VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0777 1770909
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260909Z JUN 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1847
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9267
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0701

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000777 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, 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 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused June 26 
news coverage on the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office's search 
of the Kaohsiung City Council Thursday for evidence connected to an 
embezzlement case; on President Ma's upcoming overseas trip; on the 
continuous probe into the legal cases involving former President 
Chen Shui-bian; and on South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's affair 
and his disappearance for several days.  In terms of editorials and 
commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" discussed the "Six Assurances" the Reagan 
administration made to Taiwan in 1982.  The article pointed out one 
of the assurances, on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, and the defense 
talks between Beijing and Washington this week, and said "a public 
reiteration of these assurances from Washington would be more than 
welcome."  A separate "Taipei Times" op-ed piece discussed the 
theories of some U.S. experts on China and said they "should change 
the way they think."  End summary. 
 
A) "Assurances on Assurances" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (6/26): 
 
"In July 1982, the US government informed Congress of the 'six 
assurances,' a clarification of the Taiwan Relations Act that would 
serve as guiding principles for continued US-Taiwan relations. ... 
One of the assurances agreed to by the US was: 'The United States 
will not consult with China in advance before making decisions about 
US arms sales to Taiwan.'  However, if recent media reports are to 
be believed, U.S. and Chinese officials did exactly that in talks in 
Beijing and Washington this week. 
 
"It is no secret that Taiwan has wanted to buy 66 F16C/D fighter 
jets from the US for several years, and recent signs from Washington 
indicate that support for a deal is gathering pace.  Such a sale 
would be anathema to Beijing, and Chinese officials must have made 
their objections loud and clear during this week's talks. If it were 
just a case of the usual Chinese protestations then it would be 
nothing to worry about, but the problem for Taiwan is that over the 
past few years the U.S. has found itself increasingly reliant on 
China, both financially and diplomatically.  This is a problem the 
U.S. has brought on itself by relying heavily on the Chinese 
government for help in dealing with North Korea, an approach that 
has been of questionable value.  With Washington under such 
pressure, it would come as no surprise to discover that arms sales 
to Taiwan had been affected by the relentless efforts of Beijing. 
... 
 
"The joint communique signed between Beijing and Washington in 1982 
advocated a gradual reduction in the amount of arms the US would 
sell Taiwan. But writing in 2007, late US ambassador Harvey Feldman 
said that after signing the communique, former US president Ronald 
Reagan was so concerned over 'its possible effect on Taiwan' and put 
so little trust in Chinese promises, that in addition to the six 
assurances he also filed a secret memorandum in the National 
Security Council files. ...  In light of this week's meetings and 
given Beijing's continued military buildup, which is largely focused 
on settling the Taiwan issue in its favor, a public reiteration of 
these assurances from Washington would be more than welcome." 
 
B) "U.S. 'Experts' on China Have Got It All Wrong" 
 
James Wang, a Taiwan-based senior media commentator, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (6/26): 
"... There is no question that economic exchanges between Taiwan and 
China should be normalized. But if integration means political 
compromise on Taiwan's sovereignty and annexation by China, then how 
could it reduce Taiwan's security problem? Ever since President Ma 
Ying-jeou took office, Chinese military invasion has not been one of 
Taiwan's security problems: The problem has been the 'peaceful 
annexation' of Taiwan by China.  Those US China experts should 
change the way they think.  Neither China's peaceful rise nor 
collapse is a bad thing since such an anti-humanistic regime as 
China's should be overthrown at any rate. If the Chinese leadership 
wanted to engage in an external adventure to distract attention from 
its serious internal situation, it would dig its own grave. Chinese 
President Hu Jintao is not as stupid as those experts think." 
YOUNG