VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2957 2370847
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250847Z AUG 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1831
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5587
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6793

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002957 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: TAIWAN'S POLITICAL SITUATION 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to 
focus their coverage August 25 on the DPP's personal attacks against 
former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh; the investigations into the 
Presidential Office's special state affairs expense account; a 
scuffle on a live TV talk show Thursday evening between two persons 
arguing over President Chen Shui-bian; and the KMT's party assets 
report.  The pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a banner 
headline on page two that read "Sit-in Campaign to Oust Bian Will 
Kick off September 1 at the Earliest." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, called for 
a gentler, rational middle-way force to harmonize the confrontations 
between those who support President Chen and those who oppose him. 
A "United Daily News" editorial, on the other hand, discussed the 
KMT's party assets and urged the party to thoroughly investigate its 
assets and get rid of them as early as possible.  End summary. 
 
A) "We Need a Gentle, Rational Middle-Course Force to Assuage the 
Atmosphere of Violence" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (8/25): 
 
"... In the face of the voices calling for Bian's ouster, Taiwan 
society is divided into bipolar camps; it seems that the people are 
either supportive of or oppose Bian.  But in reality, a democratic 
society should not be like that; there must be a gentle, rational 
middle-course force between the two extremes to harmonize 
confrontation and conflict.  This middle-course force is not aimed 
at supporting or ousting Bian, but at adhering to the democratic 
system.  In other words, perhaps some people in this force are 
opposed to Bian, but they will definitely follow the rules of the 
game in a democratic system.  When they want the president to step 
down, they will do it by means of recall or impeachment, and will 
not mobilize the public to force the president to step down.  This 
is because they are aware that once the move to mobilize the public 
to bring down an unpopular president succeeds, no matter who the 
ruler is in the future, his opponents can all follow suit.  Should 
that happen, will Taiwan society live in peace again? ..." 
 
B) "Party Assets Are in Fact the KMT's Unbearable Debts" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (8/25): 
 
"... The KMT has for the first time publicized its party assets. 
People did not see the rumored mountains of gold but rags and losses 
everywhere.  The fact that Ma Ying-jeou made public the KMT's 
confusing party accounts at least showed that he is willing to face 
the issue, and to show it to society honestly.  But reviewing the 
party assets issue can never end at the point of only publicizing 
the accounts or putting the assets in trust.  The KMT must 
thoroughly investigate the whole story of its party assets and be 
determined to give them away, returning the ill-gotten wealth back 
to the country, and donating the wealth it acquired by luck or 
chance to the pubic.  If the KMT fails to do so, this heavy burden 
will remain on the party's back and crush it for all time. ..." 
 
YOUNG