TAIWAN: Blogosphere beckons for a few politicians

While some Cabinet members blog to rally popular support, other politicans are critical of the medium

Taipei Times
Sunday, April 30, 2006

By Jimmy Chuang

With blogs becoming more popular among the public, a number of Cabinet members, such as Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng and National Youth Commission Chairwoman Cheng Li-chun, have recently launched their own blogs as one way to become more approachable to the public.

Tu and Cheng have also used their blogs to promote their departments' policies.

Not all Cabinet members, however, are eager to launch personal Web sites.

Unnecessary

"We would not encourage Cabinet members to establish blogs at this moment. At least, I do not think it is necessary for them to do so at this time," said Government Information Office Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang, one of the youngest members of Premier Su Tseng-chang's Cabinet.

When it comes to using the Web as an alternative way to express the ruling party's policies, Cheng appeared to be conservative.

"I had my own blog before I took the oath of office, but I think a blog is not necessarily related to politics. I think a blog is more like a space for personal expression, brainstorming, sharing and such," Cheng Wen-tsang told the Taipei Times.

He said it was his observation that most blogs, especially popular ones, had themes.

"The popular blogs are always the ones about travel, food or movies. It is a good tool for public news or discussions that concern the public," he said.

Cheng said neither the premier nor he had a blog at the moment, and were not planning to establish one in the near future.

While Su appears uninterested in launching a personal blog, former premier Frank Hsieh is an active blogger.

Date Posted: 4/30/2006