Taiwan has the highest level of press freedom in East Asia, even though China seeks to influence its media narratives, according to the US government-funded Freedom House.
Freedom House, which says it is dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy, on Tuesday released a report titled Freedom and the Media: A Downward Spiral, which shows the press freedom score of 195 countries on a scale of zero to four.
The score indicates whether there is free and independent media in each country and evaluates media censorship, journalists’ freedom to report and government influence on the press.
Taiwan was the only East Asian country to receive the best score of four, which only 35 other countries received.
However, the Chinese government tries to influence Taiwan’s media narratives and undermine its electoral campaigns, the report said.
The report, citing the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, said that “fake news” stories and doctored images originating in China tainting the reputation of the government are spread widely on social media, with some picked up and reported as fact by Taiwanese news outlets.
Suspected Chinese government agents have made offers to buy popular pro-Taiwan Facebook pages, while recruitment advertisements for live streamers with pro-unification views have also emerged online ahead of next year’s presidential election, the report said.
To counter the potential negative effect of Beijing’s media influence campaigns, the report recommends policies that improve transparency about Chinese activities, including reporting requirements for spending on paid advertorials, ownership structures and other economic ties to the Chinese government.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
When Paraguayan opposition lawmaker Leidy Galeano returned from an all-expenses-paid tour of six Chinese cities late last year, she was convinced Paraguay risked missing out on major economic gains by sticking with longtime ally Taipei over Beijing — a message that participants on the trip heard repeatedly from Chinese officials. “Everything I saw there, I wanted for my country,” said Galeano, a member of the newly-formed Yo Creo party whose senior figures have spoken favorably about China. This trip and others like it — which people familiar with the visits said were at the invitation of the Chinese consulate in Sao Paulo
RSS