台湾テレビ局、中国が攻撃開始と誤報で陳謝

【ＡＦＰ＝時事】台湾テレビ局の中華電視公司（ＣＴＳ）は２０日、中国が台湾への攻撃を開始したとする誤った速報を立て続けに放送し、「市民のパニックを引き起こした」として陳謝した。（写真は中国からわずか３キロに位置する台湾・金門島で、海岸沿いに設置された上陸阻止用のスパイクと退役済み戦車 資料写真）
　ＣＴＳは同日、「新北市が共産党軍の誘導ミサイルによる攻撃を受けた」「台北港で複数の大型船が爆発、施設や船舶が損壊した」といった速報を画面に掲示した。
　これ以外にも「中国が戦争準備を重ね、総統が緊急命令を発出」「戦争が勃発する恐れ、新北市が合同緊急司令部を開設」などの速報が表示された。
　これについてＣＴＳは、新北市消防当局の委託で用意された防災訓練用の警報を、職員が誤って放送したと説明。複数のチャンネル上で訂正と謝罪を行った上で、内部調査を実施し責任者を「厳しく処分する」と表明した。
　台湾では、ロシアによるウクライナ侵攻で、中国も同様に台湾併合を実行に移すのではないかとの懸念が強まっており、不安をあおる誤報となった。ただ、インターネット上では怒りや冷笑が広がったものの、台北市内で大規模なパニックが発生した様子はなかった。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/04/21-09:09）

A Taiwanese television station apologised Wednesday for causing public panic after erroneously running a series of alerts saying China had launched attacks on the island.
Taiwan's 23 million people live under constant threat of an invasion by China, which views the self-ruled democratic island as part of its territory to be re-taken one day, by force if necessary.
Taipei-based Chinese Television System (CTS) sparked alarm after running several news alerts on its screen including New Taipei City hit by Communist army's guided missiles and Vessels exploded, facilities and ships damaged in Taipei port.
Other alerts featured read Communist China's frequent war preparations, the President issued emergency order and War could break out, New Taipei City opens joint emergency command and control centre.
CTS attributed the blunder to staff who mistakenly put out content from disaster prevention drills that the station was commissioned to produce for New Taipei City's fire department.
CTS offers its sincere apology that this serious flaw has caused panic among the public and trouble to relevant units, the company said in a statement.
The false war alerts hit a nerve at a time of heightened fears in Taiwan raised by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and concerns China might similarly one day follow through on threats to annex its smaller neighbour.
CTS said it ran corrections and apologies on multiple channels, adding that it will severely punish those responsible after initiating an internal probe.
Don't panic, read a message posted on its official Facebook page, with a photo of a clarification alert saying: CTS mistakenly ran war and disaster prevention message, no need for the public to panic.
Some netizens reacted with anger and scorn, but there was no sign of mass panic on the streets of Taipei Wednesday morning.
Beijing has ramped up pressure on Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, as she views the island as a sovereign country and not part of Chinese territory.
Its sabre-rattling has increased considerably over the past year, with warplanes breaching Taiwan's air defence zone on a near-daily basis.
Last year, Taiwan recorded 969 such incursions, according to a database compiled by AFP -- more than double the roughly 380 in 2020.
The number of sorties reached around 300 in the first four months this year.