Student shows off luxury dorm, tells Taiwanese lawmaker to keep politics out, as China dorm video fuels stark contrast

A student’s request that Taiwanese lawmaker Wu Szu-yao keep politics out of a dormitory post has collided with images of a Chinese high school dorm where about 30 girls share one crowded room.

The argument began during Taiwan’s university opening season, when students posted photos of dormitories with private compartments and separate wet and dry areas. Wu, a Democratic Progressive Party legislator, left comments promoting the government’s New Dormitory Movement. One student responded: “Please don't promote yourself in my post. I know the election is coming, but I don't want my post to have politics in it, thank you.”

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Please don't promote yourself in my post. I know the election is coming, but I don't want my post to have politics in it, thank you.

The exchange triggered sharply divided reactions online. Some commenters argued that students benefited from government policies and subsidies, while others debated whether everyday issues such as housing could be separated from politics.

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The era of doing good without wanting people to know is over. Government achievements should of course be stated loudly.

Wu later said on Threads: “The era of doing good without wanting people to know is over. Government achievements should of course be stated loudly.” She said the programme grew from efforts beginning in 2018, more than 10 legislative inquiries and over 50 meetings. According to Wu, an earlier policy approach treated dormitories as financially self-sustaining and excluded them from education subsidies, leaving universities focused on providing basic accommodation. She said regulatory barriers had since been removed and budgets invested to improve living spaces.

The debate widened after the social media account “Teacher Li Is Not Your Teacher” shared footage of a Chinese high school girls’ dormitory. The room contained tightly packed bunk beds with about 30 spaces and little privacy. The post included a parent’s comment telling a child to “make do for now.” Other Chinese internet users claimed that some dormitories housed 76 or 45 people, with one lacking even an electric fan. The images brought the focus back to Taiwan’s housing programme and the contrasting conditions shown online.

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Make do for now, child.