VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #3289/01 2652352
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222352Z SEP 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2279
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5694
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6908

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003289 
 
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: CAMPAIGN TO OUST PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN, 
U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
coverage September 22 on former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh's 
campaign to oust President Chen Shui-bian; on the violent clashes 
that erupted between the pro-Chen and anti-Chen protesters in 
southern Taiwan Thursday; on the possible solutions that may help to 
bring an end to the current political stand-off in Taiwan; and on 
KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's open apology for having supported the 
incumbent mayor of Keelung, who was convicted of corruption and 
sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday.  The pro-status quo 
"China Times" ran a front-page banner headline that read "Shih: Bian 
[Should] Step Down Unconditionally."  The pro-independence "Liberty 
Times," Taiwan's largest circulating daily, on the other hand, ran a 
banner headline on page two that said "Is Shih Organizing a Third 
Power and Discussing [the Possibility of] Forming a Party?" 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" 
editorial criticized KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou for conniving at the 
"Oust Bian" campaign's plan to "besiege" the President Office on the 
Double Ten Day.  A "China Times" editorial, on the other hand, 
criticized the blind support of some DPP seniors for President Chen. 
 Regarding U.S.-China-Taiwan relations, an opinion piece in the 
limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" discussed the DPP's and KMT's stances with regard to 
cross-Strait relations.  End summary. 
 
¶3. Campaign to Oust President Chen Shui-bian 
 
A) "Is Ma Ying-jeou Ready to Go to Extreme Lengths by Conniving to 
Besiege the Republic of China?" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (9/22): 
 
"... People may have different political stances now with regard to 
whether to oust Bian or to oppose the 'oust Bian' movement, and 
arguments over this matter are inevitable.  But judged from the 
national level, we are all compatriots and we share joys and sorrows 
together; we are citizens of the same nation and we use the same 
passports when we travel abroad.  How can the public be divided into 
two distinct groups by whether or not they support the 'Oust Bian' 
movement?  Is it possible that the 'Oust Bian' campaign headquarters 
does not understand the concept 'the world is a commonwealth for 
all' and it is therefore ready to go to extreme lengths by 
'besieging' its own country on a national holiday? ... The plan to 
'surround' a national celebration ceremony will be another test for 
Ma Ying-jeou.  Let's just wait and see how he is going to 'safeguard 
the Republic of China.' 
 
B) "Return to the Scales of Democracy and Ethics of Accountability 
to Talk about Resignation and Removal from Office" 
 
The pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (9/22): 
 
"... Let's turn our eyes onto the situation Mr. Chen Shui-bian is 
now in.  Almost all opinion surveys indicated that, over a long 
period of time, A-Bian's approval rating with regard to his 
administrative performance has been below 20 percent, while the 
percentage of the people who believe he should resign of his own 
accord has stayed around 60.  As for President Chen's honesty and 
integrity, it has slumped to the ground after he said in publicly 
that he did not 'directly' accept any SOGO Department Store gift 
certificates.  The bankruptcy of Chen's integrity happened not only 
happened in Taiwan; the situation may also be more serious in the 
eyes of the Americans.  Judging from the current situation, Chen 
evidently has neither ethics nor prestige, both of which are 
essential elements for promoting national affairs, regardless of how 
popular the red-clad movement to oust Bian is in northern Taiwan and 
how violent the skirmishes by the Green supporters have become in 
southern Taiwan.  In the face of such a situation, is it fair for 
all the Taiwan people if some people still believe that Chen should 
not consider resigning from his position and insist on leaving 
Taiwan in a state of stagnation until May 2008?  What about the 
sentence in the president's inaugural pledge, which assures his 
people that [he] 'will never fail the people's empowerment?'  Is 
those DPP seniors' blind support [for Chen] a move to topple or to 
maintain the nativist regime?  Can their remarks really stand the 
test of democratic ideals? ..." 
 
¶4. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations 
 
"Will the Future Be Any Different?" 
 
Nat Bellocchi, 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] (9/22): 
 
"... In the midst of all the domestic political turbulence, the 
 
chairman of the two main political parties - Chinese Nationalist 
Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou and Democratic Progressive Party 
(DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun - have visited the US to spell out 
policies that might be of interest to Washington. ...  Comparing the 
two presentations is difficult.  Yu focused on Taiwan's potential in 
describing the path it could take (with help, of course) in moving 
China toward democracy - an important objective for the US and other 
states.  He did not intend to raise a wide number of issues in 
cross-strait or bilateral matters, at least not for the moment. 
Continuous attention to Taiwan's internal struggles, however, makes 
decisions difficult to arrive at.  The lack of high-level and open 
dialogue makes it more difficult still, not only for the ruling 
party but the opposition as well. 
 
"Ma, while covering a range of matters, focused on one broad issue - 
cross-strait relations.  The first broad grouping of concerns 
involved problems to be inherited from the Chen administration; the 
second involved Taiwan-China dialogue itself.  Regardless of how the 
issues play out, a Ma presidency would discover quite quickly that 
China will be obstructive on no small number of contentious matters. 
 With regard to US-Taiwan ties, there remains a need to stay abreast 
of changes in people and issues on both sides that might impact on 
that relationship.  A bilateral dialogue keeping both sides aware of 
domestic changes in the pre-election period will be helpful for both 
sides, as the presidential campaign threatens to muddy the waters 
considerably.  At the same time, the debate on national identity 
will be intense, and the results very important, not just for the 
people of Taiwan, but for the US, China and most of East Asia." 
 
YOUNG