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### Viewing cable 06AITTAIPEI600, MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06AITTAIPEI600 | 2006-03-01 01:40 | 2011-08-23 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | American Institute Taiwan, Taipei

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHIN #0600/01 0600140
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 010140Z MAR 06
    FM AIT TAIPEI
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8720
    INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4737
    RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 5932

` `

    UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000600

    SIPDIS

    DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ERIC
    BARBORIAK
    DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
    SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT CHEN'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF
    CESSATION OF THE NATIONAL UNIFICATION COUNCIL AND GUIDELINES

    ¶1. Summary: On the February 28 Incident Memorial Day,
    Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave prominent
    reporting and editorial coverage to President Chen's
    announcement Monday that the National Unification Council
    (NUC) will "cease to function" and the National Unification
    Guidelines (NUG) will "cease to apply."  Almost all papers,
    with the exception of the pro-independence "Liberty Times,"
    Taiwan's biggest daily, reported Chen's announcement on
    their front pages.  These newspapers also devoted their
    first few pages to various news stories about the reactions
    of Washington, Beijing and the pan-Blue camp to Chen's
    decision.  The pro-status quo "China Times" ran a current
    opinion survey on its page four which reported that 51
    percent of the people polled said they do not support Chen's
    decision to cease the functioning of the NUC while 20
    percent said they supported such a move.  Also, 47 percent
    of the respondents said they are worried about the
    deterioration of cross-Strait relations, and 46 percent said
    they are concerned about the damage done to Taiwan's
    relations with the United States.  The same poll result also
    indicated that President Chen's approval rating has dropped
    to a new low of 24 percent.  A poll on the front page of
    mass-circulation "Apple Daily" also showed that 56 percent
    of the people polled said they don't think Chen's decision
    will reduce tensions between Washington, Beijing, and
    Taipei.  The newspaper also ran a news story on its page two
    with the headline: "The Presidential Office's Interpretation
    Is That the United States Does Not Strongly Oppose [Chen's
    Plan to] Scrap the NUC and NUG."

    ¶2. The Chinese-language dailies editorialized either on
    Chen's announcement or the February 28 Incident.  The "Free
    Talk" column in the "Liberty Times" and an editorial in the
    pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" both hailed Chen's decision,
    calling it a move that highlights Taiwan's sovereignty.  An
    "Apple Daily" editorial noted that Washington said it
    understood Chen's move because it realized that the KMT and
    Ma Ying-jeou's pro-unification stance could present real
    lurking dangers for the United States.  An editorial in the
    pro-unification "United Daily News," however, called Chen's
    move an insult to himself and to Taiwan, as Chen has
    "publicly put on the Incantation Hoop [meaning that he is
    being restricted] offered to him by the United States."
    Journalist Lin Shu-ling said in a news analysis in the
    "China Times" that Chen succeeded in going ahead with his
    plan to scrap the NUC and NUG because he has seen through
    Washington's pattern in handling the cross-Strait issues.
    An editorial in the limited-circulated, conservative, pro-
    unification English-language "China Post" directly pointed
    out that given Chen's announcement, the credibility of the
    United States' is now at stake and its one-China policy is
    undermined.  End summary.

    A) "Making An Incantation [to Block out the Ghost of
    Unification]"

    The "Free Talk" column in the pro-independence "Liberty
    Times" [circulation: 600,000] said (2/28):

    "A-bian used the word `cease' [zhong-zhi] to replace
    `abolish' [fei-chu] and marked an ending for the big show of
    scrapping the NUC and NUG, which started playing during the
    Lunar New Year holidays.  This ending may not please all the
    local supporters of Taiwan's nativism, but they can at least
    accept it. .  There is still a long way to go for Taiwan to
    become a normal nation even though it has crossed the
    threshold of scrapping the NUC and NUG.  Besides, every
    hurdle starting from the [holding of the] defensive
    referendum [in 2004] to scrapping [fei] the NUC and NUG has
    been very difficult.  [Taiwan] is facing more and more tests
    and obstacles, and it will be easily torn apart by China if
    Taiwan people fail to unite together."

    B) "President A-bian's Announcement of the Cessation of the
    NUC Has Secured the Principle of `People Possessing the
    Right to Their Country's Sovereignty' and Raising Taiwan
    People's Voices"

    The pro-independence "Taiwan Daily" [circulation: 100,000]
    editorialized (2/28):

    ". President Chen's announcement [of the cessation of the
    NUC and NUG] was mainly based on the democratic principle
    that people have the right to the sovereignty of their
    country; it was also a move made [to protest] China's non-
    peaceful attempt to alter the status quo across the Taiwan
    Strait, as evidenced by its continuous military threats

    [against the island] and the `Anti-Secession Law.'  Chen's
    announcement is thus not a move for Taiwan to provoke China
    but a [show of] respect for Taiwan's public views.  Nor is
    it an attempt to alter the cross-Strait status quo but a
    necessary announcement to remind the international community
    that China is the one that is really attempting to change
    the status quo.  We thus gave high marks to Chen's decision
    at this historical moment, which showed that he, despite
    China's threats, insists on maintaining Taiwan's status quo
    of freedom, democracy and human rights and safeguarding the
    23 million Taiwan people's freedom of choice.  Taiwan's
    history will remember this day and this page, the moment in
    which Taiwan people's sovereignty is genuinely highlighted.
    ."

    C) "A-Bian Wins His Victory in Grave Dangers"

    The mass-circulated "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000]
    editorialized (2/28):

    ". Chen announced [Monday] that to safeguard Taiwan's
    democracy and maintain the [cross-Strait] status quo, the
    NUC will cease to function. ...  This statement showed that
    the United States has understood Taiwan's decision to cease
    the functioning of the NUC, and it is also a belated strike
    against China's [enactment of] the `Anti-Secession Law'. .

    ". In reality, the worst consequence [during the process of
    Chen's move to scrap the NUC and NUG] was Washington's harsh
    reaction; Washington has used various means to show Taiwan
    that [Chen's move] would severely jeopardize Taiwan's
    interests and put the island in an unfavorable position.
    But perhaps [during this process,] the United States
    gradually became aware that showing appropriate support for
    the DPP may be a way to stabilize Taiwan's pro-U.S.
    attitude, and that the KMT and Ma Ying-jeou's pro-
    unification stance could pose real lurking dangers for the
    United States.  Perhaps it was based on such an insight that
    the United States said it understood [Taiwan's reasons for]
    the move. ."

    D) "Humiliation for Chen and for Taiwan: Chen Shui-bian
    Publicly Puts on the Incantation Hoop Offered to Him by the
    United States"

    The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation:
    400,000] commented in an editorial (2/28):

    "Chen Shui-bian's movement to push for `[Taiwan's] new
    constitution and to scrap the NUC and NUG' suffered a sever
    defeat; He publicly put on the "incantation hoop" handed to
    him by the United States yesterday and in the meantime gave
    up Taiwan's national dignity. .

    "Chen's move to `scrap the NUC and NUG' [fei tong] this time
    was aimed at demonstrating his ability to `change the status
    quo.'  But judged by the Presidential Office's statements
    yesterday, Chen is evidently tightly controlled by the
    Incantation Hoop that `will not allow him to change the
    status quo.'  Chen repeatedly emphasized [Monday] that
    Taiwan has no intention to alter the status quo.  Strictly
    speaking, even though Chen did not reiterate the `Five No's'
    pledge, his declaration that `Taiwan will amend its
    constitution by adhering to [the constitutional] procedures'
    was akin to keeping his `Four No's' pledge.  Chen did not
    necessarily have the upper hand with regard to his `last No'
    [in the `Five No's' pledge] by announcing the cessation of
    the NUC and NUG.  [We] can say that the `Five No's' pledge
    is in substance `the status quo that cannot be altered.' .
    What is really bizarre is that even though Chen's
    announcement [Monday] indicated another severe defeat for
    him, he may be the only one who benefits from such a
    development. .  Chen may have won a victory by successfully
    snatching back his position as the flagman of the Taiwan
    independence, but he has also made his country and society
    pay a severe price!"

    E) "Maneuvering Through Another Door, Bian Has `the Next
    Step' [in Mind]"

    Journalist Lin Shu-ling said in a news analysis in the pro-
    status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (2/28):

    ". Bian has been in power for over five years and has had a
    huge national security team.  His decision not to care about
    [the attitudes of] Washington and Beijing [with regard to
    his move to scrap the NUC and NUG] was based on his own

    logic and not necessarily a result of `impulsiveness.'  The
    only difference is that the logic of the Chen administration
    in dealing with Washington-Beijing-Taipei relations differs
    from the thought process of the pan-Blue camp and some
    scholars.  That is, even though Chen knows that Taiwan needs
    the United States' protection, he is also clearly aware that
    the United States also needs Taiwan to restrain China.
    [Chen is aware that] it is not that Taiwan has no room to
    play its cards.

    "When [Washington and Taipei] were busy negotiating over
    [Taiwan's plan to hold] a referendum in 2003, it was also a
    period in which Washington-Beijing relations were severely
    strained.  [At that time,] the United States was anxious to
    deal with the problems of Iraq and North Korea and did not
    want Chen to affect U.S. cooperation with China.  As a
    result, Washington publicly rebuked Taipei in front of
    Beijing during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the
    United States.  This exchange of blows made the Chen
    administration see through Washington's pattern of handling
    cross-Strait issues: namely, to `prevent things from getting
    bigger' `to mediate between both sides in an attempt to
    quell the whole argument.'

    "People inside the Chen administration believe that no
    matter whether it was the referendum or [Chen's plan to]
    scrap the NUC and NUG, Washington stepped in [the cross-
    Strait disputes] in order to show its position to Beijing
    and to maintain its pivotal position between the two sides
    of the Taiwan Strait.  As long as Taiwan is willing to back
    up a little, plus accept some superficial `penalties', so
    that Washington can show them to Beijing, it will not be so
    difficult . for Taiwan to get through and go ahead with its
    plan. ."

    F) "De-unification Is Chen's Legacy"

    The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China
    Post" [circulation: 30,000] editorialized (2/28):

    ". Yesterday afternoon, Chen convened a National Security
    Council meeting and achieved a unanimous resolution that
    from now on the NUC should `cease to function' and its
    guidelines `cease to apply.'  The word `abolish' was avoided
    to placate the U.S.  Thus in both cases, Taiwan's `reckless'
    leader has had his way.  Having achieved little during the
    past six years in office and with only two more to go, Chen
    now hopes to secure a legacy as the spiritual leader of the
    Taiwan independence movement.  Freezing or abolishing the
    NUC does not change the status quo or advance the movement a
    bit, but `de-unification' has become Chen's shining
    achievement. .

    "Washington is trapped.  To punish Taipei, it may be seen as
    helping the undemocratic China to bully a democratic ally.
    But if it does not react, the much-needed `stakeholder'
    Beijing will see it as a tacit move to divide China.  U.S.
    credibility is at stake.  Its one-China policy, the bedrock
    of regional peace and stability, is undermined.  But is
    Taiwan independence protected under the U.S. Taiwan
    Relations Act?"

    KEEGAN

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