VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0952/01 0810829
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220829Z MAR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9247
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4936
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6132

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000952 
 
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, 
WASHINGTON-TAIPEI RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
coverage March 22 on KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's U.S. trip; new AIT 
Taipei Director Stephen Young's meeting with President Chen 
Shui-bian; the investigation of the alleged 2004 "Soft Coup"; the 
freeway electronic toll collection system scandal; and other local 
issues. Almost all papers carried news stories and photos of Young's 
meeting with Chen Tuesday and Chen's statement that "there will be 
no more surprises in U.S.-Taiwan relations."  The pro-independence 
"Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, ran an exclusive news story 
on its front page with the headline: "The KMT Sells Its Central 
Headquarter Building [to Taiwan's Evergreen Group] at a Price of 
NT$3 Billion."  Most papers also reported on Ma's statement at the 
Council on Foreign Relations in New York Monday that "the Republic 
of China has been an independent sovereign state since 1912, so 
there is no need for it to declare independence twice." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a news analysis in the 
pro-status quo "China Times" said Ma's remarks on Taiwan's 
sovereignty status are pragmatic and flexible.  An editorial in the 
pro-independence "Taiwan Daily," however, said Ma's statement 
deceived the Americans, the Taiwan people, and himself.  An 
editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, 
English-language "China Post" said Ma is trying to maintain a 
balanced position between the United States and China.  With regard 
to Washington-Taipei relations, an opinion piece in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" said Taipei must have a clear 
strategic goal behind its decision to cease the functions of the 
National Unification Council (NUC) and the application of the 
National Unification Guidelines (NUG).  The article said Taiwan 
should not just try to arouse the attention of Washington and the 
international community but should tell the world what Taiwan really 
wants.  A separate "China Times" news analysis said Chen's remarks 
made while meeting with AIT Director Young Tuesday indicated that he 
is making a goodwill gesture to Washington in the wake of the NUC 
and NUG uproar.  End summary. 
 
¶3. KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's U.S. Trip 
 
A) "[Ma's] Discourse on [Taiwan's] Sovereignty Status Is Pragmatic 
and Flexible" 
 
Journalist Hsiao Hsu-tseng said in a news analysis of the pro-status 
quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (3/22): 
 
"Speaking in front of a full house of elite American think tank 
scholars that included former U.S. Ambassador to Beijing Winston 
Lord and his Harvard University Professor Jerome Cohen, Ma Ying-jeou 
unavoidably spoke of a discourse that was kept vague while he was in 
Taiwan.  Ma's remarks included: 'the Republic of China (ROC) has 
independent sovereignty and there is no need for it to declare 
independence twice.'  Ma guaranteed the ROC's sovereignty and 
further pledged to the United States that [his party] will work to 
maintain the status quo of this sovereignty. ... 
 
"Such a position [held by Ma] dodged the 'Taiwan independence' issue 
that Beijing cares most because Ma insists on 'one China' even 
though the 'one China' he means refers to the ROC.  Ma also 
recognized the '1992 Consensus,' so Beijing could hardly find fault 
with him and that also released concerns of the Americans.  For the 
American people who strive for pragmatism in everything, Ma has 
demonstrated both pragmatism and flexibility. ..." 
 
B) "Ma Ying-jeou's Statement That 'One China' Means 'the Republic of 
China' Not Only Deceives Americans and the Taiwan People, But Also 
Himself" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] 
editorialized (3/22): 
 
"... Frankly speaking, in order to fulfill his ultimate goal of 
leading Taiwan to be unified by China, Ma is ready to trample on 
[the Taiwan people's] human rights and deny their right of 
self-determination.  The fact that Ma's accomplice, the pan-Blue 
camp under his leadership, is opposed to [President Chen's] 
cessation of the NUC, [the government's] constitutional amendments, 
[Taiwan's] holding a referendum, and the [U.S.] arms procurement 
bill, is a clear proof. ...  As a result, Ma's constant articulation 
of democracy and the 'residents' right of self-determination' are 
all fake, while anti-Taiwan, anti-democracy, and [Taiwan's] ultimate 
unification [with China] are actually his true color and the only 
thing he believes in! ..." 
 
C) "Ma's Balancing Act Between U.S. and PRC" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
said in an editorial (3/22): 
 
"... Upon departure to the U.S., the Taipei mayor told the press 
 
that his primary mission was to communicate with various U.S. 
authorities explaining his and his party's policy on key issues. 
What Ma didn't mention was a concern that increasingly he has been 
portrayed in Washington, presumably by supporters of Taipei's ruling 
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), as an opposition politician who 
holds an anti-American stance in favor of improving relations with 
Beijing.  ...  For Washington officials, they obviously will not 
just want to get a face-to-face appraisal of Ma about his U.S. view. 
 Equally important, they will try to win over Ma and build a close 
relationship with him in the hope that he will be a Taiwan leader 
Washington can trust and work with. 
 
"Undoubtedly, Ma is aware of his advantageous position and will 
capitalize on it to fortify Washington's faith in him and secure its 
support for him.  However, it is unlikely that Ma will allow him to 
be lopsided toward the U.S., as President Chen has been.  Chen in 
the last two years since the start of his second four-year term has 
been even more aggressive in trying to work with Washington and 
Tokyo to forge a triangular military alliance against China.  Unlike 
Chen, Ma will only want to develop a U.S. relationship built on a 
mutually favorable basis, not targeting Beijing or any third party. 
... It's clear that the KMT's potential 2008 presidential candidate 
is attempting to exercise a delicate balancing act in dealing with 
Taiwan's most important relations with the U.S. and China. 
Maintaining such a balance might not be that easy, but this appears 
to be the best option available to a Taiwan sandwiched between two 
superpowers and yet looking for a way to survive and prosper." 
 
¶4. Washington-Beijing-Taipei Relations 
 
A) "Let the World Know 'What Taiwan Wants'" 
 
Wu Rei-kuo, Deputy Director of the Cross-Strait Interflow Prospect 
Foundation, opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 500,000] (3/22): 
 
"New AIT Taipei Director Stephen Young said the current status of 
the National Unification Council is that it 'has been put into 
abeyance.'  It is evident that there is a gap between the United 
States and Taiwan in interpreting [President Chen's] decision to 
'cease the NUC functions and the application of the NUG,' and this 
development has added variables to the bilateral relations between 
Washington and Taipei. ... 
 
"The focus of the recent debates between the United States and 
Taiwan did not lie in the 'cessation of the NUC and NUG' itself. 
Instead, Washington is concerned about whether Taipei will make 
other surprising or explosive remarks or actions and what it is that 
Taiwan is really after behind the NUC and NUG uproar.  Taipei must 
have a clear strategic goal and concrete national interests behind 
its move to 'speak loudly to challenge' [both Beijing and 
Washington], whether it be to prevent Beijing from expanding its 
military buildup that sabotages cross-Strait peace and regional 
stability, or to accelerate the pace for signing a U.S.-Taiwan free 
trade agreement.  Taipei should not just try to arouse Washington's 
and the international community's attention.  It should let the 
world know 'what Taiwan really wants.'" 
 
B) "In the Wake of the Cessation of the NUC and NUG, Bian Reminds 
[the United States] of the Favors He Did and Uses Them as a Goodwill 
Gesture to Washington" 
 
Journalist Lin Shu-ling said in a news analysis of the pro-status 
quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (3/22): 
 
"When visiting Taiwan's Foreign Ministry Monday, [AIT Taipei 
Director] Stephen Young publicly used the word 'abeyance' as a new 
definition for [President Chen's] decision 'to cease the functions 
of NUC and application of NUG.'  But Young merely mentioned the word 
once and did not talk about it again.  Bian, on the other hand, in 
addition to guaranteeing that there would be no more 'surprises' 
between Washington and Taipei in the future, proactively mentioned 
that there used to be only 'Three No's' pledges rather than the 
'Five No's' pledges.  Bian's move was of great significance because 
he was akin to telling the United States clearly that he meant what 
he said and that not only the 'Three No's' pledges that Washington 
requested, but also the other "Two No's' that he personally added 
would remain valid.  At the time when the United States is receiving 
Ma Ying-jeou with a high-profile treatment, Bian's remarks signified 
that he is trying to compete with Ma and extend a goodwill gesture 
to Washington. 
 
"Bian was smiling happily when he met with Young Tuesday.  In 
addition to the reasons that the NUC and NUG matter was finally over 
for the time being, and that Young is an old acquaintance of his, 
the most important reason is that the Bian administration once 
judged that Washington might postpone Young's arrival in Taiwan as a 
penalty for Chen's decision over the NUC and NUG.  When it turned 
 
out that Washington did not do so, and Young arrival as scheduled 
gave Bian the feeling that the NUC and NUG uproar is really over." 
 
YOUNG