Brian Hioeby Brian Hioe
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Photo Credit: Theodoranian/WikiCommons/CC BY-SA 3.0
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT has called on Taiwanese media outlets to “jointly expose Taiwan independence separatist activities.” Such comments were made by Wu Xi, the deputy head of the Taiwan Affairs Office, at the Seventh Cross-Strait Media Summit.
These comments are not entirely surprising. At the same summit, Wu stated that media professionals on both sides of the Strait should “jointly write glorious history,” “uphold the national stance”, and “deeply explore shared historical memories.” To this extent, it was the duty of media on both sides of the Strait to “use media as a bridge to […] advance the reunification of the motherland and rejuvenation of the nation.”
This included a need to combat Taiwanese independence. As such, Wu stated that there was a need to combat disinformation released by Taiwanese independence forces, who were claimed to try and incite anti-China sentiment, undermine peace, and create confrontation through malicious rhetoric.
It may not be surprising to note that media representatives from pan-Blue media were present at the event. This included Luo Yin-cheng, the director of the China Center of the United Daily News, Hsu Tao, senior assistant to the chair of TVBS, and Zhou Xi-wei, vice chair of the Want Want Group. Several commentators and academics, including National Taiwan University professor Yuan Ju-cheng were also present.
This is not the first time that Taiwanese media groups have been called on to assist unification. Past Cross-Strait Media Summits have involved representatives of the Chinese government calling on Taiwanese media outlets to promote unification. Likewise, media outlets were called on to dissuade Taiwanese from the view that the US would back them in the event of war.
At the same time, it is notable that Wu’s comments at the Seventh Cross-Strait Media Summit echo those made by KMT chair Cheng Li-wun during her trip to China. During the trip, Cheng emphasized “One China” as well as “Opposing Taiwanese independence.” In that sense, Cheng was perceived as calling for a United Front between the CCP and KMT to combat the DPP, framed as a political force in Taiwan irrationally committed to Taiwanese independence.
It may be that Wu is calling upon pan-Blue media to paint the DPP disfavorably in coverage, then. Furthermore, Wu may be calling on pan-Blue media to try to paint the DPP as dangerously pro-independence, when the public stance of the party is maintaining the status quo at present.
Either way, it is to be seen whether cooperation between pan-Blue outlets and the CCP falls afoul of laws regulating Chinese influence in Taiwan. The Mainland Affairs Council has stated that violations of the Anti-Infiltration Act and National Security Act could lead to sentences of over seven years.
At the same time, the Taiwanese government has been notably reluctant to go after pan-Blue media outlets over direct links to China. When Want Want Group-owned CtiTV lost its broadcast license, for example, this was not over links to China–in spite of that CtiTV and Want Wang-owned China Times had been reported on by the Financial Times as directly accepting Chinese funding and allowing the Taiwan Affairs Office to have a direct say in its editorial policy. Instead, CtiTV lost its broadcast license for inflating the crowd count of then-Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu’s mayoral inauguration and reports stating that an “auspicious cloud” had appeared over a meeting between three KMT mayors. After all, even if the government currently feels more empowered to act on Chinese influence, it would prove a sensitive matter going after a dominant outlet of the pan-Blue camp.