TAIPEI, April 10 (Xinhuanet) -- The Mainland Affairs Council of Taiwan's Executive Yuan on Sunday announced that Taiwan had stopped allowing journalists from mainland's official Xinhua News Agency and People's Daily to cover news on the island. The decision was immediately slammed by Taiwan media.

    The United Daily News, a Taiwan-based newspaper, on Sunday carried an article, criticizing the authorities' decision to suspend coverage by mainland media as "the most serious setback ofthe exchanges in the press across the Taiwan Straits" and saying that "the decision will be laughed by the international community".

    The article also said in the past, the news exchanges across the Taiwan Straits seldom or never had political disputes and was barely affected by political atmosphere across the Straits.

    The Mainland Affairs Council claimed that the decision was partof an overall review of exchanges in the press across the Straits.

    In 2000, Taiwan authorities announced a limited opening to journalists from mainland.

    To date, five mainland official news organizations, namely Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, China Central Television (CCTV), China National Radio and China News Service, have established standing bureaus in Taiwan.

    In December 1996, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council approved ten Taiwan news media to cover news on the mainland. Enditem