VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0292/01 0760944
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170944Z MAR 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1136
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9018
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0470

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000292 
 
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 NAVY SHIPS CONFRONTATION 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused March 17 
news coverage on the largest-ever group of Chinese tourists coming 
to Taiwan Monday, on the island's economic prospects, and on the 
controversy caused by the alleged anti-Taiwan remarks by a 
Toronto-based Government Information Office official.  In terms of 
editorials and commentaries, a column in the mass-circulation "Apple 
Daily" discussed the recent confrontation between USNS Impeccable 
and several Chinese vessels in the South China Sea.  The article 
said such incidents between China and the United States are 
expected, as both sides have huge strategic conflicts in the area. 
An editorial in the conservative, pro-unification, English-language 
"China Post" said the incident "will further stimulate a naval arms 
race in the region," but "it would not have a major impact on ties 
between the two countries."  An editorial in the pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times" discussed the PLA Navy's mission in 
the Gulf of Aden to combat piracy, saying it is "contributing to the 
transformation of the PLA Navy from a coastal defense force to one 
capable of operating offensively at long range and for an extended 
period of time."  A separate "Taipei Times" op-ed, written by 
Hawaii-based freelance writer Richard Halloran, however, said the 
navy ships confrontation between the United States and China "was 
far more than a skirmish at sea," and instead, it "has turned into 
an early test for US President Barack Obama, who is scheduled to 
meet Chinese President Hu Jintao at the G20 economic summit meeting 
in London next month."  End summary. 
 
A) "China-U.S. Collision" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in his column in the mass-circulation 
"Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (3/17): 
 
"The U.S.-China relations have grown more intimate in the wake of 
the financial storm; the U.S. secretary of state and the Chinese 
foreign minister both received the best treatment when they visited 
each other's country.  Yet the confrontation between a U.S. ocean 
surveillance ship, USNS Impeccable, and the Chinese vessels occurred 
near Hainan in such a harmonious atmosphere [recently].  In reality, 
such incidents happened all the time, which is not surprising at 
all. ...  Here [i.e. Hainan] is the strategic base where China is 
building its blue-water navy and nuclear submarines, and the reason 
why U.S. fighter jets and submarines show up irregularly here is 
thus quite evident.  This incident happened when China's National 
People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative 
Conference were in session, and it happened right before the Chinese 
foreign minister was about to visit the United States.  The 
political signal revealed by this incident was particularly 
thought-provoking. 
 
"Such an incident is in reality expected, because it is unlikely 
that the U.S. will easily give up its control over the South China 
Sea.  China, on the other hand, not only regards the Nansha 
[Islands] as its territorial waters, but it also views the South 
China Sea as a gateway for its rise.  Both sides have huge strategic 
conflicts in this area.  But the two sides have also accumulated 
quite a few experiences in dealing with such incidents. ..." 
 
B) "U.S. PRC Navy Ships:  The Game Is on" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (3/17): 
 
"The U.S. Navy has dispatched a guided-missile destroyer to the 
South China Sea after Chinese ships 'harassed' an American ship 
operating there 10 days ago. ...  The People's Liberation Army is 
building what will become China's biggest submarine base in Hainan. 
That has alarmed the United States, Japan and other countries in the 
region, so the Impeccable was sent there to gather information. ... 
 
"The PLA Navy has become more aggressive since last year.  Besides 
setting up the Hainan base, it began a deployment of three vessels 
to escort Chinese ships in pirate-infested waters off Somalia, 
sailing through Japan's Tsugaru Strait to the Pacific Ocean for the 
first time. ...  The incident will further stimulate a naval arms 
race in the region.  But obviously it would not have a major impact 
on ties between the two countries.  The U.S. needs China's 
cooperation and money to deal with the global financial crisis.  But 
it is a subtle sign that the two still lack fundamental confidence 
in each other despite greater cooperation in many fields." 
 
C) "A New Role for the PLA Navy?" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (3/17): 
 
"Military analysts have been slowly coming to grips with Beijing's 
decision in December to dispatch naval forces to the Gulf of Aden to 
combat piracy - China's first deployment of such forces abroad since 
the 15th century.  China's decision was part of its goal to play a 
role commensurate with its status as a 'great power,' US National 
 
War College professor Bernard Cole said on March 4 during testimony 
before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.  Aside 
from considerations of image - a show of force to consolidate the 
Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) grip on power - the mission was 
meant to safeguard China's international interests.  Furthermore, by 
participating in a UN-sanctioned, multinational effort to combat 
piracy at sea, China is sending a signal that it is willing to - and 
now capable of - being a responsible stakeholder.  By interacting 
with naval forces of other countries, making port calls abroad and 
securing transit agreements, China is strengthening the image of a 
'peaceful rise' and 'peaceful development' advocated by Chinese 
President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders.  What this mission 
also tells us is that for the first time, the People's Liberation 
Army (PLA) Navy is capable of sustaining task group operations 
outside its waters for an extended period of time. ... 
 
"There is no doubt that the Gulf of Aden mission is contributing to 
the transformation of the PLA Navy from a coastal defense force to 
one capable of operating offensively at long range and for an 
extended period of time.  The mission is also increasing the 
capabilities of the Navy should it be called upon to use force in 
the Taiwan Strait. The deployment will have given it firsthand 
experience of other navies at work, during which commitment we can 
expect that intelligence will have been collected and analyzed back 
in Beijing.  Yes, China is helping fight piracy in international 
waters and appears to be doing a good job. But the battle it is 
gearing up for is still in the future - and much closer to home." 
 
D) "US- Chinese Contacts Are Imperative for Military" 
 
Richard Halloran, a Hawaii-based freelance writer, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (3/17): 
 
"A touch of irony surfaced when a US destroyer patrolling the South 
China Sea sailed to the aid of the US ocean surveillance ship 
Impeccable after it was harassed by three Chinese government vessels 
and two trawlers. ...  This confrontation, however, was far more 
than a skirmish at sea. It has turned into an early test for US 
President Barack Obama, who is scheduled to meet Chinese President 
Hu Jintao at the G20 economic summit meeting in London next month. 
Sino-US military relations are certain to be on the agenda. 
 
"A question being addressed in Pacific Command headquarters above 
Pearl Harbor is whether political authorities in Beijing ordered the 
assault or if the People Liberation Army (PLA) mounted it 
independently. ...  The educated consensus holds that Beijing 
authorized the confrontation as it was conducted deliberately and 
timed to test the new US president. ..." 
 
YOUNG