VZCZCXYZ0018
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0792 1810913
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300913Z JUN 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1871
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9271
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0705

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000792 
 
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. BEEF, IRAN 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused June 30 
news coverage on the Executive Yuan's approval Monday of the merger 
of Tainan City and Tainan County into one special municipality; on 
Taiwan-born New York Yankees pitcher Wang Chien-ming's first victory 
of the season Sunday; on the legal cases involving former President 
Chen Shui-bian and his family; and on the entrance examination for 
Taiwan's senior high schools. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an op-ed piece in the 
pro-independence "Liberty Times" discussed the safety of U.S. beef. 
The article said that even though the American people have concerns 
about mad cow disease in U.S. beef, it has never occurred to 
Taiwan's Department of Health to warn the Taiwan people not to let 
their children consume beef from the affected areas.  With regard to 
Iran, an op-ed in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed 
the people's revolution in Iran and said the United States' "hands 
off" attitude toward the revolution does more good than bad in 
general.  End summary. 
 
¶3. U.S. Beef 
 
"Is It Safe for Small Children to Eat U.S. Beef?" 
 
Liu Pei-po, former director-general of the Animal Health Research 
Institute, opined in the pro-independence "Liberty Times" 
[circulation: 700,000] (6/30): 
 
"... Previous documents showed that in areas infected with mad cow 
disease, there were quite a few cases where children consumed beef 
and contracted this disease, but the symptoms did not show until 
they were grown-ups.  A question for [Department of Health (DOH)] 
Minister Yeh Ching-chuan:  How high are the chances for children in 
Taiwan who eat U.S. beef to contract mad cow disease?  Have you done 
any scientific simulation analysis [on this]? 
 
"It is fine to draw an analogy for the gourmets that the risk of 
contracting mad cow disease through eating U.S. beef is equivalent 
to being hit by lightning twice [in a row].  But this is not 
scientific data, and logically, there is analogical error [in such a 
statement].  Judging from a professional prospective, people should 
not buy or eat any food that triggers safety concerns.  In areas 
which are free from mad cow disease, any discussion concerning the 
chances of contracting this disease would involve political, 
economic or trade intervention!  As a matter of fact, DOH is clearly 
aware that the United States is an area where mad cow disease is 
known to occur, and still it wants to open [Taiwan's market] and 
allow the Taiwan people to consume [U.S. beef].  It is akin to 
telling a person to stand in an open field and use his cell phones 
on a day when lightning is striking.  Do you think that person will 
be hit by lightning?  Is there no doubt at all that people will 
contract the mad cow disease? ... 
 
"The head of the DOH probably does not know that in Texas, 
cafeterias in many elementary schools do not provide food containing 
any beef, and that the elementary schools will be sued if they 
randomly allow their students to eat beef!  Even the American people 
have concerns about mad cow disease when it comes to [eating] U.S. 
beef.  It is a pity that it has never occurred to DOH to call on the 
Taiwan people not to allow their children to consume beef coming 
from the diseased areas." 
 
¶4. Iran 
 
"Iran's New People's Revolution" 
 
Taiwan's former Ambassador to South Africa Loh I-cheng wrote in his 
column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 
130,000] (6/29): 
 
"... Normally, the United States is Iran's biggest enemy and it 
should immediately reach out to help the intellectuals in Iran who 
stood afore and challenged the authority of their government. 
Barack Obama, on the other hand, dealt with this situation in a 
low-profile manner.  This is because Washington is clearly aware 
that it has to keep itself away from such a revolution initiated on 
the [Iranian] people's own initiative, so that the Iranian 
government will not accuse Washington of being the invisible hand 
behind the revolution.  Even though a few people in the Republican 
camp made high-flown remarks, in general, the United States' 
'hands-off' attitude' does more good than bad. ..." 
 
YOUNG