Three university associations threw their support behind the government’s plan to allow local schools to admit Chinese students.
Association of National Universities of Taiwan (ANUT) chairman Lee Si-chen (李嗣涔) told a press conference that allowing Chinese college students to study in Taiwan would benefit the public and the nation.
“It would benefit our higher education. It would also have a positive influence on our young people and students,” he said, adding that if Chinese students were allowed to study in Taiwan, they would have goodwill for their Taiwanese alma maters afterward.
“For example, President Ma [Ying-jeou, 馬英九] is a Harvard alumnus. I graduated from Stanford. Many world leaders also graduated from schools in the US. That’s why they tend to identify with American culture,” said Lee, who is president of National Taiwan University (NTU).
“We hope that one day a Chinese premier will also be an alumnus of NTU,” he said.
Lee said allowing Chinese students to study in Taiwan would help stabilize cross-strait relations.
The Ministry of Education had said that Chinese graduate students would be able to attend local schools starting next February, while undergraduates would be allowed the following fall if the necessary legislation clears the legislature by the end of this month.
A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) boycott, however, has halted review of the bills. The party is concerned Taiwanese students would suffer if their Chinese counterparts are allowed to study here.
Association for Private Universities and Colleges board member Ku Chia-heng (谷家恆) said Chinese students could have a positive influence on their Taiwanese counterparts.
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