VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0671 0820849
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230849Z MAR 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4590
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6512
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7755

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000671 
 
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: JOSEPH WU'S APPOINTMENT AS NEW TECRO CHIEF 
 
 
Summary:  Almost all Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave 
front-page coverage March 23 to a Taiwan Go player who defeated his 
Chinese opponent Thursday to become the new world champion.  News 
coverage also focused on the 2008 presidential elections and other 
local issues.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, a column in 
the pro-unification "United Daily News" commented on the appointment 
of incumbent Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu as the new 
TECRO chief.  The article said given Wu's strong professional 
competence and President Chen Shui-bian's full trust in him, Wu will 
be the most powerful ever TECRO chief.  End summary. 
 
"The Unprecedented, Most Powerful TECRO Chief" 
 
Reporter Chang You-sheng noted in the "United Notes" column in the 
pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (3/23): 
 
"... Over the past few years, it has become the most important task 
for the TECRO chief to seek to upgrade to the highest level the 
treatment granted to Taiwan state leaders when transiting the United 
States.  In addition, as TECRO chief, he will have to play the role 
of firefighter after the president gives unexpected and 
controversial remarks.  As a result, even though Cheng Chien-jen and 
David Lee are both outstanding diplomats, they are destined never to 
become the best choices.  Two primary criteria may be used to assess 
[the qualifications of] Taiwan's representatives or ambassadors to 
the United States:  their own professional knowledge and the extent 
of trust they enjoy from the top authorities - namely, whether the 
top authorities have full faith in them.  Cheng and Lee may be 
perfect in their professional competence, but they are, after all, 
not among 'the king's men.' 
 
"The newly appointed TECRO chief, Joseph Wu, is the nephew of 
President A-Bian's key campaign contributor Wu Li-pei, so there is 
no problem of insufficient trust.  Wu admitted that he has no prior 
experience of working overseas, but he said he has a complete 
understanding of A-Bian's thoughts and can therefore easily 
interpret Bian's ideas directly to the United States.  Wu cited the 
example of A-Bian's 'Four Wants and One Without' remark.  He said 
even though he had no idea of the remark in advance, he could grasp 
and help clarify the key points and true intent of Chen's 
announcement immediately after Bian delivered it, and he could 
therefore point out that there was no clash between the 'Four Wants 
and One Without' and the 'Four Nos and One Without' pledge Chen made 
in 2000.  Wu's 'professional competence' was thus quite evident. 
Both Cheng and Lee, who were often in a sorry plight to probe in 
front of the Americans the true meaning of A-Bian's remarks, should 
really feel ashamed.  Since Wu has A-Bian's full trust and is 
professionally competent, let's wait and see how he does his job." 
 
 
YOUNG