Cablegate: Media Reaction: Cross-Strait Relations

VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0540 1090746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180746Z APR 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8716
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8174
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 9412

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000540

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: CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS

Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage April 18 on the alleged power struggle in President-elect
Ma Ying-jeou's team; on the idea of relocating the Presidential
Office; and on the row between the Chinese government and CNN. In
terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the
pro-independence "Liberty Times" tried to remind the Taiwan people
of China's bullying by citing the example of China's suppression of
freedom of the press and the Chinese government's recent move for
inflaming patriotism in China. End summary.

"Does It Mean that the Taiwan People Have to Grin and Bear It?"

The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 720,000]
editorialized (4/18):

"In recent years, China always claims publicly that it wants a
peaceful rise and the establishment of a harmonious world. In other
words, [China] seemingly is ready to accept the norm of civilization
and enter the big family of international human rights. But in fact
we can always easily tell from China's behavior that the so-called
peaceful rise is actually a malicious rise. [China's] so-called a
harmonious world is based on the prerequisite that the international
community has to yield to China's standards. ...

"China's official and people's national sentiments can ignite just
by a slight inflammation, and Taiwan should take warning from this.
At the moment, some people lay the future of Taiwan's economy on
China, including the opening of direct flights across the Taiwan
Strait, allowing Chinese capital to flow to Taiwan, opening up
[Taiwan] to Chinese tourists, allowing conversion between the New
Taiwan dollar and the Chinese yuan, and promoting a cross-Strait
common market. However, as described before, if [Taiwan] walks this
road, once China's officials and people are discontented with
Taiwan, they can oppress Taiwan into yielding to China's threats by
using methods such as 'boycotting Taiwan products' or 'prohibiting
travel to Taiwan.' For example, in order to attract Chinese
tourists, [Taiwan's] tourism industry will greatly increase the
construction of tourism facilities for them. Not only will tourists
from developed countries such as Europe, the United States and Japan
be crowded out, but our government will definitely also be forced to
take China's blackmail when facing pressure from tourism industry
people if China prohibits Chinese tourists from visiting Taiwan.
Shouldn't those people who keep saying 'rely on China' day and night
think about the possible consequences in the first place?"

YOUNG

© Scoop Media