VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0069/01 0150918
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150918Z JAN 10
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3131
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9629
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 1013

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000069 
 
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 continued to focus 
news coverage January 15 on the devastating earthquake that hit 
Haiti Tuesday; on Google's threat to quit China; and on the year-end 
five city and county magistrate elections in Taiwan.  In terms of 
editorials and commentaries, a column in the KMT-leaning "China 
Times" and an op-ed in the China-focused "Want Daily" both discussed 
China's recent testing of its missile defense system.  The "China 
Times" article said China's move is aimed at having a dialogue with 
the United States on an equal footing, while the "Want Daily" 
article said China is showing its ambition to possess both offensive 
and defensive capabilities.  An editorial in the conservative, 
pro-unification, English-language "China Post" discussed an article 
recently published by U.S. scholar Bruce Gillery on Taiwan being 
"Finlandized."  The article argued that President Ma Ying-jeou's 
diplomatic truce policy is not equal to the "Finlandization" of 
Taiwan, as Taipei "does not servilely cater to Beijing's whim in the 
conviction that its people want above everything their country's 
dignity as a sovereign state called the Republic of China."  End 
summary. 
 
A) "[China's] Missile Interception Test Is Aimed at Seeking Dialogue 
with the United States on an Equal Footing" 
 
Journalist Qi Leyi wrote in the "Beijing Observation" column in the 
KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 120,000] (1/15): 
 
"Beijing has made progress in its test of the ballistic missile 
interception [technology] on Monday.  In addition to the 
breakthroughs in technology, the key significance of Beijing's test 
this time lies in the fact that it was releasing a political signal, 
telling the United States that on top of [China's influence in] the 
economic domain, no one should underestimate Beijing's space combat 
capability.  Also, the move is an attempt by China to open the door 
to engage in a dialogue with the United States on an equal footing 
while the world is discussing the anti-missile topic. ... 
 
"Some people believe that Beijing's proactive announcement of its 
test of the mid-range missile interception [technology] is related 
to Washington's recent decision to sell Taiwan the Patriot missile 
system.  Given Beijing's line of thinking, this may be true, but 
[the protest against U.S. arms sales to Taiwan] may just be a 
supplementary effect.  Beijing's fundamental idea was to use the 
global discussion of the anti-ballistic missiles to start a dialogue 
with the United States.  In terms of economic issues, it is evident 
that the economic strengths of China and the United States are 
coming closer to each other.  At least in the eyes of the world, it 
recognizes that China is a strong economic power.  But when it comes 
to major military security issues, China has received far less 
'respect' from Washington than the respect Russia gets from the 
United States; the gap gets even wider particularly when it comes to 
the sphere of space [technology].  Beijing launched an 
anti-satellite missile test in January, 2007, and that was a sign 
foreshadowing China's eagerness to seek to have an equal dialogue 
with the United States, or it will never be regarded as a real 
strong power if it only has economic strength but no military power. 
 It is foreseeable that Beijing will conduct more and more similar 
military tests in the future, until the United States recognizes 
Beijing as its real rival." 
 
B) "Having Possessed Spears, China Also Wants to Acquire Shields" 
 
Alexander Huang from the Graduate Institute of International Affairs 
and Strategic Studies, Tamkang University, opined in the 
China-focused "Want Daily" [circulation: 10,000] (1/15): 
 
"... China has successfully launched the test of its 'ground-based 
mid-range missile interception technology' this week, ... which 
showed that Beijing has made strides in its missile precision and 
space weapon technology.  Moreover, it is a declaration to the 
international community that China, by holding the spear in one hand 
and the shield in another, has the grand ambition to possess both 
offensive and defensive capabilities." 
 
C) "Taiwan Is Not Beijing 'Finlandized'" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (1/15): 
 
"... Washington was peeved by the current beef war across the 
Pacific.  It decided to defer negotiations for a trade and 
investment framework agreement with Taipei in retaliation for Taiwan 
banning American ground beef and offal, but the trade conflict, 
according to the U.S. State Department, does not affect the sales of 
Patriot III ground-to-air missiles which Beijing strongly opposed. 
President Ma has put in place a diplomatic truce between Taiwan and 
China.  It isn't the same as Finlandization.  Taipei is cautious not 
to offend Beijing on purpose.  However, it doesn't servilely cater 
to Beijing's every whim in the conviction that its people want above 
everything their country's dignity as a sovereign state called the 
 
Republic of China.  Remember why the people are against the American 
beef imports?  Though mistakenly, they are calling a referendum to 
revoke the beef protocol in order just to show their country isn't a 
client state Uncle Sam can twist around his little finger. ..." 
 
STANTON