VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2530/01 2080812
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270812Z JUL 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1291
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5474
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6680

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002530 
 
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:  TAIWAN SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
CONFERENCE, TAIWAN'S UN BID 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to 
focus their coverage July 27 on the Cabinet-sponsored Taiwan 
Sustainable Economic Development Conference, which kicked off today; 
pro-Green scholars' follow-up moves to call for President Chen 
Shui-bian's resignation; Taiwan's declining consumer confidence and 
decelerating economic development.  The pro-status quo "China Times" 
ran a front-page banner headline that read "Su Tseng-chang Resists 
Pressure, Will Continue to Push for Loosening of Restrictions on 
Mainland Investments."  The newspaper also ran a banner headline on 
page four that said "No Restrictions for Westbound [Investments], 
Financial and Economic Heads Break Taboo."  Next to this banner 
headline, however, the newspaper also ran a news story with the 
headline "Bian Will Attend Sustainable Economic Development 
Conference and Reiterate Proactive Management." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-unification "United Daily News" urged the government not to turn 
the Sustainable Economic Development Conference into a political 
struggle session hijacked by Green stalwarts.  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan 
News," on the other hand, discussed Taiwan's chances of joining the 
United Nations.  End summary. 
 
¶3. Taiwan Sustainable Economic Development Conference 
 
"Sustainable Economic Development Conference Must Not Become 
Political Struggle Session Hijacked by Green Stalwarts" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (7/27): 
 
"The Sustainable Economic Development Conference, which will kick 
off today, must not become a political struggle session hijacked by 
the deep-Green stalwarts. ...  From its very beginning, the 
Sustainable Economic Development Conference has never been defined 
as an economic decision-making meeting, but simply as a political 
ritual, and its main purpose was to serve as a transitional medium 
for the power transfer between Chen Shui-bian and Su Tseng-chang. 
The meeting was meant to serve as steps for Chen to extricate 
himself and for Su to assume [his future position].  In other words, 
the conference was supposed to help resolve Chen's 'rulership 
crisis' on the one hand, creating steps for Chen to extricate 
himself from the predicament he has been in since he started to lean 
toward the deep-Green line following his New Year Day's address.  On 
the other hand, it was supposed to serve as steps for Su to ascend 
by constructing a backdrop for his 'visions for 2008.'  But now Chen 
clings like grim death to the deep-Green line; if Chen does not dare 
to walk down the steps, there is no way Su can walk up the steps. 
 
"As a result, the Sustainable Economic Development Conference, which 
was originally designed for Chen to transfer power to Su, can no 
longer serve as a 'transitional' mechanism now; instead, it has all 
the more underscored the conflicting lines and power impasse between 
Chen and Su. ...  Given such a development, the conference becomes 
insignificant in terms of policy making, and it has lost its 
function of power transfer.  This situation dealt a heavy blow to 
the DPP, and to Su in particular, because if Chen adheres to his 
pledge to 'delegate some of his powers,' he can extricate himself by 
means of the Sustainable Economic Development Conference.  Su, on 
the other hand, can use the conference to work out his plan for his 
'revisionist line' and announce his visions for 2008. ...  Chen has 
hijacked the Sustainable Economic Development Conference, making it 
collapse and incapable of resolving his rulership crisis.  For Su 
and Tsai Ing-wen, the collapse of the conference will not only mean 
a major defeat for their personal political careers, but will also 
make the DPP miss a critical opportunity for its advance and 
transformation. ..." 
 
¶4. Taiwan's UN Bid 
 
"If Security Council Is Enlarged, Taiwan May Gain Ground" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] noted in an editorial (7/27): 
 
"... In our view, the boycott of Japan's entry to the Security 
Council is unfortunate since having Japan on the Council would help 
ease the potential flashpoints in Northeast Asia by providing a 
multilateral context for dialogue between all four major powers with 
direct stakes in the region.  Japan's seat on the Council would be 
welcome in not only giving Tokyo a proper role in global 
decision-making but because its seat, along with others such as 
Germany, India or African nations, should also help to check and 
balance the PRC's behavior and, if indirectly, help maintain 
stability across the Taiwan Strait. 
 
"Taiwan's primary concern is naturally our next effort in September 
to enter the United Nations and resolve the problem of the lack of 
 
representation for Taiwan. ...  By intensifying our efforts to 
become a valuable 'contribution-maker' to the welfare of the global 
community instead of a 'hindrance maker' like the authoritarian PRC, 
Taiwan can gradually enhance our reputation and support in the 
General Assembly and, eventually, will gain entry into the United 
Nations." 
 
YOUNG