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OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHMJ
DE RUEHIN #0464/01 0911021
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 311021Z MAR 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8604
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8115
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 0064
RUEHMJ/AMEMBASSY MAJURO 0040
RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 0177
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 0142
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9492
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 9804
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 2584
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 1148
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 9355
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 1964
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 6553
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000464 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2023 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SC PM NU RM CH TW
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER HUANG AND CHAIRMAN BURGHARDT 
DISCUSS DIPLOMATIC CHALLENGES AND THE TRANSITION 
 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Stephen M. Young, 
Reasons: 1.4 (b/d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Huang told Chairman 
Burghardt and Director Young on March 28 that he remains 
worried about the possibility of further diplomatic losses to 
Beijing prior to President-elect Ma Ying-jeou's inauguration 
on May 20.  Huang was most concerned that St. Kitts and Nevis 
might switch recognition in the near future, but he believed 
Panama would keep its promise to President Chen not to switch 
recognition while Chen was in office.  The Foreign Ministry 
is working with John Feng, Ma's chief foreign policy advisor, 
on transition issues.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) AIT Chairman Ray Burghardt, accompanied by Director 
Young, met with Foreign Minister James Huang on March 28 to 
discuss Taiwan's foreign policy challenges and the 
transition.  Vice Minister Elizabeth Chu and MFA North 
American Affairs Director Leo Lee accompanied FM Huang. The 
Chairman and Director congratulated Taiwan for conducting a 
smooth and peaceful presidential election that showcased its 
strong democracy. 
 
Diplomatic Challenges 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Burghardt asked Huang about the state of Taiwan's 
diplomatic relations, especially with Panama, St. Kitts and 
Nevis, and partners in Africa.  Huang expressed concern about 
the possibility of negative developments before Ma 
Ying-jeou's inauguration on May 20.  According to Huang, 
Beijing has been telling Taiwan's diplomatic partners that 
the Ma administration will cut foreign aid, which has raised 
their concerns about Taipei's commitment to continue existing 
aid programs.  The Foreign Ministry discussed this issue with 
Ma's transition office, which issued a statement that the new 
administration would honor Taiwan's commitments to its 
diplomatic partners.  However, the day after this statement, 
Ma told the press that Taiwan would not engage in "check book 
diplomacy" or provide "aid" to individuals, which caused a 
negative reaction among Taiwan's partners.  The Foreign 
Ministry has worked to mitigate the damage by meeting with 
ambassadors resident in Taiwan, conveying a message on behalf 
of Ma's office that the new administration would not change 
previous commitments and would continue to cooperate and to 
strengthen bilateral relationships. 
 
¶4.  (C) Huang confided that St. Kitts and Nevis has 
negotiated a timetable with Beijing to switch recognition 
before May 20.  Asked about Panama, Huang said he believed 
President Martin Torrijos would honor his promise to 
President Chen and not switch diplomatic ties to China before 
May 20, but after that he did not know.  Even though 
President Chen had established very good relations with 
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Huang said he was not 
sure what would happen after Ma's inauguration.  The Marshall 
Islands, he added, is also at risk as Beijing is working hard 
to entice Majuro to switch diplomatic recognition.  Huang 
acknowledged that Taiwan is trying to woo some countries in 
Africa and the Caribbean away from Beijing. 
 
Working with the MA Transition Team 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) The Foreign Ministry is working with the Ma 
transition team, so far primarily on protocol for the 
inauguration and hand-over, and Huang said he would fully 
brief his successor.  To facilitate a smooth transition, 
Huang's Chief of Staff has been working with Ma's chief 
foreign policy adviser John Feng.  Feng has requested that a 
junior Foreign Service officer be assigned to Ma's office. 
The Foreign Ministry has also briefed Feng about countries 
with which diplomatic relations are unstable.  The Director 
emphasized the importance of discussing the WHO and OECD 
issues with Ma's camp before the transition.  (Note: Feng 
told the Director March 31 that ROC/Taiwan will not be 
applying for WHO membership at the WHA meeting in May this 
year.) 
 
¶6.  (C) Noting that it will be up to Ma's office to decide 
who to invite to the inauguration, Huang said he understood 
Ma is aiming for a simple, down-to-earth inauguration devoid 
of frivolity.  Ma's office has asked the Foreign Ministry to 
inform Taiwan's diplomatic partners that their inaugural 
delegations will not be treated to a presidential suite or 
stretch-limo during their visits. 
 
Ma Request to Visit the U.S. 
---------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) Huang wondered whether the U.S. would agree to a 
pre-inaugural visit by President-elect Ma Ying-jeou. He noted 
that Ma's office had not asked the Foreign Ministry to make 
the request through appropriate channels. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Huang appeared tired and said he would have the 
greatest sympathy for his successor.  He showed the Chairman 
and Director a framed Hong Kong news article about him with 
the headline "Taiwan Foreign Minister Hardest Job in the 
World."  Given Beijing's continued efforts to persuade 
Taiwan's diplomatic remaining partners to switch recognition, 
Huang's successor could well face some foreign policy 
challenges right off the bat. 
YOUNG