VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0982/01 0822246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 232246Z MAR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9294
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4949
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6145

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000982 
 
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 continued to 
focus their coverage March 23 on the freeway electronic toll 
collection system scandal; the Mainland Affair Council's 
announcement Wednesday of new measures concerning cross-Strait 
trade; KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's U.S. trip; and other political 
issues.  Almost all papers reported in their inside pages on Ma's 
speech at Harvard University Tuesday, in which he proposed that both 
sides of the Taiwan Strait establish a "modus vivendi" that would 
enable Taiwan to participate in bilateral or multilateral activities 
in the international community. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, called 
Ma's U.S. trip a "campaign journey" that takes him from the stage of 
Taiwan to that of the international community.  The editorial 
criticized Ma for lacking feelings for Taiwan, and for being "a 
heavy-artillery man who attacks his own government from the United 
States."  Editorials of the pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" and the 
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan 
News" both criticized Ma's demagogy and failure to stand up for 
Taiwan in the United States, adding that he is "unfit for national 
leadership."  An editorial in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
also said Ma's performance in the United States was mainly aimed at 
removing Washington's concerns, and at positioning himself for the 
2008 Taiwan presidential election.  An editorial in the pro-status 
quo "China Times" expressed disappointment at Ma's remarks in the 
United States.  The article said in addition to mentioning peace and 
prosperity, Ma should focus more on the topic of democracy and 
express continued concerns over China's deficiencies in its freedom 
of speech and human rights protection.  End summary. 
 
A) "Ma Ying-jeou's China-Inclined Heart Is Stronger Than His 
Feelings For Taiwan" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (3/23): 
 
"... Without doubt, Ma's U.S. trip is a campaign journey that takes 
him from the stage of Taiwan to that of the international community. 
 Given his fluent English and background knowledge, Ma could have 
been an excellent salesman for Taiwan to let [the world] hear Taiwan 
voices if he had a Taiwan-inclined heart.  It is a pity that Ma's 
China-inclined heart evidently is much stronger than his feelings 
for Taiwan, so it turns him into a heavy-artillery man that attacks 
his government from the United States.  It is an even sadder mistake 
of Ma's that during his U.S. trip, he is using the signboard of the 
ROC that now only exists in name to cover up the fact of Taiwan's 
existence ..." 
 
B) "Ma's Avoidance of Talking About Taiwan's Independent Sovereignty 
in His Speech at Harvard University Reveals His Conservative Mindset 
Inherited from [Taiwan's Previous] Authoritarian Era and Is Like a 
Poisonous Pill" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] commented 
in an editorial (3/23): 
 
"At the invitation of Harvard University's Fairbank Center for East 
Asian Research, KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou recently delivered a 
speech on 'A Vision for Peace and Prosperity."  Even though the 
topic of his speech may seem high-sounding, the contents were 
actually very impractical.  Ma avoided talking about Taiwan's 
independent sovereignty, [the fact that] Taiwan is not part of 
China, and the targeting of Taiwan by Chinese missiles; he also 
failed to promote Taiwan-centered values overseas.  Instead, he 
spent a lot of time talking about cross-Strait exchanges and vision 
of peace, totally overlooking the fact of China's military threats 
against the island.  Ma's speech showed a reflection of his 
pro-China and anti-Taiwan mindset; he still maintains a conservative 
stance of the authoritarian era in this democratic and open-minded 
society.  Ma's performance has failed to meet the Taiwan people's 
expectations. ..." 
 
C) "Ma's Visions Are No Substitute for Taiwan Democracy" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (3/23): 
 
"Kuomintang Party Chairman and Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou 
embarked on a whirlwind tour of the United States earlier this week 
with major addresses to the New York-based Council for Foreign 
Relations and at Harvard University.  Ma has striven to put forward 
a 'pragmatic' vision of how the KMT, which has endured six years in 
opposition after nearly 55 years of monopolizing power in Taiwan, 
would handle cross-strait policy with the People's Republic of 
China.  Just as in Europe, Ma has not failed to disappoint those who 
hoped that the new KMT leader would prove more rational and moderate 
than his predecessors. ... 
"Claims by KMT leaders such as Ma that Taiwan's vibrant democracy 
must operate within the bounds of Beijing's or the KMT's 'one China' 
principle or accept as religious faith the KMT's self-serving 
legitimacy myth are no less demagogic than claims by extreme 
elements of the pan-green camp (not, by the way, including Chen or 
the DPP) that all of Taiwan's problems would be solved by a new 
name.  Until Ma learns to curb his own demagogy and stand up for the 
rights of Taiwanese, we will consider him to be unfit for national 
leadership." 
 
D) "Ma Ying-jeou's Middle Road Both Authentic and False" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] wrote in 
an editorial (3/23): 
 
"... It's a pity that Ma only talked about cross-Strait relations 
without condemning to the international community China's threats 
against Taiwan, its violation of human rights, and its 
authoritarianism.  Neither did Ma safeguard Taiwan's call for 
democracy and freedom.  Ma's performance in the United States this 
time was mainly aimed at removing Washington's concerns.  The 
remarks he made were also meant for the Taiwan people and his 
purpose was to position himself for the presidential election in 
¶2008. ... 
 
E) "In Addition to Peace and Prosperity, Do Not Forget There Is Also 
Democracy" 
 
The pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (3/23): 
 
"... As of now, what Ma Ying-jeou has been talking to the 
international media on the public occasions [during his U.S. trip] 
most was about his position toward cross-Strait relations and toward 
unification/independence.  In addition to his prior controversial 
'ultimate unification' comment and 'the KMT's listing Taiwan 
independence as a possible option,' what Ma has been reiterating 
still has focused on how to 'maintain the status quo.' ... Ma's 
remarks basically do not go beyond the contents of the KMT's 
'win-win' discourse, started in the wake of [former KMT Chairman] 
Lien Chan's visit to China [last spring].  To a certain extent, they 
also have kept clear the difference [of the KMT's platform] from the 
DPP's discourse on 'Taiwan independence.  Ma's remarks [in the 
United States] were timely in the way that they helped to mold a 
moderate, pragmatic and flexible image for him in international 
society.  But for this newspaper, such comments are not enough. 
Just like as this newspaper's editorial stated right after Ma's trip 
to Europe, we believe Ma has talked too much on the topic of 
unification and independence while he has talked too little on the 
topic of democracy. ... 
 
"To be sure, given the current level of democratic development on 
mainland China, it will be difficult for both sides of the Taiwan 
Strait to achieve real peace and prosperity if China's democratic 
development remains at the current level.  Ma should have the 
attitude and vision to proactively express continued concerns about 
mainland China's deficiencies in [its people's] freedom of speech, 
its rule of law, and human rights protection. ..." 
 
YOUNG