"The GIO has been consistent in refraining from meddling in day-to-day media operations or their specific operational plans so long as they follow the principles of professional independence and uphold our national dignity," said GIO Minister Su Jun-pin.

Fielding questions at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan's Education and Culture Committee, Su said the GIO conventionally does not interfere with local media's plans to interview international figures or celebrities, regardless of whether the media in question is a fully privately owned organization or a public body that receives funding from the national coffers.

During the session, opposition Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ting-fei asked Su about the propriety of a Radio Taiwan International (RTI) plan to interview China's senior party and government leaders.

According to the RTI's 2010 agenda and budget plan, the station plans to interview a number of senior Chinese leaders in the coming year to provide first-hand information about China's policy toward Taiwan.

"Why should the GIO donate more than NT$400 million (US$12.28 million) in funds to RTI annually for it to fawn on or curry favor with China?" Chen asked.

In response, Su said that China's state-run Xinhua news agency has filed applications with the GIO in the past to exclusively interview President Ma Ying-jeou and other Taiwanese leaders, including the premier.

"However, Ma rejected Xinhua's interview proposal," Su said.

In arranging for international news media to interview the nation's top leaders, Su went on, the GIO has to factor in practical national needs and timing.

He noted for example that the GIO tends to arrange for American, Japanese and other foreign media to interview Ma or other senior officials before the World Health Organization holds its annual conference in May.

In addition, he noted, as the government is seeking to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) -like accord with China, known as the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) , the GIO is also planning to either have the president or the premier host an international news conference or give interviews to major foreign news media.

Meanwhile, RTI director Wang Tan-ping said the radio station has set aside budget for interviewing Chinese leaders since 2006 when the DPP was in power.

Noting that RTI's audience is composed not only of Chinese citizens but also many foreign nationals, Wang said such interviews will help expand dialogue channels across the Taiwan Strait and simultaneously help foreign audiences better understand the development of cross-strait relations from Taiwan's perspective.

Touching on concern about the possible impact on national security of the government's recent relaxation on Chinese journalists' activities in Taiwan, GIO Minister Su said his office will review the situation when the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) convenes across-agency meeting on relevant issues.

In the past, Chinese journalists were required to report to the GIO when they wanted to cover news in Taiwanese cities other than Taipei. The government removed this restriction recently, allowing Chinese journalists to travel freely around Taiwan for news coverage, as well as increasing from two to five the maximum number of journalists each Chinese media outlet is allowed to post in Taiwan.

According to critics, such liberalization measures might jeopardize national security, but Su said the MAC and national security agencies carefully evaluated the pros and cons before implementing the new rules.

Asked how the government will react if Chinese spies come to Taiwan in the guise of journalists, Su said relevant management mechanisms must be updated to cope with the changing cross-strait situation and the increasingly liberalized regulations on cross-strait engagements.

"We will convey the lawmakers' concerns at MAC-organized interministerial meetings on relevant topics, " Su told the legislature.

(By Chou Yung-chieh and Sofia Wu)