Cablegate: Media Reaction: U.S. Arms Procurements, U.S.-

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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 003967

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ERIC
BARBORIAK
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. ARMS PROCUREMENTS, U.S.-
CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS

1. Summary: Major Chinese-language Taipei dailies
centered their coverage September 27 on the suicide of
a well-known local psychiatrist; the controversy
sparked by President Chen Shui-bian's proposed "Jung
Pang" project (to set up a US$250 million fund for
financing development in Central America); the
filibustering expected in the Legislative Yuan session
today during the scheduled vote on the National
Communications Committee bill and the Cross-Strait
Peace Promotion bill; and independent Legislator Li
Ao's speech delivered at Fudan University in Shanghai.
All the Chinese-language newspapers ran a full-page
advertisement placed by the Government Information
Office which urgently requested that KMT Chairman Ma
Ying-jeou revise the KMT version of the present
National Communications Commission bill. In terms of
the U.S. arms procurement bill, almost all Chinese-
language dailies carried in their inside pages news
stories on Taiwan's Minister of National Defense Lee
Jye's remarks that he hopes that the opposition parties
will "stop at an appropriate point" their blocking of
the U.S. arms procurement bill.

2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a
commentary in the pro-unification "United Daily News"
commented on the blocked U.S. arms procurement bill,
saying President Chen should not blame the pan-Blue
camp for the blocked deal but should be angry with the
United States for selling Taiwan weapons without really
treating Taiwan as a "nation." An editorial in the
limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification,
English-language "China Post," however, urged
Washington to put the arms deal on hold instead of
pressing for its passage because Taiwan should
"befriend" China rather than confront it with military
procurements. An editorial in the limited-circulation,
pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News"
discussed U.S. President George W. Bush's turning down
Chinese President Hu Jintao's recent proposal that
Washington "co-manage the Taiwan Strait" with China.
The article said "for all his lack of knowledge and
appreciation for the complexities of global politics,
Bush does understand that the real threat to peace and
stability across the Taiwan Strait comes from the PRC
itself." End summary.

1. U.S. Arms Procurements

A) "Who Has the Right to Feel Angry about the [U.S.]
Arms Procurements [Situation]?"

Journalist Ting Wan-ming said in the "United Notes"
column in the conservative, pro-unification "United
Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] (9/27):

". Of course Chen Shui-bian has the right to be angry
about the procrastination-hobbled U.S. arms procurement
bill. But what A-bian should really be angry about is
the fact that the United States treats Taiwan as a
generous spendthrift, selling us those weapons with
price tags twice or three times more expensive than
those found in the international market, making it
almost impossible for Taiwan to afford them. He should
be angry that Taiwan has no idea at all about what the
submarines it wants to buy will look like whereas
Washington is asking for an outrageous price for them.
He should also be angry that Uncle Sam treats Taiwan as
a `garbage recycling bin' by forcefully selling us
second-hand anti-submarine aircraft and while telling
us that they are new.

"A-bian should fume all the more about the fact that
Taiwan is defending U.S. strategic interests in the
Asia-Pacific region for Washington, while Uncle Sam is
unappreciative and said that the United States `cannot
help defend Taiwan' if Taiwan does not defend itself.
President Chen stopped over in the States, but he was
treated as if he were `contained' by the U.S.
government. He received a `Human Rights Award' from
the right-wing U.S. congressmen, but nonetheless, he
had to lay low and act submissive.

"A-bian should not blame the pan-Blue camp but should
blame the United States for selling us `used' weapons,
taking advantage of Taiwan for money, and promoting the
sale of armaments to Taiwan but refusing to treat the
island as a `nation.' The arms procurements list
created by the Americans is full of unreasonable price
tags and weaponry items, but A-bian not only dares not
to say a word to the United States; instead, he is
blaming some people in Taiwan. ."

B) "U.S. Ignoring Taiwan Vote?"

The conservative, pro-unification "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (9/27):

". While the Chen administration has slashed the arms
budget from the original US$18 billion to US$15 billion
and finally to US$11 billion, the legislature's
approval of it would be tantamount to overrule and
betrayal of the people's decision. In a civil society,
another referendum is required to overturn the result
of a previous one. It is doubtful that either the Chen
administration, the opposition, or the U.S., is ready
for that. .

"Since Taiwan's democratic transfer of power from an
anti-independence government to an anti-China one, the
island's strategic status has drastically changed, from
being an unsinkable anti-communist aircraft-carrier to
an anti-China frontline provocateur. The island would
be the first casualty in a China-U.S. war.

"Taiwan's best way out is befriend the giant neighbor,
not confront it militarily. This is also the best
policy for the world's sole superpower to cope with a
potential competitor. Supporting Taiwan independence
is the only cause that could prompt China to wage war.

"Washington should put the arms deal on hold instead of
pressing it through."

2. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations

"Chen's PRC Gambit Echoes U.S. Stance"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News"
[circulation: 20,000] editorialized (9/27):

"The announcement by President Chen Shui-bian in Miami
September 22 that he was willing to hold `rational
dialogue' with People's Republic of China State
Chairman Hu Jintao `without any preconditions'
signified another in a series of goodwill gestures by
the Democratic Progressive Party administration.

"With this announcement, the president set aside his
previous insistence that a Chen-Hu meeting should take
place in the PRC itself, but, as noted by U.S.
officials, the phrase `no preconditions' also indicates
that both sides, including Beijing's Chinese Communist
Party regime, should not set preconditions.

"Hence, President Chen also signaled clearly that his
DPP administration would not accept the PRC regime's
precondition that the Taiwan government must accept
Beijing's `one-China' principle, which defines Taiwan
as part of `China,' before any official cross-strait
talks can take place. .

"Preoccupied with the physical disaster of Hurricane
Katrina and the severe political damage caused by the
poor performance of the federal government in disaster
response and relief, Bush paid relatively little
attention to the summit with Hu. . Hu also inserted a
stunning proposal for Washington to `join the Chinese
side in safeguarding peace and stability across the
Taiwan Strait, and opposing so-called Taiwan
independence.' Despite the shower of apparent goodwill
gestures by the PRC state chairman, Bush did not
directly reply to Hu's proposal for `co-management' of
the Taiwan Strait. .

"The reason for Bush's reluctance to endorse Hu's `co-
management' proposal was quite clear. For all his lack
of knowledge and appreciation for the complexities of
global politics, Bush does understand that the real
threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait
comes from the PRC itself. .

". [T]he notion floated by Hu of the so-called `co-
management' of the Taiwan Strait by the U.S. and China
was extremely unrealistic and received the treatment it
deserved. Bush simply ignored it. Instead, Bush
directly told Hu that Beijing should not bypass
Taiwan's governing Democratic Progressive Party and
only engage in talks with the opposition pan-blue camp.
Bush's repeated calls on Hu to open talks with Taiwan's
democratically elected government confirms that the
relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. has improved
considerably since the tensions before the March 2004
presidential election. ."

KEEGAN

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