Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI872
2005-03-03 08:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO TW TIP 
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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