VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2481/01 2050908
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240908Z JUL 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1224
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5448
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6655

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002481 
 
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: DPP PARTY CONGRESS, MIDDLE EAST 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
coverage July 22-24 on the DPP party congress, in which the DPP 
decided to return to collective leadership and to dissolve party 
factions; and the Grand Justices' ruling last Friday on the 
constitutionality of the National Communications Commission.  The 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" ran a front-page banner headline 
July 23 that read "Yu Shyi-kun:  DPP Must Return to Collective 
Leadership."  The pro-status quo "China Times" also ran a banner 
headline on page four July 22 that said "Issuing Statement Prior to 
DPP Congress, Bian Says He Wants to Accomplish Unfinished Missions, 
Will Neither Resign Nor Quit Party." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "China Times" 
editorial said the DPP's congress was concluded, but the party's 
trial is just about to begin.  The article added that President Chen 
Shui-bian, the game of power in the post-Bian era, and the year-end 
Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections are the factors that will 
decide whether the DPP will walk out of its current predicament in 
the next six months.  An editorial in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" urged the DPP to 
"walk the talk" to improve its reputation for political integrity. 
An editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative, 
pro-unification, English-language "China Post," on the other hand, 
discussed the crisis in the Middle East, urging Israel to exercise 
restraint and bring peace back to the Middle East.  End summary. 
 
¶3. DPP Party Congress 
 
A) "Trial That DPP Should Undergo Is Just About to Begun" 
 
The pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (7/24): 
 
"... Many pro-independence heavyweights said they want to give 
President Chen a six-month grace period.  For the DPP, the next six 
months following the conclusion of the party congress is also very 
critical.  Several factors are involved as to decide whether the DPP 
will recover or collapse:  The first factor is of course President 
Chen.  ...  Chen will enjoy a greater maneuvering space following 
his announcement to 'relinquish some of his powers.'  He may likely 
continue to restrain the party line and policy direction by forming 
a strategic alliance with the deep-Green elders and social groups. 
The Sustainable Economic Development Conference will be one of the 
indicators [to monitor Chen's moves]. 
 
"The second factor is the game of power in the post-Bian era, that 
is, whether the DPP can move from the collective leadership now to a 
new leadership; or to put it plainly, does Su Tseng-chang have a 
chance to become a new leader?  ...  The final factor will be the 
year-end Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral races.  Even though they are 
just elections for the mayors and city council members in two 
special municipalities in northern and southern Taiwan, they have 
clear indicator significance:  Namely, they will tell whether public 
opinion is satisfied with the DPP's performance after the party's 
reflection and reform for the next six months. ... 
 
"Over the next six months, the DPP's look will be:  a political 
party that has entered the post-Bian era in its form, but in which 
Chen's influence remains omnipresent; a political party which said 
it has dissolved all factions, but in which all factions remain 
active; and a political party which has passed clean politics 
regulations, but remains inactive in dealing with its core clean 
politics issues.  Let's just wait and see if the DPP can really walk 
out of its predicament." 
 
B) "Time for DPP to Walk the Talk" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (7/24): 
 
"The governing Democratic Progressive Party took a major step toward 
recovery yesterday by adopting more moves to improve its reputation 
for political integrity, begin a transition back to collective and 
democratic leadership after over six years of 'charismatic' 
domination by President Chen Shui-bian and, at least partially, 
revive guidance by progressive and democratic values. ... 
 
"Whether the DPP will truly be able to 'move the Taiwan people' and 
regain their confidence will not be decided by any panacea, but by 
whether Taiwan's party of democracy and progress can return to the 
'Taiwan road' in more than words and truly 'walk the talk.'  The 
pressure to rebuild the DPP's reputation will be borne mainly by 
Premier Su Tseng-chang, who has gained a dominant hand in the party 
leadership in alliance with DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun and is now the 
party's front-runner or the March 2008 presidential race and now 
must show his ability to both articulate and execute progressive 
policies. ..." 
 
¶4. Middle East 
 
"Mideast's Never-Ending Crisis" 
 
The conservative, pro-independence, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] noted in an editorial (7/24): 
 
"... With the United States and Great Britain, the two chief 
supporters of Israel, ready to mediate, the armed conflict in 
southern Lebanon is expected to come to an end shortly, but peace 
will never return. ...  The only way to peace between the Jewish 
state and the Arab nation is for the Israelis to accept the 
Christian virtue of turning their right cheeks to their enemy when 
their left cheeks are slapped.  They are strong enough to practice 
self-restraint.  As a matter of fact, the Israelis overreacted to 
trigger the war.  Nobody thinks it plausible for Israel to invade 
Gaza and attack Lebanon just to rescue three captured soldiers, two 
of them held by Hezbollah.  The restraint from retaliation on the 
part of the Israelis will finally convince the Arabs that they all 
will be able to live in peace.  It takes decades or maybe a century 
before the Arabs will finally come to accept the Israelis as their 
cousins again.  They are.  They were before 1948.  Their common 
ancestor is Abraham." 
 
YOUNG