Taiwan Rejects Xinhua Office Bid

Taiwan has rejected Xinhua News Agency—the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party—from setting up an office on the island, Radio Free Asia reported.

Xinhua applied for an office in Taipei’s 101 tower three months ago. The island’s Mainland Affairs Council, or MAC, turned it down, saying it’s against the regulations. Currently, only individual reporters from the Mainland are allowed to be stationed in Taiwan.

Relations between Taiwan and the Chinese regime have eased somewhat in recent years, but tensions over sovereignty still remain. Taiwan regards itself as an autonomous and independent state, whereas the Chinese regime considers it to be a breakaway province after the 1949 civil war.

Former head of Taiwan’s MAC, Joseph Wu, told Radio Free Asia the island needs be wary of Xinhua because it is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.

[Joseph Wu, Former Minister of Mainland Affairs Council]:
“Xinhua is a state news agency. It stands together with China’s communist government. Thus, its role around the world involves more than just releasing news. It not only gathers news and information, but is tasked with gathering intelligence. This is known in the U.S. and other countries. I believe most people know this in Taiwan as well.”

As part of its “soft power” push, the Chinese regime is aggressively trying to expand its state-controlled media worldwide. This includes Xinhua’s recent controversial purchase of a giant LED sign in New York’s Times Square.