Cablegate: Media Reaction: U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations, Haiti, Google

VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0077/01 0190954
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190954Z JAN 10
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3146
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9631
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 1015

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000077

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - THOMAS HAMM
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

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

1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage January 16-19 on the Legislative Yuan's passage of a
disputed amendment to the Local Government Act on Monday amid
fistfights between ruling KMT and opposition DPP legislators; on the
devastating situation in Haiti in the wake of a major earthquake
last Tuesday; and on developments in cross-Strait relations.

2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the
China-focused "Want Daily" discussed Beijing's harsh criticism of
U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The article urged both sides of the
Taiwan Strait to put aside their dispute over U.S. arms sales to
Taiwan, saying that a Taiwan with a moderate degree of military
strength actually serves the interests of the Chinese nation. An
op-ed in the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times,"
written by former AIT Chairman Nat Bellocchi, discussed an article
recently published by U.S. scholar Bruce Gillery on Taiwan being
"Finlandized." The article argued that Gillery's viewpoint was
wrong and urged the United States to "pursue a policy of stronger
engagement with Taiwan by helping the country defend itself against
a belligerent neighbor. ..." A column in the pro-unification
"United Daily News" discussed the U.S. role in Haiti and said the
United States' generosity is incomparable and yet its brute force
also makes people speechless. An editorial in the pro-independence,
English-language "Taipei Times" praised Google's threat to quit
China, saying the company is "taking a stand for the liberties that
the great majority of human beings cherish and aspire to."

3. U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations

A) "Maintaining Taiwan's Military Strength Serves the Interests of
the Chinese Nation -- Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait Should Put
aside Their Dispute over [U.S.] Arms Sales [to Taiwan]"

The China-focused "Want Daily" [circulation: 10,000] editorialized
(1/18):

"... Given the rise of China's synthesized national strength in
economics, politics and armed forces, it will be unlikely for Taiwan
to become a threat [to China] no matter how many modernized weapons
are introduced to Taiwan or how advanced these weapons are. On the
contrary, a moderate security defense capability will increase
Taiwan's confidence in the conciliatory process across the Taiwan
Strait, which will surely contribute to peace and stability in the
Taiwan Strait.

"Moreover, Taiwan with a certain degree of military strength will be
conducive to defending the territory near the Nansha Islands,
protecting the fishing boats [in the areas], fighting terrorists and
smugglers and blocking pirates in the West Pacific. Also, countries
such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Japan will not underestimate
Taiwan's military strength and seek to provoke the island. These
all help to serve the interests of the Chinese nation. Judging from
this perspective, Beijing's dogged opposition to U.S. arms sales to
Taiwan will not only affect Taiwan's willingness to talk with
mainland China, but will also make the 23 million people of Taiwan
mistakenly believe that Beijing hopes to disarm the island first and
force it to yield or surrender. Therefore, we believe that when it
comes to [U.S.] arms sales to Taiwan, Beijing really needs to slow
down its pace, or it will affect the normal development of
cross-Strait relations. ..."

B) "Gillery's 'Finlandization' Is Wrong"

Nat Bellocchi, former chairman of AIT and now a special adviser to
the Liberty Times Group, opined in the pro-independence,
English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] (1/18):

"... On this point he [i.e. Bruce Gillery] is correct: Taiwan has
tremendous strategic importance, not only for Japan and South Korea,
but also for US interests in the East Asia and Pacific region. And
this is precisely the reason why it was most wise for the US to
stand by Taiwan in recently offering it anti-missile technology.
From the perspective of the Taiwanese, a drift in China's direction
would mean a loss of the freedom and democracy they worked so hard
to achieve. US credibility around the world -- and particularly in
East Asia -- does depend on its adherence to the basic principles
for which we stand. Allowing a free and democratic Taiwan to slide
into the sphere of influence of an authoritarian China is not
acceptable.

Thus, instead of 'Finlandization' of Taiwan, the US should pursue a
policy of stronger engagement with Taiwan by helping the country
defend itself against a belligerent neighbor, and by signing a
free-trade agreement to strengthen US economic and political ties
with that democratic nation. Only by bringing Taiwan into the
international family of nations, can real stability in East Asia be
achieved."

4. Haiti

"The United States in Haiti"

The "Black and White" column in the pro-unification "United Daily
News" [circulation: 400,000] wrote (1/19):

"... It is no news that the United States tends to lord it over
others. In particular, Haiti is located in the backyard of the
United States, so Washington's bossy attitude becomes all the more
evident. [U.S. President Barack] Obama pledged to provide an
initial 100 million U.S. dollars in aid to Haiti immediately after
the latter was hit by a devastating earthquake; [the United States']
generosity is incomparable. But the U.S. air force's actions were
akin to taking over control of Haiti's airport, and its brute force
also rendered people speechless. The worst thing is that [the U.S.
actions] have enraged France, and all Haiti can do is be a yes-man.
...

"Americans do not rely on its military forces or economic power
alone to reach its hands into other people's homes; its strong mass
media team also plays a role. ... It used to be China that has drawn
all kinds of criticism, because even the name of its country shows
clearly its mindset of being the 'center of the world.' But now it
looks like the United States is the one which regards itself as 'the
center of the world'!"

5. Google

"Google Can Do the Right Thing in China"

The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
30,000] editorialized (1/19);

"Google's announcement that it will stop restricting search results
on its Chinese platform -- a condition set when the Internet giant
entered the Chinese market in 2006 -- and the threat that it could
pull out of China altogether if Beijing continues to launch cyber
attacks for gathering information on human rights activists is a
praiseworthy development. It shows that even large corporations that
stand to make a fortune from the gigantic Chinese Internet market
can abide by their principles when the state overreaches. ... As
China rises and its leadership shows no sign of liberalizing, the
last thing we want to embrace is defeatism, believing that we can't
do anything about the impact this will have on our world. More than
ever, people are starting to realize that China's philosophy on
freedom of expression is threatening our way of life. Ask
Australians during the Melbourne International Film Festival, or
Taiwanese when newspaper editors are fired as a result of pressure
from Beijing. Google's decision is not capitulation. It is taking a
stand for the liberties that the great majority of human beings
cherish and aspire to. Let's hope others follow Google's lead."

STANTON

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