "Lien Chan's Talks and Behaviors in China Have Made
Taiwan Businessmen Assume That Both Sides of the Taiwan
Strait Belong to One Country and Have Enabled China's
United Front Strategy That Seeks to `Force the
Government through Businesses' to Succeed"
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" editorialized
(5/3):
". [I]n fact, either a cross-Strait peace treaty or
the establishment of a military mutual trust mechanism
will have to be built on the foundation that both sides
of the Taiwan Strait are standing on an equal footing.
How can there be a peace treaty between the two sides
of the Taiwan Strait if China still insists that [cross-
Strait talks] be conducted under the `one China'
principle, or if it still requests that Taiwan accept
the `1992 consensus,' which is in nature the `one
China' principle? How can China establish a military
mutual trust mechanism with Taiwan if it does not
remove the 700 missiles aimed at the island, guarantee
that it will not use force against Taiwan, or abolish
the Anti-Secession Law? During his China trip, Lien
Chan failed to talk about all these issues that are
directly related to Taiwan's interest. Instead, he
still believes that it is of major significance that he
has obtained a `positive response' from the Chinese
authorities. We, however, do not see any significance
[in China's response]."
C) "The Win-Win Concept and a Common Market across the
Taiwan Strait"
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation:
600,000] commented in an editorial (5/3):
"KMT Chairman Lien Chan will return to Taiwan today,
and the long-term effects of his `journey of peace'
still remain to be seen. But overall, Lien has, to a
certain extent, sown the seeds of peace and a win-win
idea [for both sides of the Taiwan Strait]. .
"When the Taiwan authorities still have doubts about
`opening up' and `exchanges' [across the Taiwan
Strait], the idea of a `common market' is a
comparatively more possible way to cooperate [with
China]. .
"The precondition for any type of economic integration
is to seek a win-win situation. It is more and more
evident that Taiwan needs to integrate with China in
terms of economic resources, and the integration as a
result will benefit Taiwan. Otherwise, how come Chi
Mei Group Founder Hsu Wen-lung would write such an open
letter before China's passage of the Anti-Secession
Law?
"When several countries in Asia are proposing to form
the `ASEAN plus 3,' `East Asia Community,' `East Asia
Free Trade Area,' and all kinds of bilateral
agreements, Taiwan will be forced to enter a dilemma of
being marginalized if it does not come to some kind of
understanding or agreement with China with regard to
Taiwan's space in the international community. ."
D) "Bian Wins back His Bargaining Chips [with Regard to
Cross-Strait Issues] by Refocusing His Attention to
China"
Journalist Hsiao Hsu-chen noted in the "My Views"
column of the centrist, pro-status quo "China Times"
[circulation: 600,000] (5/3):
"Despite the People First Party's attempt to clarify
for its chairman, James Soong's role as the first
public `envoy' across the Taiwan Strait is basically
settled following President Chen Shui-bian's
announcement Sunday. Chen's decision to take the first
formal step in breaking the ice between the two sides
of the Taiwan Strait is evident to show that he has
gradually deviated from the tune about China set by
former President Lee Teng-hui and is willing to re-
evaluate the new Chinese regime headed by Hu Jintao or
at least to try some new approaches [in dealing with
China.] .
"Judged from this perspective, Lien's trip to China is
both a crisis and a turning point for President Chen.
Chen has come to a point where he has to face the cross-
Strait issues directly, and this also offered him an
opportunity to take a close look at the new approaches
adopted by Hu's regime toward Taiwan. .
"It is a top priority for Taiwan to re-evaluate China
and to set a strategic tune on China and on the cross-
Strait relations in the new era. Over the past few
years, the Taipei government has been busy securing its
power and running around for its campaigns. Some of
these efforts may be helpful in building the Taiwan
consciousness, but in the meantime, because of its
negligence of the evolvement of China, the government
has also missed the chances to take advantage of some
of strategic situations. [KMT Chairman] Lien Chan's
trip to China, followed by that of Soong's, have
finally forced the government to face the issue
directly. . The re-positioning of cross-Strait
relations and Chen's [willingness] to step out of the
frame set up by former President Lee and to try to
start a new round of talks with the Chinese leaders .
will create a new opportunity for the happiness and
peace of the Taiwan people."
E) "Change in Beijing's Strategic Thinking toward
Taiwan"
Journalist Sun Yang-ming observed in the "United Notes"
column of the pro-unification "United Daily News"
[circulation: 600,000] (5/3):
"The results of the meeting between [KMT Chairman] Lien
Chan and [Chinese President] Hu Jintao revealed that
Beijing has changed its strategic thinking toward
Taiwan. The Chen Shui-bian administration will be put
in a passive position if it fails to deal with the
change appropriately.
"During the period of [former Chinese President] Jiang
Zemin, Beijing's policy guideline toward Taiwan was
that `both sides could talk about anything under the
one China principle.' Such a dogma-like approach has
put Beijing in a passive and reactive position when
dealing with the Taiwan issue because Taipei distrusts
Beijing and Taiwan people has seen no `concrete
goodwill gestures' from Beijing. As a result, former
President Lee Teng-hui and the Chen Shui-bian
administration could easily control Taiwan people's
attitude toward China.
"Fundamental change happened to Beijing's attitude
since [Chinese President] Hu Jintao came to power. He
no longer talked about empty principles but directly
appeals to the Taiwanese people with substantive
interests in order to obtain strategic preemptiveness.
"The so-called strategic preemptiveness means that
Beijing will observe what Taiwan people want, re-
package it in a way that is acceptable for Beijing and
throw it back to the Chen Shui-bian administration and
Taipei to worry about what to do. Take Taiwan's bid to
join the WHO as an example. It is said that Beijing is
very likely to allow Taiwan to join the WHO or attend
the WHA in the name of `Taipei China.' .
"The KMT's landing on China has enabled Beijing to tell
Taiwan people its requests directly, making the Chen
Shui-bian unable to interpret Beijing's policy the way
it likes. Such a channel of communication will become
systemized as the KMT and Chinese Communist Party
started talking. The Chen Shui-bian administration, as
a result, will have to reconsider or adjust its cross-
Strait strategy."
F) "Is the United States' Cross-Strait Policy out of
Control?"
Washington correspondent Norman Fu said in the
"Washington Outlook" column of the centrist, pro-status
quo "China Times" [circulation: 600,000] (5/3):
". In general, the United States still continued to
stand in a critical leading position with regard to
cross-Strait relations. Washington's leadership does
not change because of the direct talks between Taiwan's
opposition leaders and Beijing because it will be
impossible for Beijing to resolve the Taiwan issue
without Washington's consent or [tacit consent]. That
is why Beijing has been trying to befriend Washington
over the past few years, hoping that the United States
will help it stop Taiwan from moving toward
independence. As for the roles of the KMT and the PFP
in the cross-Strait relations, they are just part of
Beijing's strategies and they are not strong enough to
diminish or change Washington's significant position.
The United States of course hopes that Beijing could
talk to the Chen Shui-bian administration directly, but
it still depends on whether Beijing has confidence in
Chen and the future prospects of the DPP government."
PAAL