VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1039/01 0870924
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280924Z MAR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9365
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4975
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6170

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001039 
 
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 28 on a controversial civil lawsuit filed by a local 
manpower company against Thai laborers for causing a riot at a 
Kaohsiung mass rapid transit construction site; KMT Chairman Ma 
Ying-jeou's U.S. trip; and other political and environmental issues. 
 The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, ran 
an exclusive news story on its front page with the banner headline: 
"[Taiwan's] Navy to Hold Big Exercises Starting Today.  Taiwan, the 
United States, and Japan Will Link up Their Line of Security 
Defense."  The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily," on the other hand, 
ran a front-page news story that quoted KMT Organizational 
Development Committee Chief Liao Feng-teh as saying the pan-Blue 
camp will announce its candidate for the 2008 presidential election 
by August 2007. 
 
In terms of Ma's U.S. trip, the pro-status quo "China Times" ran a 
news story on its page four with the headline: "Ma: Taiwan Will Not 
Become a Flash Point in Asia."  The "China Times" also spent almost 
all of its page four reporting on the last leg of Ma's stay in the 
United States and the DPP's comments on Ma's trip. 
 
¶2. The pro-independence papers, including the "Liberty Times," 
"Taiwan Daily," and limited-circulation, English-language "Taipei 
Times," continued to editorialize on Ma's U.S. trip by criticizing 
Ma's cross-Strait policy; according to these newspapers' editorials, 
Ma's U.S. remarks reveal his pro-China stance and wishful thinking. 
A "China Times" commentary also said Ma's cross-Strait policy is 
full of uncertainties.  An editorial in the limited-circulation, 
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said: 
"It now requires Beijing's patience and Washington's resolve to rein 
in the reckless Chen, who is bent on building a legacy as the leader 
of Taiwan independence during his remaining two years in office." 
End summary. 
 
A) "[Do We] Still Need to Deify Ma Ying-jeou?" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (3/28): 
 
"... The media were crazy about idolizing Ma Ying-jeou during his 
trip to the United States by exaggerating the high-profile treatment 
he received.  But they overlooked the fact that Ma's free and 
unlimited disclosure of his unification complex has led people to 
compare him with [South Korean President] Roh Moo-Hyun.  It is 
indeed a huge irony for those media which uphold globalization all 
the time to make a god of Ma behind closed doors. ..." 
 
B) "A Close Look into Ma's Vacillating Ideas of Taiwan's Sovereignty 
and His Cross-Strait Policy Will Make the [Taiwan] People Better 
Understand His Pro-China Nature" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] said in 
an editorial (3/28): 
 
"... During his U.S. trip, Ma Ying-jeou failed to expose to the U.S. 
government and the international community China's aggressiveness to 
use force against Taiwan and he failed to appeal to them about 
China's various attempts to squeeze and suppress Taiwan's room in 
the international community.  Ma's behaviors clearly indicate that 
he does not constantly keep the Taiwan people and Taiwan's 
sovereignty in his heart.  Ma did not even dare to speak up loudly 
about Taiwan's self-defense needs when he talked about the [U.S.] 
arms procurement bill.  Taiwan people, how can you not be angry with 
such a Ma Ying-jeou?  How can you feel comfortable about allowing 
such a Ma Ying-jeou to become Taiwan's president in 2008?" 
 
C) "Ma Ying-jeou's Wishful Thinking" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (3/28): 
 
"During his tour of the US, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman 
Ma Ying-jeou finally elaborated to an extent on his future policies 
as leader of the KMT.  It is now time for US government officials in 
charge of East Asian affairs and the Taiwanese public to make an 
objective assessment of what Ma said and to see if it stands up to 
scrutiny. ...  Ma's arguments, along with his oratorical skills, may 
make him a much worthier leader of the opposition.  The problem is 
that Ma's vision of the development of cross-strait relations is 
distorted by wishful thinking.  For example, he still markets the 
'1992 consensus,' which never existed ...  Ma must surely be aware 
that Beijing's idea of a consensus is that Taiwan accepts China's 
position on the issue, no matter what. ...  It is unlikely, 
therefore, that China is going to accept Ma's standpoint of 'one 
China, with each side having its own interpretation.' ... 
 
"When Ma talks of 'one China,' he is referring to the ROC, whose 
territory includes the PRC, Inner Mongolia and Taiwan.  This not 
only goes against international consensus, but also betrays a 
stubbornness of which dictator Chiang Kai-shek himself would have 
been proud.  By raising this idea during his US trip, Ma showed some 
political naivete.  This probably caused a lot of talk and not a 
little mirth amongst government officials in the US, and did little 
to impress those in Beijing.  It would seem that the new generation 
of KMT leaders do not have anything new to say, still fantasizing 
that their David can fell China's Goliath, unaware that they are in 
constant danger of being flattened.  Ma's trip to the US should have 
taught him that he still has much to learn about international 
politics." 
 
D) "Ma Ying-jeou Should Do More Homework" 
 
Columnist Wang Hsing-ching said in the pro-status quo "China Times" 
[circulation: 400,000] (3/28): 
 
"... Evidently, Ma Ying-jeou seems to have passed the 'three-sided 
examination' jointly hosted by the U.S. deputy secretary of state, 
the deputy national security adviser, and the assistant secretary of 
defense.  Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that TECRO Chief 
David Lee was not invited to attend such a meeting.  If Lee 
participated in the meeting, he would naturally, based on his job 
responsibilities, have had to report to President Chen Shui-bian 
about the contents of the meeting, but now A-bian has no clue about 
the contents of Ma's conversation with the United States.  Such a 
move was highly symbolic as it indicates that Washington has 
deliberately determined to isolate A-bian.  Washington's attempt to 
'freeze Bian' has proved that it has become a fixed direction of the 
United States to 'draw a line to lock Bian in' over the next two 
years. 
 
"But Ma's several public remarks made during his U.S. trip indicates 
that his cross-Strait policy is indeed full of uncertainties.  When 
he talked about the '1992 Consensus,' direct transportation across 
the Taiwan Strait, the opening of Taiwan investments on the 
mainland, or even the 'modus vivendi,' he was obviously reiterating 
the KMT's version of its cross-Strait policy.  But Ma's logic seemed 
to get incoherent when he said 'the ROC is an independent sovereign 
state;' 'Taiwan does not need to declare independence twice;' and 
when he mentioned the historical development of Taiwan.  Somehow, 
beneath his Blue skin was revealed some Green bone. ..." 
 
E) "Ma Revising KMT-CCP Race" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] said in an editorial (3/28): 
 
"Ma Ying-jeou returns home tomorrow from a nine-day, five-city U.S. 
trip aimed at building an image of a cultivated, pragmatic and 
trustworthy leader, in contrast with that of Taiwan's present 
leader, President Chen Shui-bian. ...  If Ma becomes president, 
cross-strait relations will be transformed and the long delayed 
economic and social integration between the two sides will be 
accelerated.  In turn, that will unleash a new economic boom in 
Taiwan, put China in a more favorable light in Taiwan, and 
ultimately promote the 'Taiwan experience' of freedom and democracy 
on the mainland.  But that is still two years away.  The current 
administration, which provokes China, will stay on until 2008.  It 
now requires Beijing's patience and Washington's resolve to rein in 
the reckless Chen, who is bent on building a legacy as the leader of 
Taiwan independence during his remaining two years in office. ..." 
 
YOUNG