VZCZCXYZ0010
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1383/01 1100839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200839Z APR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9801
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5096
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6296

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001383 
 
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: U.S.-CHINA SUMMIT 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to 
give significant coverage April 20 to the alleged bribery scandal 
involving former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Chen 
Che-nan, while Chinese President Hu Jintao's U.S. trip and his 
scheduled meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush only received 
moderate coverage.  The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's 
biggest daily, spent half of its page two on the Bush-Hu meeting and 
ran a banner headline that read: "China Hopes Bush Will Openly 
Express Opposition to [Taiwan] Independence, But the United States 
Rejects [Such a Request]."  The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" ran 
a wire service news story on its page two with the headline: "U.S. 
Congress Severely Criticizes China's Human Rights [Records]."  The 
pro-status quo "China Times" devoted two thirds of its page two on 
Hu's speech delivered at the Microsoft headquarters and what will be 
discussed during the upcoming Bush-Hu meeting.  "China Times" 
Washington correspondent Liu Ping said in a news analysis that while 
there are reports about Taipei's anxiety over the Bush-Hu meeting, 
Taiwan can remain cautiously optimistic as the Taiwan issue will 
receive a moderate treatment, namely, the same U.S.-Taiwan policy as 
before.  The pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a news story on 
its page four with the headline: "[U.S. Deputy Secretary of State 
Robert] Zoellick: Bush Expects Bian to [Keep] His Five-Point Pledge 
[to the U.S.]."  A separate "United Daily News" news story quoted 
Taiwan's representative to Washington David Lee as saying that 
Washington has promised Taiwan it will resist Beijing's new pressure 
on Taiwan. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, "Liberty Times" 
Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in a news analysis that as 
the ideas that China will not challenge the United States and that 
Washington is interested in accepting China as a hegemonic power in 
the international community are gaining more and more momentum, it 
will be more difficult for Taiwan to directly challenge Beijing in 
Washington D.C.  The "International Outlook" column in the "China 
Times" said what's more noteworthy is whether Beijing and Washington 
will, in their discussions, link the Taiwan issue with issues such 
as North Korea's and Iran's nuclear programs.  "China Times" Beijing 
correspondent Angela Yu noted in a news analysis that the U.S. side 
has done "vaccination" work to lower China's expectation over U.S. 
treatment of the Taiwan issue and Bush is not expected to make any 
harsh comments on Taiwan.  Liu Kuan-teh, a Taipei-based political 
commentator, opined in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times" that for the Bush-Hu meeting, "more 
attention should be focused on the extent to which the Bush 
administration can transform China into a 'responsible 
stakeholder.'"  End summary. 
 
A) "Lien Chan's Pro-China Stand Damages Taiwan's Diplomatic 
Efforts" 
 
Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao said in a news analysis in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] (4/20): 
 
"[Chinese President] Hu Jintao's move to play up the KMT-CCP forum 
prior to his visit to the United States was clearly aimed at 
promoting to the Bush administration his strategy of peaceful 
development [across the Taiwan Strait] when he visits Washington 
D.C.  It was also aimed at highlighting Beijing's intention to 
stabilize and improve cross-Strait relations and emphasizing the 
fact that the Bian administration, which Beijing has constantly 
refused to talk to, is the only trouble [for cross-Strait 
relations].  Evidently, Beijing is fully confident that both the 
United States and China can join hands to fight [Taiwan] 
independence and use their united-front efforts to crash any force 
in Taiwan that opposes them by turning democracy into a mechanism 
that divides Taiwan and fuels infighting on the island.  It is a 
pity that Lien Chan has assisted Hu with his show of peace in 
Washington while keeping mum about China's military threats and 
suppression of Taiwan's space in the international community. 
 
"[The ideas] that China will not challenge the United States and 
that Washington is interested in accepting China as a hegemonic 
power in the international community are gaining more and more 
momentum.  As a result, it will be more and more difficult for 
Taiwan to directly challenge Beijing in Washington D.C.  In the face 
of such an increasingly difficult international climate, the Taiwan 
leaders should ponder how the island can survive in peace while not 
surrendering itself [to China]." 
 
B) "North Korea's Nuclear Program, Iran's Nuclear Program, and the 
Taiwan Issue [to Be Discussed] in the Bush-Hu Meeting" 
 
The "International Outlook" column in the pro-status quo "China 
Times" [circulation: 400,000] commented (4/20): 
 
"U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said [Wednesday] 
during a TV interview that during the talks between President George 
¶W. Bush and [Chinese President] Hu Jintao, both sides will discuss 
North Korea's nuclear program, Iran's nuclear program, and the 
 
Taiwan issue.  This is the first time that a high-ranking American 
official has revealed that the nuclear programs on the Korean 
Peninsula and in Iran will be included in the agenda of the 
U.S.-China summit.  ... What's more noteworthy is whether [Beijing 
and Washington] will, in their discussions, link the Taiwan issue 
with these two issues, since the former issue is something that 
Washington is interested in talking about but Beijing tries to 
avoid, while the latter ones are those that Washington does not want 
to talk about but China will not easily let go of. ... 
 
"In terms of the Taiwan issue, some [new] changes have occurred over 
the past few years.  Many China hands have discovered that Hu is 
much tougher than [former Chinese President] Jiang Zemin when it 
comes to the principles of the Chinese Communist Party and China as 
a nation.  [Under Hu's leadership,] China enacted the Anti-Secession 
Law while at the same time is pursuing a conciliatory policy toward 
Taiwan. ... Since the DPP government in Taiwan wants to proceed with 
its roadmap of scrapping the National Unification Council and 
pushing for a referendum on Taiwan's new constitution, Beijing will 
thus turn to Washington for its opinion, [sources said].  If the 
United States continues to stall Beijing off with the three 
[U.S.-China] communiqus and the Taiwan Relations Act, Hu can thus 
use [excuses like] lack of influence and peace talks as [vague] 
resolutions to the nuclear problems on the Korean Peninsula and 
Iran.  ..." 
 
C) "The United States and China Have Done Vaccination Work Over the 
Taiwan Issue" 
 
Beijing correspondent Angela Yu said in a news analysis in the 
pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (4/20): 
 
"... During his meeting with [KMT Honorary Chairman] Lien Chan two 
days prior to his departure for a trip to the United States, Hu 
Jintao announced 'four suggestions' [with regard to cross-Strait 
situation] and expressed his hope to resume talks with Taiwan as 
early as possible.  Even though the Chinese officials involved in 
Taiwan affairs denied that such a move was aimed at showing the 
American people China's goodwill gesture to Taiwan before Hu's 
meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, Washington nonetheless 
saw Beijing's 'actions.' 
 
"The United States believes that tensions across the Taiwan Strait 
have been alleviated recently, and Bush does not want to see any new 
problems related to the 'Taiwan issue'  arise unexpectedly while 
people inside Washington are still debating over 'China's rise' and 
'China's threat.'  A well-informed source in the U.S. revealed that 
during the negotiations between Washington and Beijing, both sides 
have already done some 'vaccination work' in an attempt to lower 
Beijing's expectations over the U.S. treatment of the Taiwan issue. 
In addition to directly indicating that the Taiwan issue is not a 
focus of the Bush-Hu meeting, Washington also added that even if 
Bush mentions the Taiwan issue, his remarks will not go beyond what 
he said before but will simply emphasize that [Washington] 'does not 
want to see any unilateral attempt by either side to alter the 
status quo.' ..." 
 
D) "Can China Really Be a Responsible Stakeholder?" 
 
Liu Kan-teh, a Taipei-based political commentator, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (4/20): 
 
"Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to meet US President 
George W. Bush in the White House today.  While most analyses have 
said the discussion would focus on trade disputes and issues related 
to the Korean Peninsular and Iran, more attention should be focused 
on the extent to which the Bush administration can transform China 
into a 'responsible stakeholder.' ... 
 
"Therefore, instead of wildly guessing whether Bush will verbally 
condemn recent moves by Taiwan's leader to provoke Beijing when he 
meets Hu, the public and the local media should take into account 
the larger political picture of how China should bear responsibility 
internationally as a rising power.  Moreover, discussion should also 
focus on how a democratic Taiwan can help shape China's belligerent 
and undemocratic mentality.  Only by distinguishing Taiwan's 
democracy and peace-loving free will from China's military-oriented 
authoritarian rule will the global community fully understand the 
need to breed a politically democratic and economically liberal 
China." 
 
YOUNG