Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06AITTAIPEI744, KMT CHAIRMAN MA YING-JEOU'S "NEW DISCOURSE" ON

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06AITTAIPEI744.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06AITTAIPEI744 2006-03-09 08:09 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
VZCZCXYZ0025
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0744/01 0680809
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090809Z MAR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8956
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4826
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6023
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000744 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ERIC 
BARBORIAK 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL TA KPAO TW
 
SUBJECT: KMT CHAIRMAN MA YING-JEOU'S "NEW DISCOURSE" ON 
CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS: THE VIEW OF LOCAL OPINION- 
MAKERS 
 
 
1.  Summary:  This cable is the first of two reports 
looking at local media and commentators' take on 
Taiwan's current political environment.  This one looks 
at Ma Ying-jeou's recent public discourse; the second 
will focus on Chen Shui-bian.  This analysis was 
drafted by one of AIT's senior local employees in the 
Press Section based on her view of commentary over the 
last month.  End summary. 
 
2.  In the wake of the KMT's landslide victory in the 
December 2005 island-wide elections, KMT Chairman Ma 
Ying-jeou has started to make public statements 
concerning his and the KMT's positions on cross-Strait 
relations, sparking heated discussions in Taiwan. 
Perhaps the most daring and confusing was a KMT 
advertisement published in the "Liberty Times" that for 
the first time included "Taiwan independence" as a 
possible option for the Taiwan people to determine 
their own future.  Observers are now debating whether 
the KMT under Ma's leadership had reversed its cross- 
Strait policy stance and moved toward a "middle-of-the- 
road" direction, and whether Ma was being inconsistent 
or just testing the waters to attract "light-Green" 
voters. 
 
3. Ma and almost all political observers believe he has 
a virtual lock on the 2008 KMT presidential nomination. 
Ma has always been extremely cautious in handling 
sensitive topics such as Taiwan's national identity, 
ethnic relations, and the issue of unification and 
independence.  As a native of Hunan Province born in 
Hong Kong, Ma has long realized that the ethnic 
conundrum and his attitude toward 
unification/independence would be his greatest 
vulnerability if he decides to run for the presidency 
in 2008. Ma is clearly aware that he could be labeled 
as "pro-China" or "selling out Taiwan" (as was former 
KMT Chairman Lien Chan) by his pan-Green rivals if he 
fails to handle these issues carefully.  Even before Ma 
was first elected Taipei mayor in 1998, he has been 
preparing for these potential challenges, including 
studying the Taiwanese and Hakka dialects; expressing 
concern and goodwill to the family members of victims 
of the 1947 February 28 Incident; refusing to criticize 
former President Lee Teng-hui; declining to visit 
mainland China; and hanging a huge portrait of an 
aboriginal hero outside the KMT headquarters building. 
 
4. Before the December 2005 island-wide local 
elections, Ma rarely elaborated on his views in public 
on cross-Strait issues; rather, he made only brief and 
fractional comments on this topic when he could not 
avoid comment altogether.  Now Ma faces a contrary 
problem: he has said too much. Ma's major statements on 
cross-Strait relations since the election include: his 
last mid-December interview with "Newsweek," in which 
he said unification with China is "the KMT's ultimate 
goal;" his article entitled "Taiwan's Pragmatic Path" 
published in the "Asian Wall Street Journal"; several 
speeches delivered during his recent Europe visit 
elaborating on his vision on the future development of 
cross-Strait relations. Some critics, as a result, are 
criticizing Ma for throwing out a series of 
contradictory statements on cross-Strait relations, 
without any clear consistent approach now, with the 
presidential elections still two years away.  Others, 
however, including some high-ranking KMT officials, 
said these sensitive and controversial issues are like 
rashes, and that it is better for Ma to deal with them 
now in order to gain immunity later than to get hit by 
them in the run up to the 2007 and 2008 legislative and 
presidential elections. 
 
5.  When Chen Shui-bian visited London in December 
1999, as he was about to run for the presidency in 
2000, he gave a speech at the London School of 
Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) on "The New 
Middle Road for Taiwan: A New Perspective."  In 
February 2006, Ma delivered a speech at LSE on 
"Bridging the Divide: A vision for Peace in East Asia", 
in which he proposed the "3-C and 2-P" theory (namely, 
both sides across the Taiwan Strait will move from 
"confrontation" to "conciliation," and eventually to 
"cooperation," in order to achieve "peace" and 
"prosperity") as a prescription for breaking the cross- 
 
 
Strait impasse.  It may just be a historical 
coincidence that Ma joined Chen in choosing the same 
venue, LSE, to emphasize his own "middle course" 
approach before the presidential election campaigns 
began.  But Ma enjoys more space to move towards the 
"middle way."  Each time Chen has had tried to do so, 
he has been pulled back to the independence extreme of 
the political spectrum eventually by the deep-green 
elements.  Ma's supporters, on the other hand, show 
more tolerance of Ma's efforts to move towards the 
middle way, as they regard him as the only hope for the 
pan-Blue camp to regain the ruling power. 
 
6. Jaw Shao-kang, a well-known TV/radio commentator, 
argued that Ma should not have expressed his pro- 
unification stance but rather should have limited 
himself to re-stating his position against Taiwan 
independence in line with the KMT's official position 
in support of"anti-independence while remaining silent 
about the issue of unification," a position clearly 
aimed at "maintaining the status quo."  "The DPP's plan 
to push for independence while claiming it is 
maintaining the status quo is a move that deceives 
itself and others as well," Jaw said.  "Unification, 
unlike independence, has never been an issue of 
importance for Taiwan now because only very few people 
in Taiwan support immediate unification with China. 
Even proponents of unification think that Taiwan and 
China should not unify until conditions are ripe," Jaw 
added.  Academia Sinica Institute of Social Science 
Assistant Research Fellow Hsu Yung-ming, on the other 
hand, was quoted as saying that Ma's attempt to pull 
himself out of the confusion created by his unification 
comment has actually pushed him and the KMT deeper into 
the confusion and, as a result, helped Chen dampen the 
controversy sparked by Chen's proposal to abolish the 
NUC and NUG.  Other academic commentators argued that 
Ma's emphasis on the "pragmatic path" was intended to 
clarify his position to Washington.  Tsai Wei, a 
professor at National Chengchi University's Institute 
of International Relations, maintained that the U.S. 
prefers Taiwan leaders who support Taiwan independence 
but have the foresight to refrain from publicly 
declaring this support in order to meet the U.S. 
national interests of "no war, no peace, no 
unification, and no independence in the Taiwan Strait." 
Chairman Ma, Tsai observed, "is trying to remove U.S. 
doubts that he might get too close with China." 
 
7.  Ma's unilateral decision to acknowledge 
independence as one of the options for Taiwan people, 
however, invited internal criticism and spawned 
division in his own camp.  Former KMT Chairman Lien 
Chan openly criticized Ma's statement, while KMT 
Legislative Yuan (LY) President Wang Jin-pyng, who 
himself promoted independence as one option for Taiwan 
during his own unsuccessful run for the KMT 
chairmanship against Ma last July, also challenged Ma's 
one-man and top-to-down decision-making style.  The pan- 
Green camp, on the other hand, rejoined that Ma's 
recent moves reflect his opportunist efforts to attract 
"light-Green" DPP supporters and enhance his image as a 
moderate presidential candidate who seeks a new "middle 
way" or "pragmatic path." 
 
8.  Some analysts, however, praised Ma's new stance on 
cross-Strait relations.  "China Times Weekly" Chief 
Editor Wang Mei-yu said in a TV talk show program that 
Ma is the first KMT chairman to publicly acknowledge 
that Taiwan independence can be one of the possible 
options for the Taiwan people to decide their own 
future and to invite family members of the 1947 
February 28 incident victims to attend a KMT Central 
Standing Committee meeting.  "The DPP's recent moves, 
from Chen's Lunar New Year's Day proposal to scrap the 
National Unification Council (NUC) and National 
Unification Guidelines (NUG) to the government's 
release of a new research report naming Nationalist 
Party's Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek as the chief 
perpetrator responsible for the slaughter of over 
10,000 Taiwan people in the February 28 Incident," Wang 
noted, "target Ma himself."  By putting independence, 
unification and status quo as options for the Taiwan 
people, Ma attempted to build a political firewall 
around himself. 
 
 
 
9.  Compared to his processors, Wang continued, Ma has 
demonstrated a completely different style of 
leadership.  "He chose to directly face, rather than 
dodge, the `dark corners' hidden deep in KMT history, 
including the February 28 Incident and White Terror, 
and even acknowledged the need for the Taiwan people to 
include independence as one of its possible options," 
Wang added.  A "China Times" news analyst wrote that Ma 
has remained consistent in his political philosophy 
since serving as a ranking official at the Mainland 
Affairs Council (MAC) 16 years ago, where he helped 
draft guidelines establishing the NUC.  The new KMT 
chairman has "openly talked about something that his 
predecessors Lien Chan and even Lee Teng-hui chose to 
keep unsaid." 
 
10.  Ma demonstrated his posture as a probable 
presidential candidate by making some bold statements, 
for a KMT Chairman, in the course of his speech on 
cross-Strait relations at the LSE.  Ma, nevertheless, 
did dodge some critical and sensitive questions in his 
discourse.  He did not, for example, tell the Taiwan 
people whether the KMT will accept the decision if a 
majority of Taiwan people choose that Taiwan should 
declare independence.  In addition, Ma also failed to 
propose concrete means and strategies on how to lead 
both sides of the Taiwan Strait from "confrontation" to 
"conciliation," and eventually to "cooperation." 
 
11. However one assesses Ma's statements on 
independence and unification, it is clear that he has 
taken the first steps toward laying out his campaign 
platform for 2008. Many wonder, however, why he started 
so early and why he stepped immediately into the DPP's 
favorite set of issues. 
 
KEEGAN