VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1170 2210643
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080643Z AUG 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9701
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8514
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 9729

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001170 
 
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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused August 8 
news coverage on the Beijing Olympic Games; on the Lobbying Act 
coming into effect in Taiwan on Friday; and on Taiwan's inflation 
and rising commodity prices.  Both the pro-unification "United Daily 
News" and centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" had extensive reports 
on United States President George W. Bush and other world leaders' 
arrival in Beijing.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, an 
editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" responded to 
Bush's reiteration of commitment to peace and security across the 
Taiwan Strait, which Bush made in Bangkok on Thursday.  The 
editorial said that it is President Ma Ying-jeou, who is the person 
changing the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.  The editorial 
therefore urged the United States to see the reality before it is 
too late.  End summary. 
 
"The Ma Administration Is Joining Hands with China to Change the 
Status Quo across the Taiwan Strait" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] 
editorialized (8/8): 
 
"... Before heading China to attend the Beijing Olympic Games 
opening ceremony, [President George W.] Bush's reiteration of the 
firm commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act was apparent to the 
Chinese leaders' ears.  As we still remember, in a speech delivered 
in the United States at the end of July, Chinese Foreign Minister 
Yang Jiechi emphasized that no matter how cross-Strait relations 
develop, the one-China principle will never change, and there cannot 
be any changes to the principles in the three communiques.  Yang 
apparently intended to show his lofty stance to the United States 
government.  However, Bush's remarks yesterday were equivalent to 
negating Yang's tentative messages, meaning that the Taiwan issue is 
not [solely] decided by China. ... 
 
"If [Taiwan] President Ma Ying-jeou's pro-China roadmap continues to 
be implemented, not only will Taiwan's sovereignty be gradually 
eroded, the United States' 'one-China policy' will be shaken.  That 
is why United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave the Ma 
administration warnings that although the United States hopes 
cross-Strait relations improve, the United States has relations with 
Taiwan as well.  Furthermore, Bush himself publicly stated the 
[United States'] commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act.  Thus, 
the United States is by no means unaware of the possibility that the 
status quo of Taiwan's sovereignty might change. 
 
"On the other hand, the Ma administration's pro-China roadmap, which 
has been in effect for more than two months, has created challenges 
for the United States.  The United States' consistent policy is that 
neither side of the Taiwan Strait should change the status quo 
unilaterally, which Bush reiterated once again yesterday.  However, 
the problem is that President Ma, who insists on moving toward 
ultimate unification [with China], is constantly downgrading 
[Taiwan's] national sovereignty and getting close to China.  This 
constitutes a danger, which is the KMT's and the Chinese Communist 
Party's joint intention to change the status quo across the Taiwan 
Strait.  Therefore, Bush statement that 'we are witnessing a new 
period of stability and peace,' is actually a pernicious development 
that threatens the United States' interests in the western Pacific. 
... 
 
"In the last two months, Ma advocates 'no unification, no 
independence and no use of force' and claims to be a 'peace-maker.' 
However, judging from Ma's deeds, it is true [that Ma] does not want 
independence and it is false [that Ma] does not want unification. 
[Ma's] policy of easing regulations regarding [Taiwan enterprises'] 
investment [in China] is nothing but locking Taiwan up in China and 
fulfilling [the goal] that 'Taiwan is part of China.'  We have to 
remind [our] American friends.  If [the United States] regards the 
person who tried hard in the last few years to normalize Taiwan as a 
state as a trouble-maker, while regarding capitulationism in pursuit 
of ultimate unification as being advantageous to allay the tension 
across the Taiwan Strait, [the United States] would make be making 
the mistake of considering the alarm before the storm as good news. 
Once the Ma administration sends Taiwan into China's jaws of death, 
there will be no hope of maintaining Taiwan's democracy and 
security." 
 
YOUNG