VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0875/01 1720656
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200656Z JUN 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9237
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8388
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 9617

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000875 
 
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: PERFORMANCE OF THE MA YING-JEOU 
ADMINISTRATION 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused June 20 
news coverage on President Ma Ying-jeou's nomination of Examination 
Yuan members Thursday, on approval ratings for the one-month-old Ma 
administration, and on new developments in cross-Strait relations. 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" ran an exclusive news story on 
page three with the headline "The United States Will Not Decide on 
Its Arms Sales to Taiwan before the Olympic Games."  The 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times," a sister paper of 
the "Liberty Times" front-paged a banner headline reading "U.S. Arms 
Decision [i.e., to delay the processing of the arms procurement 
package to Taiwan] Made Last Christmas." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a "Liberty Times" 
editorial criticized the poor performance of the Ma Ying-jeou 
administration and said the administration is distancing itself from 
the United States and Japan in order to appease China.  An editorial 
in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" also 
criticized the Ma administration's move to freeze arms procurement 
from the United States, saying it has compromised Taiwan's 
self-defense capabilities and taken away Taiwan's bargaining chips 
in negotiating with China.  An editorial in the pro-unification 
"United Daily News," on the other hand, spelt out both the 
achievements and challenges facing the one-month-old KMT 
administration.  End summary. 
 
A) "The Ma Administration Has Taken the Wrong Path of 'Leaning 
toward China While Distancing Itself from the United States and 
Japan'" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] 
editorialized (6/20): 
 
"...In terms of Taiwan's sovereignty and foreign relations, [the Ma 
administration] has shifted from Taiwan's previous position of 
standing by the Western democratic camp to leaning closer to China. 
[The Ma administration's moves in leaning toward China] include the 
[launch of the] direct charter flights, opening up Taiwan to 
mainland Chinese tourists, suspending arms procurements from the 
United States, and [its attitude during the] dispute between Taiwan 
and Japan over the Tiaoyutai Islands.  Also, in order to engage with 
China, [Ma] recognized the fabricated 1992 consensus and did not 
hesitate to incur self-humiliation by giving up his capacity as 
President and calling himself 'Mr. Ma [when he meets with the 
visiting Chairman of China's Association for Relations across the 
Taiwan Strait this fall].'  Such phenomena demonstrated clearly that 
the Ma administration has taken the path of 'leaning toward China 
while distancing itself from the United States and Japan.'  In fact, 
the United States and Japan have both expressed their grave concern 
over the Ma administration's direction.  Japanese media even pointed 
out that Taiwan and China might plot together to incite nationalism, 
betray its long-term allies and throw itself to its potential major 
enemy.  Will [such a development] conform to Taiwan's security and 
interests? ..." 
 
B) "Wanted: a Government with Backbone" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (6/20): 
 
"... The Ma administration has, in record time, managed to denigrate 
the nation's sovereignty and the standing of its leader while 
ingratiating itself to China, all in return for a few minor economic 
rewards from Beijing.  But a new low was reached last week when it 
was revealed that it was the government that requested the US 
government halt some US$12 billion in arms sales, although now it 
appears the scene was set several months before Ma took office. 
Notwithstanding the vast amounts of money Beijing is investing in 
improving its war machine, it is a safe bet that many voters did not 
believe a total freeze was what Ma meant when he promised 'not to 
engage in an arms race with China' ahead of the presidential 
election. ... 
 
"Volunteering to put a halt to arms procurement - when a great deal 
of uncertainty exists over the future of the sales - was a 
shortsighted, reckless move that could have serious ramifications. 
The KMT, as an opposition party, was responsible for a delay of 
several years for many of the items on the shopping list.  Should 
the delay continue until a new president takes up residence in the 
White House, the US may decide to make it permanent.  This may seem 
implausible, but there is legitimate concern as Taipei cuddles ever 
closer to China that advanced US military technology may eventually 
fall into Chinese hands.  Add to this the fact that the KMT has 
already ganged up with the Chinese Communist Party to marginalize 
the independence movement, and the question follows: What's to stop 
the KMT throwing in its chips with a rising China in the battle 
against the world's only superpower? ..." 
 
C) "A Month Has Passed Since the KMT Returned to Power and the DPP 
ADMINISTRATION 
 
Stepped down" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (6/20): 
 
"... General speaking, the major achievements of the one-month-old 
KMT administration are:  First, [Taiwan people] have a clearer 
national identity; ethnic antagonism has gradually cooled down; and 
the constitutional system has stabilized.  The foundation for a more 
serene and peaceful society has emerged amid various noises on the 
surface.  Second, [the launch of] direct transportation across the 
Taiwan Strait and the wrestling [between Taiwan and Japan] over the 
Tiaoyutai Islands have either created or will likely create 
significant changes to the ... four-sided relationship among 
'Taiwan, the United States, Japan and China.'  From now on, if the 
Taiwan-centric status can be underlined and become more flexible, 
'cross-Strait [relations]' and 'Taipei-Washington-Beijing 
[relations]' will not have to be treated separately, and instead, 
'Taipei-Washington-Tokyo-Beijing' [relations] can be viewed as one 
single chess game.  On top of that, the major challenges that the 
KMT administration is facing are:  given the pressure of oil price 
hikes and inflation, how is it going to realize [the ideal of] an 
equal and economically prosperous society, and how can it move from 
such a basis toward playing a role as a 'Pacific-Asia platform' both 
economically and politically. 
 
YOUNG