VZCZCXYZ0024
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1525/01 1230843
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030843Z MAY 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9991
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5149
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6353

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001525 
 
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: PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S TRANSITS IN THE 
UNITED STATES 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Taiwan's dailies gave significant reporting and 
editorial coverage May 3 to the details of President Chen 
Shui-bian's transits in the United States.  With the exception of 
the mass-circulation "Apple Daily," all papers reported on their 
front page that Chen may postpone his departure for a trip to 
Paraguay and Costa Rica due to haggling with Washington over his 
transit sites in the U.S.   The pro-independence "Liberty Times," 
Taiwan's biggest daily, ran a banner headline on its front page that 
read: "At the Critical Moment When [Washington] Is Mediating the 
Iranian Nuclear Crisis, the United States Decides to Allow Bian Pure 
Transits [in the U.S.]"  The "Apple Daily," on the other hand, ran a 
color banner headline on its page two that said: "The United States 
Rudely Makes Things Difficult [for Chen]; Bian Gets Insulted on His 
Trip Overseas."  The front-page headline of the pro-unification 
"United Daily News" said "A Big Setback: The United States Does Not 
Allow Bian to Transit in the U.S. Mainland," while the front-page 
news story of the pro-status quo "China Times" read: "The United 
States Allows Bian to Transit in Hawaii and Alaska."  The "United 
Daily News" also ran a news story on its page two with the headline: 
"The United States Has Had Enough of Bian's Playing [the Tricks of] 
'Cutting One's Feet to Fit the Shoes' [i.e. Chen has been trying to 
gain his own political benefits at the expense of U.S.-Taiwan 
relations]." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, the "Free Talk" column 
in the "Liberty Times" firmly told Washington that Taiwan will not 
be crushed under pressure and that it is against the U.S. founding 
spirit and its long-term interests if it tries to put pressure on 
Taiwan when the latter is suppressed by China.  An "Apple Daily" 
editorial said Chen will not lose no matter whether he gets to 
transit in the United States or not - that is, he can upset China if 
he is allowed to transit in the United States, and he can win the 
pro-Green voters' support if he gets insulted for failing to transit 
in the continental U.S.  Columnist Antonio Chiang, however, said in 
the "Apple Daily" that Washington's humiliation of Chen will be 
shared by all the Taiwan people.  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" urged Taiwan to restrain itself from conducting 'stopover 
diplomacy' and to put the focus of its diplomatic enterprise on 
allies that have official ties with Taiwan.  A "United Daily News" 
editorial, however, called Washington's way of handling Chen's 
transits a big slap in Chen's face and a severe blow to 
Taipei-Washington ties.  A "China Times" news analysis said Taiwan's 
space in the international community is quickly squeezed under 
attacks from both the United States and China.  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" urged Chen to quickly repair Taiwan's relations with 
Washington.  End summary. 
 
A) "Taiwan Will Not Be Crushed Under Pressure" 
 
The "Free Talk" column in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" 
[circulation: 600,000] wrote (5/3): 
 
"... The series of [diplomatic] gaffes that happened during [Chinese 
President] Hu Jintao's recent trip to the United States upset China, 
which, instead, vent its anger by suppressing Taiwan.  China's 
Foreign Ministry demanded that the U.S. government disallow 
President Chen to transit [in the United States] and its bottom line 
is that A-bian must not set foot on the U.S. mainland.  China also 
falsely accused A-bian for attempting to promote Taiwan independence 
in the United States. 
 
"China's attempts evidently succeeded.  Even though the Bush 
administration agreed with Chen's transits, it did not allow him to 
transit in the U.S. mainland.  Such a development has again made the 
Taiwan people feel China's rudeness and barbarity, and we are very 
sorry to learn about the United States' succumbing to the interests 
of international reality and failure to stick to its principle! 
 
"Today, history repeats itself again.  We want to formally inform 
the United States that Taiwan and the United States share common 
faith in democracy and share long-term interests.  Taiwan will not 
be crushed under pressure.  It is not only against the U.S. founding 
spirits but also its long-term interests if it tries to put pressure 
on Taiwan when the latter is suppressed by China!" 
 
B) "Striving for Embarrassment Diplomacy" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] 
editorialized (5/3): 
 
"... For bian, he can upset China and sow discord between Washington 
and Beijing if he succeeds in making stopovers [in the United 
States].  If he gets insulted for his transits, the pro-Green voters 
in Taiwan that are originally not close to Chen will share the same 
feelings as his and will increase their support for him and the DPP. 
 As a result, if judging from a brighter perspective, Chen will not 
 
 
loss in either situation.  Besides, over the past few years, Taiwan 
has successfully kidnapped the United States, forcefully making it 
to confront China in order to protect Taiwan's democracy and 
strategic position.  Thus, despite the fact that Washington dislikes 
Chen, it has to let him transit in the U.S.  Washington is concerned 
that if it keeps pushing Chen into a corner, he will react 
drastically and make it more difficult for the United States to 
manage the situation. ... 
 
"On the surface, Chen looks like he is insulted this time.  But it 
is really strange that Taiwan insists on overstressing [the 
President's] transits as the core of his trip overseas while the 
countries that he visits seem to become less important.  Perhaps the 
United States does not intend to insult Chen; instead, Taiwan's 
weird way of handling diplomacy can easily humiliate the island 
itself." 
 
C) "Insult Diplomacy" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang noted in his column in the mass-circulation 
"Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] (5/3): 
 
"A-bian's plan to stop over in the United States has been delayed 
[by Washington] with all sorts of excuses until there is no time 
left for Taiwan to make proper arrangements.  Even though Taiwan has 
no formal diplomatic ties with the United States, Washington's move 
is deliberately aimed at humiliating A-bian. ... [U.S. President 
George W.] Bush does not want to give Bian face this time, and many 
people blame it on Bian.  But as the head of the state, when A-bian 
is humiliated, the humiliation is shared by all the Taiwan people. 
..." 
 
D) "Getting the Priorities Right" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (5/3): 
 
"Today, President Chen Shui-bian is scheduled to depart for Paraguay 
and Costa Rica for a 10-day state visit.  But on the eve of his 
departure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential 
Office have not bee able to confirm Chen's transit stop in the US en 
route to these allies.  This is not the first time a Taiwanese head 
of state has faced this kind of situation, but it nevertheless goes 
against the spirit of Taiwan-US relations and violates diplomatic 
etiquette.  It is regrettable that the US has showed no respect for 
Taiwan by making it difficult for Chen to stop in the US. ... 
 
"Perhaps the US is still annoyed with Chen over his decision to 
cease the functions of the National Unification Council and the 
application of its guidelines, and is showing its displeasure. 
Because Taipei and Washington reached a consensus on this issue 
through diplomatic negotiations, and because Chen agreed to 'cease' 
rather than 'terminate' the NUC as well as its guidelines, it seems 
petty of the US to act in this way. ... The US is dragging its feet 
in preventing Chen from passing through New York as a sop to Beijing 
in the wake of these gaffes, observers claim.  However, the gaffes 
and Chen's trip are unrelated and should not be linked. ...  The 
government must restrain itself when conducting this 'stopover 
diplomacy,' putting the focus of its diplomatic enterprise on allies 
that have official ties with Taiwan. ..." 
 
E) "A Mudslide Erupted Between Taiwan and the United States: Bush's 
Penalty, a Shame for Chen Shui-bian!" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (5/3): 
 
"The United States granted President Chen Shui-bian a treatment that 
allows him 'to get [his plane] refueled but not enter [the United 
States];' this is an alternative that is unacceptable for Chen in 
terms of his personal dignity and national reputation. ... This is 
not simply a severe setback for Chen's personal political career but 
also an unprecedented heavy blow to Taipei-Washington Relations. 
... 
 
"Chen should be held fully responsible for making such a mistake. 
He misestimated the situation and his own limited strength, trying 
to push and bump against the bottom line of 
Washington-Beijing-Taipei relations that should not be easily tested 
and use such actions as a bargaining chip for his attempt to play up 
the political struggles inside Taiwan.  In the end, [he] has not 
only inflicted a severe blow on the trust between Washington and 
Taipei but has also made the political ambiance inside Taiwan 
deteriorate because of his decision to 'cease the functions of the 
National Unification Council (NUC).'  The 'cessation of the NUC' 
itself thus became a self-orchestrated and totally meaningless 
political farce. ... 
 
"Now, Bush is akin to telling Chen: there is no way Chen can 
maintain Taipei-Washington relations without credibility and shared 
responsibilities!  The United States will not accept a policy that 
allows Taiwan to toy with independence but has the United States 
shoulder the risks [of such a move].  It is such a pity that this 
seems to be exactly Chen's international perception and political 
illusion. ...  Bush's political penalty toward Chen not only tells 
[Taiwan] that Chen's Taiwan independence route is less hopeful than 
before but also gives Chen, who has lost his credibility, a big slap 
in the face! ..." 
 
F) "U.S. and China Attack Bian's and Su's Diplomatic Visits from 
Both Sides" 
 
Journalist Chiang Hui-ying said in a news analysis in the pro-status 
quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (5/3): 
 
"President Chen was forced to postpone his transits [in the United 
States] while Premier Su Tseng-chang was turned down for his planned 
visit to Haiti.  These two issues seem totally irrelevant on the 
surface, but they both are results from the same impasse if one gets 
to the bottom of it: that is, Taiwan's decision to cease the 
functions of the National Unification Council and the [diplomatic] 
gaffes Beijing experienced during the U.S.-China summit have made 
Washington decide to handle China's displeasure more prudently. 
Under the attacks by China and the United States from both sides, 
Taiwan's space in the international community was suddenly squeezed 
and the island quickly fell into the frustrated diplomatic low tide. 
..." 
 
G) "Chen's U.S. Transit Woes Reflect Need to Repair Ties" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (5/3): 
 
"... Washington's unwillingness to follow that friendly tradition in 
processing Chen's transit request this time obviously was a 
reflection of its dissatisfaction with his recent stubborn refusal 
to back off from his provocative plan to scrap the unification 
guidelines with China.  During the month-long diplomatic tensions, 
Washington had tried again and again to reach a compromise with him 
to save his face.  But he remained defiant until the last minute 
when it issued him an ultimatum.  The only way for Chen to repair 
his Washington relations now is to restore the confidence of policy 
makers there by  ensuring that there will be no more 'surprises' in 
addressing cross-strait relations in the future." 
 
YOUNG