VZCZCXYZ0022
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2674/01 2200845
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080845Z AUG 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1489
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5523
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6733

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002674 
 
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: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS, CROSS-STRAIT 
RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
coverage August 8 on the sudden announcement by the Minister of 
Transportation and Communications Monday afternoon of her 
resignation over the controversial highway electronic toll 
collection system; President Chen Shui-bian's alleged "secret" bank 
accounts; and a local prosecutor who was taken into custody for 
alleged sexual abuse of a female witness.  The pro-unification 
"United Daily News" ran a banner headline on page four that read 
"Impact of Severing Ties [with Chad], Financial Supervisory 
Commission 'Closes Door' to Financial Holding Companies and Banks' 
Plans [to Open Branch Offices] in China."  The mass-circulation 
"Apple Daily," on the other hand, carried an exclusive story on page 
six that said "Foreign Minister's Secret Visit with Terrorists' Head 
Is Exposed," and the sub-headline added "[James Huang] Called on 
Hezbollah Chief in April; Scholars:  Should Be Cautious in Handling 
Foreign Relations." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials, an editorial in the pro-independence 
"Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, discussed the U.S. 
Congress' recent move to change the rules governing U.S. relations 
with Taiwan.  The article urged Washington to modify the "Taiwan 
Relations Act" and make it demonstrate Taiwan's status as an 
independent sovereignty.  With regard to Taiwan's decision to sever 
diplomatic ties with Chad, an editorial in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" asked whether the 
U.S. State Department will view the Chad incident as an example of 
the cross-Strait "status quo" coming under attack.  An editorial in 
the limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan 
News" strongly urged the DPP government to shut the door to a 
possible visit to Taiwan by Chen Yunlin, director of China's Taiwan 
Affairs Office.   End summary. 
 
¶3. U.S.-Taiwan Relations 
 
"Taiwan-U.S. Interaction Guideline Should Reveal Taiwan's Status as 
Independent Sovereignty" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Liberty Times" [circulation: 
600,000] editorialized (8/8): 
 
"...  But the 'Taiwan Relations Act' was, after all, meant to define 
the non-official ties between Taiwan and the United States, so it 
has its limitations.  The act might be viable back then, but over 
the past thirty years, Taiwan has transformed from a foreign regime 
into a nativist regime, and its people have elected their president 
three times.  Taiwan has also become a democratic country along with 
the world's third wave of democratization.  If Taiwan-U.S. relations 
continue to remain on the non-official level defined two or three 
decades ago, many obstacles and problems would show up one after the 
other. 
 
"For example, the United States regards the promotion of democratic 
values in the world as one of the pillars of its diplomatic 
strategy.  Taiwan is clearly a democratic country of independent 
sovereignty now, but the United States still dodges developing 
comprehensive diplomatic relations with Taiwan.  In contrast, a 
totalitarian country like China has won the U.S.'s attention.  In 
the end, Taiwan's elected president is not allowed to visit the 
United States, but China's authoritarian ruler is free to enter the 
White House.  This is completely against the founding spirit and 
democratic strategy of the United States.  Over the past few years, 
the U.S. administrative branch often complained that the Taiwan 
government had failed to inform Washington in advance of its many 
major policies, giving Washington no time to react.  In reality, 
however, the other side of the U.S. complaint is exactly a result of 
the limited level of Taiwan-U.S. contact and the lack of close 
communication between high-ranking officials of the two. ... 
 
"Honestly speaking, the U.S. administrative branch's fear of 
repercussions will only help to make China's appetite grow bigger 
and is not fair to democratic Taiwan.  Such a move has violated the 
objective of 'maintaining and advancing the human rights of all 
Taiwan people,' and it is difficult to push China to move towards 
democracy in order to ensure peace, security, and stability in the 
West Pacific.  ..." 
 
¶4. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
A) "UN Is China's Weapon of Choice" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (8/8): 
 
"... For Taiwan to retain any of its allies in the long term it is 
going to have to rely on diplomatic sophistication and not just 
dollar diplomacy. ...  In the end, however, Taiwan is also up 
against forces outside of its control: Allies that require UN 
intervention are particularly vulnerable to Chinese blackmail.  It 
 
will be interesting to see if the US State Department looks upon the 
Chad incident as an example of the beloved cross-Strait 'status quo' 
coming under attack and appropriately lodges a protest with Beijing. 
 Or denounces the role of Chinese arms in the conflicts in Chad and 
Sudan as representing the most callous exploitation of a troubled 
region.  Then again, pigs might fly." 
 
B) "Keep Door Closed to PRC Delegation" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (8/8): 
 
"We urge the Democratic Progressive Party government to keep 
Taiwan's door firmly shut to the likes of People's Republic of China 
Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin, whom the former ruling 
Kuomintang has invited to attend an 'agricultural cooperation forum' 
in Taipei from October 13 to 18. ...  Chen Yunlin's visit clearly 
has precious little to do with bilateral 'agricultural cooperation,' 
except as a ploy to persuade even more Taiwanese farmers or 
agricultural enterprises to sink their funds in the PRC tar pit, in 
which over 90 percent of agricultural goods identified as being of 
'Taiwan origin are counterfeit.  Instead, the proposed visit by the 
PRC's chief Taiwan affairs administrator aims to demonstrate in deed 
and word the 'hollowing out' or marginalization of Taiwan's 
democratically elected government. ... 
 
"In sum, we believe the Taiwan government should consider allowing 
Chen Yunlin to visit only if Beijing agrees to enter into direct 
consultations over the trip's content and protocol, including a 
commitment on reciprocal meetings with Taiwan government officials 
of equal rank, and agrees to issue an apology for the handling of 
the Chad issue.  After Beijing shows respect for Taiwan's national 
dignity, then dialogue can commence." 
 
YOUNG