VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0532/01 1071124
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161124Z APR 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8704
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8171
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 9407

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000532 
 
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: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
April 16 news coverage on Taiwan's expected deregulation of currency 
exchange between the New Taiwan dollar and the Chinese yuan; on 
speculation over possible personnel arrangements for the new Ma 
Ying-jeou administration; on the aftermath of the Boao Forum for 
Asia and possible developments in cross-Strait relations; and on a 
tire-breaking incident involving an Eva Air MD-90 airplane in 
Kaohsiung Tuesday. The pro-unification "United Daily News" 
front-paged an exclusive news story, which said the semi-official 
Hong Kong Trade Development Council is planning to establish an 
office in Taiwan, a major breakthrough for Taiwan-Hong Kong 
relations. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a column in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" continued to slash at vice 
president-elect Vincent Siew's attendance at the Boao Forum for Asia 
on Hainan Island (China) over the weekend.  The article said Siew 
has been hexed with the "one-China curse," which was an insult for 
himself and for his country.  A separate "Liberty Times" analysis 
said president-elect Ma is likely to include the "1992 consensus and 
one China with respective interpretations" in his inaugural speech, 
as a strategic guideline for Ma to deal with relations among 
Washington, Beijing and Taipei.  End summary. 
 
A) "Secrets That Cannot Be Told" 
 
The "Free Talk" column in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" 
[circulation: 720,000] (4/16): 
 
"In the wake of the meeting between [vice president-elect] Vincent 
Siew and [Chinese President] Hu Jintao at the Boao Forum, Ma's camp 
has been trying to jack up the so-called ice-breaking consensus 
[across the Taiwan Strait] and the 16-word statement [Siew delivered 
to Hu].  In fact, however, if one looks more deeply into the matter, 
one will see that it is actually the ghost of the 'one-China 
principle' that has been dictating everything behind the scenes. 
Siew has been hexed with the 'one China curse,' and yet he appeared 
to be quite pleased with himself.  There is nothing more insulting 
to oneself and one's country! 
 
"Judging from the standards of China's treatment, the seating 
arrangement at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum, the capacity 
in which Siew was acting when Hu received him, and the conclusions 
reached at the roundtable meetings, one could easily tell that the 
'one-China principle,' by which Beijing sees Taiwan as part of 
China, intangibly threaded together the entire forum. ...  This 
time, China 'upgraded' Siew to sit in the front row with other VIPs, 
together with the first Chief Executives of Hong Kong and Macau 
Special Administrative Regions.  The 'one-China principle' was 
visibly present without having to say it out loud.  How many other 
secrets are there that cannot be told?" 
 
SIPDIS 
 
B) "Consensus on the One-China with Respective Interpretations? 
Ma's Remarks Remain to Be Tested" 
 
Washington correspondent Nadia Tsao commented in an analysis in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] (4/16): 
 
"President-elect Ma Ying-jeou said in a recent press conference that 
the United States, China and Taiwan's KMT have all accepted the 
'1992 consensus and one China with respective interpretations.'  It 
remains to be seen whether Ma's remarks can stand up to a test. ... 
White House National Security Council Asian Director Dennis Wilder 
said during a briefing in August 2007 that 'the Republic of China is 
an issue undecided, and it has been left undecided for many, many 
years.'  The KMT believed then that Wilder's statement foreshadowed 
'one China with respective interpretations.'  Given current 
developments, Ma is very likely to follow Chen Shui-bian's example 
in 2000, in which he announced the 'Four Nos and one Without' 
pledge, and formally include the 1992 consensus and 'one China with 
respective interpretations' in his inaugural speech, as a strategic 
guideline for dealing with relations among Washington, Beijing and 
Taipei.  ... 
 
"But so far, only the English text of a Xinhua News Agency [press 
release] has included the '1992 consensus and one China with 
respective interpretations.'  Officials who have engaged with the 
U.S. side have observed that Washington has yet to indicate its 
interest in publicly endorsing Beijing's [position] on one China 
with respective interpretations, as it is not sure whether Beijing's 
policy will change overnight.  Given that China's Ministry of 
Commerce issued a press release prior to [vice president-elect] 
Vincent Siew's departure from the Boao Forum, which mentioned the 
'one-China principle,' one cannot help but wonder whether Beijing 
really has reached a consensus on one China with respective 
interpretations. 
 
"For Taiwan's part, if Ma fails to reach a consensus with the Green 
camp internally over the '1992 consensus and one China with 
 
respective interpretations,' Taiwan will have a fragile base when it 
comes to negotiating with others.  The talks across the Taiwan 
Strait are related to Taiwan's national status and security.  For 
example, whether Beijing will stop the United States from selling 
weapons to Taiwan and thus reduce the security protection for the 
island after tensions across the Taiwan Strait are alleviated is a 
big question that the Green camp will have to ask of President Ma. 
..." 
 
YOUNG