VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0193 0250830
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250830Z JAN 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3859
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6272
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7502

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000193 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - LLOYD NEIGHBORS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CHINA'S ANTI-SATELLITE MISSILE TEST, DONALD 
KEYSER CASE 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to 
focus their coverage January 25 on the debt-ridden Rebar Asia 
Pacific Group, and on the controversial Presidential Office 
Allowance for State Affairs case.  Taiwan's papers gave moderate, 
straightforward news coverage to U.S. President George W. Bush's 
State of the Union Address Wednesday.  In terms of editorials and 
commentaries, the "International Outlook" column of the pro-status 
quo "China Times" discussed China's recent anti-satellite missile 
test.  The article said Beijing's move was "designated to show that 
it has the ability to engage in all kinds of arms races," and as a 
result, "China's rise is not completely peaceful any more."  A 
column in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily," on the other hand, 
discussed the Donald Keyser case.  The article said the case has 
produced a negative impact on Taiwan-U.S. intelligence cooperation, 
and it is difficult to mend such a relationship in the short run. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. China's Anti-Satellite Missile Test 
 
"China's Rise Is Not Completely Peaceful Any More" 
 
The "International Outlook" column of the pro-status quo "China 
Times" [circulation: 400,000] commented (1/25): 
 
"... China's military strategy has experienced an overhaul since its 
embassy in Yugoslavia was bombed by the United States; it no longer 
follows Deng Xiaoping's [dictum] to 'conceal one's ability and bide 
one's time' but has decided to follow what Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao 
often say:  'Without progress, one will be vulnerable to attack.' 
As a result, in addition to significant investment in its military 
build-up, China no longer covers up its real [military] strength. 
China's moves, such as its proactive announcement of the entry into 
service of its J-10 fighter jets, and its launch of a missile into 
space, were all designed to show that it has the ability to engage 
in all kinds of arms races.  The next step rests on how China will 
expand its naval forces.  China's rise is not completely peaceful 
any more. 
 
"China's [military] acceleration was clearly linked to Japan's 
proactive engagement in military cooperation [with the United 
States] and its plan to amend its constitution to move toward 
militarism.  Judged from this perspective, Northeast Asia would be 
turbulent even without the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula, 
let alone the fact that the nuclear crisis is indeed very difficult 
to resolve." 
 
¶3. Donald Keyser Case 
 
"Intelligence Agents Are Not Spies" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang noted in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 500,000] (1/25): 
 
"Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Donald Keyser was 
sentenced to a year and a day in prison for his inappropriate 
relationship with Isabelle Cheng, a female Taiwan intelligence 
officer stationed in Washington D.C.  The judge ruled that this case 
bore no relevance to espionage.  Taiwan's government consequently 
heaved a sign of relief [over the ruling], which, however, 
disappointed those readers who expected to see a sensational and 
exciting [soap] opera. ...  According to the court, Keyser's charges 
included: secretly bringing home and downloading unclassified 
documents, concealing his trip to Taiwan, and concealing his 
intimate relationship with a female Taiwan intelligence officer.  In 
fact, Keyser's personal relationship with Isabelle Cheng was the 
only offence he had committed.  Nonetheless, this incident has 
already produced a negative impact on Taiwan-U.S. intelligence 
cooperation, which will be difficult to mend in a short period of 
time. 
 
"In an attempt to show Taiwan's sincerity in offering full 
cooperation with the United States, Taiwan unexpectedly handed all 
documents provided by Keyser, which were labeled 'classified,' to 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  These documents, which were 
supposed to be hidden from the public, can all be found in the court 
records.  Any trained intelligence officers can trace the footsteps 
of Taiwan-U.S. relations based on these documents. ..." 
 
YOUNG