VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1650/01 3292311
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 242311Z NOV 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0441
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8757
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0211

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001650 
 
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 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage November 22-24 on the cabinet's policy of issuing 
consumption vouchers; on the probe into former President Chen 
Shui-bian's alleged corruption; and on the economic predicament of 
the world and of Taiwan.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, 
an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" satirized the 
Ma Ying-jeou Administration for having taken several 
self-disparaging measures to please China but only receiving China's 
continued suppression of Taiwan's international status in return. 
An editorial in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" said that 
now is the time for the issue regarding Taiwan's international 
participation to be put on the table.  An editorial in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" criticized that 
the meeting between Taiwan's special envoy to APEC summit, Lien 
Chan, and Chinese President Hu Jintao on the margins of the summit 
was nothing more than symbolic for both Taiwan and China.   An 
editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" 
urged the Ma Administration to stop appeasing China and forge 
consensus with Taiwan's political opposition on cross-Strait policy. 
 In contrast to the pro-independence newspapers' criticism, the 
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" gave 
credit to the Lima meeting between Lien and Hu.  End summary. 
 
A) "The So-Called 'Chinese Goodwill' Is Only the Ma Administration's 
Lie to Deceive Itself as Well as Others" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000] 
editorialized (11/24): 
 
"Lien Chan, who once served as [Taiwan's] Vice President, was 
allowed to attend the APEC [summit] and was the highest-level envoy 
in history to represent our country's leader [at the summit]. 
Therefore, the Ma Ying-jeou Administration bragged about [this 
development] as China's show of goodwill and a significant 
breakthrough in [the Administration's] cross-Strait policy. 
However, the meeting between Lien and [Chinese President] Hu 
[Jintao], with Lien called by 'Chairman Lien' and Hu called 'General 
Secretary Hu,' fell to the level of a meeting between the KMT and 
the Chinese Communist Party.  Or it was only catching up between old 
friends, not even a meeting at all.  Especially when Lien mentioned 
the issue of Taiwan's participation in international organizations, 
Hu turned a deaf ear and evaded the important issues for the easy 
one.  These all made the Ma Administration's so-called breakthrough 
[in cross-Strait relations] and [China's show of] goodwill become a 
lie which deceives [the Ma Administration] as well as others. ... 
 
"The Ma Administration thought that by fawning on China as much as 
possible, including self-disparaging sovereignty, recognizing the 
fictitious 1992 consensus, implementing the diplomatic truce by 
which [Taiwan] surrenders without fighting, and undertaking the 
tactic of procrastinating on the arms procurement [from the United 
States], China will respond with goodwill and give Taiwan 
international space for [Taiwan's] survival.  However, judging from 
the evidence of several developments recently, the Chinese goodwill 
that President Ma was self-congratulatory about was only [Ma's] 
self-intoxication.  No matter who holds the reins of the [Taiwan] 
government, China does not loosen its hand when it suppresses 
Taiwan. ..." 
 
B) "It's Time to Put the Issue Regarding [Taiwan's] International 
Space Should Be Put on the Table" 
 
The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (11/22): 
 
"... Several incidents that happened lately indicated that the 
cross-Strait relations in the wake of the meeting between [Straits 
Exchange Foundation Chairman] P.K. Chiang and [China's Association 
for Relations across the Taiwan Strait Chairman] Chen Yunlin have 
embarked on a new round of the feeling-out process. ...  First, 
following the four agreements signed between Chiang and Chen, the 
differences and barriers between both sides of the Taiwan Strait in 
terms of policies on non-political issues, such as direct 
transportation, tourism and business have been resolved one by one. 
The issue regarding Taiwan's participation in the international 
organizations has been put on the table eventually right now.  Given 
the current state of the cross-Strait relations, now is perhaps the 
real beginning of the test [for both sides]. 
 
"Second, it will be overly optimistic to say now that the Ma 
Administration's pragmatic cross-Strait policy has pushed the other 
side of the Taiwan Strait to adopt a more flexible and pragmatic 
approach towards Taiwan's future participation in the international 
organizations and activities, or even, we can say everything is 
still up in the air now.  In addition, even though as of now there 
is absolutely no sign showing that Beijing will possibly adopt a 
more flexible approach towards Taiwan's participation in 
international organizations and activities, it is at least evident 
that Beijing is no longer interested in using any drastic means to 
 
sabotage the atmosphere across the Taiwan Strait.  Voices inside 
Beijing also admitted that this is an issue that needs to be 
resolved and that it should be done by initiating dialogue between 
both sides.  Should these messages really indicate that both sides 
are deliberating about a new phase of dialogue, the development will 
be welcomed by all. ... But as what is said previously, now both 
sides are just beginning to touch on the sensitive areas of 
cross-Strait issues, which will naturally have repercussions on the 
nerves of both sides. ..." 
 
C) "More Hot Air than Substance in Lima" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (11/24): 
 
"Former vice president Lien Chan met Chinese President Hu Jintao at 
the APEC leaders' summit in Lima on Friday.  APEC is one of a 
handful of international bodies of which Taiwan is an official 
member and this was the first time such senior Taiwanese and Chinese 
leaders met at one of its summits.  The meeting was symbolic for 
both sides, but nothing more than that.  Although the meeting was an 
indication of reduced cross-strait tension, Taiwan should not rush 
to celebrate.  In no way does it mean that China is willing to 
recognize Taiwan's sovereignty, or that Taiwan can now deal with 
China on an equal footing internationally.  Beijing's leadership saw 
the meeting as one between friends that had nothing to do with 
Taiwan's international status. ... 
 
"Although US President George W. Bush is a lame duck leader, he is 
still the head of a great power.  Diplomacy therefore required that 
he hold a bilateral meeting with Hu.  The two did not depart from 
the standpoints they have held at past meetings. ...  No great 
practical results were to be expected from Hu's meetings with either 
Lien or Bush, but his meeting with Bush was a dialog between equals, 
while that with Lien was an exercise in control through 
conciliation.  Although the Lima summit was the first at which 
Taiwan has been represented by such a senior figure as a former vice 
president, and although he managed to meet the Chinese president, 
this shows only that China is taking a more flexible approach in its 
dealings with Taiwan.  It does not signify any change in Beijing's 
'one China' policy. Taiwan should not allow the APEC meeting to lull 
it into a false sense of security." 
 
D) "Consensus Needed on PRC Policy" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (11/24): 
 
"Over the past decade, Taiwan's cross-strait policy toward the 
People's Republic of China has gone from a stance of 'no haste, be 
patient' initiated by former president Lee Teng-hui through 
'effective management and active openness' enunciated by 
ex-president Chen Shui-bian to the 'relentless opening with wishful 
thinking' adopted by President Ma Ying-jeou and his restored Chinese 
Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) government.  On the surface, the past 
seven months of KMT government have featured the resumption of 
bilateral dialogue and intensive interaction between Taipei and 
Beijing, but the underlying reality is that Taiwan's sovereignty has 
been undermined by a series of unnecessary political concessions 
made by the Ma government for the sake of forging a superficially 
peaceful but dangerously unequal relationship with Beijing. ... 
 
"Last weekend's meeting between PRC State Chairman Hu Jintao and 
Taiwan leader representative and KMT honorary chairman Lien Chan 
alongside of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum leaders' 
summit in Lima, Peru illustrated the perils of such unbalanced 
cross-strait relations. ...  More substantively, Ma's hopes that his 
acceptance of the so-called 'Consensus of 1992' and its 'one China' 
principle and signing agreements on direct links during the visit by 
PRC envoy Chen Yunlin earlier this month would lead Beijing to 
return the KMT government some favors, such as allowing Taiwan World 
Health Assembly status, have also been dashed. 
 
"Instead, the image projected by the PRC spinners in the APEC summit 
is that the two sides have moved toward Beijing's 'one China' 
formula as symbolized by the warm hand-shaking between Lien and Hu 
at a prominent global forum.  All Ma has achieved through his blind 
rush for rapprochement with Beijing has been the dramatic reduction 
of Taiwan's own stock of bargaining chips without gaining any clear 
and certain concessions from the PRC.  Even worse, neither has Ma 
engaged in any hedging of his cross-strait campaign if the touted 
drive toward cross-strait detente falters, thus leaving Taiwan's 
fragile relations with its diplomatic allies vulnerable to a 
disastrous domino effect if Beijing fails to abide by Ma's 
unilateral 'diplomatic truce.' ... 
 
"Instead of blindly rushing down the road to Taiwan's perdition, the 
Ma administration should renounce its failed policy of appeasement, 
end the secret KMT-CCP forum's control over cross-strait talks and 
 
initiate a consultative process with Taiwan's political opposition, 
civil society and public for a national consensus on a China policy 
that can safeguard and not mortgage Taiwan's national interests." 
 
E) "APEC Summit Bodes Well for Cross-Strait Ties" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (11/22): 
 
"... For Taiwan, the Lima summit marks a milestone in the evolving 
cross-strait relations.  It also promises economic and political 
opportunities for both Taiwan and the mainland.  Lien Chan, a former 
vice president of the Republic of China and honorary chairman of the 
ruling Kuomintang, is representing President Ma Ying-jeou to the 
meeting.  Never before since 1993, when former U.S. President Bill 
Clinton hosted the first leaders' meeting in Seattle, has Taiwan 
been able to send such a high-caliber envoy to the meeting. ... 
 
"The fact that Lien Chan is acceptable to Beijing symbolizes a 
cross-strait detente which he helped usher in.  In 2005, Lien, then 
chairman of the KMT who lost the 2004 presidential election to Chen 
Shui-bian under suspicious circumstances, made a 'journey of peace' 
to Beijing as the guest of his Chinese communist counterpart Hu 
Jintao.  The historic Lien-Hu meet broke the ice and started a thaw. 
 Ma Ying-jeou's triumph in the March election, largely on a platform 
of engagement with Beijing instead of confrontation, has accelerated 
the thaw, as manifested in the resumption of dialogue and the first 
visit to Taiwan early this month by China's envoy Chen Yunlin of the 
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait to sign four 
economic accords with his counterpart P. K. Chiang of the Strait 
Exchange Foundation. ... 
 
"It requires great wisdom for both of them to seize the opportunity 
to advance cross-strait relations which are so vital to the 
interests of both.  Taiwan's economic future depends heavily on 
mainland China, the largest source of the island's trade surplus. 
This year, Taiwan's economy could tumble to a growth rate of 1.87 
per cent, the lowest in seven years, according to official 
estimates.  Closer economic ties with the mainland, a locomotive for 
global economy, are the best way for Taiwan to weather the economic 
downturn.  For Beijing, peace and stability across the Strait is 
vital to its continued economic growth and its pursuit of a 
'harmonious society.'  There is common ground for seeking closer and 
better ties despite ideological differences.  A win-win situation is 
possible and worth pursuing.  Lima is a touchstone." 
 
WANG