VZCZCXYZ0010
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1711/01 3451154
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101154Z DEC 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0534
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8789
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0247

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001711 
 
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: INCOMING OBAMA ADMINISTRATION 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused December 
10 news coverage on the sagging economic situation in Taiwan, on the 
probe into the former First Family's alleged money-laundering case, 
and on the controversy over the possible U.S. citizenship of a 
ruling KMT legislator.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, a 
column in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed the incoming 
administration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.  The article 
said that, even though Obama harped on "change" during his 
campaigning, this does not indicate that he will really reverse the 
U.S. policy in the wake of the election.  An editorial in the 
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said 
Obama's victory points to a future "where people are free to define 
themselves as they like, but where no one is arbitrarily defined." 
An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" 
urged the KMT government not to "narrow the future scope of 
relations with Washington to simply avoiding irritating Beijing but 
should uphold the principle of 'responsible sovereignty' to engage 
in multilateral cooperation with the incoming Obama administration." 
 End summary. 
 
A) "When the President Says There Will Be Change, It Does Not 
Necessarily Means There Will Be Change" 
 
Apple Daily Publisher James Tu wrote in his weekly column in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (12/10): 
 
"... Before he was elected, [U.S. President-elect] Barack Obama's 
foreign policy and economic and financial policy were widely 
criticized by conservatives in the United States.  But the fact that 
Obama quickly announced his financial and economic team appointees 
at the moment when the economic situation was rapidly deteriorating 
has won him extensive favorable comments.  The mounting Dow Jones 
index in the wake indicated the market's recognition of Obama's 
financial and economic team. ... 
 
"The situation was more or less the same when it comes to the aspect 
of national security.  Obama's national security team members are 
all realists. ...  Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton is a 
right-wing Democrat who supports humanitarian intervention in areas 
such as the Balkans and Africa.  It is no wonder that even the 
neo-conservatives believe that a national security team nominated by 
[Republican] John McCain will not do [better] than [Obama's].  ... 
Even though Obama campaigned under the banner of change, it does not 
mean that he will really reverse U.S. policy in the wake of the 
election.  A leader faces only limited choices under harsh 
conditions, and Obama is no exception.  A look at Obama's personally 
appointed governing team shows that it appears superfluous to have 
excessive expectations or fear of the 'change' advocated by Obama." 
 
B) "Obama Is America's First Hybrid President" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (12/10): 
 
"... As the U.S. President-elect himself mentioned in his first 
press conference after winning the November 4th election, Obama is 
'a mutt.'  His father was an African from Kenya, while his mother 
hailed from the decidedly white U.S. state of Kansas.  Obama is not 
'black' in the traditional American understanding of the term. 
Unlike most African-Americans, Obama is not the descendant of 
African slaves brought to work in the New World hundreds of years 
ago.  In his best-selling book 'Dreams from My Father,' Obama 
candidly discusses the reality of his ethnic heritage, and in the 
end he writes that he made a choice to assume the identity of a 
black man.  But perhaps the reason America's president-in-waiting 
made such a choice was that no other one was available. ... 
 
"Nationalism, or what some call 'tribalism,' can have positive 
attributes, such as in sports, but all too often it's a force for 
evil.  America's election of a half-white, half-black, 
Hawaiian-born, partially Indonesian-educated man with the middle 
name of 'Hussein' points to the future.  It's a future where people 
are free to define themselves as they like, but where no one is 
arbitrarily defined.  At the close of the year 2008, Barack Obama's 
heritage is still considered a rarity.  But the future is coming, 
and just, as with automobiles, it's going to feature hybrids.  It's 
time to let go of the rigidity of the past." 
 
C) "Taiwan Needs Agenda for U.S. in Obama Era" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (12/10): 
 
"The policy priorities of the incoming Democratic Party 
administration of president-elect Barack Obama have surfaced in the 
wake of his appointment of a new national security and foreign 
policy team last week which will join his economic team in preparing 
to tackle the international financial tsunami and other global 
crises.  At this juncture, it is essential for the Taiwan government 
 
of President Ma Ying-jeou's restored Chinese Nationalist Party 
(Kuomintang) administration to seriously examine the future foreign 
policy goals and values of the incoming United States administration 
and develop constructive ways to deepen US-Taiwan relations. ... 
Unlike his predecessor who highlighted the unilateralist pursuit of 
narrowly conceived American interests, the Obama team has placed top 
priority on dealing with global issues such as nuclear 
proliferation, climate change, terrorism, energy, infectious 
diseases, poverty and international financial instability. 
 
In terms of garnering support from its allies and rising powers to 
negotiate with its adversaries, there seems little doubt that Obama 
administration will incorporate multilateral mechanisms to work 
closely with the People's Republic of China as well as Washington's 
trans-Atlantic and Asian partners to solve emergent crises and deter 
potential threats from Russia, Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa 
in line with strong public anticipation from the American citizenry 
for the new U.S. government to 'share the burdens' with the world 
community. ...  At this critical juncture, it is ironic that while 
the KMT intensely pressured the former DPP government of 
ex-president Chen Shui-bian to cooperate with Bush's priorities and 
not 'provoke' Beijing, the Ma administration seems to be adopting a 
minimalist and one-sided approach to Washington. ... 
 
"However, the KMT government may not realize that its disinclination 
to defend Taiwan's sovereignty simply for the sake of pursuing a 
cross-strait rapprochement is not likely to endure as a constructive 
method to forge a long-lasting U.S.-Taiwan relationship since U.S. 
interests would not be served by Taiwan's transformation into a 
virtual PRC colony.  Instead, Taipei should seriously take into 
account the major agendas and new values of the Obama administration 
and implement an active and positive policies to assist the new 
government of our closest ally to promote its global agenda. ... 
The KMT government must not narrow the future scope of relations 
with Washington to simply avoiding irritating Beijing but should 
uphold the principle of 'responsible sovereignty' to engage in 
multilateral cooperation with the incoming Obama administration." 
 
YOUNG