VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0191 0500916
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190916Z FEB 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0944
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8934
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0384

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000191 
 
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: SECRETARY CLINTON'S TRIP TO ASIA 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused February 
19 news coverage on the economic recession facing the island, whose 
GDP shrank by 8.36 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, the 
largest-ever quarterly drop; on a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth 
disease on pig farms in central Taiwan; and on the on-going 
investigation into former President Chen Shui-bian and his family's 
legal cases.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, a column in 
the pro-unification "United Daily News" described U.S. Secretary of 
State Hillary Clinton's trip to Asia as "well considered in every 
aspect" and concluded that "[A] clearer outlook for the United 
States' Asia policy will emerge after Clinton completes her trip to 
the four countries."  An op-ed piece in the centrist, KMT-leaning 
"China Times" discussed Beijing's analysis of the strategic set-up 
of the Ma Ying-jeou Administration.  The article said given the 
warming relations across the Taiwan Strait, "it is expected that the 
Taiwan issue is unlikely to become a major topic on the agenda 
during U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's first visit to 
China."  End summary. 
 
A) "[Secretary] Hillary [Clinton] Visits Asia -- [a Trip] Well 
Considered in Every Aspect" 
 
Professor Liu Pi-jung of Soochow University's Department of 
Political Science wrote in his column in the pro-unification "United 
Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (2/19): 
 
"... Japan was [Secretary Hillary Clinton's] first stop, and the 
move indicates that the United States wants to modify its previous 
policy which 'attached greater attention to China than Japan' and to 
rebuild U.S.-Japan ties in order to maintain a more balanced 
[relationship] among the three. ...  The second leg [of her Asian 
trip] is Indonesia.  In addition to the fact that [U.S. President 
Barack] Obama resided in Indonesia during his youth, Clinton can 
tell the Islamic world that the United States is not an enemy of 
Muslims. ...  Her third stop will be South Korea, and the major 
issues on the agenda are economics and trade and North Korea, ... 
which is obviously the focus of her trip this time. ... 
 
"China will be the last stop [on Clinton's itinerary], but its 
importance is by no means lower than that of the first leg. 
Washington needs Beijing's [cooperation] on the North Korean issue, 
which is also the case on economic and environmental issues.  That 
is why Clinton said that [Washington] wants to 'deepen and 
strengthen' its relations with China. ...  A clearer outlook of the 
United States' Asia policy will emerge after Clinton completes her 
trip to the four countries." 
 
B) "Pro-U.S. and Maintaining a Friendly Relationship with China -- 
This Is the Key Point" 
 
Chen Yu-chun, a Taiwan academic now working as a senior research 
fellow at China's Tsinghua University, opined in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times " [circulation: 140,000] (2/19): 
 
"... Yet Beijing has an in-depth analysis, and it believes that the 
Ma Ying-jeou Administration's strategic set-up is that 'politically 
Taipei will continue its current line; economically it will take 
advantage of China's [economic strength]; while in terms of security 
it will rely on the United States.'  Such an acknowledgement stands 
as the main reason behind what [China's Association for Relations 
Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman] Chen Yunlin stressed during his 
visit to Taiwan [last November], the six-point speech delivered by 
[Chinese President] Hu Jintao [on cross-Strait relations last 
December], and Beijing's reiteration of 'economics first and 
politics later' during a recent task force meeting on Taiwan.  In 
other words, in the political aspect, Beijing has limited 
expectations for Ma, because Taipei wants to maintain the status 
quo, and Ma is adamant about advocating 'no unification' [with 
China].  Taiwan relies on the United States in terms of security 
because it [concerns] the survival of Taiwan's national defense. 
When it comes to Taiwan's current economic situation, Beijing is 
aware that the Ma Administration wants to take advantage of the 
factual situation of China's economic rise.  Basically, there should 
be no problem with the fact that Taiwan wants to take advantage of 
China's economy, but the prerequisite should be that both sides 
maintain a stable and friendly relationship. ...  Against such a 
backdrop, it is expected that the Taiwan issue is unlikely to become 
a major topic on the agenda during U.S. Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton's first visit to China. ..." 
 
YOUNG