Two Chinese media organizations will no longer be allowed to station their staff in Taiwan. This new announcement came from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) which concluded that the news –as presented by the Xinhua News Agency and the People’s Daily newspaper– is not conducive to the enhancement of understanding between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Vice President Annette Lu supports the decision, and says that the MAC should have reacted earlier.
It’s been four years since the commencement of the exchange program allowing Chinese journalists to be stationed in Taiwan began. But the MAC is calling for permission to be withdrawn for two Chinese media organizations. “It was China’s enactment of its anti-secession law that made us realize that perhaps it’s time to re-examine cross-strait interactions,” said MAC Chairman Joseph Wu.
Xinhua’s response is here.
