VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0832/01 1901002
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091002Z JUL 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1926
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9283
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0716

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000832 
 
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 AND APPLES, HONDURAS 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage July 9 on the Ma Ying-jeou administration's efforts to 
fight corruption; on the legal cases involving former President Chen 
Shui-bian and his family; and on developments in cross-Strait 
relations.  Several newspapers reported on remarks by Taiwan's 
Minister of Health Yeh Ching-chuan Wednesday that Taiwan would soon 
ease restrictions on U.S. beef imports.  The pro-unification "United 
Daily News," on the other hand, ran a banner headline on page 
twelve, reading "Six Batches Found with Pesticides, Consumers' 
Foundation Urges Boycott of U.S. Poisoned Apples." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an op-ed in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed the Taiwan government's 
recent decision to lift the ban on endosulfan residue on imported 
apples and its plan to fully open Taiwan's market to U.S. beef.  The 
article said these decisions were made under pressure from the U.S. 
government.  With regard to Honduras, a column in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" speculated on how the United States will 
mediate between ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and the 
interim leaders of Honduras so as to meet the United States' 
national interests in Latin America.  An editorial in the 
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said 
despite certain unconstitutional moves by Zelaya, staging a coup to 
get rid of a democratically elected leader is still against the law 
and thus unacceptable.  End summary. 
 
¶3. U.S. Beef and Apples 
 
"The Taste of Poisoned Apples" 
 
Lee Wu-chung, an agricultural economist, opined in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (7/9): 
 
"In the face of the various and never-ending food safety problems, 
every country in the world is working hard to strengthen quality 
control of their imports of food products.  The U.S. government, in 
particular, has recently published new regulations on food safety in 
an attempt to enhance its food safety control.  The Department of 
Health (DOH) under Taiwan's Executive Yuan, however, ran counter to 
what other countries are doing by lifting the ban on the use of 
Endosulfan, a pesticide found in imports of [U.S.] apples, from the 
standard of 'non-detectible'  to 0.5 ppm.  Local scholars and 
experts strongly questioned whether such a move was aimed at helping 
to get poisoned U.S. apples off the hook. ... 
 
"... But according to newspaper reports, a senior official at the 
Council of Agriculture's (COA) Agricultural Chemicals and Toxic 
Substances Research Institute said the new residue standard was 
revised following several negotiations between Taiwan and the United 
States in March.  In particular, COA's statistics showed that apples 
produced in Taiwan account for approximately 4 percent of the market 
share in Taiwan, while 96 percent of apples are imported, among 
which U.S. apples constitute the bulk, accounting for 35.35 percent 
of total apple imports.  [Given such data,] the public will surely 
come to a conclusion as to what the real reason is behind [the 
government's decision to] ease the residue standard this time. ... 
 
"... Let's also take a look at the likelihood for the [Taiwan] 
government, despite the lingering fear of mad cow disease, to agree 
to open its market to U.S. bone-in beef in the face of U.S. 
government pressure.  One cannot help but ask:  Is Taiwan really an 
independent sovereign state?  Has it really walked out of the 
colonial era where it was ruled by a foreign power?  In addition to 
the United States, are we also eating the poisoned apples of 
economics fed by China?! ..." 
 
¶4. Honduras 
 
A) "The Face and Substance of the Mediation in the Honduran Coup" 
 
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning 
"China Times" [circulation: 120,000] wrote (7/9): 
 
"... The U.S. interests lie in Honduras' sticking to its cooperation 
with the United States and not echoing the leftists in [Latin] 
America.  The Honduran government only needs to abide by this 
principle and the United States will not care who the Honduran 
President is, as long as he is not anti-U.S.  As a result, the 
United States will definitely step in and 'mediate' [in the Honduran 
coup]. ...  In other words, [the United States will seek to have 
Honduran President Manuel] Zelaya serve as a puppet-President, then 
let the group which staged the coup hold an election, and make sure 
that a pro-U.S. president is elected.  Such an outcome will be the 
same as that of the coup, even though it is better-looking than a 
'hard coup.'  The Organization of American States will win face, so 
will Zelaya.  The United States and the group which staged the coup 
will win the substance." 
 
B) Manuel Zelaya: Not Exactly Mr. Democracy" 
 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (7/9): 
 
"The United States and Venezuela almost never agree.  Venezuelan 
President Hugo Chavez does seem to have a soft spot for new U.S. 
President Barack Obama, but despite his personal leanings, he still 
rails against the 'imperialist' gringos and claims Obama is a 'tool 
of the system.'  But both Obama and Chavez have become strange 
bedfellows by joining together in calling for the return of ousted 
Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.  These two American leaders are 
supported by the European Union and pretty much every other nation 
on earth in calling the coup that removed Zelaya from office 
'illegal' and 'unacceptable.'  To many observers around the world, 
this story seems like a simple case of good versus evil.  A 
democratically elected president is good, while a coup is bad, 
right?  Most things, however, are never quite so simple and this 
particular case is even more complex than most. ... 
 
"Many nations around the world are now faced with a dilemma.  Many 
may not view Zelaya as a champion of democracy, but he was elected, 
even if by a small margin and coups are universally derided as 
unacceptable.  But even the despot Adolf Hitler initially used a 
form of democracy to come to power before distorting and corrupting 
it into the one of the worst dictatorships the planet has ever seen. 
 No doubt some in Honduras felt that they simply couldn't wait or 
take a chance that Zelaya could either remain in office or install a 
puppet proxy. ...  The coup was a hasty move that ultimately may 
prove futile.  Democratic nations around the world have no choice 
but to swallow their misgivings and call for the unequivocal return 
of Zelaya, even if it leaves a bad taste in their mouths. ..." 
 
WANG