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DE RUEHIN #1159/01 0931159
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O 031159Z APR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9507
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5014
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7734
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7596
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1158
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 9186
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6205
RUESLE/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 8576
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 5107
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001159 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016 
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: KMT CHAIR MA AND PRESIDENT CHEN MEET FACE TO FACE 
 
 
Classified By: Deputy Director David J. Keegan, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou met with 
President Chen for a highly anticipated televised "debate" 
that lasted two hours and ten minutes.  Despite all-too-clear 
political differences and barely concealed disdain, the 
atmosphere was polite, and both had plenty of time to get 
their points across.   Ma reviewed themes from his recent 
U.S. visit, including maintaining the "five no's" and 
developing cross-Strait relations on the basis of the "1992 
consensus."  Chen challenged the existence of the "92 
Consensus," said Ma was "naive" to trust the PRC, and 
criticized the KMT for obstructing progress on arms 
procurement.  Chen called for constitutional reform; Ma 
responded that the people want the government to focus on 
economic issues.  Neither leader struck knockout blows with 
their arguments, and the debate may not have changed many 
minds in Taiwan's polarized society.  However, Ma's arguments 
that Taiwan should at least try to improve cross-Strait 
relations to strengthen the economy and reduce tensions may 
have some resonance here.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou and President Chen 
Shui-bian met at the Presidential Office on April 3 for what 
turned into a two-hour and ten minute live-television debate. 
 Ma had requested the meeting immediately upon his return to 
Taiwan from the U.S.  Chen quickly extended an invitation and 
the time for the meeting was set late last week.  Chen was 
accompanied by Presidential Office Secretary General Mark 
Chen and Deputy Secretary General Cho Jung-tai.  Ma was 
accompanied by KMT Secretary General Chan Chuen-po and KMT 
Deputy Policy Director Chang Jung-kung. 
 
¶3.  (C)  In his five-minute opening remarks, Chen 
congratulated Ma on the success of his U.S. visit, even 
though he disagreed with Ma on many important policy issues. 
Ma reviewed the "five no's" and "five do's" cross-Strait 
policies he stated while in the U.S. He noted that his "five 
no's" were the same ones Chen introduced in his 2000 
inaugural address (but has repeatedly refused to restate). 
Ma emphasized that the "92 Consensus," which he defined as 
"one China, separate interpretations," is the key to closer 
cross-Strait relations and increased economic opportunities 
for Taiwan.  He urged Chen to accept the "92 consensus" in 
order to break the cross-Strait impasse.  Chen challenged the 
term "92 Consensus" and argued that China only accepted the 
"one China principle," not "one China, separate 
Interpretations."  Chen urged Ma to have Lien Chan ask PRC 
President Hu Jintao state publicly that the "92 consensus" 
means "one China, separate interpretations" during his 
upcoming visit to China, suggesting he would respect the 
outcome if Hu is willing to make such a public statement. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Chen said Ma was naive to believe that the PRC could 
be trusted to honor a 30-50 year interim peace agreement. 
Chen argued that the status quo should be defined as 
preserving Taiwan's democracy, liberty, and human rights, and 
on preserving peace across the Strait.  Chen made a pitch for 
constitutional reform, arguing that changing the constitution 
is a basic democratic right of the people.  Ma urged Chen to 
focus on the economy, saying Taiwan's voters care about the 
economy, not still more constitutional changes. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Chen blamed the KMT for the prolonged arms 
procurement delay.  Ma said the KMT supports reasonable arms 
procurement, which meets defense needs, is affordable, and is 
supported by public opinion, and he criticized DPP delays and 
political issues for obstructing progress on the issue.  Ma 
challenged Chen's decision to "cease the 
functioning/application" of the National Unification 
Council/Guidelines (NUC/NUG), saying that the U.S. view is 
that the NUC and NUG still exist.  According to Ma, Chen had 
accomplished nothing for his efforts to "abolish the NUC/NUG 
except to cause domestic political turmoil and friction with 
the U.S. and others."  Responding that he had compromised 
with the U.S. in adopting the term "ceasing," Chen suggested 
that he was using the term in the same sense as, for example, 
when saying that an enterprise had ceased to function. 
 
¶6.  (C) Comment:  Even within the polite framework of this 
courtesy call as debate, both Chen and Ma managed to lay out 
 
TAIPEI 00001159  002 OF 002 
 
 
their contrasting policy orientations.  The two also showed 
their contrasting styles.  Chen spoke at length 
extemporaneously while Ma worked his way through pages of 
notes.  Partisans for Green and Blue will find reasons to 
proclaim their man the winner.  The critical question may be 
who benefited from a draw. 
YOUNG