MEDIA REACTION: HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT

UNCLAS TAIPEI 000872 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/RSP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ROBERT PALLADINO DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW TIP SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT Summary: Two limited-circulation English-language newspapers in Taiwan raised the issue of the State Department's 2004 Human Rights Report on their editorial pages March 3, but one only did so as a jumping-off point for a complicated analysis of local politics. The editorials of the other major Taipei dailies continued to focus completely on local politics. The editorial of the pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times," after comparing Taiwan's human rights record with that of China's, said the advice offered by the United States regarding Taiwan's human rights condition is friendly and well-intentioned but its comments about the Taiwan media deserves some criticism. End summary. "Taiwan Outshines China in Rights" The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 30,000] noted in its editorial (3/3): ". Since the US [Human Rights] report contains a 56,000- word section on China and an 11,000-word section on Taiwan, a detailed comparison of their human-rights record is a time-intensive procedure. But even a superficial review makes it clear that Taiwan and China are very different countries. China is demonstrating yet again what kind of country it is - with a regime that does not respect the opinion of 23 million Taiwanese, wants to include Taiwan in its territory by legislative flat and plans to provide a legal basis for military attacks on Taiwan. "However, the US report deserves some criticism itself when it comes to its comments about the media here. It cites pan-blue friendly sources saying that because Taiwan's market is not mature enough to support a massive media industry, certain media outlets that depend on media placement by the government and loans from government-controlled banks may not be neutral in their news coverage. What is ignored in this report is that due to the manipulations by the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government and a majority of media workers being Mainlanders, a large sector of the media has long favored the pan-blue camp. To make its voice heard, the Democratic Progressive Party government must rely on advertising to defend itself. "All in all, the advice given by the US is friendly and well-intentioned. For many years, it has been such friendly admonishments from Washington, together with the pride of the Taiwanese, that have turned Taiwan into an advanced country in terms of human rights. Chen's recent announcement that a future constitutional amendment will include a `National Council of Human Rights' was made as a response to the expectations of the international community and is just one more step toward improved rights for everyone." KEEGAN