VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #3896/01 3240841
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200841Z NOV 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3084
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5957
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7174

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003896 
 
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: APEC, U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS, CROSS-STRAIT 
RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Taiwan dailies (November 18-20) focused on two issues: 
A traffic accident on Saturday that injured Taichung Mayor Jason Hu 
and especially his wife, who was still in critical condition as of 
November 20; and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's decision on Friday to 
donate NT$15 million [US$461 thousand] to charity, representing the 
portion of the special mayoral allowance he has received during his 
term of office that does not require receipts. 
 
¶2.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-unification "United Daily News" urged Taiwan quickly to lift its 
bans on cross-Strait trade and economic relations in order to save 
the island from the current danger of being marginalized.  The 
limited-circulation, pro-independence "Taipei Times" editorialized 
that APEC must promote an inclusive community so that Taiwan's 
participation can be safeguarded.  An editorial in the 
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification "China Post" 
discussed U.S.-China relations in the wake of the U.S. mid-term 
elections.  The article said "Beijing should brace itself for the 
cold winds blowing in its direction from Capitol Hill."  An 
editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" criticized the 
proposal of Kinmen [Quemoy] County Magistrate Lee Chu-feng regarding 
the establishment of a "'One Country, Two Systems' Test Zone."  End 
summary. 
 
¶3.  APEC 
 
a)  "APEC Agenda: to Save [Taiwan] from Being Marginalized, the Key 
Lies in Easing [Cross-Strait] Restrictions First" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (11/18): 
 
"... Mainland China's economic rise has thoroughly changed the 
political and economic situation in the Asia-Pacific region.  The 
United States, which retains political and economic hegemony on the 
other side of the Pacific, has, despite its lingering influence, 
evidently lost its previous glitter on this side of the Pacific.  In 
contrast, China is getting more and more powerful when it comes to 
its say in the region.  In addition to relying on its strength and 
market power that have been accumulated through its rapid economic 
developments over the past few years, China has clearly been 
fostering economic integration in the region.  For example, it has 
been seeking to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the ASEAN 
member nations, followed by moves gradually to expand the extent of 
[the FTA region's] power to 'ASEAN plus umpteen' - actions that will 
naturally force economies in the region to attach great importance 
to their interactions with China.  The formation of a new 'East 
Asianism,' with China, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN as its 
backbone, has resulted in the United States' eagerness to deepen its 
relations with the economies of East Asia in order to prevent itself 
from being excluded [from such a force.]  The Free Trade Agreement 
of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), as a result, is exactly a strategic 
product of 'Asia Pacific-ism' fighting against the 'East Asianism.' 
Yet, given the fact that China and Japan will not easily grant 
Washington what it wishes, the establishment of the FTAAP is, 
without a doubt, very difficult. 
 
"Judged from this perspective, it would be wishful thinking and 
unrealistic expectations on the part of the Taiwan government to 
place its hope of saving the island from being marginalized on the 
FTAAP.  For Taiwan, [the danger of] marginalization is an 'on-going 
issue' rather than simply a 'future crisis.' ...  As a matter of 
fact, countless proposals and studies have been made with regard to 
how to break [Taiwan's] deadlock of being marginalized, and their 
common conclusions all point to the normalization of cross-Strait 
trade and economic relations.  Even the United States, during its 
talk with Taiwan over the FTA, raised a similar precondition, which 
has all the more highlighted the necessity [of normalizing 
cross-Strait trade and economic relations].  To lift the ban on 
cross-Strait trade and economic relations is an unavoidable topic 
for the Taiwan government, and the choice lies in Taiwan's own 
hands.  It is neither reliable nor practical [for Taiwan] to rely on 
the FTAAP to protect itself." 
 
b)  "APEC Must Promote Inclusive Community" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (11/20): 
 
"... The most positive new development for Taiwan in the week-long 
gathering of economic national leaders, ministers and senior 
working-level officials has been the sudden interest given to the 
notion of an Asia-Pacific regional economic community, especially by 
the United States, which seems to have rediscovered the importance 
of multilateral organizations after over five years of an aggressive 
"America First" unilateralism. 
 
"Regionalism is certainly an inevitable trend in the Asia Pacific 
 
and it will be far more desirable for most countries and their 
businesses and people if the process of attaining regional 
integration and the content of future regional institutions were 
inclusive and transparent. ... 
 
"... We can expect that the FTAAP concept will become a bone of 
serious contention between the PRC and the U.S. since Washington's 
sudden enthusiasm for the concept and its expansion of the notion to 
include non-economic aspects as shown by the term "community," 
directly impinges on the PRC's drive to turn the Pacific Ocean into 
its pond and to exclude Taiwan from equal, meaningful or perhaps 
even any participation. 
 
"The ultimate result of an effort to build either an FTAAP or an 
Asia Pacific Community will depend less on economic factors and more 
on the political will and wisdom of key players, especially Japan, 
Australia, Canada and the various Southeast Asian nations in 
addition to the U.S. and the PRC. 
 
"The second most important trend in this year's APEC 2006 summit was 
the explicit discussion about a regional security issue, namely 
North Korea's development of nuclear weapons, under a strong push by 
both Washington and Tokyo. 
 
"The inclusion of such major security issues in the APEC's 
substantive deliberations was marred by the PRC's insistence on 
Taiwan's exclusion from foreign minister discussions. ... 
 
"... But the push in APEC to encompass security issues, while 
welcome in principle, may cause APEC to lose its focus as an arena 
for economic and social cooperation and also lead to further erosion 
in Taiwan's substantive status in the Asia-Pacific community. ... 
 
"... We should have offered a reminder to the rest of the Asia 
Pacific community that Taiwan faces a threat of missiles by a fellow 
APEC member, namely China, at least as grave if not more so than 
that posed by Pyongyang's nuclear program." 
 
¶4. U.S.-China Relations 
 
"Chilly Winds from D.C." 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (11/18): 
 
"George W. Bush has never hit it off with Hu Jintao; that's no 
secret.  The American president may like Chen Shui-bian better, 
 
SIPDIS 
although he did not pull his punches when the Taiwanese president 
made political trouble for him.  Bush was tough on Beijing, 
especially before the 9/11 attacks.  Washington-Beijing relations 
were lukewarm at best.  Now, after the mid-term elections in the 
United States, where the balance of political power changed in favor 
of the Democrats, which have recaptured the Congress for the first 
time in 12 years, is Beijing any more comfortable in dealing with 
Washington?  Not at all.  Beijing should brace itself for cold winds 
blowing in its direction from Capitol Hill.  Incoming House speaker, 
Nancy Pelosi, is a harsh critic of Beijing's human rights record. 
The Senate, with Harry Reid as majority leader, seems poised to play 
hard ball with Beijing on a number of nasty trade issues. ... 
 
"Beijing should be prepared for a round of China-bashing from 
Congressional Democrats who accuse Beijing of unfair trading 
practices, including an undervalued yuan and intellectual property 
rights. ..." 
 
¶5. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
"How Can a Country be Under Two Systems?  Capitulation Needs no 
Test" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] 
editorialized (11/18): 
 
"New Party Kinmen [Quemoy] County Magistrate Lee Chu-feng made a 
surprising statement in the county council, proposing to develop the 
county into a 'One Country, Two System Test Zone' in order to 
attract greater economic interest; it also attempts to create 
another interactive option for cross-Strait relations to seek a 
win-win situation. ... 
 
"Although Hong Kong and Macau had gotten rid of colonization over 
the past ten years, they were soon forced to be included in China's 
territory.  During this period of time, due to the lack of 
democracy, residents [in these two areas] were never given the 
opportunities to express their will and to determine their future. 
Magistrate Lee's assertion, however, will proactively push the 
Kinmen people from a democratic regime into the fire pit of 
communist authoritarian rule; to put it bluntly, does Kinmen need a 
 
 
 
test should it surrender to China? ..." 
 
YOUNG