VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2280/01 2770700
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040700Z OCT 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7056
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7318
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8596

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002280 
 
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 October 4 on Taiwan's UN bid, on the 2008 presidential 
election, and on a decision reached by the DPP Central Standing 
Committee Wednesday to ask President Chen Shui-bian to re-assume the 
party chairmanship.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, an 
op-ed in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" discussed the merits 
and demerits of the U.S. policy toward Taiwan.  The article said the 
fatal mistake in the U.S. policy toward Taiwan is its lack of 
respect for Taiwan's public opinion.  With regard to the 
inter-Korean summit that took place Wednesday, an editorial in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" said unification 
between North and South Korea is more difficult than it looks.  An 
editorial in the conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" said the summit should at least have created a better 
understanding between Seoul and Pyongyang of each other's stance. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. U.S.-Taiwan Relations 
 
"Merits and Demerits of the United States' Policy toward Taiwan" 
 
Shen Chieh, a freelance journalist based in Taipei, opined in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] (10/4): 
 
"The U.S. government's opposition to Taiwan's UN referendum has 
triggered tension in Taipei-Washington relations and aroused 
anti-U.S. sentiment [in Taiwan].  U.S. bureaucrats and scholars who 
tend to view [cross-Strait] issues from China's perspective only 
know they need to blame the DPP government, but they have never 
reviewed the mistakes made by the United States.  The predicament 
that Taiwan is facing today is a result of the mistakes made by 
Chiang Kai-shek's totalitarian control as well as those made by the 
United States.  One must not demand that the Taiwan people, who did 
not have a say during the Martial Law period, continue shouldering 
mistakes committed by Chiang Kai-shek and the United States. 
Neither should anyone oppose the Taiwan people's pursuit of justice 
and their efforts to right the wrongs made by dictators and strong 
powers citing reasons such as a need not to 'change the status quo.' 
... 
 
"The fatal mistake in U.S. policy toward Taiwan is its lack of 
respect for Taiwan's public opinion. ... Under the enlightenment and 
encouragement of the U.S. government, the Taiwan people established 
a democratic system and, based on their intent, they request the 
writing of a new constitution, name change, and application for UN 
membership.  All these moves are efforts to redress the mistakes 
made by Chiang Kai-shek and the United States for failing to show 
respect for [Taiwan's] public opinion.  The U.S. government thus 
should no longer wrongly oppose these moves." 
 
¶3. Inter-Korean Summit 
 
A) "Unification Is Harder Than It Looks" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (10/3): 
 
"... Stability on the Korean Peninsula and unification of the two 
Koreas is only propaganda to fool the public and the international 
community. After the first summit between Kim Dae-jung and Kim 
Jong-il, the situation on the Korean peninsula did not become safer. 
North Korea was still working hard on the development of missiles 
and nuclear weapons, which was why six-party talks followed between 
North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US.  The 
process of halting the six-party talks was manipulated by Kim 
Jong-il. Although Pyongyang agreed to close down its nuclear 
reactors, it is highly unlikely that the paranoid North Koreans will 
follow up on the promises they made during the talks and give up 
their nuclear aspirations. 
 
"If North Korea were to sincerely lay a foundation for peaceful 
unification in the Korean Peninsula and honor the international 
community's demands to shut down its nuclear facilities, then it 
should have already reached an agreement with other states in the 
six-party talks.  Unfortunately, it has all turned out to be the 
other way around. As a result, there are no high expectations for 
the summit. It is being held because South Korea needs something 
from North Korea. But this is just Roh's wishful thinking, and Kim 
does not expect much from Roh's North Korea visit. ..." 
 
B) "Hoping for Permanent Peace on the Korean Peninsula" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (10/4): 
 
"... Whether the meeting between Roh and Kim will lead soon to a 
major reduction in tensions in the peninsula remains to be seen. 
And few believe Korea can be reunified in the foreseeable future. 
But the Roh-Kim summit should have created a better understanding 
 
between them of each others stance.  If Seoul and Pyongyang keep at 
it, a permanent peace on their peninsula will become reality one 
day." 
 
YOUNG