VZCZCXYZ0027
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1545/01 1241228
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041228Z MAY 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0026
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5161
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6365

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001545 
 
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 continued significant coverage May 4 of 
transit plans for President Chen Shui-bian, who planned to depart on 
a trip to Paraguay and Costa Rica Thursday morning.  Two prominent 
Taiwan papers, the pro-unification "United Daily News" and Taiwan's 
biggest daily, the pro-independence "Liberty Times" reported on 
their front and second pages, respectively, that Chen had decided 
not to transit the United States.  The UDN headlined its article 
"Itinerary Changed:  Bian Will Not Transit U.S. on His Way 
Overseas."  The LT said "U.S. Says Bian Will Not Transit Alaska." 
Other papers front-paged the U.S. decision to allow Chen refueling 
stops in Anchorage on his way to and from Central and South America. 
 The pro-status quo "China Times" ran a front-page banner headline 
that read:  "Bian Lashes out in Dissatisfaction with U.S. Transit 
Arrangements When Meeting with AIT Director, While the United States 
Forcefully Makes Final Decision."  The newspaper also carried a 
separate new story on page three with the headline:  "State 
Department Suggests Transit in Miami, Bush Turns It Down." 
 
¶2. Several papers continued to editorialize on Chen's U.S. transits 
and the current status of Taipei-Washington relations.  A "Liberty 
Times" editorial urged Washington to support Taiwan and not succumb 
to China's threats.  An editorial in the pro-independence "Taiwan 
Daily" also called on the United States to value Taiwan's friendship 
and handle issues related to Taiwan more prudently.  An editorial in 
the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" said Washington knows for sure 
that Taiwan needs the United States, no matter what, and there is 
nothing Taiwan can do if Washington wants to humiliate Taiwan's 
president.  An editorial in the pro-unification "United Daily News," 
however, attributed the U.S. government's ignoring Chen's transit 
request to its displeasure with his decision to end the functions of 
the National Unification Council and his deteriorating approval 
rating.  National Taiwan University Professor Philip Yang opined in 
the "United Daily News" that Chen's inadequate credibility has 
resulted in Washington's decision to adopt preventive diplomacy. 
End summary. 
 
A) "How Can Politicians and Media Rejoice over the President's 
Setback with Regard to His Transits in the United States?" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (5/4): 
 
"... President Chen's failure to enter the U.S. mainland during his 
transits this time must be viewed as a regression in Taiwan-U.S. 
relations. ...  But we must remind the United States that in the 
wake of China's rise, which was cloaked in the colors of peace, 
Beijing's warmongering attitude, its increasing military buildup, 
and its totalitarian dictatorship have cast shadows over global 
peace and stability.  When it comes to East Asian issues, Washington 
should support Taiwan, which is also a democracy like the United 
States, and consolidate its security alliance with Japan.  This is 
the fundamental way to maintain regional peace.  Excessively bowing 
to China's threats is akin to bringing in a troublemaker and will 
cause endless trouble [for the United States] in the future. ..." 
 
B) "Chiang Kai-shek Is the Originator That Makes Taiwan Unable to 
Walk off the Island and Promote [Its] Foreign Relations.  Only under 
the Name 'Taiwan' Can [the Island] Pave a New Road in Diplomacy" 
 
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000] 
editorialized (5/4): 
 
"... Even though we are not totally pleased [with U.S. transit plans 
for President Chen Shui-bian], we must understand that the United 
States has its own position.  However, we must remind the United 
States of the fact that China mistakenly believes it can do whatever 
it wants with Taiwan as long as it exerts pressure.  Taiwan's 
democratic achievements have won recognition around the world.  The 
United States, which is a leader of the world's democracies, must 
value Taiwan's friendship more and handle Taiwan issues more 
carefully from now on. ..." 
 
C) "Bian Turned down for His Wooing" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] 
editorialized (5/4): 
 
"... It certainly was not easy for [Chen] to annoy U.S. President 
George W. Bush so much as to turn him from being a big supporter of 
Taiwan to someone who feels bad about the island!  It looks like 
Chen is more powerful than China in sabotaging Taiwan-U.S. 
relations.  The [effects] of recent events such as the meeting 
between Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao, the Iranian nuclear 
crisis, and Chen's decision to cease the functions of the National 
Unification Council, as well as Chen's remarks and behavior ever 
since he assumed office, have all rebounded on Chen and is reflected 
in his transits this time. ... Washington knows for sure that Taiwan 
needs the United States, no matter what.  There is nothing that 
 
Taiwan can do if Washington wants to humiliate Taiwan's president. 
This is a fact, but Washington will be going too far if it 
humiliates Taiwan just to curry favor with China. ..." 
 
D) "'Journey of Uncertainty':  What Is Chen Shui-bian's Diplomatic 
Strategy?" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] wrote 
in an editorial (5/4): 
 
"... This newspaper also must remind the ruling DPP that the U.S. 
government's negligence [of Taiwan] this time not only manifested 
[U.S. President George W.] Bush's impatience toward the 'cessation 
of Taiwan's National Unification Council' but was also related to 
the evident deterioration of President Chen's administrative 
performance and personal image.  The United States' high-profile 
treatment [of Chen during his U.S. transits] five years ago showed 
Washington's expectations and encouragement of the leader of a young 
democracy, and Washington's cold shoulder this time shows that it no 
longer wants to speak to a stupid, stubborn and unpopular state 
leader.  This is a message of which both Chen and the DPP must stay 
alert. ..." 
 
E) "Inadequate Credibility Results in United States' Preventive 
Diplomacy" 
 
Professor Philip Yang of National Taiwan University's Department of 
Political Science opined in the pro-unification "United Daily News" 
[circulation: 400,000] (5/4): 
 
"To judge from Washington's perspective, its refusal of President 
Chen's transit of the continental U.S. is actually a [result of] 
crisis management and preventive diplomacy.  In the wake of the 
cessation of Taiwan's National Unification Council (NUC), the gap 
between Taipei and Washington with regard to their interpretations 
and perceptions of the [NUC] event still remain.  As a result of 
this gap, plus Chen's record of [inadequate] credibility as shown in 
his handling of Taipei-Washington ties, Washington was seriously 
concerned that Taipei would misinterpret the U.S. decision regarding 
Chen's transits and infer that the NUC event is over.  Washington 
was even worried that Taipei would think that the United States has 
accepted the latter's clarifications about the NUC matter, a move 
that would lead people to think that the United States has accepted 
Taipei's unilateral definition of the status quo [across the Taiwan 
Strait].  Such a development, of course, does not meet U.S. policy 
and interests. 
 
"In addition, Washington is concerned that Chen's transits and his 
interpretation [of the U.S. decision] afterwards, plus the many 
diplomatic gaffes that happened during [Chinese President] Hu 
Jintao's visit to Washington, would send a wrong message to the 
Beijing government and cause Chinese misunderstanding and 
misjudgment.  China, as a result, might think that Washington is 
playing the Taiwan card in terms of its cross-Strait policy, and 
that it tends to use Taipei to counterbalance Beijing.  ... 
 
"Chen's move is of course aimed at testing the waters, seeking to 
use his transits to figure out Washington's policy changes. ...  But 
the United States knows clearly the seriousness of the consequences 
if it allows Chen to transit the U.S.  In the meantime, it is aware 
that it can use Chen's transits to make the Taiwan people understand 
the extent to which Taipei-Washington ties have deteriorated, and 
also find a vent for Beijing to release its displeasure with Hu's 
U.S. trip. ..." 
 
YOUNG