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### Viewing cable 06AITTAIPEI2895, MEDIA REACTION: TAIWAN'S POLITICAL SITUATION, ASEAN

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06AITTAIPEI2895 | 2006-08-22 08:24 | 2011-08-23 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | American Institute Taiwan, Taipei

`

    VZCZCXYZ0006
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHIN #2895/01 2340824
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 220824Z AUG 06
    FM AIT TAIPEI
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1751
    INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5560
    RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6775

` `

    UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002895

    SIPDIS

    DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - SCOTT WALKER
    DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A

    TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
    SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION:  TAIWAN'S POLITICAL SITUATION, ASEAN
    MEETING

    ¶1. Summary:  As the multiple efforts to oust President Chen
    Shui-bian and investigations into the Presidential Office's special
    state affairs expense account stayed in the Taiwan media's spotlight
    August 22, news coverage also focused on President Chen's planned
    trip to Palau in early September, and cross-Strait interactions.
    The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" ran a banner headline on page
    three that read "Shock Wave of [Efforts] to Oust Bian, Stock Market
    Plunges 215 Points."  In terms of cross-Strait interaction, the
    pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, ran a
    banner headline on page four that said "In Terms of Chen Yunlin's
    Planned Visit to the Island, Taiwan Calls on Officials of Both Sides
    to Negotiate First."

    ¶2. Most Chinese papers editorialized on the campaign to unseat
    President Chen, discussing the roles of scholars and lawyers in the
    campaign, and the Assembly and Parade Law.  An editorial in the
    limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language
    "China Post" said one of the reasons that Chen will not step down
    easily is because he still has the support of the United States.  An
    editorial in the limited-circulation, pro-independence,
    English-language "Taipei Times," however, criticized former DPP
    Chairman Shih Ming-teh's method of unseating the president, saying
    that democratic values and the rule of law should be placed above
    and beyond the issue of protecting or keeping the president.  In
    terms of the ASEAN meeting, an editorial in the limited-circulation,
    pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" said the inclusion
    of the "China factor" within the ASEAN arena, combined with the
    policy of exclusion directed against the U.S. and Japan, will
    "inevitably upset ASEAN's political equilibrium and revive the
    historical nightmare of a hegemonic China."  End summary.

    ¶3. Taiwan's Political Situation

    A) "Waiting for Legal Action"

    The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
    [circulation: 30,000] (8/22):

    "... Chen survived a legislative motion initiated by the opposition
    in June to recall him, but pressure for him to resign has gained new
    strength.  However, many observers say prospects of bringing Chen
    down are slim.  Under the Constitution, the president is immune to
    punishment for criminal offenses.  To be in office for another one
    and a half years, he has better resources to protect himself and his
    family; to quit now is to give up all.  Another reason is that he
    still has the support of the U.S., Taiwan's mentor and protector.
    Stephen Young, de facto U.S. ambassador in Taipei, has publicly
    remarked that unless evidence showed Chen was involved in the
    scandals, he should remain in office to maintain stability.

    "On the other hand, should the number of people taking to the
    streets to support Shih's sit-in prove overwhelming and if the
    protest is prolonged, threatening the stability of Taiwan, the U.S.
    has to stop supporting him.  Then, he'll have to go.  In short,
    Washington, just like Taiwan's general public, is waiting for the
    prosecution to take action against Chen.  Before that, the chief of
    state is innocent of any wrongdoing.  The president's involvement in
    the 'invoice-gate' case is indisputable.  How long can the U.S. or
    Taiwan's prosecutors further delay actions against an obvious
    offender against the law?"

    B) "The Rule of Law Must Come First"

    The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation:
    30,000] editorialized (8/22):

    "Taiwan's opposition parties and interest groups are continuing to
    call on President Chen Shui-bian to step down.  There is no evidence
    to support the view that the president has violated the law.  We
    should respect freedom of expression and the right of everyone to
    air an opinion.  But the actions and confrontational rhetoric of
    those seeking Chen's resignation and those who want to protect him
    are approaching rock-bottom.  If these groups don't exercise
    restraint, the nation may face a period of pronounced difficulty in
    which democracy and the rule of law are sacrificed. ...

    "Shih's cause to unseat the president through instigating a popular
    uprising is wrong-headed.  Taiwan is a democracy that has clear
    legal requirements and procedures regulating the removal of a
    president.  The pan-blue camp's legislative recall motion failed and
    Chen retains the legal right to govern.  Organizing street protests
    is not a good tactic, because if the president is forced to step
    down as a result, it will set a bad precedent for this nation's
    democracy. ...  Both sides grapping with this issue have strong
    arguments and public support, and neither side can easily defeat the
    other.  The goal of adhering to democratic values and the rule of

    law should be placed above and beyond the issue of protecting or
    unseating the president. ..."

    ¶4. ASEAN Meeting

    "A New Path Needed in Asian Regionalism"

    The pro-independence, English-language "Taiwan News" [circulation:
    20,000] editorialized (8/22):

    "... ASEAN has focused on inviting Japan, South Korea and the
    People's Republic of China, but not the Untied States, into the
    ASEAN sphere, a trend that has sparked the monikers 'ASEAN+1,'
    'ASEAN+3' or 'East Asian Community' in ASEAN international
    conferences or forums. ...  Accompanied by new notions of regional
    cooperative framework, as well as the rise of China, the growing
    consciousness of new Asian regionalism itself has emerged from
    complex factors.  On one hand, the sense of new Asian regionalism
    signifies the increasing needs for regional cooperative arrangements
    in the ASEAN with external powers, but also reflects long-standing
    resentment in ASEAN toward both 'hegemonic' pressure from the U.S.
    and other Western powers as well as Japan and widespread ambivalence
    toward the rise of China. ...

    "If ASEAN-based regional cooperative frameworks are to function
    effectively, PRC involvement and inclusion is ultimately inevitable.
     However, the direct inclusion of the 'China factor' within the
    ASEAN arena, combined with the policy of exclusion directed against
    the U.S. and Japan, will equally inevitably upset ASEAN's political
    equilibrium and revive the historical nightmare of a hegemonic
    China.  Simultaneously, evidently strong desire in Washington and
    Tokyo to return to the arena of ASEAN international affairs has also
    made the atmosphere complicated and sensitive.

    "There is also the question of how ASEAN will deal with Taiwan,
    which remains a very important partner for the ASEAN countries in
    economic, social, cultural and even security spheres. ...  In short,
    in the face of China's ruthless pressure, Taiwan has no feasible
    choice but to be a good global citizen and an advocate of 'democracy
    and peace' instead of either engaging in a 'bad guy' form of
    brinkmanship or adopting a self-defeating and denigrating stance of
    'peace,' with or without justice or democracy, 'at any price,' as
    advocated by the opposition Kuomintang.  As long as our existence
    and values have been deeply incorporated into the regional or global
    system, Taiwan need not fear being arbitrarily abandoned or
    sacrificed."

    YOUNG

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