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### Viewing cable 06AITTAIPEI3379, MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN'S COMMENTS ON CONSTITUTIONAL

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06AITTAIPEI3379 | 2006-09-29 09:00 | 2011-08-23 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | American Institute Taiwan, Taipei

`

    VZCZCXYZ0006
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHIN #3379/01 2720900
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 290900Z SEP 06
    FM AIT TAIPEI
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2394
    INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5716
    RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6932

` `

    UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003379

    SIPDIS

    DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN
    DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A

    TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
    SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN'S COMMENTS ON CONSTITUTIONAL
    REFORM, NEW JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER ABE

    ¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave
    significant coverage September 29 to New York Yankees pitcher
    Chien-ming Wang who broke the Major League "Asian" record by with
    his 19th win in New York's Yankee Stadium Thursday.  News coverage
    also focused on the twentieth anniversary of the DPP's founding; on
    the follow-on movements of former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh's
    campaign to oust President Chen Shui-bian; and on a fugitive arms
    broker indicted for his alleged role in a kickback scandal in the
    purchase of Lafayette-class frigates from France.  The
    pro-unification "United Daily News" ran a banner headline on page
    three that read "Bian: Taiwan, China Are Two Completely Different
    Countries."  In addition, both the "United Daily News" and
    pro-status quo "China Times" on inside pages carried remarks by an
    unnamed senior U.S. official who was quoted as saying that President
    Chen knows where the red line lies, so the Bian Administration had
    better not play the game of "lawyer's language."

    ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the
    pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's largest-circulation
    daily, said it requires wisdom and efforts to handle Taiwan's
    territorial issue through constitutional reforms.  The "Black and
    White" column in the "United Daily News" criticized President Chen's
    recent constitutional reform proposal, saying that Chen has maxed
    out all his credibility with regard to Taiwan's relations with the
    United States.  An editorial in the limited-circulation,
    pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News," on the other hand,
    discussed Japan's new Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, saying Abe is sure
    to play a role in the Taiwan Strait.  End summary.

    ¶3. President Chen's Comments on Constitutional Reform

    A) "It Requires Wisdom and Effort to Handle the Territorial Issue
    via Constitutional Reform"

    The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000]
    editorialized (9/29):

    "... What President Chen and the DPP have been generally criticized
    for over the past few years is that they have not tried their best
    to push the engineering that would make Taiwan a normal country,
    such as the rectification of Taiwan's name and the writing of a new
    constitution.  They have claimed that 'There is just no way we can
    do it,' a statement that has greatly disappointed those who are
    concerned about Taiwan's future.  But whenever there are elections
    or when they are facing a difficult situation, Chen and the DPP
    become radical and consequently trigger warnings from the United
    States and China about not crossing the red line, a development that
    helps nothing but creates trouble for the engineering of Taiwan to
    be a normal country.

    "The constitutional reform issue brought up by President Chen on
    territorial definition is a topic none of the 23 million Taiwan
    people can avoid.  But we are aware that, given the current reality,
    the chances are slim for the proposal to be passed.  Nonetheless, we
    will never accomplish our goal if we never try.  Since Chen is
    determined to do so, he should get rid of the myth that westbound
    [i.e., China-bound] policies will increase the island's
    competitiveness, strengthen the Taiwan-centered awareness through
    education, resolve ethnic conflicts and concentrate the people's
    attention on national identity.  In the meantime, we should explain
    [our position] in detail to the international community to seek
    international support and smoothly accomplish Taiwan's goal of
    becoming a normal country."

    B) "Bian Alone Has Maxed out Taiwan Independence"

    The "Black and White" column in the pro-unification "United Daily
    News" [circulation: 400,000] commented (9/29):

    "Chen Shui-bian was again attempting to use remarks about 'Taiwan's
    new constitution' to fool the pro-independence activists.  But his
    remarks regarding territorial redefinition immediately drew a
    serious reaction from the U.S. State Department, which, in return,
    demanded Bian fulfill the 'pledge he himself has repeatedly made'
    and not let Taiwan's 'constitutional reforms touch on territorial
    definition.'  The strict attitude of the United States indicated
    that Washington is at the end of its patience with Bian. ...

    "Given Washington's profound understanding of Taiwan's political
    situation, how can it not know that Bian's remarks in effect
    rewriting the constitution were nothing but a political show [for
    domestic consumption] on the island?  But the United States insisted
    on sticking to Bian's pledge of not altering the status quo in the
    Taiwan Strait, adding a statement saying whether Bian is able to
    fulfill his promise is closely related to 'whether he is capable of
    leading and protecting Taiwan's interests.'  The United States is
    obviously telling Bian:  If you violate your promise, you don't have
    the capability to protect Taiwan's interests, and you have lost the

    legitimacy to lead Taiwan; in other words, you should step down!

    "Bian just briefly mentioned 'giving consideration to' territorial
    change, yet the United States gave such a severe warning.
    [Washington's reaction] indicated that Bian has indeed maxed out his
    credibility with regard to Taiwan's relations with the United
    States, and Washington decided not to leave him any leeway.  The
    resources for Taiwan independence that have been accumulated for so
    many years have been maxed out by Chen alone, otherwise the Bush
    Administration, which has more or less listened to and understood
    the Taiwan independence discourse, would not be lecturing Bian so
    harshly on his political show to the independence activists!"

    ¶4. New Japanese Prime Minister Abe

    "Abe Will Ensure Role in Taiwan Strait"

    The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
    20,000] editorialized (9/29):

    "... The common foundations of similar values of democracy and
    freedom, combined with greater concern over China's increasingly
    assertive military and diplomatic position, have helped spur a
    perceptible enhancement of relations between Japan and Taiwan during
    the past five years.  The inclusion of several members of the Diet's
    Japan-Taiwan club in the new cabinet naturally indicates that the
    trend toward deepening Taipei-Tokyo ties is bound to continue under
    Abe. ...  Finally, in considering the Taiwan Strait's dispute, we
    must understand that the traditional 'U.S., China and Taiwan
    triangle' cannot cope with the current strategic situation in the
    Taiwan Strait.

    "Thanks to its own diplomatic efforts and the U.S.-Japan Security
    Alliance, Japan will inevitably play a role which cannot be ignored
    in future developments in the Taiwan Strait.  If Taiwan remains so
    obsessed with the fear of offending Beijing and it is willing to
    sacrifice relations with the U.S. and Japan and put all of the hopes
    for Taiwan's economic prosperity and security on China, as Ma has
    hinted the KMT is willing to do, the result may well be a huge
    strategic disaster for the Taiwan people and for Tokyo and
    Washington.  Certainly, Abe is unlikely to be eager to see such a
    denouement.

    WANG

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