Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 25416 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden 00. Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Jordan Yemen Thailand

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04 2011/05 2011/06 2011/07 2011/08
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26 2011/04/27 2011/04/28 2011/04/29 2011/04/30
2011/05/01 2011/05/02 2011/05/03 2011/05/04 2011/05/05 2011/05/06 2011/05/07 2011/05/08 2011/05/09 2011/05/10 2011/05/11 2011/05/12 2011/05/13 2011/05/14 2011/05/15 2011/05/16 2011/05/17 2011/05/18 2011/05/19 2011/05/20 2011/05/21 2011/05/22 2011/05/23 2011/05/24 2011/05/25 2011/05/26 2011/05/27 2011/05/28 2011/05/29 2011/05/30 2011/05/31
2011/06/01 2011/06/02 2011/06/03 2011/06/04 2011/06/05 2011/06/06 2011/06/07 2011/06/08 2011/06/09 2011/06/10 2011/06/11 2011/06/12 2011/06/13 2011/06/14 2011/06/15 2011/06/16 2011/06/17 2011/06/18 2011/06/19 2011/06/20 2011/06/21 2011/06/22 2011/06/23 2011/06/24 2011/06/25 2011/06/26 2011/06/27 2011/06/28 2011/06/29 2011/06/30
2011/07/01 2011/07/02 2011/07/04 2011/07/05 2011/07/06 2011/07/07 2011/07/08 2011/07/10 2011/07/11 2011/07/12 2011/07/13 2011/07/14 2011/07/15 2011/07/16 2011/07/17 2011/07/18 2011/07/19 2011/07/20 2011/07/21 2011/07/22 2011/07/23 2011/07/25 2011/07/27 2011/07/28 2011/07/29 2011/07/31
2011/08/01 2011/08/02 2011/08/03 2011/08/05 2011/08/06 2011/08/07 2011/08/08 2011/08/09 2011/08/10 2011/08/11 2011/08/12 2011/08/13 2011/08/15 2011/08/16 2011/08/17 2011/08/18 2011/08/19 2011/08/21 2011/08/22 2011/08/23

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03 1985/05 1985/06
1986/05 1986/08 1986/12
1987/06
1988/01 1988/03 1988/04 1988/07 1988/08 1988/09 1988/12
1989/01 1989/06 1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05 1991/06 1991/07 1991/11
1992/01 1992/03 1992/06 1992/09 1992/11 1992/12
1993/01 1993/02 1993/04 1993/10 1993/12
1994/05 1994/11 1994/12
1995/01 1995/04 1995/06 1995/11
1996/07 1996/08 1996/09 1996/11
1997/02 1997/03 1997/05 1997/06 1997/08 1997/10 1997/11 1997/12
1998/05 1998/12
1999/01 1999/09 1999/12
2000/04 2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11 2000/12
2001/02 2001/03 2001/04 2001/05 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11 2001/12
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/06 2002/07 2002/08 2002/09 2002/11 2002/12
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Apia Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Auckland Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Alexandria Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belmopan Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Belfast Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chiang Mai Consulate Chennai Consulate Chengdu Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dili Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai Consulate Dhahran
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guangzhou Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hong Kong Consulate Ho Chi Minh City Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamilton Consulate Hamburg Consulate Halifax
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Izmir Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kingston Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata Consulate Karachi
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy Libreville Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Mission Geneva Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maseru Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne Consulate Matamoros
Embassy Nouakchott Embassy Nicosia Embassy Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Nuevo Laredo Consulate Naples Consulate Naha Consulate Nagoya
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito Consulate Quebec
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Suva Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sapporo Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Toronto Consulate Tijuana Consulate Thessaloniki
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE UN Rome Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vientiane Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok Consulate Vancouver
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ASEC AEMR AMGT AR APECO AU AORC AJ AF AFIN AS AM ABLD AFFAIRS AMB APER AA AE ADM ACOA AID ASEAN AMED AORG APEC AY AL AGOA ATRN AG ALOW AND ADB ABUD ASPA ADPM ADANA AFSI ARABL ADCO AFSN ACABQ AO ANARCHISTS AZ ANET AMEDCASCKFLO AADP AGRICULTURE AINT ARR ARF AINF APRC AFSA AX AINR AODE APCS AROC AGAO ASUP AIT ARCH AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL AMEX ARM AQ ATFN AMBASSADOR ARAS ACBAQ AC AOPR AREP ASIG ASEX ASCE AER AGR AVERY ASCH AEMRS AFU AMG ATPDEA ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AORL AN AGMT ACS AMCHAMS AECL AUC AFGHANISTAN ACAO
BR BB BG BEXP BY BA BRUSSELS BU BD BK BL BE BMGT BO BTIO BX BC BH BM BN BAIO BUSH BRPA BILAT BF BOEHNER BOL BIDEN BP BURNS BBG BBSR BT BWC BEXPC BTIU
CPAS CA CASC CS CBW CIDA CO CODEL CI CROS CU CH CWC CMGT CVIS CDG CG CF CHIEF CJAN CBSA CE CY CB CW CM CHR CD CT CTERR CVR CDC CN CONS CR CAMBODIA CACS COUNTRY CFIS CONDOLEEZZA CEN CZ CLEARANCE CARICOM COM CICTE CYPRUS CITES CV CBE CMGMT COE CIVS CFED COUNTER CAPC COPUOS CARSON CTR CKGR CLINTON COUNTERTERRORISM CITEL CQ CSW CIC CITT CARIB CAFTA CACM CDB CJUS CTM CAN CAJC CONSULAR CLMT CBC CIA CNARC CIS CEUDA CHINA CAC CL
DR DJ DB DA DHS DAO DCM DO DEFENSE DK DOMESTIC DISENGAGEMENT DAC DOD DCG DE DOT DPRK DEPT DEA DOE DTRA DS DEAX
ECON ETTC EFIS ETRD EC EMIN EAGR EAID EFIN EUN ECIN EG EWWT EINV ENRG ELAB EPET EN EAIR EUMEM ECPS ES ELTN EIND EZ EU EI ER ET EINT ENGR ECONOMIC ENIV EFTA ESTH EET EUREM ENV EAG EAP ECONOMY ELECTIONS ETRO ECIP EPEC EXIM ERNG ENERG ED EREL ELAM EK EDEV ENGY ETRDEC ECCT EPA ENGRD ECLAC ETRAD ENVR ELTNSNAR ELAP ETRC EPIT EDUC EFI EEB EETC EIVN ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ETRDGK ENVI EXTERNAL ELN EAIDS ECOSOC EDU EPREL EINVEFIN EAGER ECA ETMIN EIDN EINVKSCA EFINECONCS ETC EINN EXBS ECONOMICS EIAR EINDETRD ECONEFIN EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EFIM EINVETC ECONCS EDRC ENRD EBRD ETRA ESA EAIG EUR EUC ERD ETRN EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ESENV ENNP ECINECONCS ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN
FR FI FOREIGN FAO FARM FARC FAS FJ FREEDOM FINANCE FBI FTAA FM FCS FAA FTA FK FT FAC FDA FINR FOR FOI FO FMLN FISO
GM GERARD GT GA GG GR GTIP GE GH GY GB GJ GLOBAL GEORGE GCC GC GV GAZA GL GOV GOI GF GTMO GANGS GAERC GZ GUILLERMO GASPAR
HR HA HYMPSK HO HK HUMAN HU HN HHS HUD HUMANR HSTC HURI HILLARY HI HUM HEBRON HUMOR
IZ IN IAEA IS IMO ILO IR IC IT ITU IV IMF IBRD IWC IPR IDB ID IRAQI ISRAELI ITALY ITPGOV ITALIAN IADB ICAO ICRC INR ICJ ICCAT IFAD IO ITRA INL IAHRC IRAQ INMARSAT INRA INTELSAT INTERNAL ILC IRS INDO IIP IND IEFIN IQ ISCON ICTY IA INTERPOL IEA INRB ISRAEL IZPREL IRAJ IF ITPHUM IL IACI IDA ISLAMISTS IGAD ITF INRO IBET IDP ICTR IRC
JA JO JM JP JOHN JUS JN JAMES JOSEPH JOHNNIE JML JIMENEZ
KMDR KPAO KOMC KNNP KFLO KDEM KSUM KIPR KFLU KE KCRM KJUS KAWC KZ KSCA KDRG KCOR KGHG KPAL KTIP KMCA KCRS KPKO KOLY KRVC KVPR KG KWBG KTER KS KN KSPR KWMN KV KTFN KFRD KSTH KISL KGIC KSEP KFIN KTEX KTIA KUNR KCMR KMOC KCIP KTDB KBIO KSAF KU KHIV KNNNP KSTC KNUP KIRF KIRC KNUC KHLS KTDD KMPI KIDE KMFO KSEO KJUST KPIR KIVP KICC KCFE KSCS KGLB KPWR KCUL KPOP KPALAOIS KR KTTB KCOM KESS KWN KCSY KREL KTBT KRFD KFLOA KPOL KIND KBCT KSKN KOCI KHUM KPRP KREC KICCPUR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KGIT KMCC KPRV KAUST KPAS KPAOPREL KIRP KLAB KHSA KPAONZ KICA KCRIM KHDP KNAR KSAC KCRCM KINR KGHA KIIP KPAOY KTRD KTAO KWAC KACT KSCI KNPP KMRS KNNPMNUC KBTS KERG KLTN KTLA KNDP KO KAWK KVRP KPOA KVIR KENV KAID KX KRCM KFSC KCFC KNEI KCHG KPLS KFTFN KTFM KLIG KDEMAF KRIM KRAD KBTR KGCC KPA KSEC KPIN KDEV KWWMN KOM KWNM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KRGY KIFR KWMNCS KFPC KPAK KOMS KDDG KCGC KPAI KID KMIG KNSD KWMM
LY LE LABOR LH LAB LTTE LT LO LI LU LA LVPR LG LR LOG
MARR MX MASS MOPS MNUC MCAP MTCRE MRCRE MTRE MASC MY MK MCC MO MAS MG MC MCA MZ MI MIL MU MR MT MTCR ML MN MURRAY MEPP MP MINUSTAH MA MD MAR MAPP MOPPS MTS MLS MILI MEPN MEPI MEETINGS MERCOSUR MW MIK MAPS MV MILITARY MARAD MDC MACEDONIA MASSMNUC MUCN MEDIA MQADHAFI MPOS MPS
NZ NATO NI NO NU NG NL NPT NS NSF NP NA NANCY NRR NATIONAL NASA NC NDP NIH NIPP NK NSSP NEGROPONTE NGO NAS NE NATOIRAQ NR NAR NZUS NARC NCCC NH NSG NAFTA NEW NT NUIN NOVO NATOPREL NEA NSC NV NPA NSFO NW NORAD NPG NOAA
OPRC OTRA OECD OVIP OREP ODC OIIP OPDC OAS OSCE OPIC OMS OEXC OPCW OIE OSCI OFDP OPAD ODPC OCEA ODIP OMIG OM OFFICIALS OEXP OPEC OVIPPRELUNGANU OSHA OSIC OHUM OTR OSAC OBSP OFDA OVP ON OCII OES OCS OIC
PGOV PREL PARM PINR PHUM PM PREF PTER PK PINS PBIO PHSA PE PBTS PA PL POL PAK POV POLITICS POLICY PKO PNAT PELOSI PP PRE PUNE PALESTINIAN PAS PO PROV PH PLAB PCI PERM PETR PRELBR PETERS PROP PBS POLITICAL PMIL PJUS PG PREZ PGIC PAO PRELPK PGOVENRG PATTY PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PAIGH PROG PMAR PU PTE PDOV PGOVSOCI PY PETER PGOR PBTSRU PRAM PARMS PINL PSI PPA PTERE PREO PERL PGOF PINO PRGOV PORG PS PGVO PKFK PSOE PEPR PDEM PINT PRELP PREFA PNG PTBS PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA POLINT PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PLN PHUH PEDRO PF PHUS PARTIES PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PHUMPREL POGOV PEL PBT PINF PRL PSEPC POSTS PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOC PNR
QA QI
RS RP RU RW RFE RCMP RIGHTSPOLMIL RO ROBERT RM ROOD RICE REGION RGY RELFREE RELAM RSP RF RELATIONS RIGHTS RUPREL REMON RPEL REACTION REPORT RSO
SZ SENV SOCI SNAR SO SP SU SY SI SMIG SYR SA SCUL SW SR SYRIA SNARM SPECIALIST SG SF SENS SEN SENVEAGREAIDTBIOECONSOCIXR SN SC SECRETARY SNA ST SK SL SANC SMIL SCRM SENVSXE SE SAARC STEINBERG SCRS SWE SARS SENVQGR SNARIZ SUDAN SAN SM SIPDIS SFNV SSA SPCVIS SOFA SENVKGHG SHI SEVN SHUM SH SNARCS SPCE SNARN SIPRS
TW TRGY TBIO TSPA TU TPHY TI TX TH TIP TSPL TNGD TS TRSY TC TINT TZ TN TT TR TA TIO TF TK TRAD TNDG TWI TD TWL TERRORISM TL TV TP THPY TO TURKEY TSPAM TREL TRT TFIN TAGS TWCH TBID
UK UNSC UNGA UN US UZ USEU UG UP UNAUS UNMIK USTR UY UNSCR UNRCR UNESCO USAID UNHRC USAU UNICEF UV USPS UNFICYP UNDP UNCITRAL UNHCR UNCSD UNEP USCC UNMIC UNTAC USUN USDA UNCHR UR UNCTAD USGS UNFPA USOAS USNC UA UE UNVIE UAE UNO UNODC UNCHS UNDESCO UNC UNPUOS UNDC UNCHC UNFCYP UNIDROIT UNCND
VM VE VT VZ VEPREL VN VTEG VOA VTIZ VTPREL VISIT VENZ VAT VC VI
WHTI WIPO WTRO WTO WHO WEET WCL WFP WS WHA WA WZ WI WMD WBG WILLIAM WWARD WITH WTRQ WCO WEU WMO WB
XA XX XK XL XM XS XF XR XY XG XT XI XE XW XC XH XD XU XV XB XZ XQ XTAG
YI YM YE YL YMCS
ZU ZI ZOELLICK ZP ZR ZK ZA ZO ZF ZL ZB ZN ZH ZT ZJ ZEALAND ZANU

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 04TAIPEI3340, ANATOMY OF A TAIWANESE LY ELECTION

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04TAIPEI3340.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
04TAIPEI3340 | 2004-10-27 07:42 | 2011-08-23 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | American Institute Taiwan, Taipei

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 003340

    SIPDIS

    STATE PASS AIT/W

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PGOV TW
    SUBJECT: ANATOMY OF A TAIWANESE LY ELECTION

    REF: TAIPEI 02662

    ¶1. (U) Summary: Individual and party strategies for the
    December 11 Legislative Yuan (LY) election will be shaped in
    large part by Taiwan's complex election system, which
    combines direct elections with proportional representation.
    The structures of both the direct and proportional elections
    promote smaller parties and more extremist candidates, and
    facilitate factionalization within the two major parties.
    Furthermore, the multi-member districts used in the direct
    elections encourage parties and candidates to focus on
    tactics over issues.  If the National Assembly confirms the
    constitutional revisions passed in August to reform the LY's
    structure, this will be the last election conducted under the
    system.  End Summary.

    The Constituency Seats
    ----------------------

    ¶2. (U) Campaign season is underway for the 6th Legislative
    Yuan, which will start its three year term on February 1,
    ¶2005.  All 225 seats in the LY are at stake in the elections
    scheduled for December 11.  Of these, 176 will be directly
    elected from 29 geographical electoral districts, each
    corresponding to a city, a county, or a subdivision of a
    large city or county, and two ethnic districts reserved for
    plains and mountain aborigines, respectively.  Based on
    population, each geographic constituency sends from one to
    thirteen representatives to the LY.  The aboriginal districts
    are fixed at four members each.  However, no matter how many
    members will represent each district, voters everywhere get
    only one vote to use on one candidate each.  Those candidates
    receiving the most votes win the election.  Any surplus votes
    cast for a particular candidate beyond the number required to
    get elected cannot be used to help another candidate from the
    same party who did not get enough votes.

    The Single Non-Transferable Vote System
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶3. (U) This system, known as single non-transferable vote
    (SNTV) balloting, can and often does result in strange
    election outcomes.  In the 2001 LY elections in Nantou County
    the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took 35.1% of the vote
    and won two seats.  The KMT, despite doing slightly better
    with 37.5% of the vote won only one seat, the same number as
    the People First Party (PFP), which took 11.7% of the vote,
    or less than a third of the KMT's share.  The reason for
    these anomalous results was the overwhelming popularity of
    one KMT candidate, former Kaohsiung mayor Wu Dun-yi.  Wu took
    the lion's share of the KMT vote and left his colleague with
    too few votes to get elected.  Under the SNTV system,
    candidates compete not only against candidates from the
    opposition parties, but also against others from their own
    party.

    Nomination Strategy is Key
    --------------------------

    ¶4. (U) Taiwan's SNTV election system requires that parties
    accurately predict how much support they will get in each
    district so that they can nominate the right number of
    candidates.  A party that nominates too many candidates in a
    district risks spreading its votes too thinly and losing
    seats.  Likewise, nominating too few candidates means
    forfeiting seats that might easily have been captured.  Yet
    even a party that perfectly forecasts its support level in a
    district and nominates an appropriate number of candidates
    could have its plans spoiled if the disgruntled candidates it
    did not nominate decide to run anyway as independents,
    cannibalizing their former party's vote.  Such so-called
    "mavericks" rarely get elected, but they often dramatically
    influence the outcome of tight contests.

    Vote Distribution Tactics
    -------------------------

    ¶5. (U) Nominating the right number of candidates is only half
    the battle.  A successful campaign also depends on optimally
    sharing votes among the nominees to avoid the type of
    lopsided distribution that was so disastrous for the KMT in
    the 2001 Nantou election.  In rural districts this is often
    accomplished by focusing the campaign on different candidates
    in different areas or having local factions and organizations
    like Farmers Associations rally their respective members
    around specific candidates.  These techniques are less
    effective in urban areas, where voters are harder to
    subdivide geographically and are more influenced by the media
    than by community leaders and social institutions.  In
    response to this, some parties try to implement coordinated
    vote-distribution ("peipiao") schemes where loyal voters are
    asked to support a specific candidate based on things like
    the month of their birth or the last digit of their national
    ID number.

    Reserved Seats for Women
    ------------------------

    ¶6. (U) Complicating Taiwan's constituency LY elections
    further, a rule stipulates that at least one of every five
    seats in a district must go to a woman, even if male
    candidates receive more votes.  This adds yet another layer
    of complexity to the tactical considerations that go into a
    campaign in districts with five or more seats at stake.
    Popular DPP incumbent Su Chih-fen's decision not to run for
    reelection in Yunlin County, for example, led some to
    speculate that part of her motivation was to leave the
    reserved female seat for her ally Yin Ling-ying of the Taiwan
    Solidarity Union (TSU).

    The At-Large Seats
    --------------------

    ¶7. (U) The 49 remaining seats in the LY are considered "at
    large" and are filled according to proportional
    representation.  Votes for candidates in all of the SNTV
    districts are tallied according to party, and parties that
    receive at least 5% of the total popular vote divide the
    at-large seats according to their share of the vote.  Because
    eight of the at-large seats are reserved for the "overseas
    Chinese" community, parties actually nominate candidates for
    the proportional seats on two separate lists.  Predictably,
    the definition of "overseas Chinese" is often stretched by
    candidates hoping to get nominated to that list.  It is not
    unheard of for politicians to have family members in the US
    petition for their immigration shortly before an election so
    they can move overseas and be eligible for nomination.  After
    winning election, they move back to Taiwan to serve their
    term.  In an even more peculiar twist, an overseas candidate,
    if elected, must renounce any foreign citizenship in order to
    be seated.  If they wish to run for reelection as an overseas
    candidate, they must then renew their overseas status, for
    example by obtaining a new immigrant visa.  However, in the
    end, no party renominated an incumbent "overseas Chinese"
    legislator, obviating the need for a ruling by the Central
    Election Committee on what constitutes an "expatriate."

    Ramifications : Tactics Over Issues
    -----------------------------------

    ¶8. (U) Taiwan's complicated electoral system for the LY has a
    number of important political ramifications.  At the party
    level, the peculiar requirements of the SNTV system cause
    parties to expend much of their focus and energy on voting
    mechanics.  The main strategic concern is nominating the
    right number of candidates in each district, and the campaign
    is then dominated by tactical concerns like mobilizing voters
    and distributing them equally among candidates.  Policies and
    issues tend to take a back seat.  Issue-based campaigns, in
    particular, are to be avoided because they can easily lead to
    a situation where one candidate becomes too popular and
    thereby squeezes out other allied candidates.

    Intra-Party Factionalism
    ------------------------

    ¶9. (U) Furthermore, because candidates compete with members
    of their own party as much as (if not more than) with members
    of opposition parties, SNTV encourages intra-party
    factionalism and an emphasis on local connections and
    personalities.  Those in danger of losing an election,
    particularly, tend to focus their attacks on members of their
    own party rather than the opposition, because it is far
    easier to steal votes from an ideologically similar opponent.
     A breakdown in discipline is especially likely if a party
    has overnominated, or there are too many mavericks.  In such
    situations, candidates decide it is "every candidate for
    himself," peipiao schemes are abandoned, and a better
    disciplined party usually claims an extra seat or two.

    ¶10. (U) Factionalism rears its ugly head in the at-large
    elections as well.  The at-large seats added in 1991,
    ostensibly to represent the mainland and overseas Chinese
    communities, were unofficially intended as a means of
    increasing party cohesion and bringing more professionals and
    minorities into the LY.  In reality, positions on the
    nomination list for these "safe" seats are often treated as a
    currency for party leaders to buy the loyalty of various
    party factions.

    Independents, Gangsters and Vote-Buying
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶11. (U) Additionally, the low election threshold in
    multi-member districts makes it possible for independents,
    single-issue candidates, gangster bosses, or anybody else
    with strong personal connections and deep pockets to win and
    hold onto an LY seat.  In Taoyuan county's thirteen member
    district, for example, a reliable 4-5% of the vote is all
    that is necessary to take a seat.  The margin of victory
    between the last-place winner and the first runner-up in the
    larger districts also tends to be extremely small (often just
    a few hundred votes) increasing the temptation for, and
    effectiveness of, vote-buying and voter intimidation.

    Changes Likely for Next Election
    --------------------------------

    ¶12. (U) A proposed constitutional amendment passed by the LY
    in August (reftel) will halve the number of seats in the LY
    to 113, lengthen the term to four years (to match that of the
    Presidency), eliminate the "overseas Chinese" seats and
    replace SNTV with a single member district "first past the
    post" system.  This will help address the many obvious flaws
    in the existing system and weed out extremist and nuisance
    legislators from the LY.  However the amendment has not yet
    been approved by the National Assembly and any changes would
    not take effect until 2008.  The current election will be
    held under the old rules and all the complications arising
    out of that system will be a prominent part of the campaign,
    as they have been in past elections.
    PAAL

`