Advertisement

Taiwan elections: mainland Chinese reporters on short-term permits ‘can only observe’ as island votes for new president

  • Post reporter with mainland China passport among journalists forced to cancel travel plans because of restriction
  • Also, for the first time in decades, no mainland academics will be visiting Taiwan to observe the elections either

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
99+
Taiwan voters will head to the polls on January 13 for presidential and legislative elections. Photo: Reuters
Amber Wangin BeijingandLawrence Chungin Taipei
Reporters from around the world are converging on Taiwan as the island prepares to vote for a new president in less than 10 days. However, those coming in from mainland China face especially strict barriers on reporting on the January 13 presidential and legislative elections.
Advertisement

A Taiwanese immigration official, who declined to be named, said mainland journalists on short-term permits “can only observe” but were not allowed to write anything about the elections, even if they cleared the application process to visit the island.

The restriction, which was not in place during previous elections held every four years, caused a mainland Chinese reporter from the South China Morning Post to cancel plans to fly to Taiwan.

Journalists of non-mainland background from the same organisation, however, were not affected. It also does not affect mainland reporters based in Taiwan, who are allowed to cover the election.

The reporting restriction, which appears to target mainland citizens, comes against the backdrop of a spike in distrust and hostility between Taipei and Beijing in the lead-up to the widely watched election.

The move has also raised questions about freedom of the press in the democratically governed island, which is also one of the key talking points in the campaign language of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Advertisement
loading
Advertisement