Taiwan's government is refusing to sign off on new broadcasting laws passed by the legislature, setting up a serious clash between the executive and lawmakers over who controls the media.

• Premier Cho Jung-tai has declined to countersign three amended broadcasting and cable TV laws, blocking them from taking effect.
• The changes would let political parties, the government, and the military own shares in and run media companies again — something Taiwan banned during its move to democracy.
• Cho says the point is to keep the media independent, and that every refusal to sign has been forced on him rather than chosen.
• He is also blocking a separate law that would let lawmakers spend their staff budgets on themselves and wipe out criminal liability for doing so, a rule that would apply only to national legislators and not local councils.
• Nine bills in total are being held up this way, turning the fight into the main battle between the cabinet and the legislature.

Outlook: Expect the standoff to escalate, with the legislature likely to push back hard against a cabinet that is now refusing to sign nearly a dozen of its bills.