Taiwan backs media against China's 'threats and pressure'

President Lai Ching-te has strongly reaffirmed Taiwan's commitment to press freedom and pledged solidarity with international media outlets facing threats and pressure from China. His statements came after the expulsion of a New York Times correspondent from mainland China, an action reportedly linked to Lai's participation in a virtual event hosted by the newspaper.

During an event organized by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club, Lai declared, "The value of journalism is one of Taiwan's pillars; in addition to continuing to defend press freedom, we will stand firm with international or domestic media that suffer threats and pressures." He urged journalists and media organizations targeted by Beijing to confront the situation with courage.

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The value of journalism is one of Taiwan's pillars; in addition to continuing to defend press freedom, we will stand firm with international or domestic media that suffer threats and pressures.

Lai warned against succumbing to pressure, stating, "If they attack and break us one by one, the oppressor's strength will grow, and the oppressed will become even more afraid to speak out." He called for international collaboration to demonstrate how media professionals can maintain their integrity and exercise press freedom without compromise, even under authoritarian duress.

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If they attack and break us one by one, the oppressor's strength will grow, and the oppressed will become even more afraid to speak out.

The expulsion of Vivian Wang, the New York Times correspondent, occurred after her video appearance by Lai during a December event. Chinese authorities accused the NYT of mischaracterizing Taiwan, which they consider a Chinese region, thereby sending a "very erroneous signal to separatist forces." This incident underscores Beijing's intensified efforts to curb Taiwan's international presence.

Lai's remarks highlight Taiwan's role as a bastion of press freedom in contrast to China's increasingly restrictive media environment. According to Reporters Without Borders, China ranks 178th out of 180 countries in global press freedom rankings, illustrating the stark differences in media landscapes across the Taiwan Strait.

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It sends an extremely erroneous signal to the separatist forces.