VZCZCXYZ0014
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0481 0610907
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020907Z MAR 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4295
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6422
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7668

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000481 
 
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: TUMBLE OF CHINA'S STOCK MARKET 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
coverage March 2 on the plunge of Taiwan's stock market Thursday, 
following declines in global markets from Wednesday, and on the 2008 
presidential elections.  Several papers also editorialized on the 
recent tumble of China's stock market.  An editorial in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" cautioned Taiwan investors not to 
overlook the high risks hidden in the inadequately developed Chinese 
stock market.  An editorial in the pro-unification "United Daily 
News," however, said the recent nose-dive of global stock markets 
indicated that China has taken up a major position in the global 
economy.  End summary. 
 
¶2. Tumble of China's Stock Market 
 
A) "Taiwan People Should See Through the Nature and Risks of China's 
Stock Market" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 500,000] 
editorialized (3/2): 
 
"... China's stock market is inadequately developed, and trading in 
it is like walking in a jungle full of fierce wild animals.  When it 
comes to its fundamentals, it is like a kite flying high in the sky, 
facing the danger of being blown away and falling straight to the 
ground at any time.  What is worrisome is that the highly risky 
Chinese stock market has been touted by some irresponsible media 
outlets and people in Taiwan as a golden paradise for speculation. 
The consequence is that many people who lack common sense have 
jumped into the Chinese stock market.  According to statistics 
provided by Taiwan's Central Bank of China, the Taiwan people wired 
a record high of USD44.124 billion out of the island in 2006 for 
overseas securities investments.  Even though no detail has been 
provided to show how much money was invested in the Chinese stock 
market, it is generally believed that the total must be very large. 
Therefore at this moment, when the Chinese stock market has 
plummeted, we need to remind the Taiwan people of the high risks 
hidden in China's stock market.  Taiwan investors should not be 
carried away by blind and incorrect information and must avoid 
possible traps so as to preserve the vitality and roots of Taiwan's 
economy." 
 
B) "China Has Take up a Key Position in Globalization: Message 
Delivered by the Tumble of Global Stock Markets" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (3/2): 
 
"... First and foremost, this recent stock plunge started from 
mainland China, which is not part of the international financial 
market.  This has made the situation very different from the past, 
when U.S. stocks used to be the spearhead of international stock 
markets. ...  Obviously, this incident reflected the rise of 
mainland China's economic power over the past decade:  It now ranks 
number four in the world with an economic scale almost as large as 
that of Germany's.  It has maintained high growth of over 7.5 
percent for ten consecutive years, and the yet-to-be-developed 
consumption power of its 1.3 billion population has rapidly pushed 
China to the center of the world's economic stage. ... 
 
"... One can easily tell the importance of China in global economic 
development.  This is a concrete economic reality, which has nothing 
to do with politics.  Or one can even say that China's economic rise 
is already in the past tense, while the present tense is the 
Sinification of globalization, which is closely monitored by the 
international community.  In the face of this development, it is 
already very clear whether Taiwan's economy, which is highly 
dependent on globalization, should move in the opposite or parallel 
direction." 
 
YOUNG