ISTANBUL

Taiwan has barred reporters from mainland China to write about upcoming highly-followed presidential elections.

They can only “observe” the democratic elections, it emerged on Thursday.

Taiwan, where the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) boasts of a democratic way of life and freedom, is set to hold presidential elections witnessing a trilateral contest on Jan. 13.

According to the Hong Kong-based daily South China Morning Post, one of its journalists holding a Chinese passport had to cancel his Taiwan trip after it came to the fore that reporters from mainland China face “especially strict barriers on reporting on the January 13 presidential and legislative elections.”

Quoting an unnamed Taiwanese immigration official, the report said: “(Chinese) mainland journalists on short-term permits ‘can only observe’ but are not allowed to write anything about the elections, even if they clear the application process to visit the island.”

It is the first time such a measure has been imposed by Taiwan, which China claims as its “breakaway province,” due to the "sensitivity" of the elections.

There are over 235 journalists from across the world camping in Taiwan to cover the elections.

The presidential elections are held every four years and President Tsai Ing-wen of DPP has been at the helm since 2016 – the period which saw tensions escalate across the Taiwan Strait as Taipei increased its engagement with the US and her allies.

The report added that the work of journalists from “non-mainland backgrounds… were not affected.”

However, Chinese journalists based in Taiwan on a longer-term basis are “allowed to cover the election.”

There are some 15 Chinese journalists representing eight mainland media houses in Taiwan on six-month stay permits, who "are free to go anywhere" on the island.

Also, no Chinese academic is expected to fly to the island nation to act as an election observer.

It would be the first time in decades that Chinese academics do not show up in Taiwan – a development for which the two sides have blamed each other.

“The reporting restriction, which appears to specifically target mainland citizens, comes against the backdrop of a spike in distrust and hostility between Taipei and Beijing in the lead-up to the widely-watched election,” the report added.

The Taiwanese immigration official said reporters can only apply to visit with an invitation from an institution or organization in Taiwan. But after they are allowed in, these people can only observe – they are not permitted to report or cover news events, the immigration official said, adding that this was a reciprocal arrangement with Beijing.

The runup to elections on the island has also seen allegations of election interference by China, which Beijing Thursday rejected.

Many Chinese balloons also flew across the Taiwan Strait recently, with three detected on Wednesday. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry also said it detected six Chinese aircraft and six naval vessels around the island nation on Thursday.