VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2523/01 3270917
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230917Z NOV 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7440
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7466
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8755

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002523 
 
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 POLICY 
 
Summary:  News coverage of Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies 
November 22-23 focused on a speech by Taiwan Representative to the 
U.S. Joseph Wu at Johns Hopkins University November 20, in which he 
said Taiwan that understands the U.S. has no obligation to defend 
Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act.  The arrangements for ballot 
issuance at the upcoming legislative elections also attracted much 
press attention as the central government and pan-Blue local 
governments disputed over whose plan will infringe voters' right to 
a secret vote.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, a 
commentary in the pro-unification "United Daily News" said Joseph 
Wu's statement was inappropriate.  An editorial of the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" said the U.S. 
should support Taiwan more by selling F-16 C/D jet fighters and 
negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement.  End summary. 
 
A) "Joseph Wu Overstates and Helps to 'Set the Americans Free'" 
 
Washington correspondent Vincent Chang of the pro-unification 
"United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] wrote in a commentary 
(11/22): 
 
"... In fact, even though the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) does not 
provide that the U.S. must 'fight for Taiwan,' it does not say the 
U.S. 'will not fight for Taiwan.' 
 
"... It is clear then that drafters of the TRA had left significant 
flexibility and discretion between the lines for the U.S. President 
and Congress.  Whether the Americans will fight for Taiwan is to be 
determined by the U.S. rather than by the Taiwan side.  One cannot 
complain if the Americans refuse to recognize this obligation.  But 
for a Taiwan Representative to 'help set the Americans free' on this 
issue is really unthinkable." 
 
B) "U.S. Security Needs Democratic Taiwan" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (11/22): 
 
"We support the call by the United States-China Economic and 
Security Commission (USCC) on the U.S. Congress to encourage 
President George W. Bush's administration to assist Taiwan maintain 
its defenses against a rising military threat by the People's 
Republic of China. 
 
"... However, current U.S. policy toward Taiwan remains sadly 
dominated by decision makers who advocate 'pre-emptive intervention' 
and wage war for oil or other resources against weak dictatorships 
under the banner of 'freedom' (mainly for business), but quickly 
'turn the other cheek' and appease Beijing's dictatorship by trying 
to restrain Taiwan's democratic procedures, such as the upcoming 
referendum on whether to join the United Nations under the name of 
'Taiwan.' 
 
"Washington has also made no effort to engage in negotiations, much 
less sign, a free trade agreement with Taiwan which would help our 
economy build deeper linkages with the advanced U.S. market instead 
of exacerbating our dependence on the PRC's uncertain roller-coaster 
economy. 
 
"After demanding that Taiwan display its willingness to build the 
capacity to defend itself against PRC annexation, the Bush 
administration has refused to agree to sell upgraded F-16 C/D jet 
fighters, even after the opposition dominated Legislature agreed to 
fund the procurement after heavy lobbying by the Democratic 
Progressive Party government. 
 
"These trends have placed Taiwan in a disadvantageous position 
relative to the PRC and exacerbated the difficulty in defending our 
hard-won democracy against external intimidation by the PRC and 
pro-unificationist forces at home. Taiwan is already overly 
integrated into the PRC orbit to the extent that our political as 
well as economic autonomy is eroding due to the pervasive impact of 
vested business interests. 
 
"... In contrast to the rigidity shown by U.S. external policy in 
recent years, the PRC has been considerably more adroit and flexible 
in manipulating cross-strait relations, gaining the initiative in 
Sino-American ties and turning Washington from the defender of 
global democracy into a proto-accomplice in suppressing global human 
rights in the name of 'anti-terrorism' and curbing democracy in 
Taiwan, thus undermining the morale of democratic forces in 'greater 
China' and Asia as well. 
 
"Bewitched by a narrow conception of U.S. 'national interests' that 
highlights 'anti-terrorism' and an imperial hubris that denigrates 
the importance of genuine democracy in world politics, the current 
U.S. administration has been willfully blind to the structural 
change in the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait in recent years 
in favor of the PRC, which it foolishly sees as an 'ally' in the 
 
'war against terror.' ..." 
 
YOUNG