VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1227/01 1550927
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040927Z JUN 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5475
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6859
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8110

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001227 
 
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DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage June 2-4 on U.S. law enforcement's announcement Sunday of 
its having foiled an alleged terrorist plot to bomb the JFK Airport; 
and on the year-end legislative elections and the 2008 presidential 
election.  The pro-independence "Liberty Times" and its sister 
paper, the English-language "Taipei Times," both ran an exclusive 
news story June 4 that quoted an ex-chief of staff to former 
Secretary of State Colin Powell as telling "Esquire" magazine that 
 
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hawkish U.S. officials had encouraged President Chen Shui-bian's 
administration to move toward a declaration of independence. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an op-ed in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed President Chen's video 
conference with the National Press Club last week.  The article said 
Washington has decided to put aside the Taiwan card for the time 
being, because it does not want to mislead Taiwan and thus 
unexpectedly accelerate the deterioration of U.S.-China ties.  A 
"Liberty Times" commentary commented on the Pentagon's recent report 
on Chinese military power and urged Taiwan to continue pushing for 
the nation's normalization process now, before China has the 
capability to attack Taiwan.  An editorial in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed the American Chamber of 
Commerce's (AmCham) annual white paper on Taiwan and urged the DPP 
administration to listen to AmCham's warning.  End summary. 
 
¶3. U.S.-Taiwan Relations 
 
A) "Taiwan Talking about Human Rights -- a Headache for the United 
States" 
 
Emerson Chang, director of the Department of International Studies 
at Nan Hua University, opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 520,000] (6/4): 
 
"... First, the United States' upholding democracy and human rights 
is primarily for its national interests rather than on moral 
grounds. ...  It may sound right for Taiwan when Chen Shui-bian 
emphasized human rights [during his video conference with the 
journalists in Washington].  But for the United States, such a move 
likely violates the U.S. national interests and was thus difficult 
to win the United States' recognition. ... Second, the United States 
defines Taiwan's development of the ground-to-ground missiles as of 
an offensive nature.  [Such a position] was reflected in AIT 
Director Stephen Young's remarks made in early May, and it is 
closely related to Taiwan's call for maintaining flexibility with 
regard to its options for [the island's] future. ... 
 
"... [E]ven though chances are slim for China-U.S. relations to 
improve in the short term because of the shortage of positive 
conclusions from the China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue and from 
[the Pentagon's] report on Chinese military power, Washington still 
decided to put aside the Taiwan card for the time being so as not to 
mislead Taiwan and unexpectedly accelerate the deterioration of 
China-U.S. ties.  This is the main reason behind the current impasse 
in Taiwan-U.S. relations, despite the fact that Taiwan is now in a 
favorable position in the triangular relationship (meaning that both 
China and the United States are now engaged in strong competition 
with each other in economic, military and strategic aspects.)" 
 
B) "A Nation's Normalization Must Not Be Deterred by the Use of 
Force" 
 
Cao Changqing, China-born freelance journalist based in U.S., noted 
in the "Weekly Commentary" of the pro-independence "Liberty Times" 
[circulation: 500,000] (6/3): 
 
"The 'Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2007' report 
released by the Pentagon a week ago indicated that China is rapidly 
expanding its military power, and its capability of threatening its 
neighboring countries is on the rise.  On the other hand, however, 
China is facing various factors of instability inside the country. 
Taiwan and other Asian countries ought to keep alert but need not 
feel panic about it.  The report also clearly indicated that, as of 
now, the People's Liberation Army does not have the capability to 
attack Taiwan, particularly in the case of U.S. intervention. 
 
"China's growing military buildup alone is likely to cripple the 
United States' influence in Asia, and it will directly threaten the 
United States' democratic ideals and its strategic interests in the 
entire Asia-Pacific area if China uses force against Taiwan.  Thus 
the U.S. military has a fundamental internal consensus over [the 
U.S.] intervention in the conflicts across the Taiwan Strait. ... 
 
"While the internal and external situations both fail to help, China 
is naturally incapable of using force against Taiwan; all it can do 
is to threaten and coerce [the island].  But this does not mean that 
Taiwan can lower its guard and therefore does not need to purchase 
any weapons.  In reality, Taiwan needs to possess powerful defense 
capabilities, no matter under what kind of situation, so that it has 
 
the power to resist in case of attacks, and it can demonstrate the 
island's determination and strength to defend itself in an attempt 
to discourage Beijing.  In the meantime, Taiwan should also 
proactively strive to push for the normalization of the nation, 
making it a reality before China has sufficient military power to 
attack Taiwan.  This is a difficult but completely plausible 
process, and the key lies in the Green camp's confidence and 
determination." 
 
C) "[Like a] Dog Barking at the Train Each Year, What Else Can 
[Americans] Do?" 
 
The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (6/4): 
 
"... The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) said in its annual 
white paper that Taiwan will be in big trouble as early as next year 
if it fails to ease its restrictions on cross-Strait exchanges and 
trade.  Such [a position] is nearly consistent with the warning 
given by AIT Taipei Director Stephen Young in May, in which he said 
that the slower Taiwan opens the three links, 'the bigger the risks 
are [for the island] to be isolated from the trend of regional 
integration.'  All these have indicated that the United States has 
held deep apprehension over the trend of Taiwan being gradually 
marginalized.  Despite the business interests of U.S. firms, for the 
United States, a Taiwan that is isolated from the international 
political system can remain functioning.  But it will bode ill if 
Taiwan is gradually isolated also by the international economic 
system. ... 
 
"This paper has reminded more than once regarding the timetable for 
economic integration in East Asia in 2008 and 2012.  But 
unfortunately, the ruling party not only does not care about it but 
has also sought to isolate itself from this megatrend.  Whoever 
attaches great importance to this topic will be labeled as 
pro-unification. ...  The fact that foreign chambers of commerce are 
willing to write a white paper each year indicated that they value 
[Taiwan] and still want to stay here.  It will be too late [for 
Taiwan] to argue what should be done or what should not be done if 
someday these foreigners do not feel like publishing an annual 
paper!" 
 
YOUNG