VZCZCXYZ0026
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2164/01 1730834
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220834Z JUN 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0832
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5341
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6550

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002164 
 
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: RECALL OF PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused coverage 
June 22 on KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's speech Wednesday evening in 
response to President Chen Shui-bian's "report to the people" the 
previous day; the KMT's and PFP's plans to bring Chen down; further 
investigations into the alleged role of First Lady Wu Shu-chen in 
the Sogo Department Store ownership case and an earlier political 
contribution controversy; the controversy over whether the 
government is to turn over its control of a local financial holding 
company to private hands; and a local train accident-turned-murder 
case.  The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" front-paged "Ma Pleads for 
Bian to Quit Politics," while the pro-independence "Liberty Times," 
Taiwan's biggest daily, ran a banner headline on page two that read 
"Bian Reports to the People, Ma Blasts [Chen] for Shirking 
Responsibilities."  The pro-status quo "China Times" carried the 
results of its latest poll on its front page:  46 percent of those 
polled are displeased with Chen's self-defense, while 23 percent are 
pleased with Chen's speech.  The same poll also showed that 43 
percent of respondents support Chen's recall, while 34 percent said 
it's better to have Chen stay on and finish his term of office.  The 
pro-unification "United Daily News" also front-paged the results of 
its latest poll, which showed 49 percent of those polled think that 
the First Family was involved in the Sogo Department Store ownership 
battle.  The same poll also showed that in the wake of the pan-Green 
rally last weekend and Chen's speech Wednesday evening, Chen's 
approval rating rose from 17 percent in late May to 20 percent; 
still, 63 percent of respondents said they are dissatisfied with 
Chen's administrative performance. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" 
editorial urged Ma Ying-jeou not to become a political puppet 
manipulated by James Soong.  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" lamented that Taiwan's stability is jeopardized by the 
incessant political wrangling between the Blue and Green camps.  An 
editorial in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, 
English-language "Taiwan News" said during his speech Chen "missed 
an opportunity to alert moderate voters of the gravity of the threat 
to Taiwan's democracy represented by the renewed power struggle 
launched by the pan-KMT camp."  An "Apple Daily" editorial 
criticized local people for caring only about the Blue and Green, 
but forgetting about what's right and what's wrong.  A "United Daily 
News" analysis said the pan-Green's counterattacks have pushed the 
pan-Blue camp deep into a quagmire.  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" criticized Chen's speech for raising more questions 
than it answered.  End summary. 
 
A) "Advice for Ma Ying-jeou:  Do Not Become a Political Puppet 
Manipulated by James Soong" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (6/22): 
 
"... The reason why we particularly pointed out the distinct role 
played by James Soong in the protests calling for Bian's recall is 
because, based on acute observation of the recent political 
developments, [we are] surprised to note that the safety and welfare 
of the 23 million people of Taiwan seem to have been hijacked by a 
few crazy politicians and become bargaining chips in power struggles 
for personal political interests among certain individuals.  What 
the pan-Blue camp is doing right now is intensifying the island's 
inner ethnic antagonisms and social confrontation.  Its persistent 
and uncompromising protests demonstrate a tough and destructive 
attitude that will likely lead all Taiwan people to definite 
disaster.  Thus, we have to remind all Taiwan people to pay close 
attention to the pan-Blue camp's crazy actions and the latent crises 
they might bring to Taiwan. ..." 
 
B) "Chen Shui-bian Just Can't Win" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (6/22): 
 
"On Tuesday night, President Chen Shui-bian gave an unprecedented 
"Statement to the People," spending two hours addressing a list of 
10 accusations drawn up by opposition lawmakers charging him with 
being unfit for office. ...  While many more might still be in the 
process of digesting and forming their opinion of the president's 
address, one thing is clear: the increasing polarization of the 
country's pan-green and pan-blue camps. ...  The risk is that the 
opposition's unreasonable and relentless attack against Chen in its 
effort to unseat him will arouse more negative sentiment among 
Chen's supporters.  And as pan-green supports' anger toward pan-blue 
politicians' tactics gather strength and they start venting their 
discontent in public, this would in return generate more heat from 
the pan-blue crowd. ...  Either way, Chen just can't win, and 
national stability is being jeopardized by all of this incessant 
political wrangling." 
C) "Chen's Report Only a Partial Success" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] commented in an editorial (6/22): 
 
"President Chen Shui-bian's 'report to the people' Tuesday evening 
refuted the content of the recall motion filed June 13 by Kuomintang 
and People First Party lawmakers, but missed an opportunity to alert 
moderate voters of the gravity of the threat to Taiwan's democracy 
represented by the renewed power struggle launched by the pan-KMT 
camp.   In our view, Chen's decision to offer a coherent statement 
directly to citizens regarding the recall motion sponsored by the 
KMT-PFP and its 10 vacuous charges was correct and he was well 
within his constitutional rights to submit or not to submit an 
official rebuttal to the Legislative Yuan.  ...  Contrary to the 
claim by KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou in his half-hour address last 
night, there is ample reason to believe that the current effort is 
precisely aimed at toppling the democratically elected government of 
President Chen Shui-bian and his DPP administration without regard 
to whether the president or even his immediate family or aides are 
actually guilty of corruption or other crimes.  ..." 
 
D) "[People] Only Care about Blue or Green, But Not Black and 
White" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] wrote in 
an editorial (6/22): 
 
"President Chen's televised monologue the other night has indeed won 
him some support from pan-Green voters.  The fact that Chen chose to 
speak in Taiwanese all through his speech indicated that he was 
targeting those deep-Green voters who were originally disappointed 
with him, not those Blue mainlanders. ...  Bian's speech totally 
satisfied the needs of those fundamentalists.  Having calmed the 
Green voters, Bian has became active again in the DPP; no one dares 
to criticize him, and party members also need Bian to stimulate and 
solidify the party.  The DPP, which was severely cut up by Chen's 
son-in-law's alleged involvement in the insider trading case, to the 
extent that it almost split, has passed its trials and started to 
organize itself and join hands together to face the rivals.  The 
peak of the pan-Blue camp's exposures of various scandals is over; 
the pan-Blue camp has missed the best timing for a recall or 
no-confidence vote.  It is now very difficult to try to bring the 
Chen administration down. ..." 
 
E) "When Professor Ma Meets Lawyer Chen ..." 
 
Journalist Fan Ling-chia noted in an analysis in the pro-unification 
"United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000]: 
 
"Following President Chen's address to the people, KMT Chairman Ma 
Ying-jeou also appeared on TV Wednesday evening.  Ma acted as if he 
were discussing constitutional principles in the classroom, typical 
of 'Professor Ma's' unique style and rhythms, which, when compared 
with the court debate of 'Lawyer Chen' the previous day, seemed 
evidently less exciting.  Ma failed to catch the edge of one who 
attacks later in the field. ... 
 
"As it now stands, the person who really 'plans before he moves' is 
Chen, not Ma.  The KMT, when it attacks, is unable to defeat Bian, 
and when it retreats, it is unable to protect Ma.  The pan-Green's 
counterattacks have pushed the Blue camp deep into a quagmire.  On 
the other hand, James Soong already took the lead in pushing for the 
no-confidence motion; he even started a sit-in with his supporters. 
The KMT has missed the chance to take the first shot, and is now in 
a dilemma." 
 
F) "President's Address:  More Questions Than It Answers" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] noted in an editorial (6/22): 
 
"... The president's remarks, convincing though they may seem to 
some people, sound hollow and reek of insincerity and dishonesty. 
It has raised more questions than it has answered.  ...  Chen spoke 
the local dialect of Hoklo nearly from beginning to end.  This 
testifies to the fact that although he was speaking to 'the people,' 
the speech was meant to generate cohesion among supporters of the 
ruling Democratic Progressive Party and to arouse anti-opposition 
sentiment among native Taiwanese.  ...  Yet unless he can provide 
satisfactory answers to the questions concerning the moral integrity 
of him and his family, chances are that his approval ratings, 
hovering at all-time lows at the moment, will continue to decline." 
 
KEEGAN