VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0011 0030942
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030942Z JAN 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7720
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7614
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8885

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000011 
 
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. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage on KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's interviews; on 
the upcoming legislative election and alleged vote-buying cases in 
various constituencies.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, on 
the eve of the Iowa caucuses, Chong-Pin Lin, Taiwan's former deputy 
defense minister, wrote in the pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" and offered his views on the prospects for the United 
States and the world if Illinois Senator Barack Obama is elected 
U.S. President.  End summary. 
 
"What an Obama Presidency Means" 
 
Chong-Pin Lin, Taiwan's former deputy defense minister and president 
of the Foundation on International and Cross-Strait Studies in 
Taipei, opined in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" [circulation: 30,000] (1/3): 
 
"... In short, being black is no longer a hindrance to entering the 
White House. 
 
"It is also the case, therefore, that being a woman has no negative 
consequences for Hillary Clinton.  However, voters may find their 
democratic ethos objecting to 28 consecutive years of a family 
presidency: four years of Bush senior, eight of Bush junior, eight 
of Bill Clinton and another eight of Hillary. 
 
"... Obama's record on opposing the Iraq War has perhaps become his 
greatest campaign asset in contrast to not only Hillary Clinton, who 
voted for the war, but also most Republican hopefuls who have 
supported the war at some stage.  In November, Bill Clinton's remark 
on TV that he opposed the Iraq War 'from the beginning' brought 
endless headaches to Hillary's team. 
 
"... What would an Obama presidency augur? 
 
"First, US withdrawal from Iraq.  That will start a noticeable, 
though gradual, decline of US influence first in the Middle East, 
and then in the rest of the world.  China, still far behind the US 
in economic and military terms, will become more formidable in the 
eyes of other countries. 
 
"Second, the US will turn inward.  Washington will place domestic 
economics and social agendas before military expansion and 
intervention abroad. 
 
"Third, there will be an end to unilateralism.  Washington will 
consult more with other powers and converse with even the 'rogue 
states.'  Relations with the Muslim world will improve. 
 
"Fourth, environmental concerns will be taken more seriously. 
Washington will no longer boycott international efforts to face 
global warming. 
 
"Fifth, there will be a renaissance of spiritualism and humanism. 
The US under Obama may become a world leader in the promotion of 
spiritual and humanistic values." 
 
YOUNG