48 PERSPECTIVES ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS | VOL 43 | 2025 Table 1 Taiwan’s legal framework protecting press freedoms Source: Ministry of Justice, 2024. media under freedom of speech and press protections. However, Tsai’s case raised concerns due to his alleged connections with Chinese entities involved in illegal propaganda activities. Given that Taiwan, a young democracy, is still seeking to maintain its independence from China, it is also concerning to have a prominent media investor like Tsai (born in Taiwan) appear to embrace suppressing freedom of speech and of the press. Tsai’s pro-unification stance became evident through his public statements regarding the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, which signaled alignment with China’s suppression of the press (Hsu, 2014). Tiananmen Square protestors in Beijing, advocating for reforms that included press freedoms, were met with extreme force from the Chinese military. Many sources report that the number of deaths is unknown, with some estimates as high as 2600 (Lucas, 2009). An article from The Washington Post reports Tsai making the claim, “The fact that the man wasn’t killed (tank man) … showed that reports of a massacre were not true: ‘I realized that not that many people could really have died ’” (Higgins, 2012). A prominent business owner acquiring an already pro-unification media outlet and then denying that lives were lost among protestors seeking press freedoms in China demonstrates pro-unification support that constitutes a substantial risk to Taiwan’s press and democratic norms. Investors like Tsai make it possible for China’s reunification agenda to remain prominent in Taiwan’s civil discourse. Thanks to Tsai, the financial leverage of China Times Media Group’s network and print me- Law Press freedom–related content Radio and Television Act Article 5-1: The government and political parties, as well as foundations established with endowments provided by them, and those commissioned by them, may not directly or indirectly invest in privately operated radio/ television businesses. Satellite Broadcasting Act Article 5: The government and political parties, as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them, shall not directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. Unless otherwise provided by law, the government and political parties shall not provide endowments for the establishment of a satellite broadcasting business. Article 31: A satellite broadcasting business and the branch office or agent of a foreign satellite broadcasting business shall not have any one of the following actions: 1. To broadcast a program or advertisement that is financed, produced or sponsored by the government and is related to persons planning to participate in (a) campaign. Cable Radio and Television Act Article 10: The government, political parties, and foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them, may not directly or indirectly invest in private system operators. National Security Act Article 2-1: Any person may not engage in the following acts for a foreign country, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, foreign hostile forces, or various organizations, institutions, or groups established or substantially controlled by them or the persons dispatched by such organizations, institutions, or groups: 1. Initiating, funding, hosting, manipulating, directing or developing an organization. Cross-Strait Act Article 34: The goods, services or any other matters of the Mainland Area permitted in accordance with this Act may have their advertisement broadcast or published, or any other promotion activity thereof in the Taiwan Area. The content of the advertisement and activity referred to in the preceding paragraph shall not have…Any political propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party. Anti-Infiltration Act Article 1: This act is intended to prevent the infiltration and intervention of foreign hostile forces, to ensure national security and social stability, and to safeguard the sovereignty and liberal democratic constitutional order of the Republic of China. Law Press freedom–related content Radio and Television Act Article 5-1: The government and political parties, as well as foundations established with endowments provided by them, and those commissioned by them, may not directly or indirectly invest in privately operated radio/ television businesses. Satellite Broadcasting Act Article 5: The government and political parties, as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them, shall not directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. Unless otherwise provided by law, the government and political parties shall not provide endowments for the establishment of a satellite broadcasting business. Article 31: A satellite broadcasting business and the branch office or agent of a foreign satellite broadcasting business shall not have any one of the following actions: 1. To broadcast a program or advertisement that is financed, produced or sponsored by the government and is related to persons planning to participate in (a) campaign. Cable Radio and Television Act Article 10: The government, political parties, and foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them, may not directly or indirectly invest in private system operators. National Security Act Article 2-1: Any person may not engage in the following acts for a foreign country, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, foreign hostile forces, or various organizations, institutions, or groups established or substantially controlled by them or the persons dispatched by such organizations, institutions, or groups: 1. Initiating, funding, hosting, manipulating, directing or developing an organization. Cross-Strait Act Article 34: The goods, services or any other matters of the Mainland Area permitted in accordance with this Act may have their advertisement broadcast or published, or any other promotion activity thereof in the Taiwan Area. The content of the advertisement and activity referred to in the preceding paragraph shall not have…Any political propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party. Anti-Infiltration Act Article 1: This act is intended to prevent the infiltration and intervention of foreign hostile forces, to ensure national security and social stability, and to safeguard the sovereignty and liberal democratic constitutional order of the Republic of China. Law Press freedom–related content Radio and Television Act Article 5-1: The government and political parties, as well as foundations established with endowments provided by them, and those commissioned by them, may not directly or indirectly invest in privately operated radio/ television businesses. Satellite Broadcasting Act Article 5: The government and political parties, as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them, shall not directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. Unless otherwise provided by law, the government and political parties shall not provide endowments for the establishment of a satellite broadcasting business. Article 31: A satellite broadcasting business and the branch office or agent of a foreign satellite broadcasting business shall not have any one of the following actions: 1. To broadcast a program or advertisement that is financed, produced or sponsored by the government and is related to persons planning to participate in (a) campaign. Cable Radio and Television Act Article 10: The government, political parties, and foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them, may not directly or indirectly invest in private system operators. National Security Act Article 2-1: Any person may not engage in the following acts for a foreign country, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, foreign hostile forces, or various organizations, institutions, or groups established or substantially controlled by them or the persons dispatched by such organizations, institutions, or groups: 1. Initiating, funding, hosting, manipulating, directing or developing an organization. Cross-Strait Act Article 34: The goods, services or any other matters of the Mainland Area permitted in accordance with this Act may have their advertisement broadcast or published, or any other promotion activity thereof in the Taiwan Area. The content of the advertisement and activity referred to in the preceding paragraph shall not have…Any political propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party. Anti-Infiltration Act Article 1: This act is intended to prevent the infiltration and intervention of foreign hostile forces, to ensure national security and social stability, and to safeguard the sovereignty and liberal democratic constitutional order of the Republic of China.
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