Our English news is great
The News Department of the Chinese TV System would like to say that a recent letter to the editor (Letters, March 30, page 8) was full of errors that mislead readers.
CTS, a 30-year old TV station with an excellent reputation, has produced great daily and English-language news. Our CTS Evening News has been rated number 1 for three consecutive months, from Jan 1 to March 31 this year, according to the AC Neilson Company.
Inside Taiwan's Weekend Edition, anchored by Perng An-chih, has usually been rated above 80th in terms of overall viewership among all cable and wireless programs. The show is welcomed by viewers, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 44. Our weekday program has also outperformed its counterpart. CTS would like to assure our viewers of our pledge to produce English-language news of the highest quality.
I would like to point out some fallacies in the letter. The original script was: "However, the Minister of National Defense, Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明), stated that both the President and the Premier have given their nods to the suggestions, whose details will be announced within two months." However, what Michelle Lee quoted was: "Tang Yao-ming state (sic) that both the presiden (sic) and the premier have given their nods (sic) to the suggestions, whose (sic) details will be announce (sic) within two months." Apparently, her quote was totally groundless.
Perng An-chih's ability to anchor English-language news can be attributed to her professionalism, as illustrated in the second paragraph. She was not chosen because of nepotism. Her performance has nothing to do with her father.
In her letter, Lee also wrote that, "An added irony is that having won the bid, CTS remains pessimistic about the future of English TV news. As your article points out, `Ni believes the future of English-language television news is, however, in the hands of the politicians rather than the viewing public.'"
Again, I would solemnly say that CTS English-language news, funded by the Government Information Office, is in fact a pioneer program. This government endeavor has made English-language TV news possible and has presented the viewing public with a quality English-language news program, which the viewes have long been waiting for. I do not expect Lee to distinguish the difference.
Pan Tsu-yin
Manager of News Department, CTS
WHO must admit Taiwan
There is no question that the outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) has focused the world's attention on the dangers of how easily a virulent disease can spread around the globe. SARS has also caused major political change in Beijing and by doing so the world's attention has become riveted on China's lack of candor in addressing the challenges posed by this disease.
One of the early conclusions that can be drawn from this situation is that the disease monitoring system of the World Health Organization (WHO) is fatally flawed. The fact that SARS festered in China and was spread around the world for literally months without the knowledge of the WHO is extremely alarming.
The WHO's monitoring systems depend on voluntary submissions of health data by member governments. If, for whatever reason, a government chooses to keep certain health information secret and from the public, there is little the WHO or any multilateral agency can do to retrieve the information.
In a world of free-flowing international trade and travel, this could be disastrous. Early notification of a possible epidemic or the emergence of a new agent is critical to minimizing the spread of the disease.
What is even more alarming is that Taiwan is still not a member of the WHO.
Over the years, Taiwan has on six separate occasions attempted to become an "observer" at the WHO. Unfortunately, these efforts have been derailed by Beijing.
The Chinese leadership in Beijing needs to realize that infectious disease agents do not recognize political or national borders. Viruses and bacteria cannot be stopped at a border checkpoint or at an airport arrival lobby.
SARS has taught the world that the only way to halt a global epidemic is through global cooperation. No country can be kept out of the disease control process because of parochial political issues.
With that in mind, the world should learn a lesson from SARS. Taiwan must be admitted to the WHO without delay.
Thomas Snitch
Bethesda, Maryland
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