VZCZCXYZ0013
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2642/01 2190839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070839Z AUG 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1449
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5521
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6731

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002642 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - SCOTT WALKER 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS, U.S.-TAIWAN 
RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
coverage August 5-7 on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' sudden 
announcement Saturday night, just before Premier Su Tseng-chang was 
to leave on his planned trip to Chad, that Taiwan had severed ties 
with that country after learning that Chad would resume diplomatic 
relations with China; the Ministry of Transportation and 
Communications' decision on the controversial operation of the 
highway electronic toll collection system; the Cabinet's reshuffle 
of its economic chiefs; and the disclosure of President Chen 
Shui-bian's alleged "secret" bank account.  The pro-status quo 
"China Times" ran a banner headline on page two August 7 that read 
"China, Chad Establish Ties; Cross-Strait Trade and Economic Policy 
Suddenly Frozen."  The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's 
biggest daily, meanwhile, ran a banner headline on page two August 6 
that said "Island Will Push for Its UN Bid Using Taiwan's Name." 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" reported on the results of 
its latest survey August 7, which showed that President Chen's 
approval rating has dropped to a new low of 15 percent, while 
Premier Su's approval rating also has dropped to 39 percent from 43 
percent in March. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" 
editorial urged Premier Su to give up his "Su revisionist line" and 
stop pushing to open cross-Strait trade, as Chad's switching 
diplomatic relations to China showed that Beijing is trying its best 
to isolate Taiwan in the international community.  A "United Daily 
News" analysis, however, called on Su to think from the opposite 
direction and to continue to push his "revisionist line."  In terms 
of U.S.-Taiwan relations, an op-ed piece in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" said "there is a 
pressing need for better communication between the U.S. and Taiwan 
in a rapidly changing atmosphere."  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" called on Washington to grant Taiwan people visa-free 
entry for short tourist stays.  End summary. 
 
¶3. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
A) "Will China Do Anything That Benefits Taiwan?" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (8/7): 
 
"... Since the beginning of this year, some factions in the DPP have 
proposed a 'confident opening,' and there was the so-called 'Su 
revisionist line' following President Chen's announcement that he 
would cede some of his powers.  The stubbornly biased belief in 
opening [cross-Strait trade] not only helped quickly to weaken 
Taiwan economically, but is also tantamount to secretly helping 
China to contain Taiwan diplomatically.  Just as Premier Su was 
about to push for the opening [of cross-Strait trade] in the wake of 
the Taiwan Sustainable Economic Development Conference, China has 
gone to great lengths to isolate Taiwan in the international 
community.  Chad may just be one of the many examples.  The incident 
of Chad shows that it is better to quit the so-called 'confident 
opening' or 'Su revisionist line." 
 
B) "Chad Steps in; Su Revisionism Becomes 'Su Being Fixed'" 
 
Journalist Sean Liu noted in an analysis in the pro-unification 
"United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (8/7): 
 
"... For many people, China's suppression of Taiwan's foreign 
relations this time made Su Tseng-chang a victim; on the other hand, 
it also unexpectedly offered him more room to maneuver with regard 
to cross-Strait relations.  If Su, who has just been dealt a blow by 
China, can think from the reverse direction and continue to push for 
the 'Su revisionist line,' he will find himself standing on more 
solid ground to refute the doubts of the pro-independence activists. 
 Su needs to calmly ponder how to strike a balance between his 
outrage for now and political needs in the long run, and discover 
his position in terms of cross-Strait relations." 
 
¶4. U.S.-Taiwan Relations 
 
A) "Change the Rules of US-Taiwan Ties" 
 
Nate Bellocchi, a former chairman of AIT and now a special adviser 
to the Liberty Times Group, opined in the pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (8/7): 
 
"... The changes now being sought by Congress are reasonable and 
long overdue.  There is a pressing need for better communication 
between the US and Taiwan in a rapidly changing atmosphere.  Even 
China must be aware that better US-Taiwan communication would be a 
good thing for it, too.  Beijing today may still want to absorb 
Taiwan, but it is clearly well aware that it has far bigger problems 
within China than with Taiwan.  It is also aware that the US (and 
 
Taiwan) do not want war over the issue any more than it does.  It is 
time that the US, in its own interest, underlines the point that 
visits and meetings with senior Taiwanese officials in the US or 
Taiwan are in everyone's interest, including China's.  It's in no 
one's interest to have misunderstandings and tension while dealing 
with such sensitive issues." 
 
B) "Visa Waiver for ROC" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (8/6): 
 
"Much attention has been paid in Taiwan's news media to the debate 
in the United States over proposed changes to the Immigration and 
Nationality Act that governs American immigration law.  While the 
vast majority of Taiwanese now have little trouble obtaining visas 
to visit the United States, given the fact that the ROC on Taiwan 
has long ago joined the list of economically developed nations, many 
people here still fume at the prospect of having to line up at the 
American Institute in Taiwan just to get permission to visit friends 
and relatives in the United States. 
 
"We sincerely hope that while politicians in the United States 
ponder the details of reforming the Immigration and Nationality Act, 
they will also remember that many economically developed countries 
in East Asia, including our own, should be placed on the 'Visa 
Waiver Program' list. ...  The United States should therefore 
formally recognize the fact that Taiwan is now a developed country 
and grant our citizens visa-free entry for short tourist stays, just 
like our government already grants to U.S. citizens." 
 
YOUNG