Taiwan to set up an international TV channel to promote itself

Taipei - Taiwan is to allocate 2 billion Taiwan dollars (61 million US) to set up an international television channel aimed at raising international understanding of the island, the head of the Taiwan's media regulator said Wednesday. 'We plan to set up the channel in eight to 12 months to give first hand information to the international community so that it can speedily understand the view and position of Taiwan,' said Shieh Jhy-wey, minister of the Government Information Office. He said under the plan, the channel, which is estimated to cost 2 billion Taiwan dollars, will provide English and Chinese-language broadcasts. Shieh said there is a strong need for Taiwan to set up an international channel, given repeated snubs and suppressions by China, its rival since the two sides split at the end of a civil war in 1949. 'For instance, when we push for the holding of a referendum on joining the United Nations in the name of Taiwan, members of international community often first ask the opinions of Beijing. Through the channel, we will be able to let the world accurately understand why we are doing so,' he said. Taipei has been seeking to join the global body in the name of 'Taiwan,' a move Beijing claims is tantamount to the first step to a vote on independence. China, which still considers Taiwan a Chinese territory, has threatened to attack the island if it declares formal independence. It has also said Taiwan has no right to join international organisations as a sovereign body. But self-ruled Taiwan has insisted that its 23 million people have the right to join the UN. Shieh said the channel will have five to six hours of news reports about Taiwan, focusing on its internal, cross-strait and Asian issues, followed by other cultural programmes about Taiwan. Taiwan, which has more than 10 24-hour local news channels, does not have an English TV channel. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur