VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1026/01 0862238
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 272238Z MAR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9349
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4970
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6166

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001026 
 
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: KMT CHAIRMAN MA YING-JEOU'S U.S. TRIP 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
coverage March 25-27 on KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's U.S. trip; the 
DPP's decision to cancel its proposed "Grand Debate" on the party's 
policy toward China; the Ministry of Transportation and 
Communications' announcement Saturday regarding the freeway 
electronic toll collection system; the civil lawsuit filed by a 
local labor broker against Thai laborers for causing a riot at a 
Kaohsiung mass rapid transit construction site; and the suicide of a 
suspect allegedly involved in a recent train derailment.  Several 
papers carried in their inside pages March 26 Ma's statement at UC 
Berkeley that the status quo across the Taiwan Strait is President 
Chen Shui-bian's "Five No's" pledges.  The pro-status quo "China 
Times" also ran a banner headline on its page two March 27 that 
read: "Ma Being in the Spotlight in the United States; Bian and 
[Annette] Lu Will Not Take Any Action [against Ma] for the Time 
Being."  The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest 
daily, ran an exclusive news story on its page two March 27 with the 
headline: "China Plays a New Malicious Trick [on Taiwan] by Planning 
to Propose Implementation Guidelines for Its Anti-Secession Law." 
 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" 
editorial criticized Ma's U.S. remarks and said they are full of 
"blind spots."  A "Liberty Times" news analysis said Washington's 
high-profile treatment of Ma sent out the wrong message to Beijing 
and Japan.  The article added that if Washington joins the others in 
isolating President Chen, how can it expect Chen not to create more 
surprises?  An editorial in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" said 
Ma has to clarify his statements about primary and secondary enemies 
when he comes back to Taiwan.  An editorial in the pro-independence 
"Taiwan Daily" also condemned Ma's pro-China stance as allegedly 
revealed in remarks he made in the United States.  Editorials in the 
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" and "Taiwan News" both blasted Ma for using words to romance 
Washington while failing to defend Taiwan's democracy and national 
interests.  End summary. 
 
A) "Ma Ying-jeou's Remarks During His Visit to the United States Are 
Full of Blind Spots" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] said in 
its editorial (3/27): 
 
"... We are not sure if Ma Ying-jeou dares to promote the Republic 
of China to U.S. officials when he meets with them.  [Does he] dare 
to ask the United States to recognize the Republic of China?  In our 
view, Ma does not have such courage.  The reason is that U.S. 
officials would faint if they heard [his] 'One China is the Republic 
of China' [statement].  All Ma is doing is bringing exports back 
home [appearing to speak to foreigners while in fact talking to his 
constituency at home].  What's more, Ma's home market also includes 
China across the Strait.  For the People's Republic of China, a 
Republic of China aimed at ultimate unification can be said to be a 
pawn for annexing Taiwan. ... 
 
"Ma has brought his revised ultimate unification theory along during 
his grand U.S. visit.  However, the U.S. government should know it 
very clearly.  Ma's 'One China is the Republic of China' [statement] 
is not only ignorant of the facts, but also contrary to legal 
principles.  The goal of his cross-Strait interim structure is not 
to maintain the cross-Strait status quo but [to seek] ultimate 
unification.  The United States learns about Ma's bottom line by 
letting him pay a visit, and this may have given him an opportunity 
to show off, but Ma's authentic unification complex is more 
highlighted as a consequence." 
 
B) "The United States' High-Profile Treatment to Ma Sends out the 
Wrong Message" 
 
Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in a news analysis of the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] (3/25) 
 
"... The Bush administration's message conveyed via its high-profile 
treatment of Ma Ying-jeou has evidently created spacious room for 
different interpretations.  The move may not only likely endanger 
the relationship between the Bian administration and Washington, but 
will also send the wrong message to both Beijing and Japan. ... 
 
"The Bush administration has repeatedly requested that Beijing 
engage in a dialogue with the Bian administration.  If [U.S. Deputy 
Secretary of State] Robert Zoellick and other [high-ranking 
 
SIPDIS 
American] officials' meetings [with Ma] were meant to play a 
united-front game by using Taiwan's opposition parties to restrain 
the Bian administration, Beijing will surely follow suit.  [In that 
case,] how can Beijing possibly take Washington's request for [the 
resumption of] a cross-Strait dialogue seriously?  If Washington 
also joins [the others] in isolating Chen Shui-bian, how can it 
expect Chen, who is not under pressure for re-election, not create 
more surprises for the United States? ..." 
 
C) "Shadows Behind Ma's Successful Trip to the United States" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] 
editorialized (3/27): 
 
"Ma's biggest oversight during his U.S. trip was that he said 
something very inappropriate - that is, he said he hopes China could 
differentiate between the Republic of Taiwan and the Republic of 
China, [namely] its primary and secondary enemy. ... If Ma regards 
Taiwan independence as a target that he will join China to fight 
against, then what did he really mean by his earlier statement that 
"Taiwan independence is one of the possible options for Taiwan 
people [to decide their future]'?  Which of these two statements 
that contradict with each other is true?  Is it another lie [when Ma 
claimed that he] respects the democratic choices of the Taiwan 
people?  Taiwan independence cannot possibly be a possible option 
for the Taiwan people and at the same time being a target that [Ma] 
will join China in fighting against.  One of these two statements 
must be a lie, but which one?  Ma must clarify that when he comes 
back to Taiwan. 
 
"Heritage Foundation's Chinese affairs specialist John J. Tkacik was 
concerned about Ma and the KMT's blueprint, saying that [the KMT's] 
refusal to invest in Taiwan's national defense in the face of 
China's growing military strength will eventually lead to a 
situation whereas Taiwan's security is at the will of China and 
Taiwan will become a bigger Hong Kong.  This is also something that 
Ma needs to clarify with the Taiwan people. ..." 
 
D) "Ma Ying-jeou Clearly Tells China to Designate Those Pursuing 
National Independence As Primary Enemies; [This] Violates Taiwan 
Interest; [He] Is China's Fellow Traveler" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] noted in 
its editorial (3/27): 
 
"[During] his current U.S. visit, Ma Ying-jeou has played the 
keynote of maintaining the Republic of China's status quo and 
opposing Taiwan independence and nation building.  He is willingly 
to play the 'alternative role' of check-and-balancing the mainstream 
Taiwan public opinion in exchange for the highly profiled reception 
by the U.S. side... 
 
"... An examination of Ma's U.S. visit [shows that] he has been 
avoiding any talk on Taiwan's sovereignty issue all the time.  Ma is 
only a 'Taiwan OEM [product],' which, in fact, carries a 
made-in-China labeling.  Faced with China's menacing threat, what 
Taiwan needs is a leader of wisdom, who insists on the Taiwan First 
ideal, holds great visions, respects the public opinion, and is not 
afraid of the enemy's strong pressure.  [What we do not need is] one 
with only nice appearance but no internal value, who evades talking 
about Taiwan's sovereignty, has only short-term visions, ignores the 
public opinion, fears the strong enemy, tries to collaborate with 
the enemy, and only talks empty words. ..." 
 
E) "Ma Ying-jeou Romances Washington" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (3/25): 
 
"... Most people of influence in Washington are not privy to the 
wealth of Ma's throwaway comments and actions over the years that 
reflect the subordinate status of democracy in his thinking.  But 
these people are privy to the analysis of foreign correspondents who 
prefer to wax lyrical, for example, on Ma's beautiful features. 
Wiser heads in Washington would do well to carefully note this 
schmooze factor in Ma's politicking, and how it plays a more 
important role for his presidential aspirations than coherent 
policy.  Much has been made of Ma's disarming language skills and 
congenial manner as he travels across Europe and the US, contrasting 
acutely with Chen's scattershot English and ventriloquist dummy's 
grin.  And for Ma, the timing of his US trip is quite superb. 
Exploiting US jitters over Iraq by presenting a pragmatic 'solution' 
to ominous problems in the Taiwan Strait could not be a more 
lucrative strategy. 
 
"It can only be hoped that those who expect more from Ma than a warm 
handshake, a dazzling smile and complete English sentences will 
continue to probe him on his willingness and ability to stand up to 
Chinese violence.  The skeptical will also have noted that with Ma, 
there is only a small gap between being smooth and being slippery. 
It has proven impossible for anyone to establish why, in Ma's 
opinion, Beijing would take the slightest notice of a president who 
fails to keep his military fully armed.  This is because Ma has 
patronized his US audiences with a mix of carefully structured 
evasiveness and mistruths.  There's also been a hefty slice of pie 
in the sky: the idea that China would consider Ma's proposal of a 30 
to 50-year moratorium on unification and then honor any agreement is 
so nave as to be pitiful. ... 
 
"Any person who walks away from a meeting with Ma starry-eyed at the 
sight of a 'Chinese' political leader speaking passable English and 
promising stability, economic development and a democratic China is 
abjectly nave - and Ma would surely agree, given that he has 
already stated that Americans are gullible.  The irony is that it is 
to these same Americans whom Ma is pitching his wares.  Sadly, there 
is every likelihood that he will find many an eager customer itching 
for traction in the dying years of the Bush administration." 
 
F) "Ma Displays Lack of Integrity in U.S." 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan News" [circulation: 20,000] wrote in an 
editorial (3/27): 
 
 
"During his touted trip to the United States last week, opposition 
Kuomintang Chairman and Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou demonstrated 
his lack of political integrity and sincerity on the key issues 
facing our nation, including the critical problem of how to maintain 
lasting peace in the Taiwan Strait. ...  There is little doubt that 
Ma succeeded in boosting his image with this visit, but it is 
unfortunate that in the process, Taiwan's national interests have 
become the sacrificial victim. ... Ma's lack of integrity or courage 
to defend Taiwan democracy against China's military intimidation and 
missile threats, as well as his transparent elevation of his 
individual and partisan interests above the national interests of 
Taiwan's 23 million people deserves serious criticism and censure. 
..." 
 
YOUNG