VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0887/01 1122223
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222223Z APR 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4966
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6657
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7906

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000887 
 
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: VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTING INCIDENT, U.S. 
FOREIGN POLICY, U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to 
focus April 20news coverage on the Virginia Tech shooting incident 
and its aftermath; on the 2008 presidential elections; and on other 
local issues.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial 
in the pro-unification "United Daily News" reflected on the Virginia 
Tech shooting incident and said ethnic issue will probably be the 
most profound impact generated by this incident.  A column in the 
pro-status quo "China Times," discussed the State Department's 
strategic plan for 2007-2012 and said the United States' diplomacy 
in the near future will "continue to focus on intervening with other 
countries' internal affairs and promoting U.S.-style democracy."  An 
op-ed piece in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" 
discussed the United States' "one China" policy and said it is about 
time that Taiwan's national leaders say no to the U.S.' "one China" 
policy.  End summary. 
 
¶2. Virginia Tech Shooting Incident 
 
"Lament and Reflections over the U.S. Campus Shooting Incident" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (4/20): 
 
"A campus shooting incident happened in Virginia, in which 32 
innocent teachers and students lost their lives in dorms and 
classrooms, and the gunman himself also committed suicide.  This 
tragedy has not only exposed the problem of lenient gun control 
[laws] in the United States but has, given the fact that the gunman 
is a resident alien from South Korea, also stirred up already 
sensitive ethnic sentiments in U.S. society. ... 
 
"Perhaps the most profound impact generated by the Virginia Tech 
shooting incident is the ethnic issue.  To put it fairly, this 
incident cannot be categorized as one caused by ethnic clashes, and 
many of the previous shooting incidents on the U.S. campus were also 
unrelated to the ethnic or racial background of the shooters.  But 
unfortunately, this violent campus shooting incident - the worst in 
U.S. history - was committed by a student from South Korea, and it 
has thus inevitably touched the deepest and most sensitive ethnic 
nerve in all people. ... 
 
"For a long time Taiwan and its people have been troubled by ethnic 
issues ignited by its politicians.  When traveling overseas, Taiwan 
people, as well as mainland Chinese people, or even Asians in 
general, may have all experienced discriminatory treatment caused by 
the western world's worries about the 'yellow peril.'  If the 
Virginia Tech shooting incident triggers ethnic antagonism in the 
United States again, all overseas Chinese people will be caught up 
in the storm against Asian people.  It will be another difficult 
subject [for all] as to how to help different ethnic groups to work 
on their tolerance and empathy." 
 
¶3. U.S. Foreign Policy 
 
"The United States' Future Diplomatic Strategy Will Continue to be 
Interventionism" 
 
The "International Outlook" column in the pro-status quo "China 
Times" [circulation: 400,000] wrote (4/20): 
 
"The U.S. State Department has [recently] published its strategic 
plan for 2007-2012.  In the beginning of this report, Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice quoted President George W. Bush as saying 'It 
is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of 
democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture 
with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.'  Rice 
believes that to achieve this bold vision, America needs equally 
bold diplomacy, and such diplomacy is aimed at changing the world 
itself and not simply describing the current status of the world. 
 
"Such [an objective] indicated that at least during Bush's term of 
office, U.S. diplomacy will continue to focus on intervening in 
other countries' internal affairs and promoting U.S.-style 
democracy.  The 'testing ground' of Iraq, however, dealt a ruthless 
blow to this trend in diplomacy.  What kind of a democracy has the 
United States established in Iraq over the past four years? ...  Why 
is it that some Iraqi people still miss Saddam Hussein?  This is 
because even though Saddam Hussein was an authoritarian, he had at 
least created a certain extent of unity and stability for his 
nation, and his people were not living in misery.  But what about 
now?  Politics in Iraq can be regarded as democratic now, but the 
entire country is deeply caught in chaos, and internal turmoil has 
made this country lose its hopes and objectives. 
 
"This 'interventionism' of the United States, which 'denies a 
country its sovereignty,' has never worked; instead, the situation 
always gets worse the deeper [the United States] intervenes.  Bush 
has carried out two interventions [during his term] - namely, 
FOREIGN POLICY, U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
Afghanistan and Iraq, and how these countries will turn out in the 
end is obvious to all.  If Washington continues to use American 
values to intervene with other countries in the future, the 
consequences will be even worse." 
 
¶4. U.S.-Taiwan Relations 
 
"Time to Say No to US' 'One China'" 
 
Michael Lin, a political commentator based in Taipei, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (4/20): 
 
"The US government has made it clear that it will not back Taiwan's 
plan to apply for WHO membership under the name 'Taiwan.'  On the 
diplomatic front, the major obstacle facing Taiwan is the US' 
adherence to the 'one China' policy. ...  I believe that Taiwan's 
diplomatic strategy towards the US should stress its core values and 
adhere to the principles of reciprocity and coexistence in urging 
the US to revise its outdated 'one China' policy, while letting the 
US understand that whatever Taiwan does will benefit the US. ... 
 
"Taiwan should then take aim at Washington's cross-strait policy and 
Taiwan's democracy.  First, the objective of US cross-strait policy 
is to help the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to settle their 
differences peacefully.  However, Beijing is making every effort to 
block Taiwan in the international arena.  If the US does not want to 
adjust its 'one China' policy and help Taiwan join important 
international organizations, there will be no room for cross-strait 
negotiations on an equal footing.  Second, the circumstances when 
the US first formulated its 'one China' policy were very different 
from today's growing Taiwan consciousness.  By adopting a policy 
that obscures Taiwan's sovereignty, the US will not be able to help 
Taipei and Beijing settle their differences.  Third, the US' 
China-leaning cross-strait policy has not only violated the basic 
rights of the citizens of Taiwan to purse their freedom, democracy 
and happiness, but it has also violated the founding spirit of the 
US and the administration of US President George W. Bush's policy of 
seeking global democratization. 
 
"Faced with a difficult situation, Taiwan must make good use of its 
resources, construct a discourse that best tallies with US interests 
and come up with a strategy aimed at closing the gap between ideals 
and reality.  Only by doing so can we bring the international 
community to recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state and eventually 
join the WHO and the UN.  Therefore, it is about time that our 
national leaders said no to the US' 'one China' policy." 
 
YOUNG