VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #3379/01 2720900
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290900Z SEP 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2394
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5716
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6932

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003379 
 
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: PRESIDENT CHEN'S COMMENTS ON CONSTITUTIONAL 
REFORM, NEW JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER ABE 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave 
significant coverage September 29 to New York Yankees pitcher 
Chien-ming Wang who broke the Major League "Asian" record by with 
his 19th win in New York's Yankee Stadium Thursday.  News coverage 
also focused on the twentieth anniversary of the DPP's founding; on 
the follow-on movements of former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh's 
campaign to oust President Chen Shui-bian; and on a fugitive arms 
broker indicted for his alleged role in a kickback scandal in the 
purchase of Lafayette-class frigates from France.  The 
pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a banner headline on page 
three that read "Bian: Taiwan, China Are Two Completely Different 
Countries."  In addition, both the "United Daily News" and 
pro-status quo "China Times" on inside pages carried remarks by an 
unnamed senior U.S. official who was quoted as saying that President 
Chen knows where the red line lies, so the Bian Administration had 
better not play the game of "lawyer's language." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's largest-circulation 
daily, said it requires wisdom and efforts to handle Taiwan's 
territorial issue through constitutional reforms.  The "Black and 
White" column in the "United Daily News" criticized President Chen's 
recent constitutional reform proposal, saying that Chen has maxed 
out all his credibility with regard to Taiwan's relations with the 
United States.  An editorial in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News," on the other hand, 
discussed Japan's new Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, saying Abe is sure 
to play a role in the Taiwan Strait.  End summary. 
 
¶3. President Chen's Comments on Constitutional Reform 
 
A) "It Requires Wisdom and Effort to Handle the Territorial Issue 
via Constitutional Reform" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (9/29): 
 
"... What President Chen and the DPP have been generally criticized 
for over the past few years is that they have not tried their best 
to push the engineering that would make Taiwan a normal country, 
such as the rectification of Taiwan's name and the writing of a new 
constitution.  They have claimed that 'There is just no way we can 
do it,' a statement that has greatly disappointed those who are 
concerned about Taiwan's future.  But whenever there are elections 
or when they are facing a difficult situation, Chen and the DPP 
become radical and consequently trigger warnings from the United 
States and China about not crossing the red line, a development that 
helps nothing but creates trouble for the engineering of Taiwan to 
be a normal country. 
 
"The constitutional reform issue brought up by President Chen on 
territorial definition is a topic none of the 23 million Taiwan 
people can avoid.  But we are aware that, given the current reality, 
the chances are slim for the proposal to be passed.  Nonetheless, we 
will never accomplish our goal if we never try.  Since Chen is 
determined to do so, he should get rid of the myth that westbound 
[i.e., China-bound] policies will increase the island's 
competitiveness, strengthen the Taiwan-centered awareness through 
education, resolve ethnic conflicts and concentrate the people's 
attention on national identity.  In the meantime, we should explain 
[our position] in detail to the international community to seek 
international support and smoothly accomplish Taiwan's goal of 
becoming a normal country." 
 
B) "Bian Alone Has Maxed out Taiwan Independence" 
 
The "Black and White" column in the pro-unification "United Daily 
News" [circulation: 400,000] commented (9/29): 
 
"Chen Shui-bian was again attempting to use remarks about 'Taiwan's 
new constitution' to fool the pro-independence activists.  But his 
remarks regarding territorial redefinition immediately drew a 
serious reaction from the U.S. State Department, which, in return, 
demanded Bian fulfill the 'pledge he himself has repeatedly made' 
and not let Taiwan's 'constitutional reforms touch on territorial 
definition.'  The strict attitude of the United States indicated 
that Washington is at the end of its patience with Bian. ... 
 
"Given Washington's profound understanding of Taiwan's political 
situation, how can it not know that Bian's remarks in effect 
rewriting the constitution were nothing but a political show [for 
domestic consumption] on the island?  But the United States insisted 
on sticking to Bian's pledge of not altering the status quo in the 
Taiwan Strait, adding a statement saying whether Bian is able to 
fulfill his promise is closely related to 'whether he is capable of 
leading and protecting Taiwan's interests.'  The United States is 
obviously telling Bian:  If you violate your promise, you don't have 
the capability to protect Taiwan's interests, and you have lost the 
 
legitimacy to lead Taiwan; in other words, you should step down! 
 
"Bian just briefly mentioned 'giving consideration to' territorial 
change, yet the United States gave such a severe warning. 
[Washington's reaction] indicated that Bian has indeed maxed out his 
credibility with regard to Taiwan's relations with the United 
States, and Washington decided not to leave him any leeway.  The 
resources for Taiwan independence that have been accumulated for so 
many years have been maxed out by Chen alone, otherwise the Bush 
Administration, which has more or less listened to and understood 
the Taiwan independence discourse, would not be lecturing Bian so 
harshly on his political show to the independence activists!" 
 
¶4. New Japanese Prime Minister Abe 
 
"Abe Will Ensure Role in Taiwan Strait" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (9/29): 
 
"... The common foundations of similar values of democracy and 
freedom, combined with greater concern over China's increasingly 
assertive military and diplomatic position, have helped spur a 
perceptible enhancement of relations between Japan and Taiwan during 
the past five years.  The inclusion of several members of the Diet's 
Japan-Taiwan club in the new cabinet naturally indicates that the 
trend toward deepening Taipei-Tokyo ties is bound to continue under 
Abe. ...  Finally, in considering the Taiwan Strait's dispute, we 
must understand that the traditional 'U.S., China and Taiwan 
triangle' cannot cope with the current strategic situation in the 
Taiwan Strait. 
 
"Thanks to its own diplomatic efforts and the U.S.-Japan Security 
Alliance, Japan will inevitably play a role which cannot be ignored 
in future developments in the Taiwan Strait.  If Taiwan remains so 
obsessed with the fear of offending Beijing and it is willing to 
sacrifice relations with the U.S. and Japan and put all of the hopes 
for Taiwan's economic prosperity and security on China, as Ma has 
hinted the KMT is willing to do, the result may well be a huge 
strategic disaster for the Taiwan people and for Tokyo and 
Washington.  Certainly, Abe is unlikely to be eager to see such a 
denouement. 
 
WANG