Taiwan has urged China to stop blocking the websites of the island's government agencies, to smoothen the flow of news and information exchange between Taipei and Beijing.
“We've told them news exchange does not refer to the exchange of reporters only. What is really important is the free exchange of information,” said Liu Te-shun, spokesman for the Mainland Affairs Council in a statement.
Taiwan websites containing 'gov.tw' are still not accessible to Internet users on the Chinese mainland despite the improved ties with Beijing’s Koumintang Party in 2008.
Mr Liu said this is problematic when it comes to Beijing’s increasing need to access Taiwan’s data as government interactions intensify.
“They must face up to this issue if they hope to see further news and information exchange,” he said.
In 2009, Taiwan has eased restrictions on Chinese journalists stationed on the island, allowing each Chinese media outlet to deploy up to five news journalists.
China’s Firewalls
There is yet an assurance from Beijing’s state-run media information and communications ministry as to when the Internet censorship will be lifted in the mainland. In spite the increasing flow of modernity in the halls of government offices, the remnants of the old Communism regime remains.
The government blocks Web sites that discuss the Dalai Lama, the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square protesters; the banned spiritual movement called Falun Gong, and other Internet sites, which are not promoting the values of the Koumintang party and can cause social unrest, are prohibited.
In spite the forthcoming turnover in the Communist Party’s top leadership in 2012, government controls over the internet remains and firewalls firm.
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