Taiwan Ministry Warns Schools on China Exchanges; Penalizes Two Institutions

Taiwan's Ministry of Education has issued a stern warning to educational institutions, urging them to be vigilant against "united front" tactics employed in exchanges with mainland China. The ministry emphasized that while it supports cross-strait educational dialogue, such exchanges must adhere to principles of rationality, equality, reciprocity, and mutual respect, explicitly prohibiting any political content or objectives.

The ministry revealed that two cases of cross-strait educational exchanges have been confirmed as violations, resulting in deductions from their subsidies. These penalties stem from schools failing to comply with regulations, particularly concerning exchanges that are fully funded, offer "on-the-ground" hospitality, originate from unclear sources, or carry a strong political agenda. The ministry has repeatedly sent directives requiring schools to register all outbound educational exchange activities on a dedicated platform and to establish internal review and control systems.

In light of increased travel risks to mainland China, with the Mainland Affairs Council raising the travel alert to orange, the Ministry of Education is reminding schools to exercise caution. It stressed that mainland Chinese organizers or co-organizers of educational exchanges should not be Chinese Communist Party, military, administrative, or politically affiliated entities. The ministry reiterated that cross-strait educational exchanges should focus on professional education and not become tools for political maneuvering.

To bolster risk management, the ministry plans to conduct a training seminar for personnel managing cross-strait educational exchanges in the latter half of the year. This training will cover common violations, internal pre-review processes, social media information gathering, pre-departure risk advisories, and registration/audit management. The goal is to enhance schools' capacity to identify and manage the risks associated with these exchanges, ensuring they remain professional and free from political exploitation.