VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2895/01 2340824
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220824Z AUG 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1751
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5560
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6775

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002895 
 
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:  TAIWAN'S POLITICAL SITUATION, ASEAN 
MEETING 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  As the multiple efforts to oust President Chen 
Shui-bian and investigations into the Presidential Office's special 
state affairs expense account stayed in the Taiwan media's spotlight 
August 22, news coverage also focused on President Chen's planned 
trip to Palau in early September, and cross-Strait interactions. 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" ran a banner headline on page 
three that read "Shock Wave of [Efforts] to Oust Bian, Stock Market 
Plunges 215 Points."  In terms of cross-Strait interaction, the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, ran a 
banner headline on page four that said "In Terms of Chen Yunlin's 
Planned Visit to the Island, Taiwan Calls on Officials of Both Sides 
to Negotiate First." 
 
¶2. Most Chinese papers editorialized on the campaign to unseat 
President Chen, discussing the roles of scholars and lawyers in the 
campaign, and the Assembly and Parade Law.  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" said one of the reasons that Chen will not step down 
easily is because he still has the support of the United States.  An 
editorial in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times," however, criticized former DPP 
Chairman Shih Ming-teh's method of unseating the president, saying 
that democratic values and the rule of law should be placed above 
and beyond the issue of protecting or keeping the president.  In 
terms of the ASEAN meeting, an editorial in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" said the inclusion 
of the "China factor" within the ASEAN arena, combined with the 
policy of exclusion directed against the U.S. and Japan, will 
"inevitably upset ASEAN's political equilibrium and revive the 
historical nightmare of a hegemonic China."  End summary. 
 
¶3. Taiwan's Political Situation 
 
A) "Waiting for Legal Action" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] (8/22): 
 
"... Chen survived a legislative motion initiated by the opposition 
in June to recall him, but pressure for him to resign has gained new 
strength.  However, many observers say prospects of bringing Chen 
down are slim.  Under the Constitution, the president is immune to 
punishment for criminal offenses.  To be in office for another one 
and a half years, he has better resources to protect himself and his 
family; to quit now is to give up all.  Another reason is that he 
still has the support of the U.S., Taiwan's mentor and protector. 
Stephen Young, de facto U.S. ambassador in Taipei, has publicly 
remarked that unless evidence showed Chen was involved in the 
scandals, he should remain in office to maintain stability. 
 
"On the other hand, should the number of people taking to the 
streets to support Shih's sit-in prove overwhelming and if the 
protest is prolonged, threatening the stability of Taiwan, the U.S. 
has to stop supporting him.  Then, he'll have to go.  In short, 
Washington, just like Taiwan's general public, is waiting for the 
prosecution to take action against Chen.  Before that, the chief of 
state is innocent of any wrongdoing.  The president's involvement in 
the 'invoice-gate' case is indisputable.  How long can the U.S. or 
Taiwan's prosecutors further delay actions against an obvious 
offender against the law?" 
 
B) "The Rule of Law Must Come First" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (8/22): 
 
"Taiwan's opposition parties and interest groups are continuing to 
call on President Chen Shui-bian to step down.  There is no evidence 
to support the view that the president has violated the law.  We 
should respect freedom of expression and the right of everyone to 
air an opinion.  But the actions and confrontational rhetoric of 
those seeking Chen's resignation and those who want to protect him 
are approaching rock-bottom.  If these groups don't exercise 
restraint, the nation may face a period of pronounced difficulty in 
which democracy and the rule of law are sacrificed. ... 
 
"Shih's cause to unseat the president through instigating a popular 
uprising is wrong-headed.  Taiwan is a democracy that has clear 
legal requirements and procedures regulating the removal of a 
president.  The pan-blue camp's legislative recall motion failed and 
Chen retains the legal right to govern.  Organizing street protests 
is not a good tactic, because if the president is forced to step 
down as a result, it will set a bad precedent for this nation's 
democracy. ...  Both sides grapping with this issue have strong 
arguments and public support, and neither side can easily defeat the 
other.  The goal of adhering to democratic values and the rule of 
 
law should be placed above and beyond the issue of protecting or 
unseating the president. ..." 
 
 
¶4. ASEAN Meeting 
 
"A New Path Needed in Asian Regionalism" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (8/22): 
 
"... ASEAN has focused on inviting Japan, South Korea and the 
People's Republic of China, but not the Untied States, into the 
ASEAN sphere, a trend that has sparked the monikers 'ASEAN+1,' 
'ASEAN+3' or 'East Asian Community' in ASEAN international 
conferences or forums. ...  Accompanied by new notions of regional 
cooperative framework, as well as the rise of China, the growing 
consciousness of new Asian regionalism itself has emerged from 
complex factors.  On one hand, the sense of new Asian regionalism 
signifies the increasing needs for regional cooperative arrangements 
in the ASEAN with external powers, but also reflects long-standing 
resentment in ASEAN toward both 'hegemonic' pressure from the U.S. 
and other Western powers as well as Japan and widespread ambivalence 
toward the rise of China. ... 
 
"If ASEAN-based regional cooperative frameworks are to function 
effectively, PRC involvement and inclusion is ultimately inevitable. 
 However, the direct inclusion of the 'China factor' within the 
ASEAN arena, combined with the policy of exclusion directed against 
the U.S. and Japan, will equally inevitably upset ASEAN's political 
equilibrium and revive the historical nightmare of a hegemonic 
China.  Simultaneously, evidently strong desire in Washington and 
Tokyo to return to the arena of ASEAN international affairs has also 
made the atmosphere complicated and sensitive. 
 
"There is also the question of how ASEAN will deal with Taiwan, 
which remains a very important partner for the ASEAN countries in 
economic, social, cultural and even security spheres. ...  In short, 
in the face of China's ruthless pressure, Taiwan has no feasible 
choice but to be a good global citizen and an advocate of 'democracy 
and peace' instead of either engaging in a 'bad guy' form of 
brinkmanship or adopting a self-defeating and denigrating stance of 
'peace,' with or without justice or democracy, 'at any price,' as 
advocated by the opposition Kuomintang.  As long as our existence 
and values have been deeply incorporated into the regional or global 
system, Taiwan need not fear being arbitrarily abandoned or 
sacrificed." 
 
YOUNG