VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1404/01 3332342
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 292342Z NOV 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2820
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9543
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0940

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001404 
 
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 November 
26-27 news coverage on the controversy surrounding animated news 
stories launched by Taiwan's mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
newspaper and on the campaigns for Taiwan local elections scheduled 
for December 5.  Concerning editorials and commentaries, remarks by 
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond Burghardt, who 
visited Taiwan to brief Taiwan officials and opposition leaders, 
remain a topic of discussion.  Although a column in the KMT-leaning 
"China Times" said the failure to mention the Taiwan Relations Act 
(TRA) and the reiteration of the "respect for each other's 
sovereignty and territorial integrity" in the Sino-U.S. statement 
had great impact on Taiwan, it still praised Burghardt's efforts to 
clarify Taiwan's confusion about the Sino-U.S. statement released by 
Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Obama.  An editorial in 
"Apple Daily" reiterated the significance of United States' arms 
sales to Taiwan even though it seems to be more difficult for Taiwan 
to buy weapons from the United States, judging from Burghardt's 
remarks and President Obama's trip to China.  A column in the 
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" echoed 
Burghardt's remarks that the language in the Sino-U.S. statement - 
"respect for each other's territorial integrity" - does not apply to 
Taiwan.  An editorial in the pro-independence, English-language 
"Taiwan News" criticized remarks by President Obama and Burghardt's 
remarks as "not respecting the fact that Taiwan is now a fully 
democratic state and the right of the 23 million Taiwan people to 
have the final power to decide Taiwan's future."  End summary. 
 
 
A) "The Impact of the Obama-Hu Jintao Statement" 
 
Columnist Norman Fu wrote in his column in the KMT-leaning "China 
Times" [circulation: 120,000] (11/27): 
 
"... The impact of the statement between President Obama and 
President Hu Jintao lies in the failure to mention the 'Taiwan 
Relations Act' and the reiteration of 'respect for each other's 
sovereignty and territorial integrity.' ... 
 
"Remarks by [American Institute in Taiwan Chairman] Raymond 
Burghardt, who said 'respect for each other's sovereignty and 
territorial integrity' referred to Tibet and Xinjiang and had 
nothing to do with Taiwan, were somewhat surprising.  However, 
Burghardt gave those remarks with certainty at a press conference 
and because the information was from [senior director for East Asian 
Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council] Jeffrey Bader and 
[U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs] Kurt 
Campbell, who were the two experts accompanying U.S. President Obama 
on his visit to China, you cannot help believing in the remarks. 
However, we cannot totally believe [in what he said], at least not 
as long as it is only the United States saying this unilaterally. 
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) definitely would not agree with or 
accept [the U.S. characterization of this] and we can only accept 
the U.S. view on this for the time being. ... 
 
 "In general, Burghardt's trip to Taiwan to brief on [President 
Obama's visit to China] was timely.  [Burghardt's] clarification and 
explanation regarding the confusion was also clear and decisive. 
Different from U.S. diplomats' habitual practice of double-speak, 
[Burghardt's] performance was worth praising." 
 
B) "The Symbolism of Arms Procurement" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] 
editorialized (11/26): 
 
"American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond Burghardt said the 
United States' policy on arms sales to Taiwan remains unchanged and 
the United States will continue evaluating arms sales in the 
future. 
 
"Judging from President Obama's trip to China and Burghardt's very 
official-style remarks, we feel that it is more and more difficult 
for Taiwan to procure arms from the United States.  If we have the 
chance to buy high-tech weapons, we should proceed as quickly as 
possible to buy them.  Reasons that it is more and more difficult 
for Taiwan to buy arms [from the United States] are as follows, 
including: the United States cares more and more about China's 
feeling; Obama has a weak personality and has no interest in the 
security of Taiwan; the Ma Ying-jeou administration does not believe 
that the threat of China is either substantive or obvious and 
imminent; as a result the Ma administration is not active in 
procuring arms; the defense budget, which will suffer from an 
increasing deficit after implementing a policy of voluntary military 
service, will be insufficient to procure expensive weapons; the 
Taiwan government and [Taiwan] military have many Chinese friends 
and there are many spies.  The United States is worried that secrets 
of the high-tech weapons will be passed to China. 
 
"Arms procurement from the United States has significant symbolism. 
 
It means that substantial military contact between the United States 
and Taiwan will not be interrupted.  It means that Taiwan is still 
in the national interest of the United States in the West Pacific. 
... 
 
"In peacetime, the implications of this symbolism are very 
important.  It is a psychological mechanism to deter conflicts. 
Taiwan does not need to buy the first-class weapons such as F-35 
fighter jets or Aegis ships.  They are not only too expensive but 
the U.S. will also not agree to sell them [to Taiwan].  The symbolic 
implications of procuring second-class weapons will be enough.  They 
[the second-class weapons] will be able to maintain equilibrium 
between the military powers on the both sides of the Taiwan Strait." 
 
 
C) "No Change in U.S. Taiwan Policy" 
 
Columnist William Fang wrote in the conservative, pro-unification, 
English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000] (11/27): 
 
"... Diplomacy is an art where often what is not said is more 
important than what is said and what is done is more important than 
what is said.  In the statement issued jointly by Obama and Hu, the 
stress of respect of each other's territorial integrity easily 
touched on the nerves of Taiwan as it might mean that America agreed 
that Taiwan 'is an integral part of China.'  But, as we go on 
reading the document, we will realize that the U.S. recognized 
Tibet, not Taiwan, as part of China. ... 
 
"Just as [American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond] Burghardt 
put it when commenting on the Obama-Hu joint statement, 'if we 
insisted (referring to including the TRA), we wouldn't have the 
joint statement. That's sort of understandable.' [sic - Director 
Stanton actually said this]  What Taiwan should really be concerned 
about is not what the U.S. says, but whether it continues to fulfill 
its obligation to provide necessary weapons in defense of the island 
as required by the TRA." 
 
D) "Obama's Messenger Needs Taiwan Democracy Lessons" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation: 
20,000] editorialized (11/26): 
 
"American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond Burghardt arrived 
Sunday to deliver assurances from U.S. President Barack Obama that 
Washington's policy toward Taiwan had not changed despite the 
statement of 'respect' given by the U.S. to the 'sovereignty and 
territorial integrity' of the authoritarian People's Republic of 
China and the lack of mention of the critical Taiwan Relations Act 
of 1979. 
 
"However, Washington's messenger failed to provide reassurance on 
the most fundamental issue, namely whether the new Democratic 
president will 'respect' the fact that Taiwan is now a fully 
democratic state and whether Obama will 'respect' the fundamental 
right of the 23 million Taiwan people to have the final power to 
decide their future, including the shape of future relations with 
the PRC. ... 
 
"Beijing will undoubtedly use U.S.-China Joint Statement's 
affirmation of Washington's 'respect' for 'China's sovereignty and 
integrity' in the world media as confirmation of its own claim of 
ownership over Taiwan. ... 
 
"Even more worrying is Washington's evident lack of 'respect' for 
the fact that Taiwan is a democratic society and for the fundamental 
human rights, including the right of self-determination, of the 
Taiwan people.  The AIT chairman manifested his disrespect for 
Taiwan's democracy by incorrectly and insultingly characterizing 
citizen opposition to the October 22 protocol to open Taiwan's 
market to high-risk ground beef, beef on bone and offals as a 'phony 
issue.' 
 
"But far more worrisome was Burghardt's statement Tuesday evening 
that Washington maintains that the disputes between the PRC and 
Taiwan should be resolved through 'peaceful means' and 'with the 
assent of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.  This 
formula of 'dual assent,' which appeared in the middle of the Bush 
administration's eight years, marked a dramatic and dangerous 
retreat from the position articulated by former Democratic president 
Bill Clinton on February 24, 2000 that 'issues between Taiwan and 
China should be resolved peacefully' and 'with the assent of the 
people of Taiwan.' ... 
 
"Obama has an obligation to publically reassure both the Taiwan 
people and the world community that Washington does not include 
Taiwan in its expression of 'respect' for the PRC's sovereignty, 
that his administration will not retreat on its obligations under 
the TRA and that his administration will uphold the principle that 
 
differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait must be 
resolved peacefully and 'with the assent of the Taiwan people' 
alone." 
 
STANTON