VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1525/01 3620910
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280910Z DEC 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3006
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9584
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0971

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001525 
 
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.-TAIWAN RELATIONS 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage from December 25 through December 28 on the aftermath of 
the fourth round of cross-Strait negotiations; on the legislative 
by-election scheduled for early January, 2010; and on the discussion 
in the Legislative Yuan regarding a possible legislation restricting 
U.S. beef imports.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, an 
editorial in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed National 
Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi's remarks on Taiwan's 
foreign relations in a recent press conference.  The article said it 
is the United States, not China, which is Taiwan's most important 
ally, so the Taiwan government should put more effort into improving 
its relations with the United States.  A separate "Apple Daily" 
op-ed also called on the legislators not to save a little only to 
lose a lot on the U.S. beef issue.  End summary. 
 
A) "The United States Is What Really Matters" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 530,000] 
editorialized (12/26): 
 
"In his first-ever press conference last Thursday, National Security 
Council Secretary-General Su Chi clearly stated the difficult 
situation that Taiwan is in:  It is difficult being a small country 
sandwiched between three big powers. ...  Judging from a realistic 
point of view, there is nothing wrong with Su's statement.  In an 
era of globalization, there is basically no need to make things 
difficult for -- or to stand on the opposite side of -- any 
particular country.  But why is it that it is everyone's feeling 
that the Ma administration is only seeking to improve ties with 
China while distancing itself from Japan and the United States? 
Perhaps it is because [Taiwan] has had a very poor relationship with 
China over the past decade and needs to beef up its efforts in 
making up for it now, thus resulting in [giving people] the 
impression that it is tilting toward China.  But in reality, it is 
the United States, not China, which is most important for Taiwan. 
Hence the government needs to put more effort into improve its 
relations with the United States and let its people see what it has 
done, so that they will not be worried that the Ma administration is 
tilting toward China and selling out Taiwan." 
 
B) "Never Try to Save a Little Only to Lose a Lot on the U.S. Beef 
Issue" 
 
Professor Edward Chen from Tamkang University's Graduate Institute 
of American Studies opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 530,000] (12/26): 
 
"National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi recently 
addressed the Legislative Yuan (LY) and pointed out that if the LY 
amends the law related to U.S. beef imports and in so doing violates 
the Taiwan-U.S. protocol [on U.S. beef], there will be three 
possible consequences:  First, it will have an impact on Taiwan-U.S. 
economic relations, and in particular, the Taiwan-U.S. 'Trade and 
Investment Framework Agreement' (TIFA) [talks] will continue to 
stall.  Second, it will generate an impact on Taiwan's relations 
with the U.S. Congress.  Third, if the move displeases the United 
States, Washington will no longer strongly support Taiwan's 
participation in international organizations. ... 
 
"Perhaps some people may question whether the long-stalled TIFA 
talks have done any damage to [Taiwan's] national interests.  But 
what really matters is that the Obama administration has long since 
threatened that if both sides fail to resolve the U.S. beef issue, 
other issues such as double taxation, the investment pact, trade 
facilitation, intellectual property rights, energy and environmental 
protection, the visa-waiver program, and the extradition agreement 
will be put on hold as well.  On the one hand, the Taiwan public, 
the small- and medium-sized businesses as well as the big companies 
in Taiwan will all suffer tremendous losses if Washington and Taipei 
postpone the talks on the afore-mentioned issues.  In the meantime, 
President Ma Ying-jeou is concerned that should there be no progress 
in the talks on these issues, while both sides of the Strait have 
signed twelve agreements in 18 months, it will easily create an 
impression among people that the Ma administration is 'tilting 
toward China.'  That is why President Ma called a press conference 
when he visited some Central American countries in June and urged 
the ruling and opposition parties in Taiwan to attach great 
importance to the U.S. beef issue.  It was not difficult to see how 
much pressure he had endured then from the United States. 
 
"Second, it is the U.S. congressmen from the agriculturally-oriented 
states that have been most supportive of Taiwan, and these 
congressmen are most concerned about whether the U.S. beef import 
question will be settled peacefully and smoothly. ...  But if they 
learn that Taiwan's Legislative Yuan is to pass amendments 
concerning U.S. beef and thereby violate the Taiwan-U.S. beef 
protocol, their enthusiasm for supporting Taiwan will naturally drop 
henceforth.  Given such an impact, they not only will not speak in 
favor of Taiwan in the Congress, but their support for the Taiwan 
Relations Act will also drop significantly. ... 
 
"In fact, following one year of assessment, the [Taiwan] government 
has made sure that the U.S. side has comprehensively modified its 
feed for cows in the States.   Therefore there is no longer any 
problem with mad cow disease, and with the series of administrative 
measures [employed in Taiwan], the government believes that the 
risks caused by U.S. beef are completely under control.  Yet if our 
Legislative Yuan passes amendments concerning U.S. beef and violates 
the Taiwan-U.S. beef protocol, or if it demands a renegotiation [of 
the U.S. beef deal], other countries such as Japan and South Korea 
will naturally follow suit, which will certainly put the United 
States in a position too difficult to handle.  Washington, as a 
result, will vent all its anger on Taiwan and will naturally have no 
mind to support Taiwan's participation in international 
organizations.  Should that become the case, the legislators who 
support any amendments against U.S. beef imports will save a little 
only to lose a lot by putting their personal political interests 
ahead of national interests and national security." 
 
MADISON