The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) is to investigate whether Xiamen Star TV (廈門衛視) contravened regulations by setting up a studio in Taiwan and producing political talk shows, the agency said.
On two of the station’s political talk shows — Across the Strait (兩岸直航) and Cross-Strait Cloud Living Room (兩岸雲客廳) — Xiamen, China-based hosts discussed cross-strait issues with well-known Taiwanese political pundits Chang Yu-hua (張友驊), Nice Tse-hsun (鈕則勳) and Hsieh Han-tung (謝寒冰), who were filmed in a studio in Taiwan.
The council on Monday said its investigation would seek to determine whether the station’s staff in Taiwan were involved in the program.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
Since 2016, the government has allowed journalists from China to report from Taiwan in the interest of maintaining a pluralistic society, the MAC said.
Nearly 650 reporters from 10 Chinese broadcasters have reported from Taiwan, including those from Xinhua news agency, China National Radio, China Central Television and others, it said.
Southeast Television reporters were in 2020 expelled from Taiwan after they were found to have been “illegally producing political programs,” the council said.
Later that same year, Southeast Television began producing Diverse Voices From the Taiwan Strait (台海百家說), inviting members of the pan-blue camp to China to speak on the program, including former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and New Party spokesman Wang Ping-chung (王炳忠).
Sources said that Chinese reporters in Taiwan do not attend MAC and Ministry of Foreign Affairs news conferences and do not include comments from Taiwanese officials in their reporting, prompting suspicions that they are engaging in “united front” tactics aimed at influencing public opinion and sowing division in Taiwan.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) said that all broadcast media in China is under the control of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
If Chinese reporters in Taiwan are found engaging in activities unrelated to the work permitted by their visas, it warrants investigation, and if they are found to have engaged in such behavior, their permits should be revoked for contravening cross-strait regulations, she said.
The government should devise a mechanism for investigating reports of Chinese journalists engaged in the dissemination of propaganda or disinformation, so that they are denied working permits, she added.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS