Some media outlets in Taiwan are “on the same path” as China and are sources of false information, National Security Bureau Deputy Director-General Chen Wen-fan (陳文凡) said yesterday, without specifying which outlets.
Chen made the comments while presenting a report at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee in Taipei.
In the bureau’s report, it created a new term, “media on the same path,” going as far as to say that such media outlets exist online, in print and through wanghong (網紅, Internet celebrities), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲) said.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
She called on Chen to name the media outlets instead of only telling “half the story.”
“Otherwise, the National Security Bureau itself would be fake news,” Lu added.
Chen said he was not trying to sway public opinion, but was stating the truth.
Due to various considerations and the nature of intelligence work, he could not publicly name the outlets at this stage, he said, adding that he could only reveal that the problem exists.
While being questioned by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), Chen also said that the tone of the outlets was similar to that of China’s state media.
Asked by Lo whether he “dared” to release the names of the outlets, Chen said that he would do so when it becomes necessary.
Meanwhile, New Power Party Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) accused Want Want China Times Group (旺旺中時媒體集團) of “selling the news like advertisements” and “taking money from the Chinese government,” adding that this was something he had “exposed” while he was an academic.
To put it nicely, it would be considered “placement marketing,” and to put it harshly, it would be considered “trampling on journalistic professionalism,” he said.
While he was researching the topic as an academic, an unnamed reporter allegedly made a telephone call to discuss how they would be paid, he said, adding that there is an audio recording of the call.
Under the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), if someone sells domestic news to the Chinese government, they could only be fined NT$100,000 to NT$500,000, Huang said.
What the people want to see is not that government agencies are always “researching,” but that they are taking specific action, Huang said.
He urged the Mainland Affairs Council and other agencies to state that they cannot accept “this kind of law,” referring to the act, and to push for amendments as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, National Communications Commission spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) yesterday denied that a draft media monopolization prevention act is meant to undercut the influence of Chinese funding on the nation’s news outlets.
The bill would require TV news channels to disclose their sources of advertising revenue, and shareholders with at least a 10 percent stake in news channels would be obligated to disclose any other businesses they have.
“The clause is designed to preserve the professionalism and independence of news media,” Wong said.
Additional reporting by Shelley Shan
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old