CHANGSHA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Mainland and Taiwan media representatives Saturday pushed the authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to allow them to set up resident bureaus on each other's side.
Mainland media hoped the Taiwan authorities can allow them to set up resident bureaus on the island, said Zhou Xisheng, vice president of Xinhua News Agency, one of the mainland's most important media, in his speech at the fifth Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum held here on Saturday and Sunday.
So far mainland journalists usually stay in Taiwan for three months and can extend to six months after application. They can not rent or buy residence but stay in hotel.
The mainland also allows the maximum six-month stay for Taiwan media people and they can rent residence in the mainland.
"The present arrangement is temporary. A resident office in Taiwan will help mainland media, including Xinhua, to improve news reporting and cut cost. It is an urgent issue about media cooperation across the Strait," Zhou said. "I hope the Taiwan authorities can make it simple, put it high on the agenda and solve it as early as possible."
Xia Chunping, deputy chief editor of China News Agency based in Beijing, expected this issue will be on the agenda of the meeting between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).
"Since the two organizations resumed talks last year, we had waited, waited and waited to see them talk about this issue but it just did not happen," Xia said. "I truly hope the next meeting can include it in the schedule."
Most of his colleagues, commuting across the Strait every three months, thought it was not long enough to understand local society. They also would like to have their own offices, residences, cars and bring families with them, none of which are possible now, Xia said.
George K. Shuang, president of Taiwan-based United Evening News agreed Zhou and Xia on realizing resident reporting across the Strait.
"Exchanges between mainland and Taiwan media can only be normal when they are allowed to set up resident bureaus on each other's side," he said. "Thus, media people will be able to understand each other better and report news in a more precise and objective way."
The Taiwan authorities should lift the quota for mainland media and journalists, he said.
Now Taiwan allows five media of central level and five regional ones from the mainland to sent their reporters to the island. No such quota is imposed by the mainland.
Hu Hung-jen, president of The Commons Daily based in southern Taiwan, believed media is the most effective tool for people on both sides to exchange ideas and understand each other.
"When journalists feel easy at work, other communications will be easy as well," he said. "I don't see any problems to lift restriction on resident reporting. With fewer restrictions, they will be able to meet more locals, experience different sides of local society and report news in a wider range."
Around 16,000 Taiwan journalists have visited the mainland by the end of 2008 since the mainland lifted the ban in 1987. A dozen of Taiwan media have their reporters in mainland cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Kunming but for temporary posts.
The first two mainland reporters were posted in Taiwan in February 2001. Now seven mainland media have staff there. Their legal stay in Taiwan also increased from one month in 2001 to three months now.
Media people also suggested wider cooperation between media on both sides.
Besides exchanging news products, sharing news resources between traditional media, the two sides can also try new media, such as websites and digital video news, Zhou Xisheng said.
Xinhua's video department worked with Taiwan's ETTV to cover the anniversary of the devastating earthquake in southwestern Sichuan Province in May -- Xinhua's reporters on the spot provided exclusive news for ETTV's studio in Taipei. ETTV also broadcast Xinhua's half-hour special report on the earthquake anniversary.
Media on both sides can also exchange reporters as interns and visiting research fellows so that they will understand media operation and industry environment on each other's side, Zhou said.
He also proposed to set up an annual award for outstanding cross-Strait news coverage.
George K. Shuang suggested mainland and Taiwan media groups should explore possibility of joint ventures in economic, sport or entertainment information service.
