VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0943/01 1170701
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270701Z APR 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5042
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6688
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7938

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000943 
 
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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  All Taiwan's major Chinese-language and 
English-language dailies gave significant coverage on April 27 to 
the Taiwan authority's announcement Thursday evening that they were 
rejecting China's proposed route for the 2008 Olympic torch relay. 
News coverage also focused on the 2008 presidential election.  In 
their news analyses, several papers, including the pro-status quo 
"China Times" and the pro-unification "United Daily News," 
criticized the DPP government's decision on the 2008 Olympic torch 
relay.  These papers said Taiwan should not mix up sports and 
politics and that its decision - which puts ideology ahead of 
political reality - will only put the island in an unfavorable 
position. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an op-ed in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" discussed the Bush administration's 
recent adjustment of its China policy.  The article said the 
Washington-Beijing relationship is marked by the co-existence of 
conflict and cooperation, and both sides are adopting a two-pronged 
strategy to avoid dangers.  An editorial in the limited-circulation, 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" refuted U.S. 
Senator John Warner's recent comment on Taiwan and said when it 
comes to cross-Strait relations, it is China, not Taiwan, who is the 
provocateur.  End Summary. 
 
A) "The U.S. Adjustment of Its China Policy" 
 
Lin Cheng-yi, a research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of 
European and American Studies, opined in the pro-independence 
"Liberty Times" [circulation: 500,000] (4/27): 
 
"It is evident that the Bush administration has been making 
significant adjustments to its foreign policies since the Democrats 
won back the control over the House of Representatives and the 
Senate in January 2007.  The United States started to engage in 
bilateral talks with North Korea without China's mediation in 
between.  Washington demanded that Pyongyang freeze its nuclear 
facilities rather than destroy them, and it started to discuss the 
situation in Iraq with Iran and Syria in Baghdad.  Even though 
Washington and Beijing have the 'Strategic Economic Dialogue' and 
other conventions among their respective commercial, trade, and 
financial ministers, the Bush administration filed a complaints with 
the World Trade Organization in February and April, respectively, 
against China's illegal subsidies and infringement on intellectual 
property rights. ... 
 
"There is intensive interaction going on between high-ranking U.S. 
and Chinese officials, but it may not necessarily indicate that the 
two sides are enjoying a friendly relationship.  Instead, the 
Washington-Beijing relationship is marked by the co-existence of 
conflict and cooperation, and both sides are adopting a two-pronged 
strategy of carrot and stick to avoid danger. ..." 
 
B) "Taiwan a Provocateur?  What a Joke" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (4/27): 
 
"... [US Senator John] Warner's comments come amid a flurry of such 
utterances by US officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice, who on April 12 warned both China and Taiwan to refrain from 
provocations ahead of next year's Olympics in Beijing.  It is de 
rigueur for US officials to talk about 'maintaining the status quo' 
and to give impromptu lectures on the nuances of the 'one China' 
policy and the Taiwan Relations Act.  But Warner, with his comments 
to [US Pacific Command Commander Admiral Timothy] Keating, took 
direct aim at Taiwan. ... 
 
"Unfortunately, Warner's insistence on singling out Taiwan 
highlights two of the most fundamental problems that this nation 
faces in its dealings with US policymakers.  The first is a basic 
misunderstanding by many US policymakers and academics of what 
motives Taiwanese politicians and drives local politics.  If 
Taiwanese politicians are saying and doing things that Washington or 
Beijing find irritating, it is the height of arrogance to assume 
that they are doing it simply because their 'tempers flare.' ... 
 
"It was not rash anger that drove President Chen Shui-bian to get 
rid of the National Unification Council, for instance, or to change 
the name of Chunghwa Post to Taiwan Post.  It was playing to his 
supporters - good ol' politicking.  Meanwhile, the same goes for 
parts of the pan-blue camp (especially the People First Party) when 
they oppose procuring US weapons systems.  These politicians aren't 
motivated by ire; they're motivated by a desire to keep their jobs 
by retaining supporters. 
 
"The second problem that Warner's comments highlight is a perception 
among those people that Taiwan's de facto independence - and not 
China's questionable claim to Taiwan a part of its territory - is 
the source of friction in the Taiwan Strait.  This little fallacy 
 
needs to be put down as quickly as possible.  Taiwan is not the 
problem.  The Taiwanese people are not the problem.  No one in 
Taiwan is seriously calling for the military to invade China (at 
least, not anymore).  No one in Taiwan is threatening to wipe US 
cities from the map.  No one in Taiwan is even saying that they 
would be willing to watch millions of Chinese die, simply for the 
sake of hollow pride. ...  Senator Warner, at the end of the day, it 
isn't Taiwan that threatens war; it is China.  So why warn Taiwan 
about being 'provocative'?" 
 
YOUNG