VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0446/01 1001017
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101017Z APR 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1380
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9109
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0550

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000446 
 
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 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused April 
10 news coverage on a Taiwan Intellectual Property Court ruling 
Thursday, in which the defendant is required to compensate Hermes 
US$7.58 million for her sale of pirated Hermes Birkin handbags; on 
the corruption scandals involving high-ranking Taiwan military 
officials; and on developments in cross-Strait relations. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, the Taiwan Relations Act 
(TRA) was the focus of several editorial pieces, as April 10 marks 
its thirtieth anniversary.  An op-ed in the pro-independence 
"Liberty Times" said that, given the Ma Ying-jeou Administration's 
alleged pro-China policy, structural changes have been seen in the 
triangular relationship among Taiwan, the United States and China. 
An op-ed in the pro-unification "United Daily News" said, given that 
U.S. interests prevail, there is no way Washington will revise or 
abolish the TRA in the foreseeable future.  An op-ed in the 
centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" said the United States should 
attach great importance to China's rise, which does not necessarily 
indicate the decline of U.S. national strength.  An editorial in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" expressed hope 
that the United States would continue its commitment to Taiwan in 
the future as required by the TRA, especially when Taiwan faces 
increasing challenges posed by China.  A separate "Taipei Times" 
op-ed, written by a writer based in Australia, discussed U.S.-China 
relations and said that China will exercise its leverage and "reap 
maximum mileage" in its relations with the United States.  End 
summary. 
 
A) "Slanted Relations among Taiwan, the United States and China" 
 
Chen Lung-chu, Founder and Chairman of the New Century Foundation, 
opined in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 
700,000] (4/10): 
 
"... The Taiwan Relations Act underscores Taiwan's security, which 
is essential to peace and security in the Western Pacific and is 
closely interrelated to the national interests of the United States. 
 But the reality before our eyes shows that China's military and 
international influence in the Asia-Pacific region has been 
constantly on the rise, yet the Ma Administration is tilting toward 
China wholeheartedly, completely ignoring the fact that Taiwan's 
national security is under threat.  Structural changes have been 
seen in the triangular relationship among Taiwan, the United States 
and China. 
 
"Three decades have passed since the enactment of the Taiwan 
Relations Act, and how the Act will evolve in the future will have 
repercussions on the developments of Taipei-Washington-Beijing ties 
and profound implications on Taiwan's future.  It will also be a big 
test for the foreign policy of the Obama Administration. ..." 
 
B) "Taiwan Relations Act Is Kept Deliberately Ambiguous; With Its 
Interests Overriding Everything, the United States Will neither 
Revise nor Abolish It" 
 
Dr. Wu Hsin-hsing, Executive Vice President of the Southern Taiwan 
University of Technology, opined in the pro-unification "United 
Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (4/10): 
 
"... The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) is a U.S. [domestic] law, so it 
all lies in the hands of Washington as to how to define, interpret 
and implement the Act.  Governments on both sides of the Taiwan 
Strait can hardly say or do anything about it.  In addition, the 
creation of the TRA was a paragon and highest achievement of the 
embodiment of international power politics.  The United States 
singlehandedly determined which structure and approach it would 
adopt to handle its relations with Taiwan; Taiwan could only put its 
desire aside and cater to [what the United States wanted], while 
Beijing was even more powerless to do anything. ... 
 
"A Western saying goes like this: 'If it is not broken, do not 
repair it."  In the foreseeable future, there is no way Washington 
will revise or abolish the Taiwan Relations Act.  The United States 
has used its domestic law to control tightly the developments in 
cross-Strait relations, and in the meantime, it has maintained its 
national interests.  To do so, it requires not only wisdom but also 
great national strength." [Ed. Note: As most of our readers know, 
the correct, if ungrammatical version of this expression in English 
is, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."] 
 
C) "How Should Taiwan Cope with the Emerging U.S.-China 
Co-management of the World?" 
 
Francis Yi-hua Kan, an associate research fellow at the Institute of 
International Relations, National Chengchi University, opined in the 
centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 150,000] (4/10): 
 
"... On the other hand, the rise of mainland China as a global power 
does not necessarily indicate the decline of U.S. national strength. 
 
 It goes without saying that the international unilateralism adopted 
by the United States over the past eight years has alienated 
Washington from its allies and at the same time fortified the 
enemies it wants to fight.  However, the U.S. government under the 
leadership of its new President Barack Obama is quickly reversing 
the decline of the United States.  With a modest, cooperative and 
confident attitude, the United States has again won the respect of 
its allies and the world -- an indication of the advancement, not 
the weakening, of U.S. strength.  President Obama just made the most 
important trip to Europe since he took office, and he received the 
highest possible attention and applause during the entire trip. 
This development indicates that the U.S. global leadership still 
meets the expectations and interests of a majority of countries. 
 
"When it comes to its definition of the position of mainland China, 
previous U.S. administrations have been swinging between whether 
China was a competitor or a partner.  But in any case, the United 
States must attach great importance to the rise of China. ... On 
Taiwan's part, when [the importance of] mainland China is constantly 
on the rise in terms of global economics and political strength, 
Taiwan, given the mutually beneficial nature of cross-Strait 
economics and its strategic edge in geopolitics, should all the more 
pragmatically promote 'normalization' of cross-Strait trade 
relations and engage in negotiations with mainland China over the 
Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement. ..." 
 
D) "Happy Birthday, Taiwan Relations Act" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (4/10): 
 
"Today marks the 30th anniversary of the US government's enactment 
of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). ...  Taiwanese of all shades 
should be proud of this achievement and grateful for the security 
that this vital piece of legislation has provided.  Without the TRA, 
the arms sales provisions enshrined in the legislation and the 
staunch support offered by the US over the decades, it is doubtful 
that Taiwan would be the success story it is today.  But 30 years 
on, and with regional circumstances changing rapidly, some have 
begun to question whether the TRA is still relevant. ...  China's 
growing clout on the global stage, both economically and 
diplomatically, and the enthusiasm with which it is adopting the 
role of challenger to the supremacy of the US have drastically 
 
increased the threat to Taiwan's democracy. 
 
"Despite this, the TRA is a document that covers all issues 
pertinent to Taiwan today and is well equipped to deal with these 
and future challenges.  Taiwan's future status, its security, 
progress in human rights and participation in international 
organizations are all listed as issues of concern for the US. ... 
However, there is more to the US-Taiwan security relationship than 
the TRA can provide.  As the late Harvey Feldman, one of the 
architects of the TRA, told a forum in November 1998, the 
effectiveness of the legislation depends on whether the US 'acts in 
accordance with the spirit and the letter of the TRA.' 
 
"If it were to do so, Feldman said, 'it should return to its former 
policy of taking no position on Taiwan's final status ... and 
reiterate [that] the US can accept any solution arrived at 
peacefully, without coercion, so long as it is acceptable to the 
people of Taiwan.'  The TRA may not be perfect, but it is an 
important piece of legislation that has stood the test of time. 
Sticking to it will ensure a safe, prosperous and peaceful future 
for the people of Taiwan. Those in Taiwan who cherish freedom and 
democracy can only hope that the US will do so for many more years 
to come." 
 
E) "Rumblings in U.S.-China Relations" 
 
Sushil Seth, a writer based in Australia, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (4/10): 
 
"... Diplomacy is about creating leverage to influence and shape the 
policies of competing powers.  While the US remains the dominant 
world power, Chinese options for power projection are still limited. 
 But China will exercise its leverage at multiple levels with its 
military, economy and policy to reap maximum mileage in its 
relations with the US." 
 
YOUNG