VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1044/01 2400736
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280736Z AUG 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2205
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9360
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0790

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001044 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - THOMAS HAMM 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS, U.S. DEFENSE 
POLICY 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage August 28 on the Ma Ying-jeou administration's decision to 
allow the Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan from August 30 to September 
4, on the reconstruction plans in the areas hit by Typhoon Morakot, 
and on the H1N1 epidemic in Taiwan.  In terms of editorials and 
commentaries, all the editorials of the major Chinese-language and 
English-language newspapers commented on the Ma administration's 
decision to allow Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to visit 
Taiwan.  Pro-independence newspapers, including the "Liberty Times" 
and the "Taiwan News," in addition to welcoming the Dalai Lama's 
visit, criticized the Ma administration's previous policies and 
comments about the Tibetan issue.  On the other hand, 
pro-unification and KMT-leaning newspapers, including the "United 
Daily News" and the "China Times," expressed their worries that the 
Dalai Lama's Taiwan visit might have a negative impact on 
cross-Strait relations which only started warming in 2008 after more 
than eight years' stagnation.  Regarding a deal that the United 
States reached with Columbia recently on military bases, a column in 
the KMT-leaning "China Times" said the deal showed the United 
States' old imperial thinking.  The thinking is a root cause of the 
anti-American sentiment in Latin America, said the column.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
A) "If the Dalai Lama Is Welcomed to Visit, He Should Be Allowed to 
Move Around Freely in Taiwan" 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 700,000] 
editorialized (8/28): 
 
"... Due to the pressure coming from the victims [of Typhoon 
Morakot], President Ma Ying-jeou had no choice but to allow the 
Dalai Lama to come to Taiwan.  At the same time, however, [the Ma 
administration's defining the Dalai Lama's visit as humanitarian and 
religious in nature] is equivalent to restricting the nature of [the 
Dalai Lama's] activities.  If it was not China that clandestinely 
gave the instructions (one should not forget that central and 
southern Taiwan is currently the main priority of China's united 
front) [to restrict the Dalai Lama's activities in Taiwan], it would 
be President Ma, who had censored himself because he is so scared of 
China.  Both attitudes are scary.  When the United States military 
came to Taiwan to aid after the August 8 flooding, President Ma had 
to check whether China nodded its head or not.  These [practices] 
were all because [President Ma] is haunted by a sense of inferiority 
when facing the suzerain [China]. ..." 
 
B) "Ma Ying-jeou Did the Right Thing This Time" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in his column in the mass-circulation 
"Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (8/28): 
 
"... How China deals with the Tibetan and Xinjiang issues is an 
important matter for China's relations with Western countries.  How 
[Taiwan President] Ma Ying-jeou deals with the issue of the Dalai 
Lama is related to how Taiwan defines cross-Strait relations as well 
as how Taiwan preserves democratic values, human rights and freedom. 
 After declining foreign aid [following Typhoon Morakot], Ma 
Ying-jeou finally did the thing right this time." 
 
C) "The Time of the Dalai Lama's Taiwan Visit Is Not Suitable" 
 
The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] 
editorialized (8/28): 
 
"... The thinking of the Green [pro-independence forces in Taiwan] 
always regarded the Dalai Lama as a political bargaining chip. 
[Former Taiwan Presidents] Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian invited 
the Dalai Lama during their presidencies [was a] manipulation [aimed 
at] 'making the two T's [Tibet and Taiwan] converge.'  It turned out 
that the relations between the two T's [Tibet and Taiwan] and 
Beijing were even more strained.  Now, when there is a disaster 
[like that caused by Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan], the DPP inviting 
the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan is a [dangerous] political maneuver. 
...  The DPP forced Taiwan, which has been in great trouble due to 
the flood and the H1N1 epidemic, to be [dragged] into a political 
whirlpool with an unpredictable [outcome.]  Is the DPP bringing a 
blessing to Taiwan or bringing trouble to Taiwan? ..." 
 
D) "Cherishing Cross-Strait Relations and Praying for Victims - 
Views On the Dalai Lama's Taiwan Visit" 
 
The KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 120,000] editorialized 
(8/28): 
 
"... Mainland [China]'s overwhelm goodwill [to Taiwan following 
Typhoon Morakot] got the Dalai Lama's Taiwan visit in return.  The 
shock that Beijing [must feel] can be imagined.  However, the 
POLICY 
 
political atmosphere and the environments across the Taiwan Strait 
are different after all.  [Taiwan President] Ma Ying-jeou's nod [to 
the Dalai Lama's Taiwan visit] is [made out of a] consideration of 
preventing his already low approval rating from declining further. 
However, the development of a country cannot be [judged by] an 
individual's approval rate.  From now on, the Ma administration must 
make more efforts, including in words and concrete conduct, to 
[restore] the mutual trust across the Taiwan Strait. ..." 
 
E) "Stupid to the Extreme, [President Ma] Ruins His Own Policy" 
 
 The KMT-leaning, China-focused "Want Daily" [circulation: 10,000] 
editorialized (8/28): 
 
"... President Ma Ying-jeou has agreed to let the Dalai Lama visit 
Taiwan and pray for victims.  In addition to feeling surprised at 
the decision, the public is also concerned about the possible impact 
on cross-Strait relations.  Although the Dalai Lama is the religious 
leader of Tibetan Buddhism, he is also the political leader of the 
Tibetan Government in Exile, whose capacity is special and 
sensitive.  The likely political controversy incurred by the Dalai 
Lama's Taiwan visit is extremely obvious.  The Ma administration's 
hasty [decision] allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan ... was an 
extremely unwise decision.  The policy roadmap for reconciliation 
across the Taiwan Strait that President Ma personally [designed] is 
going to face many dangers and difficulties.  The gain does not 
equal the loss. ..." 
 
F) "A Clever Trick to Trap A Weakened Ma Ying-jeou" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (8/28): 
 
"... But the timing isn't right for Taiwan, this time around. 
Taiwan is trying what it can to improve relations with China.  It is 
relying ever more heavily on the other side of the Taiwan Strait for 
getting out of its current economic downturn and the global 
financial crisis. ... 
 
"We wish the People's Republic of China won't retaliate against 
Taiwan, for President Ma had no alternative but to welcome the Dalai 
Lama.  Beijing always reacts strongly, often irrationally, when the 
Dalai Lama meets a head of state or government in any world 
capital." 
 
G) "Dalai Lama's Taiwan Visit Is Most 'Suitable'" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (8/28): 
 
"... The visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader and statesman will 
affect cross-Strait relations with the PRC only if the Taiwan 
government, the ruling Chinese Nationalist Party and its sycophants 
or the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party regime makes his visit 
a political issue. ... 
 
"Ma's decision to allow the Dalai Lama to visit itself can be seen 
as an act of 'redemption' for the government's grave error in 
refusing international rescue assistance immediately after Typhoon 
Morakot struck Taiwan. ..." 
 
¶3. United States' Defense Policy 
 
"The United States' 'Forward Operating Locations' Are All Over the 
World" 
 
The "International Lookout" column in the KMT-leaning "China Times" 
[circulation: 120,000] wrote (8/28): 
 
"... Latin American countries' anti-American sentiment is soaring. 
The main reason is that the United States takes without giving 
things in return.  [The United States] wants to uses resources in 
Latin America but does not want to provide economic aid.  For those 
countries which do not follow the path of the United States in 
foreign affairs, [the United States] suppresses them and creates 
chaos in those countries, which obviously is an interference in the 
domestic affairs of other countries.  As a result, Latin American 
politicians who uphold the anti-American flag are prone to be 
elected.  'Turning left' has become a fashion [in Latin America] and 
Columbia is the only country left which is still loyal [to the 
United States]. 
 
"However, with the anti-American sentiment soaring, the United 
States tries even harder to expand its military connections. 
[United States President Barack] Obama is no exception in this 
conduct.  Therefore, although leaders in Latin America reiterated 
their warnings to the United States regarding the dangerous results, 
the Obama administration does not care." 
POLICY 
 
 
WANG