VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1176/01 2720855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290855Z SEP 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2402
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9404
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0828

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001176 
 
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: U.S.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage September 29 on the aftermath of the KMT's defeat in 
Saturday's Yunlin County's legislative by-election and its impact on 
the year-end city mayors' and country magistrates' elections; and on 
other local political issues.  In terms of editorials and 
commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence, English-language 
"Taipei Times" discussed the People's Republic of China's 
celebrations of its upcoming 60th anniversary and the parade, in 
which an arsenal of new weapons will be displayed.  The article said 
the display of China's military might "brings little comfort" to 
"the people of Taiwan and U.S. military personnel who would likely 
intervene on Taiwan's side in the event of war."  An editorial in 
the pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" discussed the 
Obama administration's policy to engage China and urged Washington 
"to send a clear message to PRC leaders that they should respect the 
right of the 23 million Taiwan people to determine their own future 
through democratic processes without coercion."  End summary. 
 
A) "It's Scaring the Neighbors" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (9/29): 
 
"The People's Republic of China (PRC) celebrations of its 60th 
anniversary on Thursday will very much be a military affair. In 
fact, Beijing has been boasting that the nation's newest nuclear 
missiles will be part of an arsenal of new weapons - 90 percent of 
which have never been paraded before. ...  The state-run People's 
Daily newspaper, however, quoted [General] Gao [Jianguo, executive 
deputy director of the office of the National Day Military Parade 
Joint Command] as saying that this unprecedented display of military 
might is not about intimidating China's neighbors, but rather a 
celebration of the country's achievements, adding that 'a country's 
military ability is not a threat to anyone, what is important is its 
military policy.'  This assertion, however, brings little comfort to 
those against whom such weapons would be used -- mainly the people 
of Taiwan and US military personnel who would likely intervene on 
Taiwan's side in the event of war. ... 
 
"... For one thing, a decade ago the balance on military power in 
the Taiwan Strait was still in Taiwan's favor and China had yet to 
develop, or at least deploy, weapons meant to delay or deny the 
entry of US forces in the Strait.  The situation today is 
drastically different. Not only has the balance of power shifted in 
Beijing's favor, but China has become far more assertive and, thanks 
to President Ma Ying-jeou's pro-China policies, its leadership feels 
that its objective of unifying Taiwan and China may finally be 
within its grasp. Should domestic politics in Taiwan between now and 
2012 threaten to derail moves toward that goal, and if the US 
continues to suffer from a weakened economy and a number of taxing 
military deployments, Beijing may have little compunction in using 
its growing arsenal to achieve its aims. 
 
"This year's parade will also see a greater representation from all 
branches of the military, with many items having an offensive, 
rather than defensive, purpose. Generals in Beijing can say what 
they want, but the fact of the matter is, huge displays of offensive 
military equipment signal to the rest of the world, and more 
specifically the region, that China has the means to flex its 
muscles when necessary. Of the two key factors in a state's decision 
to use force - intent and capabilities - Beijing is now showing that 
is has the latter. The main question now is whether Beijing will, 
over time, develop the intent. ..." 
 
B) "Obama Must Not Forget Democracy in Asia" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (9/29): 
 
"In the face of the arrival of the People's Republic of China as a 
regional power, the new United States administration of President 
Barack Hussein Obama accented multilateralism in his outline of 
foreign policy during a speech at the United Nations General 
Assembly last week with his call for 'a new era for the U.S. to 
engage with the world.' ...  However, it is unfortunate that Obama 
did not shed some light on how his democratic government would 
defend and promote the democratic values of democracy and human 
rights in the world community.  As citizens of Taiwan, we are 
particularly eager to see how the Obama administration views the 
rise of a still-authoritarian and aggressive PRC and strikes a 
balance between engaging Beijing while preserving and cherishing 
Taiwan's democracy and substantive independence. 
 
In a speech last week to the Washington-based Center for New 
American Security, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg 
delivered a 'strategic reassurance' to U.S. allies in the 
Asia-Pacific region and to his PRC counterparts. ...  We can 
appreciate the Obama administration's perception of the need to 
engage Beijing, but we also realize perfectly well that underlying 
 
such notions is the Obama administration's desperate need for 
Beijing's cooperation on various international issues. 
Nevertheless, we urge the Obama administration to adopt a more 
balanced approach when it attempts to engage the PRC.  In 
particular, we urge the Obama administration to avoid drifting 
toward the chimera of a consolidated bilateral relationship such as 
a 'G-2' concept with an authoritarian PRC while neglecting America's 
long-standing and value-based partnerships with democratic allies 
throughout the world. 
 
"Significantly, most U.S. allies have already publically or 
privately expressed concern over whether Washington has put too many 
of its bets on China and has erroneously downplayed its 
relationships with other regional allies.  Indeed, the stark reality 
that there are grave uncertainties over the scale and motives of the 
PRC's rapid expansion of its military clout and its continued and 
even intensifying campaign against democratization in Asia should 
speak volumes on the urgent need for closer partnership between 
Washington and its democratic allies in the Asia-Pacific region from 
Japan to Australia and, albeit unofficially, Taiwan.  Furthermore, 
the Obama administration should carefully examine and ascertain how 
genuine Beijing's willingness is to comply with international norms 
and whether the PRC actually views the United States more as a 
potential partner and "hedge" the risk that the PRC sees and treats 
the U.S. as a threat. ... 
 
"What is more worrisome is the possibility of 'trade-offs' between 
Washington and Beijing. ...  It is especially sad to see that Obama 
has not yet offered any significant criticism of the PRC's gross 
violations of human rights in Tibet or in China itself.  We call on 
Obama to uphold the founding values of his country and his 
Democratic Party and express his concerns over China's pervasive 
violations of human rights during his first visit to the PRC later 
this year.  Moreover, even though Washington is evidently satisfied 
with the efforts of President Ma Ying-jeou's Kuomintang government 
to improve cross-strait relations, we urge Obama to send a clear 
message to PRC leaders that they should respect the right of the 23 
million Taiwan people to determine their own future through 
democratic processes without coercion. ..." 
 
STANTON