Many global media have been reporting on the student protests at the legislature over the cross-strait trade in services agreement. That’s the word from foreign ministry official Manfred Peng on Tuesday. The controversial agreement was signed by Taiwan and China last June and has yet to be reviewed by the legislature.
Peng said that since March 17, there have been over 270 reports from 140 media in 38 countries about the protests. Most of the articles have been from countries in the Asia-Pacific and Europe and North America. American and Japanese media have given the issue the most coverage.
Peng said, "The reports state the stances of President Ma, Premier Jiang, the Mainland Affairs Council and economic ministry officials. Of course they also focus on the students and their demands and opposition to the trade in services agreement. Basically, they’re pretty balanced reports and very little commentary."
Peng said the ministry has also been keeping track of local reports on the demonstrations and is trying to clarify any misunderstandings. Overseas Taiwanese have also expressed their opposition to the agreement and given letters to representative offices abroad. Peng said the letters would be sent back to Taiwan for the ministry’s reference.