INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Media Reaction: China

Published: Thu 19 Jul 2007 08:55 AM
VZCZCXYZ0020
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHIN #1623 2000855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190855Z JUL 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6066
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7042
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8288
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001623
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - BROOKE SPELLMAN
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CHINA
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused July 19
news coverage on the 2008 presidential poll, on KMT presidential
candidate Ma Ying-jeou's special mayoral fund case, on the rising
living costs in Taiwan along with the ever-soaring oil prices, and
on the plane crash in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Tuesday. All papers
also carried in their inside pages reports on the Taiwan Department
of Health, which confirmed Wednesday that imported U.S. pork found
to contain a feed additive has been banned locally; and on AIT's
response on this matter. In terms of editorials and commentaries,
an op-ed in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed the
national security reports recently released by Australia and Japan,
respectively. The article said China has become a hypothetical
enemy to the United States, Japan and Australia as the progress of
China's military modernization has exceeded the capability Beijing
requires to deal with the cross-Strait issues. End summary.
"China Has Become a Hypothetical Enemy to the United States, Japan
and Australia"
Emerson Chang, director of Nan Hua University's Department of
International Studies, opined in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily"
[circulation: 520,000] (7/19):
"... China will certainly take actions to address the threats
initiated by the security cooperation among the United States, Japan
and Australia, and to respond to the unclear direction India and
Indonesia will take in the future. The chances are slim for China
to slow down its military modernization process because China always
regards the pressure imposed by all these great powers as a natural
but undesirable consequence of it military modernization. China
will surely continue its double-faced strategy toward the United
States and Japan -- namely, it will work with the two countries
diplomatically but compete with them in terms of the national
defense capabilities. On the level of national defense, it is
likely that China will continue strengthening its military buildup,
expanding cooperation with members of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization, and deepening its strategic partnership with Russia.
China and Russia are very compatible partners, because Russia also
needs China's assistance in counterbalancing the security threats
posed by NATO's eastward expansion and the United States' missile
defense system deployed in East Europe. On a strategic level, in
order to tackle the new situation, China may reconsider adjusting
its 'string of pearls' strategy, which is designated to safeguard
its energy transportation, and its 'anti-intervention' strategy,
which is aimed at remotely deterring the U.S. military from
intervening in the Taiwan Strait. ..."
YOUNG
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media