VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0269/01 0700929
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110929Z MAR 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1098
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8999
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0449

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000269 
 
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: NORTH KOREA, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, 
U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused March 
11 news coverage on the unexpected resignation of Taiwan's National 
Security Bureau Director-General Henry Tsai Tuesday; on Taiwan's 
sagging economy; and on the controversy over the assassination 
attempt against former President Chen Shui-bian and former Vice 
President Annette Lu on March 19, 2004, one day ahead the 
presidential election.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, a 
column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed the 
U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise and North Korea's reaction 
to it.  The article listed two options that Washington will likely 
face but concluded that neither option will meet the U.S. national 
interests.  A separate "China Times" column cited some recent 
examples and said the United States has entered an era of envoy 
diplomacy.  An editorial in the conservative, pro-unification, 
English-language "China Post" discussed the U.S.-China-Taiwan 
relations and said "the United States is no longer revered as 
Taiwan's mentor and protector but a potential obstacle to its 
joining the normal international community" while "China, Taiwan's 
traditional adversary, has become the most effective distribution 
center of the island's exports."  End summary. 
 
¶2. North Korea 
 
"Worries Stemming from U.S.-South Korea Military Exercise" 
 
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning 
"China Times" [circulation: 150,000] wrote (3/11): 
 
"The annual joint military exercise between the United States and 
South Korea will last for twelve days, and it remains to be seen 
what kind of counter-actions North Korea will take during this 
period.  The [same drama of] military exercise being joined by 
protests is staged every year.  Though the scale of this year's 
[U.S.-South Korea] military exercise is much bigger, and Pyongyang's 
reaction is much stronger, the chances may not be too high that a 
war will be triggered [in the region].  The disputes between 
Washington and Pyongyang are difficult to resolve, and the 
fundamental reason lies in the fact that the two do not trust each 
other at all.  As a result, every move taken by one side is deemed 
by the other as an attempt of sabotage and conspiracy. ... 
 
"What is worrisome is:  If Pyongyang launches a satellite or 
missile, will Washington and Seoul really act to intercept it? ... 
Will [U.S. President Barack] Obama be stuck in a quandary?  Should 
the aforementioned situation [i.e. Washington and Seoul intercept 
North Korea's missiles and the latter decides to launch 
counterattack] really happen, the United States must not drag its 
feet any more with regard to its North Korean policy.  Washington 
has only two options:  the first is to adopt military means to deal 
a heavy blow to North Korea, and the second is to give in and 
acknowledge that North Korea is a nuclear country.  But neither 
option will meet the U.S. national interests, and both will be akin 
to a nightmare for South Korea. ..." 
 
¶3. U.S. Foreign Policy 
 
"The United States Entering an Era of Envoy Diplomacy" 
 
Columnist Lin Po-wen noted in his column in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 150,000] (3/11): 
 
"... Some pundits believe that appointing special diplomatic envoys 
will, instead, undermine the authority of the Secretary of State, 
but such concerns may be totally groundless.  Both [President] Obama 
and [Secretary of State] Clinton are very powerful supervisors, and 
they will certainly be able to 'control' those special envoys. ... 
Now [the United States] has entered an era of [appointing] 
diplomatic envoys; the Secretary of State will spend most of her 
time mapping out strategic plans at headquarters in Foggy Bottom in 
Washington D.C., while issues of complexity and sensitivity that are 
essential to U.S. security will be taken care of by the special 
envoys. ...  Clinton hopes to integrate 'soft power' and exercise 
'smart power' in her promotion of the new diplomacy of the United 
States.  But the diplomatic situation she is facing is likely to be 
the most dangerous and steepest one.  Clinton's future may be full 
of hardships!" 
 
¶4. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations 
 
"Waiting for a Better World" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (3/10): 
 
"The world's economy has gone down fast in unexpected ways, but its 
leader the United States does not yet have a grasp of the cause and 
means to stop it. ...  In less than a year, the world is turned 
upside down. And there is no indication of the end of the tunnel. 
U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
Taiwan, the sixth biggest economy in Asia, has been hit hard by the 
global financial crisis, with record falls in its key export sector 
and rising unemployment.  And the United States is no longer revered 
as Taiwan's mentor and protector but a potential obstacle to its 
joining the normal international community. On the other hand, 
China, Taiwan's traditional adversary, has become the most effective 
distribution center of the island's exports. The U.S., the biggest 
buyer of Taiwan's products, is blamed for doing too little to expand 
Taiwan's diplomatic breathing space but a lot to restrict its 
maneuvering in the international community. One case in point: the 
U.S. so far still has shown no interest in signing an FTA with 
Taiwan. (Taiwan has signed FTAs with five of its 23 diplomatic 
allies - El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua.) 
 
"Probably Washington foresaw the inevitability of Taiwan's becoming 
part of China some day. But this stance deviates from the 
traditional U.S. Taiwan policy, which has been guided by the 
strategy of separating democratic Taiwan from communist China. ... 
Being among the freest on earth, Taiwan's 23 million people will 
never sacrifice their freedom for anything else. 
They are looking forward to a better new world." 
 
YOUNG