Media reports indicate that the Chinese official media Xinhua News Agency has been involved in producing political commentary programs in Taiwan, and further surveilling the recording studio to ensure the programs meet the requirements of the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office. Experts and legislators have called for relevant units to investigate thoroughly in accordance with the law, and the government should prohibit Xinhua News Agency from stationing in Taiwan.
According to Taiwan’s Liberty Times, a senior media figure revealed that a certain television station in Taiwan’s political commentary program had significant involvement from Xinhua News Agency reporters stationed in Taiwan, actively monitoring the studio to confirm that the program meets the requirements of the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office to implement the “to control Taiwan, use Taiwan” effect. When Xinhua News Agency reporters recently learned about their involvement in the program production being exposed, they hastily left Taiwan, with the agency assigning a different reporter to be stationed in Taiwan. Whether this new reporter carries out the same mission may need to be clarified and thoroughly investigated by national security units.
Lai Rongwei, Executive Director of Taiwan Inspiration Association (TIA), told Epoch Times that the Chinese Communist media is “party-first,” emphasizing strict control by the Communist Party. The dispatch of Xinhua News Agency reporters to be stationed in Taiwan signifies the Chinese Communist-controlled media being present on Taiwanese soil and watching over the local media scene. He analyzed that this is a coordinated effort by the Chinese Communist Party, with reporters being the most easily deployable identity among intelligence personnel due to their interviewing rights and freedom of speech guarantees, thus, the Chinese Communist Party exploits stationed reporters to penetrate Taiwan through media channels.
Lai Rongwei pointed out that Chinese Communist infiltration in Taiwan is severe, with some pro-Chinese Communist media continuously speaking positively about China, spreading false information, criticizing the US and Japan while accusing the Taiwanese government of violating human rights, without ever discussing China’s human rights violations to the Taiwanese people. The Chinese Communist Party not only utilizes journalists but also various means to infiltrate Taiwan, using Taiwanese opinion leaders, overseas Chinese, among others. He expressed concerns about legislators using pro-Chinese Communist media reports in the legislative Yuan, raising apprehensions about the chaotic state of the Taiwanese parliament.
Lai Rongwei stated that Xinhua News Agency reporters surveilling to confirm that Taiwanese media programs meet the requirements of the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office is no longer surprising news. Given the outrageous extent of Chinese Communist infiltration in Taiwan, these actions are becoming increasingly relentless. He emphasized that the Chinese Communist Party poses a threat to Taiwan’s existence, seeking to eliminate the Republic of China, and the presence of its official media in Taiwan is a national security threat. He called on relevant units to thoroughly investigate all aspects and levels involved and for the government to ban Xinhua News Agency’s stationing in Taiwan.
Taiwanese legislator Wang Dingyu spoke out on Facebook, asserting that Xinhua News Agency is directly affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department, receiving directives, resources, and budgets from the Party. Therefore, any cooperation between a Taiwanese television station and Xinhua News Agency is deemed illegal, and the national security units and Investigation Bureau’s National Security Work Station should conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Wang Dingyu highlighted that engaging in Chinese Communist political intentions through producing programs in Taiwan is unprecedented, with such activities typically occurring outside but now directly within the country. He urged relevant units to investigate the flow of funds and the individuals responsible at the television station thoroughly, stating that “the law should be enforced as necessary.”
Wang Dingyu stressed that Xinhua News Agency reporters stationed in Taiwan, carrying out objectives beyond media coverage, including engaging in espionage activities, are breaking the law. He called for these individuals to be arrested and brought to justice or expelled from the country. Additionally, he mentioned that the government must prohibit Xinhua News Agency from sending further personnel to station in Taiwan; otherwise, they could commit wrongdoing and easily replace individuals, creating legal loopholes, hence, their stationing qualifications should be immediately revoked.
Premier of the Republic of China (ROC) Cabinet, Su Zhen-tai, attended a legislative report session today and, during a media interview beforehand, was asked about reports of a local television political commentary program having a Chinese reporter stationed in the studio to ensure compliance with the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office’s requirements.
Su Zhen-tai stated, “We are not aware of the situation within the television station, but if there are any similar or other behaviors, they should be dealt with by law enforcement agencies.” He highlighted the importance of the National Communications Commission (NCC) in handling such cases and expressed a desire for the personnel approval authority of NCC to be quickly passed within the legislature to empower the professional independent agency to carry out its duties with confidence.
The terms of the four NCC commissioners will expire on July 31, with the Executive Yuan nominating four new nonpartisan commission members, equally balanced in gender, and submitting the nomination to the Legislative Yuan on April 30. During the session of the Legislative Yuan Procedure Committee today, a proposal from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to approve the nominations faced opposition from the Kuomintang (KMT) and People First Party, resulting in rejection upon voting. If the Legislative Yuan fails to exercise personnel approval authority by July 31, the term of the current NCC commissioners will be extended until new commissioners are appointed.