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EDITORIAL: Beijing
and media manipulation
Beijing has reportedly drafted new policy guidelines for cross-strait relations
that include reaching out to those who do not support the Chinese Nationalist
Party (KMT), trying to exert more influence over the Taiwanese media and helping
Taiwanese companies in China improve their operations. The trouble is, Beijing
has already proven its ability to exert a great deal of influence over Taiwan¡¦s
media, and while its methods may be changing, the goal remains the same:
annexation.
These new policies were reportedly the result of several brainstorming sessions
among those in the Taiwan Affairs Office and others in charge of cross-strait
affairs in the wake of Taiwan¡¦s Jan. 14 elections and were supposedly in play
during the recent visit by Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits
Deputy Chairman Zheng Lizhong (¾G¥ß¤¤), which focused on the pro-green areas of
southern Taiwan.
China has been ramping up its media manipulation ever since the Economic
Cooperation Framework Agreement was signed in June 2010. On Monday, the
Foundation for the Advancement of Media Excellence noted that some Taiwanese
newspapers had run news stories from China¡¦s state media and published news
reports paid for by China without informing their readers, with about 200 ¡§ads¡¨
paid for by Chinese government agencies published in local newspapers last year.
The KMT government hasn¡¦t complained or tried to take action because it is doing
the same thing, with the foundation noting that the five biggest newspapers
published more than 1,300 ¡§ads¡¨ for the government in the second half of last
year alone.
However, Beijing¡¦s interest in additional manipulation of Taiwanese media has
been sparked by its belief that local media outlets¡¦ coverage helped convince
many Taiwanese to support the so-called ¡§1992 consensus¡¨ during the January
elections, the Chinese-language United Daily News cited sources as saying.
Being able to determine the source of news is crucial to being an informed
consumer and informed voter, and efforts by Beijing ¡X or the KMT government ¡X to
hide their sponsorship of self-serving news articles and reports are despicable,
and downright deadly to society, because the message that annexation is
inevitable could easily become a drumbeat that few can march against.
No one should be in doubt of China¡¦s intentions, even if it pretends to be
playing nicer. Just ask the Chinese where playing nice will get them.
The Chinese were told this week the government plans to soften the slogans local
authorities have used to push Beijing¡¦s ¡§one-child¡¨ policy. Instead of being
told ¡§We would rather scrape your womb than allow you to have a second child¡¨ or
¡§If you don¡¦t have your tubes tied, your house will be demolished,¡¨ they will
hear ¡§Caring for a girl means caring for the future of the nation,¡¨ the Shanghai
Daily reported.
The paper said the National Population and Family Planning Commission wants to
prevent zealous officials from ¡§offending the public¡¨ or worsening social
tensions.
The actual policy that has encouraged local family planning officials to use
draconian measures, including forced late-term abortions, sterilization and
monetary fines, to enforce the one-child policy is not being changed ¡X nor are
the quotas and targets that those officials have to meet ¡X just the public
facade is being polished.
That¡¦s what Beijing is all about ¡X its facade. Right now it is all about not
¡§offending the public¡¨ or worsening social tensions both at home and in Taiwan.
Which is why it is so important for the public to keep pushing the media into
doing their job to probe behind China¡¦s friendly facade and to protest at paid
coverage. To trust the message, you have to be able to trust the messenger, and
right now there is no reason to do so.
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