Radio Free Asia: Difference between revisions

After the [[1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre]], American interest in starting a government broadcasting organization grew.<ref name="Radio Free Asia">Susan B. Epstein: [http://opencrs.cdt.org/rpts/97-52_19971024.pdf CRS Report for Congress] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001620/http://opencrs.cdt.org/rpts/97-52_19971024.pdf |date=September 27, 2007 }} (PDF)</ref> A more concrete concept for such an organization aimed towards Asian countries was first presented by then-United States Senator from [[Delaware]], [[Joe Biden]], and later became a part of President [[Bill Clinton]]'s platform during his [[Bill Clinton 1992 presidential campaign|1992 presidential campaign]].<ref name="Volt">{{cite news |last1=Mann |first1=Jim |title= Republican Voltage Keeps Radio Free Asia Buzzing |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 1, 1997}}</ref> The [[International Broadcasting Act]] was passed by the [[Congress of the United States]] and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, officially establishing Radio Free Asia.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 1, 1994 |title=Radio Free Asia, Taiwan Sales Approved |work=The New York Times |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/01/world/radio-free-asia-taiwan-sales-approved.html |access-date=July 3, 2021 |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709231628/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/01/world/radio-free-asia-taiwan-sales-approved.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1997, the then [[US Deputy Secretary of State]], [[Strobe Talbott]], began talks with the government of [[Australia]] to purchase abandoned transmission facilities near [[Darwin, Northern Territory]] for the purpose of expanding RFA's signal to overcome jamming. Richter personally lobbied in [[Canberra]] to support this effort.<ref name="herald">{{cite news |last1=Clark |first1=Pilita |last2=Skehan |first2=Craig |title=Cabinet in a jam over US radio bid |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=November 3, 1997}}</ref> Although the [[Australian Government]] intended to sell the facilities to a foreign broadcaster, preference was given to the [[BBC]] over the fledgling RFA due to fears that such a sale would anger China, with Australian [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Foreign Affairs]] [[Alexander Downer]] stating, "we are certainly not in the game of provocatively damaging our relations with China."<ref name="herald" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Gervase |title=US facing rejection on Radio Free Asia broadcasts from NT |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/122857988/ |work=The Age |date=November 6, 1997 |access-date=July 8, 2021 |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183624/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/122857988/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Radio jamming and Internet blocking===

{{Further|Radio jamming in China|Radio jamming in Korea}}

Three RFA reporters were denied access to China to cover U.S. President Bill Clinton's visit in June 1998. The [[Chinese embassy in Washington]] had initially granted visas to the three but revoked them shortly before President Clinton left Washington en route to [[Beijing]]. The [[White House]] and [[United States Department of State]] filed complaints with Chinese authorities over the matter but the reporters ultimately did not make the trip.<ref name="Mann"/><ref>Sieff/Scully "Radio Free Asia reporters stay home; Clinton kowtows to Beijing's ban, critics contend", The [[Washington Times]], June 24, 1998</ref>