NT$25,000 per month for foreign journalists to learn Chinese

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
#1

I am not sure of posting the news story in Taiwan Politics or Learning Chinese, but it definitely related to Living in Taiwan.

Government Information Office provides scholarship to foreign journalists in Taiwan to learn Chinese. Each approved applicant can gain NT$25,000 per month for a three-month study.

This program stirs up some opposite opinions that some people say it is a way to buy in foreign journalists.

Today GIO especially had a public announcement to clarify the purpose of the program. It said the program is to help foreign journalists to learn Chinese and help they understand Taiwanese culture and politics and environment so that they will have correct news reports for Taiwan.

I have many ideas. But in here, I only think how much a three-month program would help in terms of learning Chinese and Taiwanese culture, politics and environment.

#2

A three-month program would teach them how to order Mc Donald’s and nai cha, but it would serve the journalists more if it just concentrated on Taiwanese and/or Asian culture and politics.

Most correspondents articles I have read are often assisted by a local.

#3

These journalists will study Chinese for free in Taiwan and then they are off to China to cover more important news. Waist of our tax money, I’d say.

#4

Not to mention it makes me feel like the government respects citizens of another country rather than its own citizen. whats wrong with this country? I’d like to find out how to renounce my citizenship to this country so I can be respected as “foreigner”?

#5

now now, just a pr move to get some journalists to set up base here instead of the mainland. i think miso described it most accurately.

#6

Could someone post the news story link that is associated with this please?

#7

If you don’t mind it is in Chinese, here is the link http://info.gio.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=33432&ctNode=3851

#8

It was all over the news yesterday and probably will be for the next couple of days.

#9

[quote=“Scholarships for foreign journalists creating a stir”]

A program by the Government Information Office (GIO) to provide scholarships for foreign reporters working for international news outlets to learn Mandarin in Taiwan drew a mixed reaction from academics and lawmakers yesterday.

Story continues…[/quote]

To a person like KMT Legislator Lee, who says that a governmental agency shouldn’t financially sponsor students of Chinese, I would point out that thousands of scholarships are awarded every year by the PRC government for the purpose of studying Chinese.