Launching English Television, President Tsai Ing-wen: The Story Of Taiwan Must Be Distributed To The World

JAKARTA - Taiwan launched its first English-language television, lifestyle and entertainment channel on Monday, to give it a bigger vote internationally.

The government-backed TaiwanPlus began operating last year, as an online streaming platform and is strongly supported by President Tsai Ing-wen.

Speaking at the launch of TaiwanPlus, President Tsai said the channel had raised Taiwan's international profile. He also said the channel would help when the island establish closer ties to "states that have core values of freedom and democracy."

"Taiwan's story must be shared with the world," President Tsai said.

"With more people around the world interested in Taiwan, it's more important than ever that we have a platform to bring Taiwan to the international community."

China, which claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, is increasingly active in English-speaking media, conveying the views of the ruling Communist Party to outside audiences, particularly through China's Global Television Network state television news channel, or CGTN.

China is also putting pressure on Taiwan's international space, including forcing foreign companies to call it part of China on their websites.

Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te told reporters Taiwan should be able to fight what China has to say about the island and issue a Taiwani point of view.

"Internationally our voices have not been fully heard. China continues to disseminate Taiwan as part of China, and many people believe it. You tell them it's not true, and they ask why?"

Lee added. "So in the future we will use Taiwanese media itself to explain to the international community why not."

For now, the television station is only available in Taiwan. However, Lee said they were eyeing a launch in the United States in the next six months.

Taiwan already has several domestic English-speaking media, the most notable of which is the Taipei Times newspaper, which was founded in 1999 published by Liberty Times.