VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0595/01 0580853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270853Z FEB 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8707
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4725
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 5920

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000595 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ERIC 
BARBORIAK 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN'S PLAN TO ABOLISH 
THE NATIONAL UNIFICATION COUNCIL AND GUIDELINES 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies 
continued to provide extensive reporting February 25-27 on 
Chen's plan to abolish the National Unification Council 
(NUC) and National Unification Guidelines (NUG), but 
coverage also focused on a controversy over the new 
electronic toll collection system for Taiwan's freeways, the 
February 28 Incident of 1947, and the Philippine military 
camp standoff.  The pro-independence "Liberty Times," 
Taiwan's biggest daily, ran a banner headline on its front 
page February 27 that read: "[Taiwan] Has Obtained 
Washington's Understanding and Will Announce [the Decision 
to] Abolish the NUC and NUG Today."  The newspaper also 
carried a news story on its page two February 25 with the 
headline: "The National Security Council Submitted Its 
Assessment Report on the Abolition of the NUC and NUG [to 
Chen] Last Friday.  Chen Will Not Reiterate the Four No's 
Pledge When Announcing [His Decision to] Abolish the NUC and 
NUG."  The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" carried a letter 
supporting Chen's plan to abolish the NU written 
by Taiwan's "Hand-in-Hand Alliance" to U.S. President George 
¶W. Bush via AIT Taipei on its front page February 26.  The 
pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a front-page story 
February 27 with the headline: "[Taiwan] Will Avoid Using 
[the Word] `Abolish;' NUC Will Cease to Apply."  The sub- 
headline added: "Bian to Host High-Level National Security 
Meeting Today to Decide on the Matter.  [Chen] Will Not 
Reiterate the `Four No's' Pledge And Has No Intention of 
Changing the Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait.  The 
United States Will Openly Say It 'Understands'."  The pro- 
status quo "China Times," on the other hand, ran a banner 
headline on its front page February 27 that said: 
"Washington and Taipei Negotiating On the Wording: to 
`Abolish,' `Freeze' Or `Suspend' [the NUC and NUG].  Bian 
Will Make a Final Decision Regarding the Abolition of the 
NUC and NUG."  The newspaper also ran an article on an 
interview between Taiwan's CTI TV and an unnamed senior U.S. 
official on its page three February 27; the U.S. official 
was quoted as saying that the "Taiwan Relations Act is not a 
blank check with which Taiwan can make any kind of repeated 
demands it wants," and that even though the United States 
takes its commitment seriously, it is "not an open-ended 
commitment to any particular government on Taiwan to 
completely ignore America's interests." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty 
Times" editorial said "What matters today is not whether 
Taiwan `abolishes the NUC and NUG' or the `Four No's' pledge 
but whether China will `renounce the use of force' against, 
and its `intention' to annex, Taiwan."  Washington 
correspondent Nadia Tsao also said in the "Liberty Times" 
that since Chen is determined to abolish the NUC and NUG, 
what Taiwan needs to do now is damage control.  An editorial 
in the limited-circulated, pro-independence, English- 
language "Taiwan News" argued that scraping the NUC can 
defend Taiwan's interests and the status quo.  Journalist 
Sean Liu analyzed Chen's attitude in abolishing the NUC in 
the "United Daily News; according to Liu, "Chen seems to 
want to use the `abolition of the NUC and NUG' to further 
nail down his `one country on each side of the [Taiwan] 
Strait' doctrine.  In addition to warning Beijing not to 
just contact Taiwan's opposition parties and forcing the KMT 
to state clearly its stance on cross-Strait relations, Chen 
also hopes that the international community, including the 
United States, will not use `one China' to define the status 
quo across the Taiwan Strait any more."  A separate "United 
Daily News" editorial strongly questioned the DPP for 
supporting Chen's move to abolish the NUC and NUG and asked 
if the DPP has abandoned its `middle way' approach.  End 
summary. 
 
A) "The Key Lies in the Fact that China Must `Renounce the 
Use of Force' against, and `Unification' with, Taiwan" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
asserted in an editorial (2/27): 
 
". The cause and result of the so-called `Five No's' pledge 
are in fact very clear; namely, the sentence that `as long 
as Beijing has no intention to use force against Taiwan' is 
a necessary prerequisite.  Without this prerequisite, the 
inference - the `Four No's' - naturally will not exist. 
Beijing has never renounced [its intention] to use force 
against Taiwan since 2000; furthermore, it is increasing its 
military threat against the island.  The United States' 
repeated warnings that military strength across the Taiwan 
Strait will become imbalanced and its call for Taiwan to 
pass the [U.S.] arms procurement bill as early as possible 
 
are all the best evidence. . In other words, the foundation 
of the `Five No's' pledge was long ago destroyed by China 
itself. . 
 
"The so-called `[move to] abolish the NUC and NUG' is 
nothing but a move to fulfill democracy.  Moreover, Taiwan's 
status quo shows that it is already an independent and 
democratic sovereign state.  The so-called `changing of the 
status quo' should thus refer to `the pursuit of unification 
[with China].'  Both the NUC and NUG pursue [the goal of] 
unification; they are thus in themselves an attempt to alter 
the status quo. . 
 
"Those who support ultimate unification [with China] called 
the `Five No's' pledge the greatest common denominator 
between Washington, Beijing and Taipei.  But in reality, the 
common interests of the three sides do not lie in the `Five 
No's' pledge but in the statement that `China has no 
intention to use force against Taiwan.'  It will be good and 
welcome news for regional stability and for the Chinese 
people as well if China thoroughly renounces the use of 
force against Taiwan and its military expansionism.  As a 
result, what matters today is not whether Taiwan `abolishes 
the NUC and NUG' or the `Four No's' pledge but whether China 
would `renounce the use of force' against, and `unification' 
with (i.e. renounce [its intention] to annex), Taiwan." 
 
B) "United States Hopes That Bian Could Do Damage Control 
with Regard to the Impact Caused by His Abolition of the NUC 
and NUG" 
 
Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in the "Washington 
Observation" column in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" 
[circulation: 600,000] wrote (2/26): 
 
"Officials of the Bush administration [indeed] have doubts 
about Chen Shui-bian's credibility.  But it would be too 
absurd [to believe] the rumors that Washington will review 
the Taiwan Relations Act or withdraw [its commitment to] 
provide military protection to Taiwan.  First, even if 
Taiwan abolishes the NUC and NUG, Washington is clearly 
aware how far the Chen Shui-bian administration, under the 
restraint of Washington and Taiwan's opposition parties, can 
move along on the road to Taiwan independence.  Second, the 
fact that the United States has continued arms sales, and 
has developed strong non-official ties, with Taiwan after it 
established diplomatic relations with Beijing shows that 
Washington has its own profound strategic considerations. 
In the face of China's growing strength without a clear 
intention, Washington needs Taiwan, a democratic ally, to 
restrain Beijing.  It will do Washington more harm and no 
good if it `penalizes' Taiwan and jeopardizes the foundation 
of Washington-Taipei ties.  To tell the truth, it will 
really be a nightmare for Washington if Taiwan announces 
today that it is interested in unifying with China. 
 
"Nonetheless, even those Americans who are close to Taiwan 
believe that the abolition of the NUC and NUG does not come 
without exacting a price [with regard] to Washington-Taipei 
ties.  What Taiwan needs to do now is damage control; 
perhaps Taiwan can at least reduce the impact [of the 
abolition of the NUC and NUG] to a minimum if it could let 
[U.S. President George W.] Bush and Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice hear Taiwan's voices via certain channels." 
 
C) "Dumping NUC Defends Taiwan's Interests" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" 
[circulation: 20,000] editorialized (2/27): 
 
"Since all indications are that President Chen Shui-bian is 
resolved to abolish the anachronistic NUC and its NUG, it is 
time for the president and the Democratic Progressive Party 
to fully prepare a possible backlash from Taiwan's domestic 
opposition and also from some portions of the international 
community. .  We fully support President Chen's decisive 
move, but also strongly urge him and the DPP government to 
incorporate effective skills of persuasion and public 
explanation to generate domestic support and international 
understanding. . 
 
"We urge the Bush administration to continue unprejudiced 
bilateral communications and take account of the fact that 
the abolition of the NUC and NUG aims to safeguard against, 
not promote, `unilateral changes' in the cross-strait 
status. .  By habitually unilaterally blaming Taiwan for 
`making trouble' across the Taiwan Strait, the international 
 
community has inflicted a grave injustice to the Taiwan 
people who have adhered to democratic values of peace, 
freedom and self-determination and instated has encouraged 
Beijing to continue its military intimidation and political 
squeezing against Taiwan. 
 
"In response, the DPP government must utilize its resources 
to launch proactive and extensive campaigns to explain 
President Chen's decision to the world community.   Such 
efforts should stress that the source of `trouble' lies in 
Beijing's military deployments against Taiwan and its anti- 
secession law and that the abolishment of the NUC and NUG 
has nothing to do with `provoking' the PRC but much to do 
with safeguarding Taiwan's democracy.  The next couple of 
months will be a critical time for Taiwan to appeal to the 
international community to respect our right to defend our 
own national interests through guaranteeing the democratic 
principle of self-determination and by ensuring peace based 
on democracy and equality in the Taiwan Strait." 
 
D) "Why Is Bian so Tough This Time?" 
 
Journalist Sean Liu commented in a news analysis in the pro- 
unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
(2/27): 
 
"The hidden wrestling between Washington, Beijing, and 
Taipei over [President Chen's plan to] `abolish the NUC and 
NUG' over the past month has finally come to the moment of 
showdown. .  Judged by the remarks of Chen and other 
relevant officials, Chen seems to want to use the `abolition 
of the NUC and NUG' to further nail down his `one country on 
each side of the [Taiwan] Strait' doctrine.  In addition to 
warning Beijing not to just contact Taiwan's opposition 
parties and forcing the KMT to state clearly its stance on 
cross-Strait relations, Chen also hopes that the 
international community, including the United States, not to 
use `one China' to define the status quo across the Taiwan 
Strait any more. . 
 
"In the face of Washington's grave concerns, the 
Presidential Office seemed to want to express, via certain 
appropriate ways, that it has no intention to change the 
status quo, in an attempt to release Washington's 
backlashes.  Perhaps following constant communications 
[between Taipei and Washington], the United States' 
backlashes will not be as strong as the opposition parties 
imagine them to be.  Naturally, the United States will not 
give up helping to defend Taiwan just for [Chen's] move, but 
it definitely has the power to let Taiwan feel Washington's 
displeasure by using some matters that Taiwan cares but 
which will not jeopardize the balance across the Taiwan 
Strait. . 
 
"Chen is about to announce his move to abolish the NUC and 
NUG.  People can soon tell whether Taiwan can break through 
the attacks from both the United States and China.  Even 
though Beijing may over-react like it used to and Taiwan can 
thus win the international community's sympathy, the 
Presidential Office must not always count on its enemy's 
mistakes to decide on its major policies." 
 
E) "Has the DPP Thoroughly Abandoned Its Middle-of-the-Road 
Route?" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 
400,000] editorialized (2/26): 
 
". [Chen] has been flip-flapping between his plan to 
`rectify Taiwan's name and write a new constitution' and his 
statement that it is a move `that deceives himself and 
others as well;' and between his plan to `abolish the NUC 
and NUG' and his [assurance] that [such a move] will not 
`alter the status quo.'  [Chen] has no `faith' and no 
`policy' but only `schemes and power' in mind.  Now Chen has 
kept the DPP on a short leash via [DPP Chairman] Yu Shyi- 
kun, and again held Taiwan as a hostage via the DPP.  He put 
the Taiwan independence topic on the table regardless of any 
consequences jus to resolve his personal leadership crisis; 
in the meantime, he has pushed the DPP's route to a narrower 
end. . 
 
"Chen is holding the DPP as a hostage.  As a result, the 
Taiwan people, Washington, and Beijing all view Chen as 
capricious; by the same token, they will all view the DPP as 
unreliable.  They will all distrust Chen, and they will all 
distrust the DPP.  They all view Chen as backpedaling, so 
 
will they view the DPP.  Is it really wise and worthwhile 
for the DPP to put such a spell on the party's door just for 
Chen's sake? ." 
 
KEEGAN