VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2696/01 2210856
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090856Z AUG 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1519
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5529
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6738

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002696 
 
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, NORTH KOREA 
 
 
¶1. Summary: On August 9, Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies 
focused their coverage on the sudden resignation Monday of the 
Minister of Transportation and Communications, and on the 
controversial highway electronic toll collection system; the 
aftermath of Taiwan's break in diplomatic ties with Chad; Foreign 
Minister James Huang's meeting with the leader of Hezbollah in 
April; and the sea and land warnings for a tropical storm and a 
typhoon near Taiwan.  The pro-status quo "China Times" front-paged a 
letter by former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh to President Chen 
Shui-bian, urging him to step down.  The pro-independence "Liberty 
Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, on the other hand, ran a banner 
headline on page two that said "Proactive Move to Cement Foreign 
Relations; Bian to Visit Palau, Nauru Next Month." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" 
editorial urged the government to freeze all its opening policies 
toward China in the wake of Taiwan's break in diplomatic ties with 
Chad.  Editorials in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times" and "Taiwan News" both said the Chad 
incident should serve as a wake-up call for Su and his revisionist 
line.  With regard to North Korea, a "Taipei Times" opinion piece 
urged Taiwan to reassess and strengthen its missile defenses to 
better address the threats it faces.  End summary. 
 
¶3. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
A) "The Government Should Thoroughly Freeze Its Easing [Regulations] 
and Opening Policies to China" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (8/9): 
 
"... It is still unknown whether the break in diplomatic ties 
between Taiwan and Chad will thoroughly wake up the DPP 
administration, whose words and deeds have been constantly 
inconsistent, from its illusions about China.  But we believe that 
Taiwan's economy under the DPP's governance has been overly tilted 
toward China, so tilted that it has threatened our nation's 
survival.  As a result, the severance of diplomatic ties between 
Taiwan and Chad, to a certain extent, was a result of Taiwan's own 
making.  If Premier Su's 'revisionist line' really intends to 
safeguard the Taiwan-centered awareness, we suggest that Su 
completely freeze any opening policies and eased regulations toward 
China until 2008, and focus on domestic investments and effectively 
reduce Taiwan's reliance on China.  This is the 'Su revisionist 
line' that Taiwan really needs. ..." 
 
B) "China Fueling Independence Fires" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (8/9): 
 
"On the eve of Premier Su Tseng-chang's departure for Chad, China 
forced the African nation to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan. 
 This is the second time this has happened to Su since becoming 
premier, and it would be a miracle if he now continued his 
China-friendly policies.  The deterioration of cross-strait 
relations has not been the result of Taiwan's unwillingness to 
display goodwill toward China, but rather of China's belligerence. 
...  The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and 
Chad should serve as a wake-up call for Su, who may adjust his 
policies.  It has also brought a ray of hope to the cause of 
Taiwanese independence.  The US would do well to retract its 
approval of high-level cross-strait dialogue.  China's hostile 
actions have scuppered a visit by Chen Yunlin, head of China's 
Taiwan Affairs Office, which had originally been approved by the 
government. ... 
 
"China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs may think that it can buy off 
Taiwan's allies to suppress the fact that Taiwan is a sovereign 
state, but China's actions are instead driving the Taiwanese 
government toward a more pragmatic diplomacy that doesn't focus on 
money or how many diplomatic allies the country has.  The Taiwanese 
public is not blaming the government for losing ties with Chad. 
Instead, Beijing is providing the strongest support for the opinion 
that Taiwan should follow its own path." 
 
C) "Taiwan Must Put Quality First in External Policy" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] commented in an editorial (8/9): 
 
"Sunday's breakup with Chad just before the departure of Premier Su 
Tseng-chang to attend yesterday's third inauguration Chadian 
 
SIPDIS 
President Idriss Deby was a shock, but it certainly should not have 
been a surprise. ...  Last but not least, we believe that the 
government should itself forego any illusion that a line of 
distinction can be drawn between promotion of cross-strait economic, 
trade and transportation relations with the PRC and Beijing's 
incessant assaults on our formal diplomatic relationships and 
oppression of the substantive participation in international 
activities by Taiwan NGOs and even individual citizens.  Instead, we 
should make clear to Beijing that such 'pragmatism' has its limits 
and that Taipei also has a 'red line' beyond which we will not be 
pushed by Beijing. ..." 
 
¶4. North Korea 
 
"China Walks Tightrope on North Korea" 
 
Mrinal Menon, a researcher at the Institute for National Policy 
Research, opined in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" [circulation: 30,000] (8/9): 
 
"... Regardless of the consequences the recent missile launches have 
for the Korean Peninsula, the crisis must serve as a wake-up call to 
Taiwan.  In light of the North Korean missile tests and the 
potential for security crises in Northeast Asia, Taiwan must 
reassess its own defense capabilities.  Taiwan's missile defense 
posture is woefully under-prepared to tackle the threat it faces 
from the PRC and North Korea.  Well within striking range of North 
Korean missiles as well as hundreds from the PRC, Taiwan currently 
lies open and vulnerable.  A domestic missile defense posture more 
in line with that of the US and Japan would better prepare Taiwan 
for the security landscape of the 21st century.  Taiwanese leaders 
must act on the North Korean crisis and seriously consider updating 
their missile defense capabilities to better address the threats 
they face." 
 
YOUNG