Wikileaks Exposes More Secrets Involving Taiwan Politics

Wikileaks Exposes More Secrets Involving Taiwan Politics

Sources: All Taipei Newspapers

September 8, 2011

Wikileaks exposed the DPP’s dirty laundry, including personal feuds among Chen Shui-bian, Frank Hsieh, Su Tseng-chang, and Tsai Ing-wen.  According to the classified American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) diplomatic cables, former Premier Su Tseng-chang told then AIT director Stephen Young that many heavy-weight DPP members had originally decided to leave the party to the young generation, but in the end decided to stay involved in Taiwan’s politics.

The same cables indicated that Tsai Ing-wen hinted to Stephen Young in June 2009 that she would not run for re-election as the DPP chairperson in 2010, and that it was more likely that the DPP would win the Presidential election in 2016 than in 2012.

When former President Lee Teng-hui proposed his “special state-to-state relationship,” many, including Beijing, concluded that Tsai Ing-wen had played a key role in coming up with the theory.  According to the leaked cables, Tsai Ing-wen explained to the US that it was a misunderstanding that she had played a key role in creating the “special state-to-state relationship” because she was not trusted by Lee Teng-hui, adding that she had not advocated the theory.

According to the same cables, President Ma Ying-jeou had stated that if cross-Strait relations continued to ease, Beijing might suggest removing the missiles targeting Taiwan in exchange for a termination of US arms sales to Taiwan, but President Ma had concluded that it was a “bad bargain” because Mainland China still possessed other offensive military capabilities.

The leaked cables also contained the contents of conversations involving KMT Honorary Chairman Lien Chan, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, and Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin.  In short, Wikileaks continues to cause quite a stir in Taiwan politics.

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