Cablegate: Prc Protests a/S Hill's Planned Meeting with Taiwan Vice

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P 242352Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3375
INFO RUEHMJ/AMEMBASSY MAJURO 0606
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RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SUVA 000452

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV CH TW FJ
SUBJECT: PRC PROTESTS A/S HILL'S PLANNED MEETING WITH TAIWAN VICE
FOREIGN MINISTER IN FIJI

Ref. Beijing 22496

1. (SBU) Summary: China pressed on U.S. diplomats at the Pacific
Islands Forum (PIF) summit in Nadi, Fiji, to cancel an informal
encounter between Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill and Taiwan
Vice Foreign Minister Chang Siao-Yue. Beijing's new special envoy
for PIF affairs, Ambassador Wang Yongqui, requested a meeting with
ANP Office Director Steven McGann to argue that a Hill-Chang meeting
was too high-level to be regarded as "informal" and could have
negative consequences for U.S.-China relations. He obliquely warned
that the meeting could somehow impact on U.S.-China efforts to deal
with the North Korea situation. McGann noted to Wang that the Forum
and not the United States had invited Taiwan to Nadi, based on its
role as a donor nation in the Pacific. McGann said the encounter
would be in line with other such occasional meetings with Taiwan
officials in informal settings, consistent with standing U.S.
practices and policies, of which China is well aware. He dismissed
any possible linkage to the North Korea issues. Chinese Ambassador
to Fiji, Cai Jinbiao, also spoke to Ambassador Dinger by phone,
pushing the same points. End summary.

2. (SBU) In a hurriedly arranged meeting October 25 in Nadi,
Ambassador Wang met with ANP's McGann to deliver a demarche calling
on Assistant Secretary Hill not to go ahead with a meeting with Vice
Minister Chang, due to arrive the evening of the 25th in Nadi. Wang
said the Chinese MFA's DG for U.S. and North American Affairs had
directed him to deliver the demarche. He said the MFA would also
approach the U.S. Embassy in Beijing on the matter (reftel). Wang
highlighted common U.S. and Chinese interests in the Pacific, and
accused Taiwan of using its aid to corrupt governments in the
region. He noted recent improvements in international cooperation
on "Taiwan Straits" matters and urged the United States not to meet
with Taiwan officials at the summit, as this would "confuse" other
nations as to the U.S. position and would support the Taiwan
government's efforts to legitimize its policies. Wang insisted that
a meeting with an official of Hill's stature is too high-level to be
seen as "informal."

3. (SBU) McGann emphasized to Wang that any encounter with
representatives of Taiwan would be in keeping with the longstanding
USG policies of One China, the Three Communiqus and the Taiwan
Relations Act. Beijing is aware that U.S. officials occasionally
meet with representatives of Taiwan in informal situations, and the
meeting in Nadi would be of this character. The United States would
not discuss or mention the meeting to other delegates. Taiwan is
present because the PIF secretariat had invited it as a significant
donor, McGann said. He added that China and the United States have
a common interest in donor coordination, good governance and the
rule of law in the Pacific. The United States, he said, has no wish
to be in the middle of competition between China and Taiwan in
wooing Pacific Island States. He told Wang that the meeting with
Chang would go ahead. He encouraged China not to focus on the Chang
meeting, but instead to recognize the far greater significance of
the U.S. invitation for China to attend a U.S.-hosted meeting of
"Core Donor Partners" planned for October 26 in Nadi. The meeting
will bring together representatives of China, Japan, Korea, the EU,
the UK, Australia, New Zealand and France.

4. (SBU) Just prior to the McGann-Wang meeting, Chinese Ambassador
to Fiji Cai phoned Ambassador Dinger on the issue and made the same
plea that Hill not meet with Chang. The Ambassador drew on talking
points provided by Washington in responding.

Dinger

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