TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan retained its position for having the freest press in Asia, in the Reporters Without Borders’ 2025 World Press Freedom Index released Friday.

Taiwan climbed three spots from last year, placing 24th globally and earning a satisfactory rating despite facing political polarization and frequent disinformation attacks from China, per CNA.

The group praised Taiwan’s democratic system and media freedom but noted challenges such as extreme political polarization, sensationalism, and profit-driven media practices, per RTI. These factors hinder journalists and may prevent citizens from accessing objective information.

According to the report, while Taiwan’s media environment is relatively safe, some journalists still face harassment and verbal attacks from politicians. Furthermore, public trust in the media remains low. A Reuters Institute survey last year found that only 33% of Taiwanese trust the news, among the lowest in democratic countries and second lowest in the Asia-Pacific region.

In stark contrast, China ranked 178th out of 180 countries, near the bottom of the index, and was described as the “world’s biggest jail for journalists.” Under Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Beijing severely restricts press freedom and criminalizes access to information.

Hong Kong’s press freedom situation has also deteriorated, falling five places to 140th, with new national security laws severely restricting independent journalism. These laws criminalize activities under broad terms such as “terrorism” and “collusion with foreign forces,” intensifying legal threats to journalists.

The top 10 countries in the index are all European, led by: Norway, Estonia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.