A group of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday called for the government to expel Associated Press (AP) correspondent Lee Ming (李閩), who quoted Beijing's criticism of Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) in an article on Tuesday about Lu's presidential bid.
The AP story described Lu as an "outspoken" vice president who China had called "insane" and "the scum of the nation."
CNN posted the AP article on its Web site under the headline: "Taiwan's `scum of the nation' runs for president."
Lu was infuriated and sent a letter of protest to CNN on Tuesday, demanding an apology or an interview and threatening to sue if necessary. She sent a similar letter of protest to the AP on Wednesday.
"The language he used [in his story] was a terrible insult to any normal person as well as to the Taiwanese public," DPP caucus whip Wang Sing-nan (
Wang said the government had sufficient reason to expel the reporter as his story posed an insult to the vice president, violated the Statute Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau (
In response to Wang's query, Cheng, who was also present at the press conference, said the government had not issued media accreditation to the reporter, who came to Taiwan to assist AP reporters stationed here.
Cheng said that the reporter's visa would be revoked by the end of the day yesterday for violation of regulations for covering news.
However, Cheng changed his statement later yesterday.
When pressed by reporters on whether Lee's visa would be revoked, Cheng said Lee did not belong to the AP's Taipei Bureau because he was only in Taiwan to fill in for a co-worker who was on vacation.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mainland Affairs Council [MAC] and the National Immigration Agency will have to decide whether to suspend his visa," he said. "But the vice president also said that Lee did not commit any crime in Taiwan so there was no need and no intention to ask him to leave."
The GIO said foreign reporters who -- like Lee -- embark on temporary reporting assignments in Taiwan do not need any specific visa for a short stay. However, foreign reporters stationed in Taiwan for an extended period of time need to report to the GIO to have their credentials validated.
MOFA spokesman David Wang (
MAC Chairman Joseph Wu (
However, NIA Deputy Director Wu Hsueh-yen (
Meanwhile, an apology from the AP brought a smile to Lu's face yesterday. The AP expressed regret and said it would arrange an interview for her so she could tell her side of the story.
Lu thanked the public and local media for throwing their support behind her.
Presidential Office spokesman David Lee (李南陽) yesterday welcomed AP's initial response.
Lu said she was waiting for an official response from CNN as its managing director was out of the country.
Lee Ming, who was touring Kaohsiung with a foreign press group yesterday, said he had "no comments" in response to questions from reporters.
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) last night said he found AP and CNN's "malicious reporting" on the vice president regrettable.
"Taiwan and the People's Republic of China are two independent sovereign nations. Taiwan is Taiwan and China is China. Don't make malicious comments about Taiwanese affairs using China or Beijing's perspective as it will only produce reports with incorrect information and serious distortions," Chen said in his speech delivered at the spring banquet held for ambassadors and representatives in Taipei.
When approached by reporters for comment, American Institute in Taiwan Director Stephen Young said the controversy was quite obvious.
"That was a Chinese phrase. It was a quote from a Chinese newspaper," Young said.
The Association of Taiwanese Journalists issued a statement last night calling on the government to refrain from "technically hampering" press freedom by expelling Lee Ming from the country.
The government would risk tarnishing the nation's image if it insisted on doing so, the statement said.
The association also urged AP to conduct an internal review of the incident and inform the public of its findings.
Additional reporting by CNA
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS