VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1578/01 3120821
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070821Z NOV 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0306
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8717
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0164

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001578 
 
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, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage November 7 on the violent clashes between pro-Green 
supporters and police on Thursday night; on the short meeting 
between President Ma Ying-jeou and China's Association for Relations 
across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yulin on Thursday; 
and on the continued investigation into former President Chen 
Shui-bian and his family's corruption and money laundering cases. 
 
 ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" warned President Ma that public 
opinion and public anger regarding his cross-Strait policy must be 
valued; otherwise, Ma will be loathed by the Taiwan people.  An 
editorial in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" gave credit to the 
Taiwan visit of ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin.  The editorial said, 
however, that both Beijing and Taipei should realize that political 
issues cannot be touched hastily, because apparently the timing is 
not ripe, judging from the series of protests in Taiwan against 
Chen's visit.  Editorials in both the pro-unification "United Daily 
News" and the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" urged the Chinese 
Communist Party and the DDP to face the reality of the existence of 
the Republic of China.  Also in the "China Times," a news analysis 
said it was a pity that the way that the historic meeting between 
President and ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin was handled failed fully to 
present China and Taiwan's cross-Strait policies.  Regarding the 
election of Barack Obama as the President of the United States, an 
op-ed in the "China Times" commented on how Barack Obama, a 
potential protectionist, is going to deal with daunting economic 
challenges, and the possible implications for Taiwan.  An editorial 
in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" drew a 
parallel between Barack Obama and Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou. 
The editorial reminded Obama to be careful not to disappoint 
Americans in the way that Ma allegedly has.  End summary. 
 
¶3. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
A) "President Ma Will Be Loathed by the People If Not Bow to the 
Public Opinion" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] 
editorialized (11/7): 
 
"... Today, the anger of Taiwan people was vented like volcanoes 
erupting.  The release of anger was a result of President Ma 
[Ying-jeou]'s betrayal of Taiwan.  Ma's moves to impose martial law 
internally and surrender to China not only 'hurt Taiwan's image, 
hurt Taiwan people's lives,' but also caused an unprecedented crisis 
in Taiwan's sovereignty.  With his popularity on the decline, Ma 
will be loathed by the [Taiwan] people if he does not bow to public 
opinion which has been gathering like a storm!" 
 
B) "Ma and Chen Cannot Thaw Out the Three-Meter Deep Ice" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] 
editorialized (11/7): 
 
"Although there have been violent protests, [China's Association for 
Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman] Chen Yunlin's 
visit to Taiwan was still a success. 
 
"From the perspective of historical significance, this cross-Strait 
negotiation [between Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and 
ARATS in Taipei] was the one that achieved the most concrete 
results.  [This negotiation] made remarkable contributions to 
cross-Strait exchanges, trade and economics, and social psychology. 
[This negotiation] also built a regular, working-level platform for 
persistent mutual interaction in the future.  At the same time, both 
sides of the Taiwan Strait should realize from the violent protests 
[in Taipei] that the timing for discussing political issues is far 
from ripe.  [The discussion of political issues] should not be held 
hastily.  Haste brings no success. ..." 
 
C) "The Crux of Taiwan Issue: Both the DPP and CCP Deny the 
Existence of the Republic of China" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (11/7): 
 
"... The concluding impressions of the November 5 meeting between 
[Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman] P. K. Chiang 
and [China's Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait 
(ARATS) Chairman] Chen Yunlin are: first, the realization of the 
three links.  [The trend of] exchange across the Taiwan Strait is 
irreversible.  Second, the predicament in which the Ma [Ying-jeou 
Administration] was under converging attacks from both Beijing and 
the DPP is obvious to all.  Third, credit should be given to Beijing 
for Beijing's show of bearing regarding the incidents of Zhang 
Mingqing [who was accosted in Tainan at the end of October] and the 
Grand Formosa Regent Taipei [where Chen Yunlin was besieged on the 
 
ELECTION 
 
night of November 5].  Fourth, in the last five days, the DPP 
regressed and become a Taiwan-independence party that protects 
corruption and shows its violence. 
 
"Chen Yunlin's five-day visit [to Taiwan] furthermore demonstrated a 
point of view that we have been constantly argued: the crux of the 
Taiwan issue lies in the reality that both the Chinese Communist 
Party and the DPP deny the existence of the Republic of China. ..." 
 
D) "It Is Time for Beijing to Face up to the 'Republic of China'" 
 
The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 220,000] 
editorialized (11/7): 
 
"... After the second meeting between [Taiwan's Straits Exchange 
Foundation (SEF) Chairman] P. K. Chiang and [China's Association for 
Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman] Chen Yunlin has 
been held, shouldn't the Beijing authorities really think seriously 
whether it is time to 'face up' to the existence of the Republic of 
China?  The Beijing authorities should understand clearly that, 
regardless of the half-century historic struggle between the KMT and 
the CCP, the Republic of China never vanished from the planet.  No 
matter how [the Republic of China] was shut out in the United 
Nations or driven out of or humiliated on various sorts of 
international occasions; how the number of countries [with which it 
had] diplomatic ties was diminished; or how the national flag and 
the national anthem of the Republic of China have disappeared in 
international competitions; in the end it is undeniable that the 
Constitution and the sovereignty of the Republic of China still 
function well in Taiwan.  Under the Constitution, [the Republic of 
China] has held four presidential elections and experienced two 
transitions of government.  Facing a popularly elected president [Ma 
Ying-jeou] who has the endorsement of over seven million voters, 
Beijing is still too stingy to speak the title [of president]. 
Apparently [Beijing] so far does not want to recognize such a 
reality. ..." 
 
E) "Ending the Meeting in a Sloppy Way and Missing a New Opportunity 
across the Taiwan Strait" 
 
Reporter Wang Ming-I wrote a news analysis in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 220,000] (11/7): 
 
"... The meeting between President Ma Ying-jeou and [China's 
Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS)] Chairman 
Chen Yunlin was a great event in cross-Strait exchange in the last 
six decades, whether from the perspective of realistic politics or 
historical progress.  Regrettably, under the pressure of the DPP 
calling for protests, Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and 
China's ARATS chose the most low-profile style to present the 
'meeting between Ma and Chen,' and therefore missed an opportunity 
to allow cross-Strait policies to be fully addressed. ..." 
 
¶4. U.S. Presidential Election 
 
A) "Obama Changes the Prospects for the World Economy" 
 
Bert J. Lim, President of the World Economics Society, a 
Taiwan-based think tank, opined in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China 
Times" [circulation: 220,000] (11/7): 
 
"... Amid [President-elect of the United States] Barack Obama's 
foreign policies, especially in terms of trade and investment 
policy, regional cooperation and energy policy, the most disturbing 
policy is the advocacy of the new protectionism, 'the closing of the 
country's economy.'  Although [Obama] said orally that he supports 
the free trade, [Obama] has, however, actually started 'to review 
and re-open negotiations' regarding the North American Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA).  [Obama] even clearly opposed, or even is likely 
to suspend or terminate, the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) that the 
United States signed with South Korea and Colombia.  Under such 
circumstances, it is very difficult for Taiwan to expect to [sign] 
an FTA between Taiwan and the United States. ..." 
 
B) "US Election Echoes in Taiwan" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (11/7): 
 
"Whether one likes it or not, the paths of Taiwan and the US seem to 
be tightly entwined. 
 
"This was proved again on Tuesday, when just eight months after 
voters here decided to put an end to eight years of rule by a man 
and his party, the US electorate followed suit, choosing an 
opposition party figure to replace a president who has been berated 
and lampooned in equal measure. 
ELECTION 
 
"US president-elect Barack Obama's victory on Tuesday was an 
epoch-defining moment.  Not only will he become the first black 
president in the history of the US, but his victory brings the 
curtain down on one of the most controversial and divisive 
presidencies of all time.  Many Americans are hoping that, come 
January, their new president can quickly rebuild bridges and repair 
their country's tarnished global image.  They also hope he can 
re-establish what many call the US' 'moral authority,' something 
badly eroded by two terms under President George W. Bush. 
 
"This is similar in some respects to President Ma Ying-jeou's 
victory in March, as he was the first non-Taiwanese to be elected 
president, and on promises that he would turn Taiwan into a 
cross-strait 'peacemaker,' not a 'troublemaker. ... 
 
"It is in the world's interest that Obama is up to the huge task 
that has been placed on his shoulders, because the alternative is 
deepening uncertainty and instability - feelings that most Taiwanese 
are burdened with just six months into Ma's term." 
 
YOUNG