VZCZCXYZ0015
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0839/01 1030910
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130910Z APR 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4887
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6635
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7878

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000839 
 
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: TAIWAN'S WHO BID, U.S.-ROK FREE TRADE 
AGREEMENT, CHINA-JAPAN RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage April 13 on the human trafficking problem in Taiwan, on the 
Taipei prosecutors' raid of a local major mobile phone manufacturing 
company Thursday for alleged insider trading of company shares; on 
Taiwan's attempt to join the World Health Organization (WHO) as a 
full member under the name of "Taiwan;" on the 2008 presidential 
elections; and on an accident that happened at the Kaohsiung Zoo 
Wednesday evening.  The pro-independence "Liberty Times" front-paged 
a news story on Taiwan's human trafficking problem, in which a 
sub-headline said "U.S. Department of Justice Recognizes Positively 
Taiwan's Combating of Human Trafficking."  The pro-status quo "China 
Times" also featured on page five a speech by U.S. Deputy Assistant 
Attorney General Grace Chung Becker at a Human Trafficking 
International Conference in Taipei Thursday; the banner headline of 
the article read "Taiwan Is Listed in the Tier 2 Watch List by the 
United States Because of Its Serious Human Trafficking Problem; 
Traffickers Have Lowered [the International Position of] Taiwan." 
 
¶2.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "China Times" 
analysis commented on the island's WHO bid under the name of 
"Taiwan" and said it was a political move aimed at the upcoming 
elections.  An analysis in the "United Daily News" also chimed in, 
saying Taiwan might lose more than what it intends to gain by its 
attempt to highlight Taiwan's sovereignty.  An op-ed piece in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed the U.S.-ROK Free Trade 
Agreement (FTA) and said the United States should consider prudently 
the impact such an agreement may have on Taiwan and should sign an 
FTA with Taiwan as well.  Regarding Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's 
visit to Japan, a "Liberty Times" editorial said Japanese Prime 
Minister Shinzo Abe's reiteration of Tokyo's position of not 
supporting Taiwan independence indicated the Japanese government's 
current policy and its attitude of not interfering with Taiwan's 
internal affairs.  An editorial in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" said little 
substance emerged from the apparent thaw in China-Japan relations, 
"because speeches and diplomatic posturing alone cannot solve the 
disputes between the two regional powerhouses."  End summary. 
 
¶3. Taiwan's WHO Bid 
 
A) "[With] Cross-Strait Tension Rising, All Taiwan People [Are 
Forced to] Join Bian in the Game of Campaigning" 
 
Journalist Lin Shu-ling wrote in an analysis in the pro-status quo 
"China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (4/13): 
 
"Taiwan has failed for ten consecutive years in its attempt to 
become an observer at the World Health Assembly.  The government 
then changed its strategy and resorted to a more difficult approach 
by seeking to enter the World Health Organization under the name of 
'Taiwan.'  Its intent to [boost] campaigning is self-evident.  But 
excessive political manipulation may very likely turn the efforts of 
many of its predecessors into nothing.  It is very obvious that the 
Bian administration's move to toss off this topic prior to the 
elections is aimed at using it as a tool in combination with other 
topics such as the name change and referendum bundled with the 
elections so as to boost its campaigning. ... 
 
"In particular, major changes have occurred to the situation between 
the United States and Asia.  Taiwan failed in its ambitious attempt 
to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, while 
the U.S.-ROK Free Trade Agreement is smooth on the wing.  Following 
Wen Jiabao's state visit to Japan, tension between the two countries 
will be gradually mitigated.  The United States does not want to get 
itself involved in or create new international disputes in the year 
when its campaigning is about to begin.  All these developments will 
put the Bian administration's fixed plan to 'join hands with 
Washington and Tokyo to confront Beijing' in a very unfavorable 
position." 
 
B) "To Carry out Bian's Promise, [Taiwan] Upgrades the Level of [Its 
WHO] Bid; Watch out That Haste May Make Waste" 
 
Washington correspondent Vincent Chang noted in an analysis in the 
pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (4/13): 
 
"... In fact, even though Taiwan regards the United States' support 
for Taiwan to become an observer at the World Health Assembly as a 
major diplomatic victory, there is a proviso.  Washington has long 
since indicated that it does not support Taiwan to become a member 
of the World Health Organization (WHO) because the United States has 
a clear policy which says it does not support Taiwan to join any 
international organizations for which the statehood is a 
requirement.  The Taiwan government is clearly aware of the U.S. 
position and the fact that this task cannot possibly be achieved. 
But in order to cash the oral check made by Chen Shui-bian whose 
remainder has only one year, Taiwan still hands out such a new 
application for the membership. 
AGREEMENT, CHINA-JAPAN RELATIONS 
 
 
"Sources said the Chen Shui-bian administration has informed the 
U.S. government in advance of its WHO bid via Taipei and Washington, 
respectively, and the U.S. government did not wait very long to 
reply to Taiwan in a tough manner that it does not support [such a 
move]!  Even though the U.S. State Department reiterated that its 
position in support of Taiwan's bid to gain observer status in the 
WHO remains unchanged, Taiwan's change of plans to seek membership 
rather than observer status is akin to destroying the United States' 
and Japan's preconditions for supporting Taiwan's WHO bid. ...  It 
is natural that Taiwan will not obtain the U.S. and Japan's support 
for its WHO bid, but the worst scenario could be that Taiwan will 
lose more than it gains for its move to 'highlight Taiwan's 
sovereignty' if what it gets in return is the opposition of 
countries such as the United States and Japan which uphold the 'one 
China' policy." 
 
¶4. U.S.-ROK Free Trade Agreement 
 
"U.S.-ROK FTA Generates Impact on Taiwan's Trade and Economics" 
 
Chao Wen-heng, associate research fellow at the Taiwan Institute for 
Economic Research, opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 520,000] (4/13): 
 
"... But it is a great misfortune that any free trade agreements 
(FTA) signed between Japan, China and South Korea will affect 
Taiwan's most sensitive nerve in terms of its external trade 
relations.  If the three countries all succeed in signing an FTA 
with each other or even with the United States, Taiwan will be 
severely marginalized.  Even though Japan and China will suffer 
damage because of the U.S.-ROK FTA, they can be compensated by 
signing an FTA with South Korea or the United States.  Given the 
situation that Taiwan is unable to sign an FTA [with any of these 
countries], the island will become the biggest victim of the 
U.S.-ROK FTA, whose impact and follow-on influence will be a severe 
test for Taiwan in its history of external trade.  When thinking of 
this, we cannot help but ask this question:  Has the United States, 
while seeking proactively to sign an FTA with South Korea, ever 
considered the damage such an agreement will have on Taiwan?  Taiwan 
is a loyal ally of the United States.  The United States should 
consider prudently the impact the U.S.-ROK FTA will generate on 
Taiwan and treat the island more fairly by signing an FTA with 
Taiwan." 
 
¶5. China-Japan Relations 
 
A) "Chinese Leaders Should Read the 'San Francisco Peace Treaty' 
More Often" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 500,000] 
editorialized (4/13): 
 
"... Just as the governments of other countries have done, 
[Japanese] Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated to Wen Jiabao that 
[Tokyo] 'does not support Taiwan independence.'  This statement has 
indicated the Japanese government's current policy and its attitude 
of not interfering with Taiwan's internal affairs, because it is up 
to the 23 million people in Taiwan to decide if Taiwan wants to 
become a normal country.  Abe's position also served as a foil to 
show that the so-called 'opposition to Taiwan independence' is 
nothing but a move to intervene in Taiwan's internal affairs, a move 
that has severely violated international laws and the UN charter. 
This is the basic reason why the Beijing authorities only got an 
answer of 'no support for Taiwan independence' when they requested 
the U.S. government [say that it] 'opposes Taiwan independence.' 
..." 
 
B) "Same old Tune, Still Off-key" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (4/13): 
 
"Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's trip to Japan and his landmark speech 
to the Diet yesterday offered a tantalizing glimpse of what smooth 
relations between Beijing and Tokyo might look like.  Unfortunately, 
beyond the glib speeches and photo-op smiles, little of substance 
emerged.  This is because speeches and diplomatic posturing alone 
cannot solve the disputes between the two regional powerhouses over 
attitudes toward Japan's invasion of China in the 1930s, Beijing's 
increasing military buildup and concerns about how to utilize energy 
resources in the East China Sea. ... 
 
"'We will strive with all our might to achieve peaceful resolution 
of the Taiwan issue, but we will never tolerate Taiwan 
independence,' Wen said.  'We hope that Japan can understand the 
highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan issue, abide by its pledges 
and handle the issue prudently.'  Yes, Mr. Premier, we in Taiwan 
AGREEMENT, CHINA-JAPAN RELATIONS 
 
also hope that the issue is handled prudently.  By Beijing.  We hope 
that everyone can understand the 'highly sensitive nature' of the 
issue.  But we also hope that China does not keep its promises, 
which have ranged from using nuclear weapons against US cities to 
thwart intervention, to invading this peaceful, prosperous nation by 
the year 2020.  So enjoy your trip to Tokyo, Mr. Wen.  Do all you 
can to nullify the animosity that exists between some parts of your 
government and some in Japan's.  But you'll have to excuse us if we 
struggle not to roll our eyes at your promises of friendship, peace 
and happiness.  We've heard it all before." 
 
YOUNG