VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1062/01 1310634
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110634Z MAY 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5215
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6753
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7996

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001062 
 
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: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS; U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN 
RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major dailies focused their front-page news 
coverage May 11 on a DPP plan to set up a task force next Wednesday 
to draft a "Resolution on Making Taiwan a Normal Country," to 
replace the DPP's "Resolution on Taiwan's Future."  The other focus 
on their front pages is former President Lee Teng-hui's 
participation in a sit-in held by the Taiwan Solidarity Union in 
front of the Legislative Yuan to protest the delay in passing the 
Central Government's FY07 budget.  In the inner pages, the focus is 
on TECRO Chief Joseph Wu's hosting a dinner with four presidents and 
six delegations of Taiwan's diplomatic allies at Twin Oaks in 
Washington. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, the pro-independence, 
mass-circulation "Liberty Times" editorialized that the Taiwan 
people should not place high hopes only on mainland Chinese 
tourists, presuming they are allowed to tour Taiwan, and added that 
the right thing to do is to attract international tourists.  The 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" questioned in its 
editorial why it is that Taiwan is not allowed to defend itself by 
using missiles developed by the island but must instead be armed 
with costly, U.S.-made weapons?.  Emerson Chang, a local scholar, 
opined in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" that 
the US has not changed it's policy toward Taiwan and added that 
recent remarks by U.S. officials are only attempts to push Taiwan 
temporarily to the side.  End summary. 
 
¶3.  Cross-Strait Relations 
 
A) "Creating a Normal and Healthy Tourism Business is the Right 
Thing" 
 
The pro-independence, mass-circulation daily, "Liberty Times" 
[circulation: 500,000] said in its editorial (05/11): 
 
"... Taiwan's travel and transportation infrastructure has meets the 
needs of the tourism sector.  What we need the most is the 
strengthening in the quality of services and the upgrading of 
"software" facilities in order to bring Taiwan's tourism business up 
to the world standard and therefore attract tourists from the world. 
 We should not bet all our tourism resources on people from an 
authoritarian country that has a per capita income of US$2000. 
Based on this, we called upon our compatriots not to be bewitched by 
the 'China dream,' created by [KMT presidential candidate] Ma 
Ying-jeou.  Taiwan needs a tourism business that can retain the 
country's dignity and sovereignty and is applauded in the world; and 
a national economic policy composed of 'Taiwan First' and 'Invest in 
Taiwan' policies allowing the tourism business to develop normally 
and healthily." 
 
¶4. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations 
 
A) "'Serious' Defense, or Serious Cash?" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (05/11): 
 
"... 'We think that offensive capabilities on either side of the 
Strait are destabilizing and therefore not in the interest of peace 
and security,' American Institute in Taiwan Director Stephen Young 
quoted Dennis Wilder, the senior director for East Asian affairs at 
the US National Security Council, as saying. 
 
"... One must ask exactly what the U.S. means when it says it is 
worried about 'offensive capabilities.'  How can any serious defense 
strategist (which one hopes a member of the U.S. National Security 
Council qualifies as) argue that there is a difference between 
'offensive' and 'defensive' capabilities in this day and age? 
 
"The problem is that the U.S. is making no distinction between 
tactical offense and strategic offense.  Do the 'experts' back in 
Washington truly think that Taiwan is going to start a war with 
China? 
 
"This is not a realistic concern.  Since the U.S. claims the right 
of pre-emptive attack, why then cannot other nations do the same? 
 
"Given China's hasty buildup of ballistic missiles, advanced fighter 
aircraft and attempts to create a 'blue water' navy, isn't it 
prudent for Taiwan to field weapons that can destroy Beijing's 
warmaking capability before it is too late? Or does Washington 
believe the only nations that may defend themselves are those armed 
with costly, U.S.-made weapons?" 
 
B) "There's Art in Putting Taiwan Aside" 
 
Emerson Chang, director of the Department of International Studies 
at Nan Hwa University, opined in the English-language "Taipei Times" 
[circulation: 30,000] (05/11): 
RELATIONS 
 
 
"Has US policy toward Taiwan changed? Three major developments at 
the US State Department between May 1 and May 4 have drawn 
considerable attention. 
 
"First, the 2007 joint statement of the US-Japan Security 
Consultative Committee on May 1 made no mention of 'encouraging the 
peaceful resolution of issues concerning the Taiwan Strait through 
dialogue' contained in the 2005 report. 
 
"Second, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte testified to 
the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs that 
Taiwanese politicians were attempting to change the status quo, 
including changing the national title, pushing for referendums and 
constitutional reform. 
 
"Third, American Institute in Taiwan Director Stephen Young said at 
a press conference that the US does not support Taiwan developing 
long-range offensive missiles. Academics and politicians in Beijing 
believe this is the result of improvements in China-US and 
China-Japan relations, but I believe exactly the opposite -- that 
this reaction has been caused by heightening China-US tensions, and 
that it is a measure to relieve those strains. 
 
"... It [i.e. the U.S.] wants to resolve the animosity before China 
can deploy its anti-intervention strategy [against the U.S.], and it 
is doing so by reducing China's agitation over Taiwan. This is the 
reason for the US' recent actions. 
 
"Although the US acts friendly toward China over Taiwan, that 
doesn't mean Taiwan's strategic importance to the US has decreased. 
The US intention to establish a US-Japan-Australia-India security 
partnership in Asia was made plain in this year's consultative 
committee report. It's very possible that the US will temporarily 
push Taiwan to the side to resolve internal doubts over the alliance 
in Australia and India, as well as external obstructions from China 
and Russia. 
 
"It may be next year by the time the group is completed, and 
Taiwan's new domestic political situation would already be set. Then 
the US could adjust the role that Taiwan should play in its Asia 
strategy." 
 
YOUNG