Beijing has extended its “united front” efforts to university campuses in Taiwan by offering students cultural activity opportunities in China, a source said on Sunday, urging the Ministry of Education to enhance scrutiny of such programs.
China has focused its “united front” activities on attracting young Taiwanese to visit China, using key phrases and words that appeal to younger people, such as “influencer,” “movie” and “traveling,” said an official familiar with “united front” efforts, who asked to remain anonymous.
For example, more than 40 young Taiwanese were invited to visit the China’s Xinjiang Normal University to learn about Xinjiang milk tea, choreography and dancing, with the event later advertised by the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily newspaper in a report published last month.
Photo: Lin Hsiao-yun, Taipei Times
The Zhejiang Provincial Taiwan Affairs Office last month launched the “Taizhou Influencer Dream Camp,” offering young Taiwanese programs to obtain certification as self-media professionals for a 2,000 yuan (US$274.53) fee, with food, accommodation and transportation provided by the provincial government.
In Hubei Province, a short film exchange meet-up was held alongside the Golden Flying Swallow cross-strait short film and video competition last month. In Fujian Province, the Cross-Strait Tea Industry Expo and the IM Cross-Strait Youth Film Festival were held last month.
The official said the best version of China would be on display during such “united front” activities to impress and win over young Taiwanese.
China attracts Taiwanese students, especially those on university campuses, with help from Chinese communist-related organizations in Taiwan or through political organizations that promote Chinese activities through universities’ student affairs groups, they said.
Information about visiting China for cultural exchanges would be posted on campus or disseminated through social media, they said, adding that that some teachers aided the “united front” efforts by talking students into visiting China.
The campus political organizations often tout the advantages of working in China and promise young Taiwanese success across the Strait, the official said.
Cultural exchange programs for students to visit China should not be allowed without approval from the Ministry of Education, they said, calling on universities to avoid becoming accessories to “united front” activities.
The ministry is canceling funding to universities whose offices of student affairs cooperate with Chinese political organizations on “united front” efforts, they said.
Young people visiting Xinjiang would only experience the bright side of China, but they should know that tens of thousands of Uighurs in that area have been deprived their freedoms and even their lives, facing human rights abuses under the Chinese government, the official said.
Beijing’s “united front” activities have a political end of annihilating the Republic of China and annexing Taiwan, they said, adding that China could set up re-education camps in Taiwan as it did in Xinjiang.
Young people should carefully consider the risks before visiting China, the official said.
Those who need to visit China are advised to register their destinations and personal information on the Mainland Affairs Council’s online system for tracking Taiwanese travelers to China, Hong Kong and Macau, so that the government can provide timely assistance in case of emergencies, they added.
READY: The CGA said it closely monitored China’s maritime exercise, deployed vessels to shadow the Chinese ships one-on-one and set up emergency response centers Chinese navy and coast guard ships have returned to China, signaling the end of a massive maritime exercise, authorities said yesterday. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) released images it said showed Chinese vessels sailing north in rough seas past Taiwan on Thursday, on their way to China. “All the Chinese coast guard went back to China yesterday, so although they have not officially made any announcement, we consider it over,” CGA Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said. Beijing has not confirmed the drills and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense did not say whether the maneuvers had taken place when asked at a
People can take the Taipei MRT free of charge if they access it at Nanjing Sanmin Station or Taipei Arena Station on the Green Line between 12am and 6am on Jan. 1, the Taipei Department of Transportation said on Friday, outlining its plans to ease crowding during New Year’s events in the capital. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve events in Taipei, with singer A-mei (張惠妹) performing at the Taipei Dome and the city government’s New Year’s Eve party at Taipei City Hall Plaza, the department said. As people have tended to use the MRT’s Blue or
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: As some roads would be fully or partially closed, people are advised to take the MRT, with services expanded to accommodate more riders This year’s Taipei Marathon, which has obtained its first gold label certification from World Athletics, is to be held from 5am to 1pm tomorrow and would have 28,000 participants. The race is to start from the Taipei City Plaza and would go through major roads throughout the city, with traffic control implemented from 6am to 2pm, officials said. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system and New Taipei City MRT Circle line would start operating at 5am on the day of the race, they said. The race would cover Renai Road, Xinyi Road, Hangzhou S Road, Aiguo east and west roads,
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
RSS