Cablegate: Media Reaction: U.S. And Anti-Secession Law,
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
180807Z Apr 05
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 001821
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/RSP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD -
ROBERT PALLADINO
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. AND ANTI-SECESSION LAW,
ANTI-JAPANESE PROTESTS IN CHINA
1. Summary: U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas
Burns' remarks before a Congressional hearing Thursday
that the United States has spoken out very vigorously
against the Anti-Secession Law have received wide
coverage in the major Taipei dailies April 16. Both
the centrist "China Times" and pro-unification "United
Daily News" carried the story on their front pages,
while the pro-independence "Liberty Times" and "Taiwan
Daily" printed the news on its third and second page,
respectively. "United Daily News" Washington
correspondent Vincent Chang commented in a news
analysis that a full month after the passage of the
Anti-Secession Law, Washington has for the first time
made a strong statement against the law and chosen to
stand by Taiwan. A "Taiwan Daily" editorial criticized
the Pan-Blue leaders' planned visits to China, saying
that even the United States, Japan and EU can see
clearly China's real intentions in passing the law but
the Pan-Blue Camp cannot.
2. Taipei dailies started to cover extensively the anti-
Japanese protests in China as the protests grew
increasingly intense over the weekend. The centrist
"China Times" ran a banner headline on its front page
April 17 that read: "Tokyo protests against the anti-
Japanese demonstrations in Shanghai." Almost all the
major Chinese-language newspapers in Taiwan printed on
their front pages Sunday the photos showing various
anti-Japanese protests in the major Chinese cities.
The pro-independence "United Daily News" reported
Monday on its front page that Beijing refuses to
apologize for its anti-Japanese protests across the
country. A "China Times" editorial cautioned leaders
in Northeast Asia not to manipulate nationalism, and
National Taiwan University Professor Yang Yung-ming
said during an interview with the pro-unification
"United Daily News" that Taiwan had better keep away
and not become a bargaining chip in the Sino-Japan
disputes. A limited-circulation, pro-unification
English-language "China Post" editorial urged both
China and Japan to start building mutual trust in order
to cool off the situation. End summary.
1. U.S. and Anti-Secession Law
A) "United States Stands by Taiwan's Side in the Seesaw
Battle with Regard to the Anti-Secession Law"
Washington correspondent Vincent Chang noted in the
centrist, pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation:
600,000] (4/16):
"It has been a whole month since Beijing passed its
Anti-Secession Law, and in the meantime, U.S. Under
Secretary of State Nicholas Burns has for the first
SIPDIS
time made the strongest statement that the U.S.
government had ever made over the past month saying
that `the United States has spoken out very vigorously
against the Anti-Secession Law.'
"Taiwan, which was requested by the United States not
to overreact to Beijing's passage of the law, was
finally able to get rid of its strong dissatisfaction
because Washington is finally willing to clearly state
its stand and choose to stand by Taiwan, at least in
the cross-Strait seesaw battle with regard to the Anti-
Secession Law. ."
B) "Even the International Community Can See through
China's Real Intention in Enacting the `Anti-Secession
Law,' But the Pan-Blue Camp Cannot?"
The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation:
150,000] editorialized (4/16):
". The U.S. decision-making officials' remarks and the
European Parliament's decision [not to lift its arms
embargo to China] have all proved that China has failed
in its attempt to clarify to the international
community regarding its passage of the `Anti-Secession
Law,' which was merely a move to cover up for its
intention to annex Taiwan. Even Chinese President Hu
Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao's remarks at China's
National People's Congress in early March that their
`determination to place hope in Taiwan's people would
remain unchanged' could not cover up the fact that the
passage of the Anti-Secession Law was an attempt to
unilaterally change the status quo, to stir up the
cross-Strait situation, to trigger tensions, and to
challenge the United States' determination to maintain
peace in the Asia-Pacific region. It is a real pity
that even the United States, Japan and EU can see
clearly China's real intentions in passing the Anti-
Secession Law, but the Pan-Blue Camp are still vying to
visit China. Isn't the Pan-Blue Camp's move another
way of endorsing China's `Anti-Secession Law? .'"
2. Anti-Japanese Protests in China
A) "Leaders of Countries in Northeast Asia Should Be
Careful When Manipulating Nationalism"
The centrist, pro-status quo "China Times"
[circulation: 600,000] editorialized (4/18):
"Over the past few days, situations inside every
country in Northeast Asia have been more or less
disturbed. . Although Taiwan also belongs to Northeast
Asia, it chose to remain silent in this wave of
disputes. Other than the quarrels caused by the Taiwan
Solidarity Union's recent visit to the Yasukuni Shrine,
Taiwan stood aside and watched the whole thing going on
without taking any action and even tried to keep itself
out of the trouble. But nonetheless, Taiwan should not
underestimate the consequent effects of this regional
storm.
"A closer look into the storm will find that the
situation is interchangeably formed by the friction of
several factors. Many problems have been there for
dozens of years but exploded together recently. What
lies behind this storm is the `nationalism' that is
easy to set off but hard to control. If leaders of
these countries are not willing to calm down but allow
the situation to spread, [we are afraid] that these
protests may result in unmanageable consequences. .
"The lesson that lies ahead of the leaders of the
countries in Northeast Asia is whether they want to
choose the approach of a global strategy, or that of a
nationalism that mobilizes its people when dealing with
intertwined history and conflicting interests. The
European Union represents the result of the former
approach. The EU countries have moved beyond
historical hatred and solved their problems through
negotiations and dialogues. If one wants to choose the
latter approach, the consequence will be that all
quarrels will be enlarged and turmoil will be created.
History books show again and again that the consequence
of a country mobilizing or even indulging the
mobilization of its nationalism will result in the rise
of nationalism in another country . If we just look at
this point, [we can say that] the recent situation in
Northeast Asia is very worrisome."
B) "Taiwan Should Not Become the Bargaining Chip in the
Confrontation between China and Japan"
National Taiwan University Department of Political
Science Professor Yang Yung-ming said in an interview
with the conservative, pro-unification "United Daily
news" [circulation: 600,000] (4/18):
". For the East Asian situation that is becoming more
and more tense, the attitude of the United States is
critical. Although the United States is constrained by
the situation in the Middle East, it has not forgotten
to manipulate the issue to allow Japan become its agent
in East Asia. After the war against Iraq, Japan
unconventionally sent its Self-Defense Forces to Iraq
to show allegiance to the United States.
"One thing that people should not ignore is that the
U.S.-China relationship has become potentially
confrontational. Under this situation, the United
States is adopting a counter-balance strategy in East
Asia, instead of a more traditional means of
containment.
"In other words, the major strategic thinking of the
United States is to demonstrate its ability to maintain
the status quo in East Asia via Japan and to further
constrain China. The U.S.-Japan two plus two
announcement and Japan's 2004 Defense White Paper have
both clearly demonstrated this kind of strategic
thinking. .
"Taiwan people should stand firm on the fundamental
grounds of universal values, human rights, and
democracy. They should also expend efforts on regional
stability and pursue Taiwan's highest interests. They
should avoid getting involved in any form of
confrontation between the rival groups or becoming an
advocate of either side. Taiwan should not act either
haughtily or humbly, but should be firm on the attitude
of being a `human being' and a member of Asia and
should not be influenced by nationalism of neither
side. ."
C) "Tensions Mount in East China Sea"
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language
"China Post" [circulation: 30,000] said in an editorial
(4/16):
".The drilling-rights dispute [between Japan and China]
is the beginning of a storm in the East China Sea. The
two countries have conflicting interests regionally and
internationally. China views Japan with suspicion and
distrust, if not hostility. The two countries have
fought two wars in recent history. Today, they are
competing for dominance in Asia. The rivalry may lead
to war if the leaders of both sides fail to see the
danger looming large and allow the situation to get out
of control.
"To cool off the situation, Beijing should rein in the
anti-Japanese protests, even if they were
`spontaneous.' The regime has the responsibility to
protect innocent Japanese nationals. On the other
hand, Tokyo should be sensitive to the feelings of
those victimized by imperialistic Japan and stop doing
things that will rub salt into the wounds, such as
Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro's
controversial visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, or the
distortion of history to whitewash its war-time
atrocities. Both sides should start building mutual
trust, however difficult it may be."
PAAL