Cablegate: Media Reaction: The Dpp's "Normal Country Resolution"

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DE RUEHIN #2205 2700848
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270848Z SEP 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6944
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7299
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8566

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002205

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: THE DPP'S "NORMAL COUNTRY RESOLUTION"

1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage September 27 on the police crackdown of peaceful
anti-government protesters in Yangon, Myanmar Wednesday; on the
DPP's controversial "normal country resolution;" and on DPP Chairman
Yu Shyi-kun's announcement of his resignation today. Several major
Chinese-language papers also reported on their inside pages AIT
Taipei Director Stephen Young's meeting with Legislative Speaker
Wang Jin-pyng Wednesday, in which Young told Wang that Washington
will give neither a price quote nor a letter of consent by the end
of October for the 60 F-16C/D fighter jets that Taiwan intends to
buy.

2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the
centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" criticized the DPP for playing
the word game with regard to the phrasing in the party's "normal
country resolution." An op-ed in the pro-independence,
English-language "Taipei Times," however, urged the DPP to include
the words "correcting the nation's official title to Taiwan" in its
"normal country resolution." End summary.

A) "How Many Times More Is [Taiwan] Going to Play Such a Word Game
as in the '[Normal County] Resolution?'"

The centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 400,000]
editorialized (9/27):

"... The debut of 'Bian's version of the [normal country]
resolution,' if judged from a positive perspective, can be viewed as
[a result created by] Chen Shui-bian, who has finally sensed
pressure from the international community and decided pragmatically
to adjust all the rallies [he has mobilized] calling for rectifying
Taiwan's name, and restrict them for domestic consumption only. In
other words, [Chen] has set the tone for the DPP's campaigning for
the 2008 presidential election, which will focus on the UN
referendum and will not involve the writing of a new constitution
and changing the island's national name.

"Regardless of the question of whether such an adjustment will be
able to convince the United States, what really matters is whether
[the resolution] will be able to convince the middle-of-the-road
voters in Taiwan, who have tried to put up with the DPP's
ideological governance style for more than seven years. When will
the DPP, which has been established for 21 years and become the
ruling party for over seven years, be willing to stop doing so? ..."

B) "Resolution Must Include 'Taiwan'"

Cao Changqing, a Chinese free-lance political commentator based in
the U.S., opined in the pro-independence "Taipei Times"
[circulation: 30,000] (9/27):

"... The name 'Taiwan' is the DPP's trump card. Dropping this card
and following Ma toward the center would be a mistake in the
principle as well as in strategy. Playing the 'Taiwan' card can not
only consolidate the pan-green camp, but also build support for the
DPP. Statistics from the Government Information Office show there
have been more than 1,600 reports published by the international
media reflecting the Taiwanese government's active UN bid this year.
This figure is four to eight time more than in past years. ...

"Clearly, only if Taiwanese speak up and reveal the truth will they
be able to elicit sincere support. ... At the same time, all DPP
supporters should advocate the inclusion of the words 'correcting
the nation's official tile to Taiwan' in the 'normal country
resolution.' History is in the making."

YOUNG

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