VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0549/01 0680904
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090904Z MAR 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4390
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6444
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7696

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000549 
 
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: PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN'S "FOUR WANTS" 
REMARKS, JAPAN 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  As the 2008 presidential elections stayed in the 
spotlight of Taiwan's media, news coverage on March 9 also focused 
on the Rebar Group financial scandal, in which a total of 107 
defendants were indicted and Rebar founder Wang You-theng was 
recommended for a 30-year prison sentence and a fine of NT$1.71 
billion [US$52.13 million]; on Vice President Annette Lu's complaint 
to the Associated Press and CNN over their reports; and on the 
by-election of the KMT chairman. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" lashed out at the Blue camp for 
manipulating the Taiwan people's ideological thinking and ethnic 
antagonism.  A commentary in the pro-status quo "China Times," 
however, criticized President Chen Shui-bian's recent "Four Wants 
and One Without" remarks, calling Chen slick and sly.  An op-ed 
piece in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" discussed the urgency for Taiwan to draft a new 
constitution.  A separate "Taipei Times" editorial, on the other 
hand, criticized Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for "attempting 
to deny the culpability of the Japanese government and military in 
forcing thousands of women to work as sex slaves during and prior to 
World War II."   End summary. 
 
¶3. President Chen Shui-bian's "Four Wants" Remarks 
 
A) "Who Is Manipulating [the Taiwan People's] Ideology and Ethnic 
Antagonism?" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 500,000] 
editorialized (3/9): 
 
"The nativist regime has been in power for nearly seven years, but 
its administrative performance has been constantly blocked and 
sabotaged by the pan-Blue camp.  As a result, the national machinery 
has been in a state in which it has ceased functioning and thus is 
unable to show any concrete accomplishments. ...  The Blue camp has 
been stuck in a hysterical state in which it opposes only for the 
sake of opposition.  It is opposed to [the government's moves to 
push for] name changes, writing a new constitution, a UN bid under 
the name of Taiwan, and any issues relating to the transformation of 
Taiwan into a normal country.  All the more, it has been acting 
roughly to block the special arms procurements budget, the 
appointments of the Control Yuan members, the government's budget as 
a whole, and legislation that concerns the public's welfare and 
livelihood.  In other words, the Blue camp has accused the nativist 
regime more than once of ruling our country with ideology and is 
sowing discord by using ethnic antagonism.  But in reality, it is 
the Blue camp itself that has been truly manipulating ideological 
thinking and ethnic conflicts, which has resulted in clashes in 
Taiwan's society and poor administrative performance [of the 
government]. ..." 
 
B) "Say No to Four Wants" 
 
The "Short Commentary" in the pro-status quo "China Time" 
[circulation: 400,000] noted (3/9): 
 
"... A-Bian is slick and sly.  He made his inaugural speech for the 
ears of the international community only, so there we had the 'Four 
Nos and One Without.'  Following his meeting with James Soong, 
A-Bian wanted to befriend the People's First Party, so [he said 
that] the name change campaign and writing a new constitution were 
moves that 'deceive ourselves and others.'  Now that the First 
Family is plagued with various scandals and Bian needs his deep 
Green stalwarts to help him secure his position, he naturally had to 
cry out loud the 'Four Wants and One Without' to pander to the 
Formosan Association for Public Affairs. 
 
"The international community has long seen through the fact that 
President Chen's above-mentioned remarks were made for domestic 
consumption only.  Who else would care about his mercurial 
announcements?  Besides, A-Bian is already a lame duck.  Not only 
have the United States and China totally disregarded the 'Four Wants 
and One Without' remarks, but Lee Teng-hui has also said he did not 
have time to engage in a 'war of words' with A-Bian! ...  Just 
recently, [we have seen] Lee moving toward the center of the 
political spectrum while Bian rushed toward the hardcore Green 
supporters.  Surely the pro-independence supporters would criticize 
Lee and compliment Bian.  But when it comes to Taiwan independence, 
Bian is far less competent in his skills compared with Lee.  Lee 
could use his visit to the United States [in 1995] and go to great 
lengths by turning Taiwan-U.S. relations into both sides joining 
hands to resist China.  For Bian, however, he also toyed with 
Taiwan-U.S. relations, but the consequence might be that Washington 
[would] join hands with Beijing to manage Taiwan." 
 
C) "The Urgency of Drafting a Constitution in Transition" 
REMARKS, JAPAN 
 
Margot Chen, a research fellow at the Taiwan Advocates, opined in 
the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (3/9): 
 
"Let's look at two perspectives of the need for a new constitution. 
First, a 'one China' Constitution runs counter to the current 
cross-strait status quo.  Creating a constitution for one's own 
country should be the natural order of things.  Taiwan is a 
sovereign state; therefore, creating a new constitution does not 
change the status quo but is a true reflection of it. ...  Thus, 
neither domestic opposition nor the international community - 
including the US, Japan and China - have any reason to oppose 
Taiwan's creating a new constitution either by obstruction or 
threats. 
 
"Second, amending the Constitution is a formidable challenge.  In 
2005, the mission-oriented National Assembly amended the 
Constitution and designed a high threshold for constitutional 
amendments by requiring that three-quarters of all legislators are 
present at the vote, and that three-quarters of those present vote 
for the amendment.  The amendment must then be put to a referendum 
where half of the total electorate must approve and pass the 
proposal.  Implementing such high requirements is no different from 
blocking Taiwan from normalizing its status as a country. ..." 
 
¶4. Japan 
 
"Japan's Shameful Ignorance" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (3/9): 
 
"Shinzo Abe, shame on you.  Shame on you for attempting to deny the 
culpability of the Japanese government and military in forcing 
thousands of women to work as sex slaves during and prior to World 
War II.  Shame on you for sacrificing the honor of your country to 
placate a rabid minority of rightist ultra-nationalist.  These are 
the same people who took all of the progress and promise of the 
Taisho Democracy in the 1920s and tried to turn your country into a 
savage land of assassins, murderers and suicidal fanatics. 
 
"The people you are courting by ignoring undeniable historical facts 
do not represent the 'Beautiful Japan' that you are constantly 
evoking - the Japan of Katsushika, Matsuo Basho and Izumi Shikibu. 
The people you are courting with your revisionism represent a dark, 
bloody Japan that is a freak of history. ...  These people you are 
placating represent Ugly Japan.  So shame on you, Mr. Abe.  Again, 
shame on you.  The arrogance, the sheer lack of compassion and of 
empathy for the people who suffered under the Imperial Japanese Army 
demonstrates that you have not even attempted to understand the 
realities of the world in which you live. ..." 
 
YOUNG