VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0023/01 0080901
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080901Z JAN 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7740
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7628
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8899

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000023 
 
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.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage January 8 on Taiwan's stock price index, which nose-dived 
4.1 percent Monday; and on the upcoming legislative elections and 
the March presidential poll.  In terms of editorials and 
commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" 
called on the United States to overhaul its cross-Strait policy as 
Washington's China policy was "merely cultivating a communist 
hegemonic power that will speak and act contrarily to itself in the 
end."  An op-ed in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei 
Times" spelled out three major reasons why China is fighting Taiwan. 
 The article concluded by saying that "China's threats to Taiwan are 
thus not caused by Taiwan's efforts to seek its rightful place under 
the sun, but rather by geostrategic competition with the U.S."  End 
summary. 
 
A) "The United States Must Change and Make a New Start of Its 
Cross-Strait Policy" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 700,000] 
editorialized (1/8): 
 
"...  As a matter of fact, China's rise may not necessarily be of 
advantage to the United States.  In terms of economics, the United 
States' trade deficit with China is $300 billion a year.  The 
international page of the "Newsweek" has recently pointed out that 
in 2007, China's influence on global economic developments has for 
the first time surpassed that of the United States -- an 
unprecedented case since the 1930s.  On the diplomatic front, no 
longer did people see the low-profile manner adopted by Deng 
Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin.  Hu Jintao has been tilting toward Russia 
over the past year and did not hesitate to disagree with the United 
States in terms of issues like Iraq.  He has also adopted a tougher 
stance toward Taiwan in the international community. ...  As for the 
military aspect, given that China shot down a space satellite a year 
ago and rejected a port call in Hong Kong by the USS Kitty Hawk 
aircraft carrier and two minesweepers more than a month ago, the 
rising military hegemony of China will create disastrous 
consequences for the United States after all. 
 
"Since one has yet to see the benefits derived from [Washington's] 
China policy, what the United States has been doing was just 
cultivating a communist hegemonic power that will speak and act 
contrarily against itself in the end.  Except for [former] President 
Ronald Reagan and certain congressional leaders, U.S. political 
leaders continue to persist in their errors even up to now.  What's 
even more serious was that, when it comes to Taiwan's popular vote 
on its UN membership, the United States, which advocates democracy 
all over the world, had its Secretary of State come forth to oppose 
such a direct expression of public opinion.  Behind the reason 
[cited by the United States] that [holding the UN referendum] will 
'alter the status quo,' it was either [Washington's] submission to 
China's pressure or its double standard of bullying the virtuous and 
fearing the wicked.  But in reality, neither reason is consistent 
with the United States' basic values and interests.  We want to 
emphasize here that only when Washington changes and makes a fresh 
start of its troublesome and self-contradictory cross-Strait policy, 
can the United States win the Taiwan people's respect for it again, 
and the move will bring along a major influence to the Taiwan 
Strait, the Pacific area and even to world peace." 
 
B) "What's Really Bothering Beijing?" 
 
Gerrit van der Wees, editor at the Washington-based "Taiwan 
Communique," opined in the pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (1/8): 
 
"... What is China fighting against? What is driving China's leaders 
in their obsession with Taiwan? When we go back in history, we see 
three main reasons. ...  The real reason China is fighting Taiwan is 
because it represents a successful democracy right next door, 
undermining the CCP's authoritarian 'stability.'  The second reason 
that seems to be prevalent in Chinese thinking is to 'right the 
wrongs' caused by two centuries of 'humiliation' at the hands of 
Western countries. ...  The third reason for China's hardheaded 
attitude toward Taiwan is that it thinks Taiwan's close association 
with the US and the West stands in the way of China becoming a 
'great power.' 
 
"The leaders in Beijing have set an ambitious course for China to 
become a 'superpower' along the lines of the US: wielding economic 
and political influence and power across the globe.  For China's 
leaders, 'possession' of Taiwan is a key element in their 
geostrategic competition with the US -- and to a lesser extent in 
their regional competition with Japan.  This is because of Taiwan's 
strategic location -- straddling the important sea lanes between 
Japan and Southeast Asia while keeping China from unfettered access 
to the deep oceans of the Pacific.  China's threats to Taiwan are 
thus not caused by Taiwan's efforts to seek its rightful place under 
the sun, but rather by geostrategic competition with the US. This 
 
argument is made eloquently in a recent book titled 'Why Taiwan?' by 
Alan Wachman of Tufts University. ..." 
 
YOUNG