VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0934 0800738
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210738Z MAR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9220
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4925
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6118

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000934 
 
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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: As Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued 
March 21 to report on the freeway electronic toll collection system 
scandal, coverage also focused on the Taiwan High Court's 
investigation of the alleged 2004 "Soft Coup"; the year-end Taipei 
and Kaohsiung mayoral races; KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jou's U.S. trip; 
and the Ministry of Finance's decision Monday to replace the 
chairman of a local financial holding company.  Almost all papers 
carried news stories and photos of new AIT Taipei Director Stephen 
Young's meeting with Foreign Minister James Huang Monday, the day 
after Young assumed office.  They also reported on Young's statement 
that "the National Unification Council has been put into abeyance." 
The pro-status quo "China Times" spent half of its page four 
reporting on Ma's travels in the United States, while the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, spent 
one-third of its page four carrying an article written by Premier Su 
Tseng-chang elaborating on his pledge to improve Taiwan's public 
 
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order. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, columnist Antonio Chiang 
opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" that during Ma's 
current trip to the United States, Ma has to answer questions 
regarding his attitudes toward the U.S. arms procurement bill, the 
United States, Japan, cross-Strait relations, and 
unification/independence issue.  Journalist Hsiao Hsu-tseng said in 
a "China Times" news analysis that Ma is sending a strong message to 
Washington asserting the importance of the KMT's position in 
maintaining the status quo.  End summary. 
 
A) "Re-education for Ma Ying-jeou" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang said in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 500,000] (3/21): 
 
"... The first question Ma must answer [during his trip to the 
United States] is about his attitude toward the U.S. arms 
procurement bill.  Ma has worked out four major principles and has 
used them to respond to this question.  But such a safe answer is 
basically a meaningless statement; Ma may be able to use it to 
handle the media in Taiwan, but Washington certainly will not accept 
such an answer.  Since this question is closely related to 
Taiwan-U.S. military exchanges and [the United States'] assistance 
in defending Taiwan, there is no way Ma can avoid it. 
 
"The second question is about Ma's understanding of strategy in 
Asia; that is, what is his attitude toward the United States and 
Japan?  Ma has a strong nationalistic awareness; like South Korean 
President Roh Moo-Hyun, he never wavered in his anti-Japan 
sentiments. ... Washington is concerned that Taiwan will have a 
leader similar to that of South Korea.  Should that be the case, it 
would have a big impact on the United States' security strategy in 
East Asia and to the defense treaty between the United States and 
Japan. 
 
"The third question is about Ma's attitude toward the cross-Strait 
situation and toward the [issue of] unification/independence.  Will 
he adopt a democratic and open-minded principle, or does he have an 
ultimate value judgment?  What is his position toward the One China 
[policy]?  In what way is he different from [former KMT Chairman] 
Lien Chan and [PFP Chairman] James Soong?  How is he going connect 
with Taiwan society? ..." 
 
B) "Ma Talks about the KMT's Assertion: Maintaining the Status Quo" 
 
Journalist Hsiao Hsu-tseng said in a news analysis in the pro-status 
quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (3/21): 
 
"KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou departed for a trip to the United States, 
but even before he set foot in Washington, he had been storing up 
his energy and sending a strong message to the United States: "The 
KMT calls for maintaining the status quo, and that will remain true 
even when the KMT has a chance of becoming the ruling party." 
Evidently, this statement can be viewed as a compromised conclusion, 
reached after the process of dialecticism, from Ma's huge swinging 
from his prior 'ultimate unification' [comment] to [the KMT 
advertisement that allowed] 'listing Taiwan independence as a 
possible option [for the Taiwan people].' ... 
 
"It remains to be seen whether Washington-Beijing-Taipei relations 
will be affected by 'the right to define the cross-Strait status 
quo.'  But Ma's strong message of 'maintaining the status quo,' 
thrown out during his U.S. trip ... has created a subtle and 
complicated butterfly impact on the United States and China, and the 
follow-up developments [in response to his statement] are definitely 
worth observation." 
 
YOUNG