Cablegate: Media Reaction: Apec, U.S.-China Relations, Cross-Strait
VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHIN #3896/01 3240841
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200841Z NOV 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3084
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5957
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7174
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003896
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: APEC, U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS, CROSS-STRAIT
RELATIONS
1. Summary: Taiwan dailies (November 18-20) focused on two issues:
A traffic accident on Saturday that injured Taichung Mayor Jason Hu
and especially his wife, who was still in critical condition as of
November 20; and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's decision on Friday to
donate NT$15 million [US$461 thousand] to charity, representing the
portion of the special mayoral allowance he has received during his
term of office that does not require receipts.
2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the
pro-unification "United Daily News" urged Taiwan quickly to lift its
bans on cross-Strait trade and economic relations in order to save
the island from the current danger of being marginalized. The
limited-circulation, pro-independence "Taipei Times" editorialized
that APEC must promote an inclusive community so that Taiwan's
participation can be safeguarded. An editorial in the
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification "China Post"
discussed U.S.-China relations in the wake of the U.S. mid-term
elections. The article said "Beijing should brace itself for the
cold winds blowing in its direction from Capitol Hill." An
editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" criticized the
proposal of Kinmen [Quemoy] County Magistrate Lee Chu-feng regarding
the establishment of a "'One Country, Two Systems' Test Zone." End
summary.
3. APEC
a) "APEC Agenda: to Save [Taiwan] from Being Marginalized, the Key
Lies in Easing [Cross-Strait] Restrictions First"
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000]
editorialized (11/18):
"... Mainland China's economic rise has thoroughly changed the
political and economic situation in the Asia-Pacific region. The
United States, which retains political and economic hegemony on the
other side of the Pacific, has, despite its lingering influence,
evidently lost its previous glitter on this side of the Pacific. In
contrast, China is getting more and more powerful when it comes to
its say in the region. In addition to relying on its strength and
market power that have been accumulated through its rapid economic
developments over the past few years, China has clearly been
fostering economic integration in the region. For example, it has
been seeking to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the ASEAN
member nations, followed by moves gradually to expand the extent of
[the FTA region's] power to 'ASEAN plus umpteen' - actions that will
naturally force economies in the region to attach great importance
to their interactions with China. The formation of a new 'East
Asianism,' with China, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN as its
backbone, has resulted in the United States' eagerness to deepen its
relations with the economies of East Asia in order to prevent itself
from being excluded [from such a force.] The Free Trade Agreement
of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), as a result, is exactly a strategic
product of 'Asia Pacific-ism' fighting against the 'East Asianism.'
Yet, given the fact that China and Japan will not easily grant
Washington what it wishes, the establishment of the FTAAP is,
without a doubt, very difficult.
"Judged from this perspective, it would be wishful thinking and
unrealistic expectations on the part of the Taiwan government to
place its hope of saving the island from being marginalized on the
FTAAP. For Taiwan, [the danger of] marginalization is an 'on-going
issue' rather than simply a 'future crisis.' ... As a matter of
fact, countless proposals and studies have been made with regard to
how to break [Taiwan's] deadlock of being marginalized, and their
common conclusions all point to the normalization of cross-Strait
trade and economic relations. Even the United States, during its
talk with Taiwan over the FTA, raised a similar precondition, which
has all the more highlighted the necessity [of normalizing
cross-Strait trade and economic relations]. To lift the ban on
cross-Strait trade and economic relations is an unavoidable topic
for the Taiwan government, and the choice lies in Taiwan's own
hands. It is neither reliable nor practical [for Taiwan] to rely on
the FTAAP to protect itself."
b) "APEC Must Promote Inclusive Community"
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (11/20):
"... The most positive new development for Taiwan in the week-long
gathering of economic national leaders, ministers and senior
working-level officials has been the sudden interest given to the
notion of an Asia-Pacific regional economic community, especially by
the United States, which seems to have rediscovered the importance
of multilateral organizations after over five years of an aggressive
"America First" unilateralism.
"Regionalism is certainly an inevitable trend in the Asia Pacific
and it will be far more desirable for most countries and their
businesses and people if the process of attaining regional
integration and the content of future regional institutions were
inclusive and transparent. ...
"... We can expect that the FTAAP concept will become a bone of
serious contention between the PRC and the U.S. since Washington's
sudden enthusiasm for the concept and its expansion of the notion to
include non-economic aspects as shown by the term "community,"
directly impinges on the PRC's drive to turn the Pacific Ocean into
its pond and to exclude Taiwan from equal, meaningful or perhaps
even any participation.
"The ultimate result of an effort to build either an FTAAP or an
Asia Pacific Community will depend less on economic factors and more
on the political will and wisdom of key players, especially Japan,
Australia, Canada and the various Southeast Asian nations in
addition to the U.S. and the PRC.
"The second most important trend in this year's APEC 2006 summit was
the explicit discussion about a regional security issue, namely
North Korea's development of nuclear weapons, under a strong push by
both Washington and Tokyo.
"The inclusion of such major security issues in the APEC's
substantive deliberations was marred by the PRC's insistence on
Taiwan's exclusion from foreign minister discussions. ...
"... But the push in APEC to encompass security issues, while
welcome in principle, may cause APEC to lose its focus as an arena
for economic and social cooperation and also lead to further erosion
in Taiwan's substantive status in the Asia-Pacific community. ...
"... We should have offered a reminder to the rest of the Asia
Pacific community that Taiwan faces a threat of missiles by a fellow
APEC member, namely China, at least as grave if not more so than
that posed by Pyongyang's nuclear program."
4. U.S.-China Relations
"Chilly Winds from D.C."
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (11/18):
"George W. Bush has never hit it off with Hu Jintao; that's no
secret. The American president may like Chen Shui-bian better,
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although he did not pull his punches when the Taiwanese president
made political trouble for him. Bush was tough on Beijing,
especially before the 9/11 attacks. Washington-Beijing relations
were lukewarm at best. Now, after the mid-term elections in the
United States, where the balance of political power changed in favor
of the Democrats, which have recaptured the Congress for the first
time in 12 years, is Beijing any more comfortable in dealing with
Washington? Not at all. Beijing should brace itself for cold winds
blowing in its direction from Capitol Hill. Incoming House speaker,
Nancy Pelosi, is a harsh critic of Beijing's human rights record.
The Senate, with Harry Reid as majority leader, seems poised to play
hard ball with Beijing on a number of nasty trade issues. ...
"Beijing should be prepared for a round of China-bashing from
Congressional Democrats who accuse Beijing of unfair trading
practices, including an undervalued yuan and intellectual property
rights. ..."
5. Cross-Strait Relations
"How Can a Country be Under Two Systems? Capitulation Needs no
Test"
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000]
editorialized (11/18):
"New Party Kinmen [Quemoy] County Magistrate Lee Chu-feng made a
surprising statement in the county council, proposing to develop the
county into a 'One Country, Two System Test Zone' in order to
attract greater economic interest; it also attempts to create
another interactive option for cross-Strait relations to seek a
win-win situation. ...
"Although Hong Kong and Macau had gotten rid of colonization over
the past ten years, they were soon forced to be included in China's
territory. During this period of time, due to the lack of
democracy, residents [in these two areas] were never given the
opportunities to express their will and to determine their future.
Magistrate Lee's assertion, however, will proactively push the
Kinmen people from a democratic regime into the fire pit of
communist authoritarian rule; to put it bluntly, does Kinmen need a
test should it surrender to China? ..."
YOUNG