The Constitution guarantees freedoms of speech and of the press, and these rights are respected by the government (HRR 2015). Taiwan’s media environment is considered to be among the freest in Asia and has a vigorous and diverse press that reports aggressively on government policies and corruption allegations (FotP 2015). Media outlets are privately owned in Taiwan and Taiwanese law prohibits government and political parties from owning or running broadcast media companies, and government entities and political parties are also required to divest themselves of stakes in all broadcast companies (FotP 2015). Nonetheless, the concentration of media ownership has raised concerns about its impact on press freedom (HRR 2015). One of the effects is felt in journalistic reports in favor of the Republic of China, which can be traced back to political considerations and the influence of Taiwanese business with close ties to China (HRR 2015). The government does not censor, restrict or monitor internet content (HRR 2015). The media environment is considered ‘free’ (FotP 2015).
Taiwan has one of the most vibrant civil societies in Asia, with numerous NGOs engaging in different public activities and featuring high-degrees of social and institutional trust (BTI 2016). All NGOs must register with the government, and those working with human rights, social welfare and environmental issues are active and can operate without harassment (BTI 2012). The Ministry of Justice, also responsible for combatting corruption, cooperated with civil society organizations and Taiwanese authorities have generally been cooperative and responsive to the views of NGOs (HRR 2015).
