Reuters
Date: August 10, 2019
By: Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen urged citizens to stay on alert for Chinese-financed

media “infiltration” after a Reuters report of a Beijing-backed media campaign in the self-ruled island which China considers its own.

FILE PHOTO: Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen visits the 6th Army Command, ahead of Lunar New Year, in Taoyuan, Taiwan January 25, 2019. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

Tsai said on Saturday the Reuters report confirmed growing concerns over Chinese attempts to influence press coverage on the island.

“The story to some extent confirmed that these concerns aren’t baseless,” Tsai told reporters in the southern city of Kaohsiung.

“The Chinese infiltration in Taiwan is actually omnipresent and we hope that all citizens could stay on high alert for such infiltration, which includes fake news,” Tsai added.

The report cited evidence that Chinese authorities had paid at least five Taiwan media groups for coverage in various publications and on a television channel in a campaign to sway popular sentiment in the island.    [FULL  STORY]