This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004913 
 
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
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ASEAN/EAS AFTERMATH, U.S. ARMS 
PROCUREMENTS 
 
¶1. Summary: As major Chinese-language Taiwan dailies 
continued December 17-19 to report and speculate on the 
possible candidates for the next premier and the race of the 
DPP chairmanship, coverage also focused on the U.S. arms 
procurement bill.  The centrist "China Times" ran a banner 
headline on its front page December 18 that read: "Bian Is 
Willing to Make Concession and the Pan-Blue Camp Is willing 
to Talk about the [U.S.] Arms Procurements."  The newspaper 
also spent its whole page four discussing how the Chen Shui- 
bian administration and the pan-Blue camp can work to 
resolve the deadlocked U.S. arms procurement bill and which 
items of weaponry the Taiwan military wants to buy.  With 
regard to the WTO ministerial meetings in Hong Kong, Taiwan 
papers gave moderate coverage to a WTO interim deal reached 
Sunday to end farm export subsidies by 2013 and the protests 
staged in Hong Kong. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, several opinion 
pieces discussed the recently-concluded East Asia Summit in 
Kuala Lumpur and its impact on Taiwan's future development. 
In addition, an editorial in the pro-independence "Taiwan 
Daily" urged the pan-Blue camp to renounce political 
manipulation and boycotts against the U.S. arms procurement 
bill so as to show Taiwan's determination to defend itself. 
End summary. 
 
¶1. ASEAN/EAS Aftermath 
 
A) "An Integration Model That Is Characteristic of East 
Asia" 
 
Hung Tsai-lung, associate research fellow at the Taiwan 
Institute of Economic Research, said in an opinion piece in 
the centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 
400,000] (12/19): 
 
". Even though the East Asia Summit (EAS) has yet to touch 
upon any substantive issues, its current development showed 
that a big framework for East Asia's future regional 
integration has emerged.  In other words, EAS did not 
replace `ASEAN plus three' as it was originally designed to 
do; instead, both EAS and ASEAN will co-exist and complement 
each other.  The EAS, which has more member states and is 
basically an opener and more outward-looking organization, 
will focus on non-economic and trade issues such as regional 
security and political cooperation, while the core `ASEAN 
plus three' will be responsible for promoting economic and 
trade integration in East Asia.  It remains to be seen 
whether such a parallel development system can operate 
effectively and successfully, but at least a regional 
integration model that is characteristic of East Asia and 
different from that of the European Union and the North 
American Free Trade Agreement is taking shape. . 
 
"It is generally expected that as regionalism grows more 
effective in East Asia, the United States will react more 
strongly [to such a development].  The most convenient 
method [for the United States to cope with such a 
development] will be to strengthen the function of APEC, in 
an attempt to use the broader `Asia Pacific' area to weaken 
the regional nature of `East Asia.'  Other possible 
strategies [that may be adopted by the United States] 
include signing bilateral or multilateral free trade 
agreements with the East Asian nations in an effort to 
eliminate or at least reduce the weight of regionalism in 
East Asia. ." 
 
B) "EAS Belittled by Actions of ASEAN" 
 
Chen Hurng-yu, professor of political history at National 
Chengchi University, wrote in an opinion piece in the pro- 
independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (12/19): 
 
". Unexpectedly, the East Asian stats, always planning and 
scheming, declared that EAS will be led by ASEAN, and that 
future summits will be held in ASEAN states.  This was a sly 
gamble and ASEAN defeated the major economic powers that had 
been so eager to try their luck.  The future direction and 
progress of the EAS will now be determined by ASEAN, 
something that surely vexes China, Japan and Australia. . 
 
"It could be said that these developments are belittling the 
EAS.  If ASEAN had from the outset intended to really open 
up the EAS, it should have let it become a true East Asian 
organization, with nations from throughout the region 
enjoying equal membership and rotating hosting rights.  This 
is the only way of giving the organization historic 
significance and value." 
 
C) "Taiwan Deserves a Seat at the EAS Table" 
 
Darson Chiu and Alex Hsu, both assistant research fellows at 
the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, noted in an 
opinion piece in the pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" [circulation: 300,000] (12/19): 
 
". From a trade and economic standpoint, there is no reason 
to exclude Taiwan [from the East Asia Summit].  However, 
lacking common roots, the idea of East Asian integration can 
only emerge if East Asians come to share a common vision of 
the future and are happy with their roles in such a vision. 
But the current reality is that East Asia is still far from 
fulfilling that vision. . If opportunities for participation 
don't exist, Taiwan should create them.  By taking advantage 
of its location, Taiwan could serve as the hub between 
northeast Asian and southeast Asian business networks." 
 
¶2. U.S. Arms Procurements 
 
"Only When the Pan-Blue Camp Renounces Political 
Manipulation and Boycotts Can There Be Real Hope for [the 
Passage] of U.S. Arms Procurement Bill" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] 
editorialized (12/19): 
 
". In an attempt to push for the passage of the U.S. arms 
procurement bill, all relevant government agencies, 
including the Defense Ministry and the Executive Yuan, 
should take the initiative to engage in open-minded 
communication with the opposition parties and work out a 
resolution that is acceptable for both sides.  Defense 
Minister Lee Jye's plan to visit KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou 
in person to lobby and win Ma's and the KMT legislative 
caucus' support for the bill is a positive move that 
deserves our encouragement.  The Executive branch has the 
responsibility to do all it can to ensure that the bill will 
be finally passed. 
 
"Taiwan is under increasing military threats from China as 
Beijing is deploying missiles along its southeastern coast 
aiming at Taiwan and also strengthening its navy combat 
capabilities.  Taiwan, as a result, must use concrete 
actions to prove its determination to defend itself so that 
it can the attention of the international community to this 
situation.  Both the ruling and opposition parties, in the 
wake of the [island-wide] elections, must put aside their 
partisan ideology, work together to ensure that the package 
arms procurement bill will be reviewed by the Legislative 
Yuan's Procedure Committee by the end of this session.  Only 
by doing so can Taiwan demonstrate its determination and 
efforts to defend itself." 
 
PAAL