VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1866/01 2280852
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160852Z AUG 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6402
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7133
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8381

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001866 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS, INTER-KOREAN SUMMIT 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage August 16 on DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's 
formal announcement Wednesday that former Premier Su Tseng-chang 
will be his running mate in the 2008 presidential election; on the 
UN referendum; and on the Taiwan government's decisions to lift the 
ban on ractopamine residues in pork, and to set up a giant national 
financial holding company.  The pro-independence "Liberty Times" ran 
a banner headline on page six that said "On UN Referendum, Bian 
[Says]: the United States Must Not Draw a Red Line on Taiwan's 
Democracy." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" and an analysis in the 
pro-unification "United Daily News" both criticized the Chen 
Shui-bian administration for allegedly bowing to the U.S. pressure 
and changing its policies all the time.  An op-ed in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" urged the DPP 
government to manage carefully the United States' attempts to 
"interfere in" the UN referendum.  An editorial in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News," on the other hand, 
discussed the upcoming inter-Korean summit and said it shows a 
"lesson of unity."  End summary. 
 
¶3. U.S.-Taiwan Relations 
 
A) "Ractopamine Government" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" editorialized (8/16): 
 
"The Department of Health and the Council of Agriculture announced 
simultaneously the decision to lift the ban on ractopamine (Paylean) 
residues in pork, and such a move has triggered considerable 
criticism, including: [people's] worries that the move would put 
their health at risk; Taiwan's swine industry would fall apart; ... 
and that Taiwan has easily bowed to the United States' bully and 
oppression. ... 
 
"A constantly shifting public policy is the murderer of a 
government's prestige.  Only a muddleheaded and incapable government 
would change its policies all the time and go back on its word.  No 
wonder some people believe that [the change of policy on ractopamine 
residues] is a big gift A-Bian gives [to Washington] in exchange for 
his planned transit in the United States.  Should this be the case, 
it will be penny-wise and pound-foolish." 
 
B) "Policy Changes Whenever Big Brother Opens Its Mouth" 
 
Journalist Cheng Chia-wen noted in an analysis in the 
pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (8/16): 
 
"... Ordinarily, the Council of Agriculture and the Department of 
Health tend to give eloquent remarks [about the government's policy 
and position].  But when it comes to U.S. agricultural imports - be 
it genetically-modified soybeans or corn, apples containing codling 
moth larva, beef produced in areas plagued with mad cow disease, 
wheat containing Malathion residue, or the ractopamine issue this 
time - once the [U.S.] 'Big Brother' opens its mouth, our 
government's attitude will change dramatically within a few days 
from asserting [Taiwan's] dignity of righteousness and sticking to 
its position to accepting whatever [the United States] requests. 
..." 
 
C) "Managing US Response to UN Bid" 
 
Liu Kuan-teh, a Taipei-based political commentator, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (8/15): 
 
"... The difference between the US and Chen's positions [over the UN 
referendum] has resulted in a clear political deadlock.  More 
rhetoric and political gestures are likely to emerge in the next 
couple of months, with the Bush administration taking measures to 
force Chen to make concessions on the referendum. ...  Therefore, 
Chen, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership and most 
importantly, DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh, must formulate 
a coherent message emphasizing that the referendum in fact is a 
positive indication of the level of Taiwan's democratic progress. 
Since the Chinese Nationalist Party has also supported a referendum 
on using 'appropriate names' to return the UN, this united voice 
must be heard around the world. ... 
 
"The US' attempts to interfere in the referendum should be managed 
carefully and relations between the US and Taiwan should not be 
sacrificed in the course of the drive to attain membership in the 
UN.  There is room for adjusting the theme and working the 
referendum in order to rebuild trust between Taipei and Washington. 
Chen and his government can use this wiggle room as a bargaining 
chip to negotiate with their US counterparts." 
 
¶4. Inter-Korean Summit 
 
"Korean Summit Shows Lesson of Unity" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (8/16): 
 
"... Hence, the decision by both Roh and Kim to hold the first 
inter-Korean summit meeting in seven years aims to both deflect 
intensifying domestic political pressures and attract further 
attention in the international community over the sharply different 
problems faced by the two regimes and peoples on the Korean 
peninsula. ...  The effects are already beginning to surface.  For 
example, the campaign in South Korea for the year-end elections has 
already begun to become slanted toward the inter-Korean summit and 
passions over the question of Korean unification have again been 
sparked and the prospective summit has also given a shot of 
stimulation and unity to the chronically politically fractured and 
fractious National Assembly.  On the external front, the United 
States, the PRC and Japan have separately expressed a high degree of 
anticipation for the prospects of a renewal of the inter-Korean 
peace process and predictions are being to be voiced over a revival 
of the flow of international capital and resources into famine 
stricken North Korea. ..." 
 
YOUNG