VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0058/01 0140958
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140958Z JAN 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0743
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8879
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0331

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000058 
 
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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS, PRESIDENT 
GEORGE W. BUSH 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused January 
14 news coverage on an AIT statement issued Tuesday confirming that 
it has discussed with Taiwan the problem of piracy in the Gulf of 
Aden and that the U.S. Navy has a responsibility to render 
assistance to any vessel in distress that requests assistance; on 
U.S. President George W. Bush's final press conference; and on a 
bill passed by the Legislative Yuan Tuesday for integrating several 
electronic cash cards in Taiwan.  The pro-unification "United Daily 
News" front-paged a banner headline reading "Escorting [Taiwan 
Vessels] -- Beijing Makes an Opening Move, While Americans Meddle 
with It." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" discussed a recent report by 
China's Xinhua News Agency saying that Chinese warships began 
carrying out an escort mission for four merchant ships, including 
one from Taiwan, in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.  The article 
criticized the Ma Ying-jeou Administration for attempting to hand 
over Taiwan's sovereignty to China.  An op-ed piece in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" also discussed 
whether Taiwan should join in the escorting efforts in the Gulf of 
Aden.  A column in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily," on the other 
hand, discussed U.S. President George W. Bush's final press 
conference.  The article said it is still too early to talk about 
Bush's legacy.  An editorial in the pro-independence, 
English-language "Taiwan News" discussed an annual report released 
by Washington-based Freedom House in Taipei Tuesday.  The article 
criticized President Bush, saying, "[B]esides sullying the values of 
democracy and freedom, Bush II's adventurism diverted attention away 
from fundamental global and national political, social, 
environmental and economic problems and, combined with militant 
market fundamentalism, trigged the current global financial crisis." 
 End summary. 
 
¶1. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations 
 
A) "Ma Administration Unexpectedly Seeks to Delegate Taiwan's 
Sovereignty to China" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 700,000] 
editorialized (1/14): 
 
"... Now China has shown interest in meddling with the convoying of 
Taiwan ships [sailing through the Gulf of Aden], taking advantage of 
such an opportunity to impose its sovereignty emblem on Taiwan.  The 
move is tantamount to China taking action to emphasize to the 
international community that Taiwan is part of China and that [such 
a concept] is widely accepted by the Taiwan people.  [Taiwan's] 
government authorities, such as President Ma, unexpectedly did not 
dare to refute such a stance and turned a blind eye to the damage 
done to Taiwan's sovereignty. ...  It goes without saying that 
various international factors must be put into consideration with 
regard to whether Taiwan can send warships to escort its vessels. 
But should there be any difficulty, it should at least ask other 
friendly nations, such as the United States, to assist in providing 
protection [to Taiwan vessels].  By no means should our country let 
China encroach on our authority and seize such an opportunity to 
take [unfair] advantage of Taiwan's sovereignty.  If the Ma 
Administration wants to delegate Taiwan's national defense and 
foreign relations to China, subcontract Taiwan's economy to China 
and, further, hand over tasks such as protecting its fishing and 
cargo vessels to China, totally disregarding Taiwan's sovereign 
status, the Taiwan people, who are in possession of Taiwan's 
sovereignty, will surely stand up and fight." 
 
B) "Should We Join Efforts in the Gulf of Aden?" 
 
Wang Jyh-perng, a captain in Taiwan's naval reserve, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (1/14): 
 
"... China's offer to protect Taiwanese ships is an expression of 
its concern for and willingness to protect the lives and property of 
Taiwanese people under the 'one China' principle and is in line with 
a softer approach to Taiwan. On the other hand, some people no doubt 
worry that China intends to use the offer to undermine Taiwan's 
sovereignty.  But such concerns are not a good reason to send our 
warships. If we want to avoid directly accepting China's offer, we 
can instead say we accept help from any and all countries 
participating in the patrol mission, as we would in any emergency in 
international waters. ... 
 
"Participating in the international drive to combat piracy by 
dispatching warships would, of course, benefit Taiwan in some 
respects.  It would provide training opportunities and demonstrate 
Taiwan's willingness to cooperate with international organizations 
on military matters.  However, the possible reactions of the US, 
Japan and China must be considered. ..." 
GEORGE W. BUSH 
 
 
¶2. President George W. Bush 
 
A) "Evaluation of [President George W.] Bush" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in his column in the mass-circulation 
"Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (1/14): 
 
"... [U.S. President George W.] Bush is about to step down 
dejectedly in the midst of catcalls.  He is determined to be a 
loser, or even the worst president in history by [various] opinion 
surveys.  But now may still be too early to talk about his legacy. 
... No matter what, Bush is an honest and straightforward person. 
His brain and ability may not be very good, but his moral character 
and personality have rarely been criticized...." 
 
B) "Freedom House Puts KMT on Notice" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (1/14): 
 
"The release by the New York-based [sic] Freedom House of its annual 
'Freedom in the World 2009' survey of political rights and civil 
liberties in over 190 countries in Taipei yesterday both marked an 
affirmation of the strategic value of Taiwan`s democratic transition 
and a veiled alert over whether the restoration of the right-wing 
Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) to power is leading to a 
reversal in our democratic progress.  In general, the Freedom House 
report warned that democratic systems and values faced serious 
pressure generally in the past year and would face even more 
difficult challenges in the coming year for numerous reasons, 
including the differential impact on free, partly free and unfree 
countries of the global financial crisis that erupted in the United 
States last year.  Importantly, the Freedom House surveys point to 
an erosion in worldwide freedom since 2005 that is worrying for both 
the global community and Taiwan as well. 
 
"In our views, this trend may well be connected with the misguided 
and deceptive 'war on terror' launched by rightist outgoing 
Republican U.S. President George W. Bush, whose eight years of 
'America first' unilateralism featured a deceptive illegal colonial 
war in Iraq under the false colors of 'promoting freedom' and 
flagrant violations of the Geneva conventions and other human rights 
covenants.  Besides sullying the values of democracy and freedom, 
Bush II's adventurism diverted attention away from fundamental 
global and national political, social, environmental and economic 
problems and, combined with militant market fundamentalism, trigged 
the current global financial crisis. 
 
"More directly relevant, Bush's myopic obsession with the 'war on 
terror' opened space for autocratic regional hegemonic powers, 
notably Russia and the People`s Republic of China, to extend 
political and economic domination over their neighbors. Besides 
facing intensifying pressure from an autocratic PRC, Taiwan's 
democracy has also been a victim of the Bush imperium's strategy of 
'regime change' in order to punish the former Democratic Progressive 
Party administration of ex president Chen Shui-bian 'trouble-making' 
assertive defense of Taiwan sovereignty and commitment to deepening 
democracy despite opposition from PRC, which Bush II was determined 
to appease to achieve 'war on terrorism.' ..." 
 
[Ed. Note: Freedom House is actually based in Washington, D.C., at 
Dupont Circle.] 
 
YOUNG