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

060625Z Jan 06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000048 
 
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: TAIWAN'S NEW CONSTITUTION 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Major Chinese-language Taiwan dailies focused 
their coverage January 6 on a) KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's 
interview with local media about cross-Strait relations, 
U.S. arms procurement, and President Chen Shui-bian's 
proposal of a Chen-Ma meeting; b) President Chen's weekly e- 
newsletter that calls upon the public to ditch any fantasies 
about China; and c) other political issues. 
 
¶2. The pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a banner 
headline on its front page that read: "Ma Ying-jeou Throws 
out [the Topic of Launching] a `Direct Transportation 
Referendum' to Push for Three Links [across the Taiwan 
Strait]."  The newspaper also quoted Ma in its headline on 
page four as saying the "KMT and Chinese Communist Party 
might choose a third place for a platform of exchange" and 
that "[Ma] will not visit the United States until the 
[future direction of the U.S.] arms procurement bill becomes 
clearer."  The centrist "China Times" also quoted Ma on its 
page four as saying that "[the KMT] will no longer block the 
[U.S.] arms procurement bill once it [Taiwan] clarifies 
[Taiwan's defense] needs."  The pro-independence "Taiwan 
Daily," however, carried President Chen's e-newsletter on 
its front page, saying "[The public should] see clearly 
China's true intent to annex Taiwan and [should] ditch any 
fantasies [about China.]" 
 
¶3. In terms of editorials, a "United Daily News" editorial 
commented on President Chen's remarks about pushing for 
Taiwan's new Constitution in his New Year's Day address. 
The editorial discussed the possible contents of and 
procedures required for formulating such a new Constitution 
and concluded by saying it "can hardly see any legitimacy 
with regard to Chen's attempt to `push for Taiwan's new 
Constitution' here and now." End summary. 
 
"Probabilities and Improbabilities Concerning `Taiwan's New 
Constitution'" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 
400,000] commented in an editorial (1/6): 
 
"Chen Shui-bian talked about `pushing for Taiwan's new 
Constitution' in his New Year's Day address.  Questions 
regarding how such a new Constitution will be formulated, 
what contents it will include, and the political impact it 
will generate will become more and more popular political 
topics [of discussion]. . 
 
"With regard to the contents of the new Constitution, Chen 
hinted strongly in his New Year's Day address that [the new 
Constitution] will involve `rectifying [Taiwan's] name and 
the writing of a new Constitution.'  [Following Chen's 
logic,] will the so-called `Taiwan's new Constitution' 
simply be a disguise [to pay lip service to Green 
supporters] or will it really replace the [current] `ROC 
Constitution'?  The answer to this question will not be 
known until Chen unveils [the answer] himself.  But in the 
meantime, the `Presidential Office's Constitutional Re- 
engineering Office' claims that Chen has repeatedly 
guaranteed that the [government's] second-stage 
constitutional reform will not involve [sensitive] issues 
such as unification or independence, nor will it attempt to 
change Taiwan's national title.  [Comparing Chen's words 
with those of the Presidential Office's Constitutional Re- 
engineering Office], the [discussion about the] so-called 
`[Taiwan's] new Constitution' has turned into a Rashomon- 
like situation; namely, the Presidential Office now has two 
different versions for interpreting the `new Constitution' - 
that is, it will either be `the eighth amendment to the ROC 
Constitution' or it will be `the first edition of Taiwan's 
new Constitution.' 
 
"The contents of the new Constitution, however, are also 
related to the process of amending the Constitution (or 
writing a new Constitution).  If [the new Constitution] is 
simply meant to be `the eighth amendment to the ROC 
Constitution', it is then subject to the required 
constitutional procedures of `being initiated by the 
Legislative Yuan and then put forward in a referendum,' 
meaning that the Legislative Yuan will have to get involved 
in the process.  [On the other hand,] only when [the 
government] is determined to institute and promulgate a 
genuine `first edition of Taiwan's new Constitution' can it 
adopt the method of `having the bill initiated by civilians 
(by Chen himself, actually).'  If this is the case, [the 
government] must understand that it will have to severely 
confront or even go to war with those who disagree with 
"Taiwan's new Constitution' within and outside Taiwan 
(including the United States, mainland China, and ROC 
citizens.) 
 
"Given the afore-mentioned brief analysis, we can hardly see 
any legitimacy with regard to Chen's attempt to `push for 
Taiwan's new Constitution' here and now. ." 
 
PAAL