Taiwan launches first English-language TV channel

Taiwan authorities reported Monday that they have launched their first English-language television channel, TaiwanPlus, in the midst of rising tensions with China and with an eye on increasing its presence on the international scene.

Access to the channel was already available since last August through the Internet — from platforms such as TaiwanPlus Livestream and Youtube — but now it will be available through channel 7, according to information from the newspaper ‘Taiwan News’.

“Taiwan has a unique international strategic position and plays a special role globally. It is now of utmost importance to convey the Taiwanese point of view through its own channel and enable the world to hear Taiwan’s voice,” said Taiwanese President Tsai Ing Wen.

In this sense, she highlighted Taiwan’s key role in the global supply chains of semiconductor materials and technology products. During the presentation of the channel, Tsai compared it with other major international channels, such as the British BBC and Japan’s NHK.

Culture Minister Lee Yung Te called the launch a cornerstone for the island’s media history and insisted that Taiwan needed a channel that would “tell its stories for a global audience”.

Officials have also indicated that they intend to launch a channel in North America in the coming months.