President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen made the remarks while receiving representatives of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ) yesterday at the Presidential Office, he added that his administration has defended the freedom of the press for years and that much progress had been seen.
Citing the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders' (RSF) Worldwide Press Freedom Index released last month, Taiwan ranked 51st among the 167 countries surveyed. In the same survey last year, Taiwan was ranked in 60th place.
Chen said that the RSF survey indicates that the degree of press freedom in Taiwan is quite close to that in the democratic countries of Europe. Meanwhile, because China's government continues to deliberately detain journalists, it was ranked 159th. In other words, press freedom in China is the ninth worst in the world.
"We won't remain content with the situation. The government will keep promoting press freedom, which ensures journalists have a good environment in which they are free to work," Chen said.
Chen said that it is unfortunate the international environment remains unfriendly to Taiwanese journalists because of the country's diplomatic plight.
"We do hope the UN will respect the universal values it stresses, including that of press freedom. It has to respect the rights of Taiwanese journalists, who should be allowed to cover news at international conferences [hosted by UN affiliates]," Chen said.
In May, the UN Office in Geneva refused to accredit the Taiwanese journalists who wanted to cover the World Health Assembly's (WHA) annual meeting.
And just last year, two Taiwanese reporters holding passports from UN member states were accredited in Geneva for the WHA proceedings. All journalists holding Taiwanese passports were denied accreditation.
The UN's refusals have been criticized by several international human-rights groups, which have urged the UN not to damage press freedom. Taiwanese reporters should enjoy the same rights as their press counterparts around the world.
The delegation is headed by Peter Kramer, secretary-general of the AEJ, and he is accompanied by Austrian, Belgian, British, Czech and French colleagues. Chen reminded the AEJ delegates of Taiwan's capabilities in disease control and prevention, stressing that Taiwan is qualified to contribute to the world on global health issues as an observer in the WHO.
Chen added that foreign journalists had to be fully aware of the potential threats posed to Asia by China, a country that remains non-democratic.
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