Taiwan's press freedom ranks first in Asia: report

Taipei, May 2 (UNI) Taiwan's press freedom ranks first in Asia, the nation's best ever record, officials from the Cabinet-level Government Information Office (GIO) today said.

The remarks came after Freedom House recently released an annual report on press freedom in 195 countries and areas in the world.

This year, Taiwan surpassed Japan for the first time to outperform all other Asian countries, GIO officials noted, reports the Taiwanese Central News Agency (CNA).

Taiwan is in 33rd place in the world, up two notches from last year, the officials said, adding that Taiwan is deemed to be a ''free'' country on an equal scale with Finland, Germany, and the United States.

In contrast, China ranks 181st in the world, down four notches from last year, the officials pointed out.

Quoting the report, the officials said that China, Laos, and Vietnam are listed as ''not free'' countries due to the exercise of national or political control over the media.

The report also shows that press freedom in China is not improving, but worsening, the officials went on.

Freedom House scored the countries on the level of judicial independence, political rights, and economic deregulation. The report indicates a trend that the global press freedom is on the decline, the officials explained.

Taiwan rose from last year's 35th place to 33rd place this year, far ahead of Japan (39th place), South Korea (66th place), Hong Kong (66th place), and Singapore (154th place), the officials pointed out.

The report says that Taiwan has an independent judicial system, a free economy, and the most free media environment in East Asia, the officials stated.

In addition, Taiwan's constitution explicitly protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the report notes, adding that the government also respects the exercise of free rights, the officials said.

Taiwan has over 360 private newspapers, 169 radio stations, and around 100 cable TV channels, indicating that the government has little influence over the media, the report says.

Freedom House was founded by Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of US President Franklin D Roosevelt, in 1941. The non-partisan, non-profit organization has published its press freedom report every year since 1980.

UNI