VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0407/01 0960834
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060834Z APR 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1309
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9090
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0526

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000407 
 
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, G-20 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused their 
April 4-6 news coverage on North Korea, which launched a long-range 
rocket over Japan Sunday; on the Local Government Act passed by the 
Legislative Yuan Friday, which will allow cities and counties to 
merge and become special municipalities; and on the New York 
Yankees' new stadium. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a 
column in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed Pyongyang's 
rocket launch and called it a "home run" for North Korean leader Kim 
Jong-Il.  An op-ed piece in the pro-unification "United Daily News," 
however, said the rocket launch has met the needs of both Pyongyang, 
which wanted to grab Washington's attention, and Seoul and Tokyo, 
which took advantage of the launch to boost their dropping domestic 
approval ratings.  With regard to the G-20 meeting, a "United Daily 
News" editorial said the results generated by the G-20 meeting are 
shaping the world.  An editorial in the conservative, 
pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said China's growing 
economic and political powers have earned itself a successful debut 
at the G20 summit.  An editorial in the pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times," on the other hand, expressed regret 
that Taiwan, a significant economic entity, was excluded from the 
G20 summit because of the island's peculiar international status. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. North Korea 
 
A) "Home Run for Kim Jong-Il" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in his comment in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (4/6): 
 
"The question regarding whether Pyongyang has launched a satellite 
or a ballistic missile will not be determined until Japan salvages 
the remnants of the rocket from the sea.  But this incident has 
grabbed the world's attention, putting the North Korean issue under 
the international spotlight again.  Once again Kim Jong-Il has hit a 
home run. ...  When the entire world is being hit hard by the 
financial tsunami to a ramshackle state, only Pyongyang remains 
intact, and not only so, it still has the leisure time to play Cold 
War games.  As long as Pyongyang has China and Russia to be its 
powerful patrons, neither the United States nor Japan can do 
anything about it; all they can do is to play along with it 
patiently." 
 
B) "Taro Aso and Lee Myung-bak, Saved by North Korea's Rocket?" 
 
Tsai Zheng-jia, Director of the Division of Asia Pacific Studies, 
Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University, 
opined in the pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 
400,000] (4/6): 
 
"... It goes without saying that Pyongyang had no intent to trigger 
regional conflicts at this point; all it wanted was to create 
tensions in the region, to prove to the world that North Korea is 
capable of launching long-range missiles and, while convenient, to 
promote its rockets.  In the meantime, it wants the Obama 
Administration to know that North Korea is a country that he must 
not ignore.  That is why it loaded a satellite rather than a missile 
on its rocket and cleverly made it fall in the open seas on either 
side of Japan's territory. ...  In the meantime, Pyongyang also 
managed to have the rocket fly over Japan's territorial airspace at 
an altitude of over 30,000 feet high so as to dodge the aim of 
Japan's Patriot missiles and thus [avoid] sparking military 
conflicts between the two countries. 
 
"Clearly, this was a crisis of test-firing that met the needs on 
both sides.  Pyongyang wants to use the threat of 'missiles' to 
attract the United States' attention, increasing its bargaining 
chips in the Six-Party Talks.  The governments of both Japan and 
South Korea, in the meantime, also took advantage of their bluffing 
of the threat of Pyongyang's 'missiles' to boost their domestic 
approval ratings and to advance toward [being] normal countries." 
 
¶3. G-20 
 
A) "G-20 Is Changing the World" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (4/6): 
 
"... For the United States, which [originally] expected that the 
G-20 nations would jointly commit to expanding public expenses, the 
[G-20] summit was not a success.  But the soft posture of [U.S.] 
President Barack Obama has successfully transformed the G-20 meeting 
and saved it from becoming a meeting aimed at 'criticizing and 
denouncing' the United States. ... 
 
"China's proactive presence at the G-20 summit was, without a doubt, 
a development that no one should ignore.  As a multi-lateral forum, 
G-20 can also be simplified into [a meeting] among the United 
 
States, Europe and emerging countries, based on the patterns and 
levels of each country's development.  But Beijing's efforts to toss 
off controversial topics in a row and to shape the leaders' dialogue 
between China and the United States into a G-2 set-up have rapidly 
refashioned [China] from being a mere listener in the previous 
international forums to an opinion leader.  The diplomatic 
confidence China has demonstrated also meant that it will play a 
proactive role in participating in more and more international 
issues to the extent that it will likely dictate or affect [such 
forums]. ..." 
 
B) "China's Impressive G-20 Debut" 
 
The pro-unification, English-language "China Post" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (4/4): 
 
"After stunning the world at its international coming out party last 
August when Beijing hosted the Olympics, China stepped onto the 
world stage this week at the G-20 summit in London as a major 
player.  The entire world looked upon China to help the United 
States and the rest of the world tide over the 'once-in-a-century' 
economic crisis. ...  It seems paradoxical for a developing country 
like China (per capita GDP US$3,266) to draw so much attention at 
the summit, but money talks, really.  The international reality has 
pushed the country to the center of the stage.  Chinese President Hu 
Jintao came to London with more money in the bank than any other 
participant-- US$1.96 trillion in exchange reserves.  China holds 
US$1 trillion in U.S. government debt, making it the largest 
creditor.  Many other countries in the West owe China money. 
 
"At a moment when most countries, developed and developing alike, 
are suffering from negative economic growth, China's economy is 
expected, by most economists, to grow at 6.5 percent this year, if 
not the 8 percent projected by Beijing.  Suddenly, China is looked 
upon as a role model of sorts.  China's banks now appear healthier 
and stronger than their counterparts in the West, especially the 
United States where Wall Street now looks like Ground Zero. ... 
It's no wonder that China stole much of the spotlight in London. No 
more talks about China's 'currency manipulation' by U.S. officials. 
President Barack Obama and Hu Jintao shook hands like old buddies 
though they had never met before, and pledged a stronger strategic 
partnership. ...  Just a couple of years ago, most economists 
predicted that China will catch up with Japan within a decade.  Now 
some economists are saying China may have already replaced Japan as 
the number two economic superpower.  When Japan is overtaken, can 
America be far behind? ..." 
 
C) "Taiwan's Role in the G20 Plan" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (4/6): 
 
"... Some foreign commentators have complained that Taiwan, with its 
strong economy, should have been invited to join the G20.  Taiwan 
did not take part in the summit and international actors would soon 
ask Taiwan to take a role in international efforts to counter the 
financial crisis or ask it to contribute funds to the IMF.  However, 
Taiwan's economy is export-oriented and as such, it is closely 
linked to the international economy.  That means that helping revive 
the global economy is in Taiwan's own interest as much as it is in 
the interest of the rest of the world.  Because Taiwan's particular 
international status precludes participation in many international 
organizations, the government should consider ways of taking part 
before the question arises. 
 
"The worst idea would be for Taiwan to simply provide funds through 
China, which would only reinforce the impression that Taiwan is part 
of China.  The result would be a substantial loss to Taiwan.  The 
government must avoid this scenario at all costs.  A better option 
would be for Taiwan to provide funds through the US.  Although this 
might look peculiar from a diplomatic perspective, it would build 
mutual trust and strengthen Taiwan's relationship with Washington. 
A final option, though, is the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which 
is one of the few international organizations of which Taiwan is a 
member. The ADB also has a close working relationship with the IMF. 
Channeling aid through the ADB would allow Taiwan to exercise its 
rights as an independent member of the bank, reducing diplomatic 
entanglements.  It would also strengthen Taiwan's position within 
the ADB and demonstrate its commitment to the global effort.  This 
is the best option for Taiwan to participate in international 
efforts to counter the financial crisis." 
 
YOUNG