VZCZCXYZ5155
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0291 0640943
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040943Z MAR 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8249
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7884
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 9143

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000291 
 
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: TAIWAN'S UN REFERENDUM, NATIONAL DEFENSE 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage March 4 on the upcoming presidential poll, on the two 
presidential candidates' campaign platforms on cross-Strait issues, 
and on the Environmental Protection Administration's decision Monday 
to approve conditionally the construction of a controversial 
freeway.  The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" devoted its entire 
page two to reporting on the behind-the-scenes stories concerning 
the establishment of the island's first-ever controversial arms 
dealing company "Taiwan Goal." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-unification "United Daily News" urged the public not to pick up 
referendum ballots on March 22 in order to "punish" President Chen 
Shui-bian.  An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" discussed the "Taiwan Goal" arms dealing company, 
which will soon be disbanded.  The article said by "closing the door 
on new possibilities for weapons development and acquisition, the 
KMT has revealed an inability to move beyond the unhealthy reliance 
on the U.S. as a patron for the nation's defenses, which also 
imposes a needless financial burden on the taxpayer."  End summary. 
 
 
¶3. Taiwan's UN Referenda 
 
"To Punish Chen Shui-bian, Say No to the Referendum Ballots!" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (3/4): 
 
"... The opposition to the [DPP-proposed] 'UN referendum' is 
precisely a 'no-confidence vote' cast by most voters to Chen 
Shui-bian and the DPP.  Chen said '[the public] should support the 
UN referendum, even if they dislike Chen Shui-bian.'  But for most 
people, their thinking is:  'We oppose the UN referendum because 
[we] dislike Chen Shui-bian!' ... 
 
"What makes the people even more bitterly disappointed is that Chen 
even called out in public that 'it is fine that [voters] do not vote 
for Hsieh to be the president, but they must support the UN 
referendum.'  Chen's statement is akin to saying that 'it is fine if 
Hsieh loses the presidential election, but Chen Shui-bian's UN 
referendum has to win.'  It is a widely acknowledged fact that the 
'UN referendum' was originally leverage that Chen planned to use to 
put the presidential election and the political situation following 
the election on a short leash.  As for the outward appearance [of 
the UN referendum], Chen chose to wrap it up in the political jingle 
of 'bundling the referendum with the presidential election to 
solicit support for Frank Hsieh.'  Now that Hsieh's candidacy seems 
to be faring badly, Chen did not prop up Hsieh by either de-linking 
the referendum and the presidential poll or 'cancelling' the 
referendum; instead, he was selfish enough to say such things 
as,'Hsieh can lose the race, but my referendum must pass.'  Simply 
because of this, and to punish the ruthless Chen, there is no point 
in the Taiwan people supporting the 'UN referendum.' ..." 
 
¶4. Taiwan's National Defense 
 
"The KMT Is Killing National Defense" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (3/4): 
 
"The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has struck again. After years 
of successfully blocking arms appropriation bills in the 
legislature, the party has now managed to shoot down, before it 
could even take off, a venture that could have been of tremendous 
benefit to the nation's ability to defend itself. ...  Taiwan Goal, 
while no panacea, would have been a step in the right direction, and 
unlike what some critics have argued, it would have tapped into the 
nation's world-class private technology industries -- with or 
without help from the government. 
 
"By shutting it down and by opposing a deterrence strategy, the KMT 
has demonstrated a total ignorance of what the cost of a Chinese 
invasion would be for Taiwan. By closing the door on new 
possibilities for weapons development and acquisition, the KMT has 
revealed an inability to move beyond the unhealthy reliance on the 
US as a patron for the nation's defenses, which also imposes a 
needless financial burden on the taxpayer.  Such an approach to 
defense could only have been dreamed up by a party that does not 
believe that China would resort to force to settle cross-Strait 
tensions. But as we saw from the manner in which Taipei's envoys to 
Seoul were treated last week -- a delegation that included 
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng of the KMT -- the pan-blue camp 
has a rare talent for misreading Beijing's intentions." 
 
YOUNG