The Hong Kong government on Thursday said that public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) breached its charter by asking the WHO about Taiwan’s membership, a move democracy advocates criticized as a new government effort to muzzle the press.
The Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said that RTHK’s interview with WHO official Bruce Aylward violated the principle that Taiwan belongs to “one China.”
A now-viral video of Aylward’s awkward exchange with the RTHK presenter put renewed focus on China’s efforts to prevent Taiwan from cooperating with the global health agency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: AFP
“The secretary holds the view that the presentation in that episode of the aforesaid program has breached the one China principle and the purposes and mission of RTHK as a public service broadcaster as specified in the charter,” the bureau said, referring to Hong Kong Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau (邱騰華). “It is common knowledge that the WHO membership is based on sovereign states. RTHK, as a government department and a public service broadcaster, should have proper understanding of the above without any deviation.”
An RTHK spokesperson said that the station had reviewed the program and found no violation of its charter.
Taiwan was referred to as “a place” in the episode and no stance was taken, the spokesperson said.
RTHK, which is government-funded, has come under scrutiny for its critical coverage and commentary about the administration of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥).
Hong Kong Police Commissioner Chris Tang (鄧炳強) last month said that he was filing a complaint against the station to the Hong Kong Communications Authority, saying that RTHK’s satirical show Headliner was misleading people about the work of his officers.
The latest commerce bureau statement prompted criticism from pro-democracy advocates, such as Hong Kong Legislator Claudia Mo (毛孟靜), who called it “political censorship.”
The bureau said that RTHK director of broadcasting Leung Ka-wing (梁家榮) “should be held responsible” for the broadcaster’s actions, without elaborating.
“The secretary has once again urged the director of broadcasting and RTHK to fully abide by the charter, and that they must handle all programs in a professional and vigilant manner as required of them,” the bureau said.
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