VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0079/01 0110952
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110952Z JAN 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3702
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6201
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7433

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000079 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to 
focus their coverage January 11 on the probe into the alleged 
violation of securities transaction regulations of the Rebar Asia 
Pacific Group, and on President Chen Shui-bian's trip to Nicaragua. 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's largest-circulation 
daily, ran a news story on page five that said "[AIT Chairman] 
Raymond Burghardt Hopes to Visit Taiwan after the Lunar New Year." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, columnist Antonio Chiang 
criticized President Chen Shui-bian in the mass-circulation "Apple 
Daily," saying the mutual trust between Taiwan and the United States 
has been eroded and exhausted with Chen's constant transits in the 
United States.  A separate "Apple Daily" commentary by a DPP 
legislator also criticized President Chen's "stopover diplomacy." 
The article noted that Taiwan was dealt a heavy blow when Washington 
mentioned the "One China" policy as it approved Chen's transit 
requests.  An editorial in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News," on the other hand, 
discussed the United States and Japan's plan to coordinate their 
security cooperation arrangements in the region.  The article said 
Taiwan should not be complacent about possible military assistance 
from the United States and Japan but should move to bolster its own 
self-defense capabilities.  End summary. 
 
A) "A-Bian Knocks down Taiwan-U.S. Relations" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang noted in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 500,000] (1/11): 
 
"... To be able to transit the United States again worked as 
effectively as psychological therapy for A-Bian, who is now stuck in 
a rut.  His appreciation and gratitude for the United States were 
not simply diplomatic rhetoric.  But regardless of how A-Bian tries 
proactively to mend the ties between Taiwan and the United States, 
it is already too late.  Washington emphasized in particular this 
time that A-Bian's transit was a decision made under the "One China" 
policy.  The fact that Washington announced publicly that 
U.S.-Taiwan relations are subsidiary to the "One China" framework - 
a move that further belittles Taiwan's stance - was not a friendly 
act toward Taiwan.  But to everyone's surprise, A-Bian was quite 
pleased with his first transit through San Francisco. 
 
"A-Bian has stopped over in the United States seven times since he 
came to power less than seven years ago.  He has been keen and 
calculating, hoping wholeheartedly to strengthen Taiwan's relations 
with the United States, but stopover diplomacy has turned out to be 
A-Bian's [domestic] political leverage in the end.  The foundation 
of mutual trust between Taiwan and the United States became eroded 
and exhausted with A-Bian's constant transits [in the United 
States].  Now, each of [Bian's] transit requests has to be reviewed 
on a case-by-case basis, with both sides haggling over all the 
details like people buying vegetables in a market; no details are 
left out, and in the end, the request has to await a final decision 
by the White House. 
 
"Almost all relevant people in Washington have a negative evaluation 
of A-Bian.  Given that most officials in the Bush administration who 
sympathize with Taiwan have left office; that China has put in a lot 
of effort [in lobbying] [U.S.] think tanks; and that media show 
little interest in Taiwan, it is getting more and more difficult to 
find someone who will speak in favor of Taiwan.  Six years ago, when 
U.S. President George W. Bush had just assumed his post, the 
Taiwan-U.S. relationship and the China-U.S. relationship were two 
parallel lines.  But now the Taiwan-U.S. relationship has become 
part of the China-U.S. relationship.  A-Bian has knocked down 
Taiwan's relationship with the United States, and whoever is elected 
president in the future will inherit the diplomatic debts he leaves 
behind." 
 
B) "Stopover Diplomacy Makes One Too Sad to Cry" 
 
DPP Legislator Lin Cho-shui commented in the mass-circulation "Apple 
Daily" [circulation: 500,000] (1/11): 
 
"... Even though Washington has allowed President Chen to set foot 
in the continental United States, he is bound by strict 
restrictions: no public activities, no stepping out of the hotel, 
and U.S. Congresspeople who want to call on him can only use the 
back doors of the hotel.  [The treatment] remains humiliating. 
Compared to his previous visit to Guam, where he could go out 
freely, give speeches, and meet with journalists and [U.S.] 
officials in public, the treatment this time was poles apart.  Given 
such poor treatment, how could the President feel so happy, and how 
could he smile so brightly?  Was it because he wanted the Taiwan 
people to see his smiles via the tapes transmitted by the media? 
 
"This was actually not the saddest part.  When Washington approved 
Chen's transit request, it emphasized particularly that this 
downgraded treatment was an 'arrangement made consistent with [the 
 
United States'] longstanding practice and in accordance with its 
one-China policy.'  The news came as a heavy blow and a big shock to 
those who have paid special attention to Taiwan-U.S. relations. 
Even though the United States has a longstanding 'one China policy' 
and the Taiwan Relations Act, it has always seen to that it did not 
mention the one China policy when it dealt with Taiwan; the one 
China policy was only used as a means to comfort the Chinese leaders 
when talking to them face to face.  It was a real surprise that 
[Washington] put the one China hat on the President when it dealt 
with Taiwan directly this time.  It really made one too sad to cry 
to see that the President, who tries very hard to achieve 
'diplomatic breakthroughs,' felt so joyful when he was made to wear 
the one-China hat by the United States." 
 
C) "No Cause for complacency" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (1/11): 
 
"The international media recently reported that the United States 
and Japan were considering jointly drafting plans to coordinate the 
responses of their respective armed forces if the People's Republic 
of China invades Taiwan or if the Democratic People's Republic of 
Korea (North Korea) attacks Japan.  The plan, which is scheduled to 
be completed in the fall, will bring the security cooperation 
arrangements between Washington and Tokyo to a higher level. ... 
This new effort to bolster the U.S.-Japan security cooperation with 
specific reference to Taiwan as well as Japan itself reflects Abe's 
effort to engage in 'positive sum diplomacy' and to promote a more 
proactive role for Japan in ensuring East Asian security. 
 
"This development is welcome news for Taiwan as it shows that both 
Washington and Tokyo take the possibility of a PRC invasion of 
Taiwan seriously, that both the United States and Japan would 
basically side with Taiwan against the PRC and that concrete 
contingency plans are already underway.  Thus, a swift response to 
such an attack could be anticipated.  However, it is essential to 
stress that the fact that the U.S. and Japanese defense forces are 
engaging in active contingency plans does not justify Taiwan's 
citizens or political parties to adopt a complacent attitude and 
operate under any illusion that the U.S. or Japan will definitely 
'rescue' Taiwan in case of a PRC invasion, or that Taiwan does not 
need to bolster its own self-defense capabilities. ... 
 
"The damage inflicted on our national security by the delay, 
especially in the purchase of 12 P-3C Orion submarine hunting 
aircraft and up to eight diesel-electric submarines, is likely to be 
considerable as it will make it even more difficult for Taiwan to 
get on the strategic map of the U.S.-Japan security arrangements. 
...  Besides undermining confidence in Washington and U.S. citizens 
that Taiwan is willing to take responsibility for its own defense, 
the delays in deployment of anti-submarine weapon systems by Taiwan 
will weaken our capability and legitimacy in participating in joint 
measures with the U.S. and Japan to monitor and control PRC 
submarine activity in the region, a top priority for Tokyo. ..." 
 
YOUNG