China’s promotion of low-priced tours targeting Taiwanese expatriates is an attempt to prevent them from returning to Taiwan to attend the Double Ten National Day on Thursday, a report by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) to the Legislative Yuan said yesterday.
The report said Chinese “united front” tactics have grown increasingly diverse and now include the promotion of low-cost tour groups targeting expats in addition to the usual strategies of using Chinese education, supporting pro-China groups or inviting expats to feasts to undermine overseas expatriates’ support and recognition of the Republic of China (ROC).
The tour group promotions give China the opportunity to claim that Taiwanese expats no longer wish to return to Taiwan to celebrate the ROC’s National Day on Oct. 10, the report said.
Photo: AFP
China has also pushed for local education systems to adopt programs that present it as an open-minded and technologically advanced country, the report said.
The OCAC estimated that 5,000 expats would return to Taiwan for the Double Ten National Day, adding that it has prepared 162 tour routes for them to experience local hotspots and scenery.
The council added that it has followed the Executive Yuan’s policy of caring for the Taiwanese community overseas and encouraging expats to visit Taiwan.
The council said it has promoted overseas Mandarin Chinese language learning programs and has established 84 Taiwan Centers for Mandarin Learning (TCML) — 66 of which are in the US and 18 in the EU — near expat communities to promote the language.
It is also looking to establish TCMLs in Canada and the Oceania region next year.
Asked for comment, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) yesterday said China’s tactics would have no significant effect on the number of expatriates returning this year.
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