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Cablegate: Media Reaction: U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

010910Z Aug 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003198

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.-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS


1. Summary: The major Chinese-language Taipei dailies,
in addition to covering local politics July 30-August
1, also carried extensive coverage of the Japan-Taiwan
fishery talks, the aftermath of China's announcement
regarding duty-free entry of Taiwan fruit, the outbreak
of melioidosis in southern Taiwan, and a fire on a
Taiwan ferry in southern Taiwan that killed four local
people. With regard to U.S.-China-Taiwan relations,
the pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" carried a news
story on its page two July 31 that was topped with the
headline: "John Tkacik criticized the Pan-Blue alliance
for acting in favor of China and opposing the arms
procurement [budget]." The newspaper also ran an
editorial supporting Tkacik's remarks and cautioned
U.S. officials stationed in Taiwan to pragmatically
observe Taiwan's public opinion and not hold any
unrealistic expectations about the Pan-Blue alliance.
An editorial of the limited-circulation, conservative,
pro-unification "China Post," on the other hand,
criticized President Chen Shui-bian for showing no
desire at all to talk with Beijing, regardless of the
calls by some western leaders. The "Taiwan Daily" ran
another editorial during this time period that
contrasted the Irish Republican Army's announcement
that it would renounce violence with China's
continuation of warmongering behavior. The editorial
said only when Beijing really renounces the use of
force to resolve the "Taiwan issue" can both sides of
the Taiwan Strait live in peace. End summary.

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A) "U.S. Think Tank Scholars Have Seen Through the Pan-
Blue Political Parties' Deviant Behaviors of `Joining
Hands with China to Restrain Taiwan and Oppose the
United States'"

The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation:
150,000] commented in an editorial (8/1):

"John J. Tkacik, Jr., senior research fellow at the
`Heritage Foundation,' a renowned U.S. think tank, was
recently invited to testify before the U.S. House of
Representatives. During his testimony, Tkacik
criticized members of the Pan-Blue alliance in Taiwan
for acting in favor of China and for deliberately
blocking the arms procurement budget, and he suggested
that the U.S. government cut ties with the pro-China
Pan-Blue people in Taiwan. .

"Pan-Blue political party leaders do not have to wait
until they hear questions or criticism from the U.S.
think tank scholars to realize that the Chinese
government in Beijing is by no means a friendly or
lovable country to Taiwan. They should also understand
that a country that has aimed hundreds of missiles at
Taiwan has already turned cross-Strait ties to a
hostile state. The Pan-Blue political parties in
Taiwan, in addition, have shown no intention at all to
hide their attempt to `join hands with China to oppose
the Untied States so as to restrain Taiwan' and have
tried to lock Taiwan into the cage of `one China' by
advocating the `both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait, one
China' doctrine. Such acts and intentions of Pan-Blue
members are naturally viewed by U.S. think tank
scholars, who believe in democracy, as some sort of
deviant behavior that they can neither understand nor
forgive.

"No people of a democratic country that implements
party politics will tolerate [having] the opposition
parties in their country oppose their country's ideals
and act in favor of the country's enemy. . The Pan-Blue
parties are already scorned by those Taiwan people with
a Taiwan-centered consciousness; how do they dare to
think that they are entitled to seek support from
democratic countries like the United States? The U.S.
officials stationed in Taiwan should also pragmatically
observe and understand Taiwan's public opinion and
should no longer hold any unrealistic expectations
about members of the pro-China Pan-Blue alliance. ."

B) "President Chen: A Minster No"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language
"China Post" [circulation: 30,000] noted in an
editorial (8/1):

"Western leaders never tire of urging Beijing to talk
to Taipei. Condoleezza Rice, U.S. secretary of state
did so again earlier last month. Jose Manuel Barroso,
new president of the European Commission, followed suit
a little later when he met Chinese President Hu Jintao
in Beijing. They want Hu to start dialogue with
President Chen Shui-bian. They should save their
breath, because Chen is a Mister No, albeit he, as an
able defense lawyer, never says an outright `no' to
anybody, who disagrees with him. .

"We are sure that Washington by now knows full well
President Chen does not want any government dialogue
between Taipei and Beijing. If the United States were
truly interested in such dialogue, which would be in
the interests of all concerned, more pressure - truly
very hard pressure - should be brought to bear on
President Chen. In fact, Washington is capable of
compelling him to go along.

"Friendly persuasion will never work to make President
Chen agree to talk with his Chinese opposite number
[sic]. And the United States should stop calling
Beijing to start talking with the `elected government'
in Taipei and start tightening subtle screws on
President Chen to accept the consensus of 1992."

C) "The Irish Republican Army Could Replace Military
Action With Political Negotiations, Why Can't China? -
Not Until the Beijing Government Really Abandons the
Use of Force to Settle the So-Called `Taiwan Problem,'
Can Reciprocal Peace and Coexistence Be Created Through
Equal Political Negotiations across the Taiwan Strait."

The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation:
150,000] editorialized (7/30):
"The Irish Republican Army (IRA) made a major
announcement yesterday . [It] said it will end the
armed campaign, and ordered its members dump their
weapons, cease all military operations, and seek the
independent status of North Ireland through peaceful
means. .
"If the Chinese authorities really cannot understand
[the situation], nor follow the major trend in the
international community, i.e. to adopt peaceful
coexistence in place of military attacks, then it
proves that the Chinese government is composed of
another sort of force-loving terrorism. Taiwan, the
United States, Japan, and other democratic countries
should closely examine the militant essence of the
Chinese authorities in order to be prepared; the Taiwan
people should clearly understand the militant essence
of the Chinese authorities in order to get rid of
China's military threat."


PAAL

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