Chinese embassy in India interfering with press freedom: Taiwan

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) The Taiwan government said Saturday that the Chinese embassy in India was attempting to interfere with press freedom there when it wrote a letter to a TV channel, protesting the airing of an interview with Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).

In a statement issued Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the Chinese government continues to meddle in Taiwan's engagement with other countries and international organizations, despite the fact that it does not control Taiwan.

"Actions that violate basic values such as democracy and freedom, including interference with freedom of expression and freedom of the press, will naturally be rejected by the freedom-loving people of Taiwan and India," MOFA said.

MOFA's statement was in response to a letter of protest sent by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi to the TV channel India Today, after the broadcast of an interview with Wu on Thursday.

In the letter, the Chinese embassy said India Today was providing a platform for "separatist activities" by the Taiwan government.

"It seriously violated the One-China principle and sent the completely wrong message to the Indian people," the Chinese embassy wrote in the letter, according to India Today.

MOFA said, however, that it was Wu's job to inform the world about Taiwan's economic and political situation and to seek international support.

Wu has been interviewed more than 100 times by international media organizations, and he will continue to give such interviews, MOFA said.

It thanked India Today for its "objective reporting and full broadcast" of Wu's interview, despite pressure from Beijing, and it praised India for upholding press freedom.

In the India Today interview, Wu said China had prevented Indian media from reporting on the Oct. 10 National Day celebrations in Taiwan.

Wu also called for the restructuring of supply chains, to move away from countries that have "ambitions to dominate the international community," and he suggested that Taiwan and India work together on matters of regional importance.