Taiwan President Lai Ching-te impresses foreign press with unscripted, sincere speech

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te engaged with foreign journalists at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club (TFCC) on June 18, delivering a speech without notes that impressed attendees with its sincerity and capability. This event took place against the backdrop of China's recent expulsion of Vivian Wang, a New York Times reporter based in China.

David Frazier, an American journalist present at the meeting, noted in a Taipei Times special report that China's expulsion of Wang was a retaliatory measure for the New York Times' interview with Lai Ching-te at the "DealBook Summit" last year, even though Wang was not involved in that specific interview. While Wang was expelled in February, the news only surfaced on May 29 when The New York Times reported it, accusing China of oppressing international journalists who challenge Xi Jinping's authoritarian rule.

“

International journalists, whether they have worked in China or are currently stationed in Taiwan, have certainly experienced pressure and even cross-border threats from China. Under such pressure, foreign journalists still maintain their professional spirit to report on Taiwan's affairs, which makes me deeply admire them.

Taiwan's Presidential Office subsequently issued a statement criticizing China's "crude methods" of threatening media and interfering with press freedom under "baseless pretenses." The statement highlighted that such actions not only fail to improve China's international image but also underscore its role as a source of regional and international unease. Around the same time, the Presidential Office contacted the TFCC to organize the meeting with international media.

During the tea reception, attended by approximately 40 to 50 foreign journalists, Lai directly addressed the journalists' concerns about China's actions. He acknowledged that international reporters, whether working in China or stationed in Taiwan, have faced pressure and even cross-border threats from China. Lai expressed deep respect for their professionalism in continuing to report on Taiwanese affairs under such duress. Frazier observed that since Xi Jinping took power in 2012, the Chinese Communist Party's control over foreign journalists has tightened, leading to a growing community of foreign reporters based in Taiwan.

“

China's expulsion of Wang [Vivian Wang] was in retaliation for The New York Times' interview with Lai Ching-te at the 'DealBook Summit' last year, even though Wang herself did not participate in that interview.

Frazier cited scholar Michael Turton, who noted a significant shift since 2017: international media coverage of Taiwan, previously handled by Beijing or Hong Kong-based correspondents flying in only for major events, has increasingly involved journalists relocating to Taiwan. This trend accelerated around 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and China's further media expulsions, causing a rapid increase in TFCC membership. American journalist Chris Horton, a Taiwan resident since 2015, termed this phenomenon the "2020 generation."

Lai's 10-minute opening remarks emphasized the fundamental difference between Taiwan and China: Taiwan's possession and respect for press freedom, which he vowed the island would continue to defend for both international and domestic media. The subsequent 30-minute Q&A session saw journalists inquire about military procurement, Taiwan-Japan relations, and China's "gray zone" tactics. Lai even extended the question time beyond its scheduled end. Frazier described Lai as somewhat reserved on camera but a capable and genuinely sincere speaker. The conversation later shifted to more relaxed topics, with Lai inquiring about the journalists' lives in Taiwan and their origins, even discussing the World Cup with a Spanish reporter.

“

China's crude methods of threatening media and interfering with press freedom under baseless pretenses not only fail to improve its international image but also highlight that China at this moment is a source of unease and trouble for the region and the international community.