TAIWAN: Door opened to PRC reporters

The government allows the first two regional Chinese newspapers to send reporters to cover Taiwan

Taipei Times
Thursday, August 11, 2005

By Shih Hsiu-chuan
 
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced yesterday that reporters from China's Nanfang City News and Xinmin Evening News newspapers will be allowed to work in Taiwan.

The decision marks the first time that the government has allowed correspondents from regional Chinese media outlets into the country.

"These two media organizations can file their applications from this point on," Council Chairman Joseph Wu said at a monthly meeting with local media yesterday.

The government first loosened its policy toward Chinese journalists in 1990, and since that time five official news organizations -- Xinhua News Agency, the People's Daily, China Central Television, China National Radio and the China News Service -- have established bureaus in Taiwan.

In April, however, Xinhua News Agency and the People's Daily were temporarily prevented from stationing journalists in Taiwan, a decision that followed China's enactment of the "Anti-Secession" Law.

Council officials said at the time that the two agencies' coverage of Taiwan-related news had not helped China "understand Taiwanese society."

While the ban on those state-controlled organizations remains, the government has decided to advance cross-strait exchanges with China's regional media.

"With the exception of Xinhua News Agency and the People's Daily, many local media organizations have performed very well in both the scope and depth of their reporting. We hope that the Chinese people can know more about Taiwan from different points of view," Wu said.

Wu added that the two organizations were responsible for turning a profit, and had also made progress in increasing their circulation in recent years.

"On the basis of these factors, the government decided to invite them to come to Taiwan to cover news," he said.

Wu said that the two organizations were willing to station their correspondents in Taiwan on the terms that the council had requested.

"However, whether the Chinese government will approve their applications is the key problem," Wu said. "This is [an expression of] Taiwan's goodwill in advancing cross-strait cultural exchanges, which are helpful in bringing about mutual understanding."

Wu called on the Chinese authorities to acknowledge the government's good intentions.

Date Posted: 8/11/2005