VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0888 2051005
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241005Z JUL 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1986
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9294
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0727

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000888 
 
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. AND ASEAN 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage July 24 on a DPP Central Review Committee's decision 
Thursday to suspend two senior DPP members for attending a recent 
KMT-CCP forum; and on the Control Yuan motions passed Thursday to 
censure the Ministry of National Defense for corrupt military 
discipline and for the ministry's inactivity in handling a 
30-year-old defection case.  In terms of editorials and 
commentaries, a column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" 
discussed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent remarks at the 
ASEAN Regional Forum in Thailand.  The article said the United 
States wants to "come back" to Southeast Asia because it wants to 
cope with China.  End summary. 
 
"What Is the United States 'Back' to Southeast Asia for?" 
 
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning 
"China Times" [circulation: 120,000] wrote (7/24): 
 
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during an annual 
meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Thailand that '[T]he 
United States is back in Southeast Asia.'  This [statement] sounded 
like bald-faced big talk, because [she] could hardly explain clearly 
when the United States left [the region] and why it wants to 'come 
back' now.  As a matter of fact, the United States had paid little 
attention to ASEAN in the wake of the Cold War era, because the 
latter not only seemed valueless [for the United States] to exploit 
but also lacked a common sense of value [among its members]. ... 
 
"If one must ask when the United States left [Southeast Asia], then 
the answer should be: right after it lost the war in Vietnam.  Now 
[Washington said] it wants to come back, [does that mean that] it 
will send large forces to Southeast Asia again?  If the signing of 
the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation can be regarded [as a move 
to] come back [to the region], then why has [the United States] 
procrastinated over it for so many years and did not want to sign it 
until now?  The reason is simple and straight:  It is aimed at 
coping with China. ... 
 
"When it comes to returning [to the region], one must bring with 
oneself some gifts and deeds.  What Clinton brought is the [United 
States'] 'cooperation with the countries of the Lower Mekong.'  This 
gift seems interesting, but it is actually not viable, because it 
will cost a lot of money.  Now that Washington is in serious debt 
trouble, where can it find the cash to carry out such a plan? ... 
The four countries of the Lower Mekong -- Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, 
and Vietnam -- all have close economic ties with China.  Will they 
be willing to shake off an old friend who is generous with money to 
accommodate a new friend who is penniless?" 
 
WANG