Local media reports allege some famous Chinese universities -- including Peking University and Tsinghua University -- are secretly recruiting students in Taiwan. The reports said some schools are even waiving entry exams, in exchange for payouts ranging from NT$300,000 to NT$1 million. Such trampling of academic integrity is despicable.
Anyone with a smattering of knowledge about local politics will see that this must be another of China's "united front" tactics. If Taiwan unconditionally opens direct links, the Ministry of Education will be forced to allow Taiwanese to study in China. There are already about 30,000 Taiwanese studying across the Strait -- both legally (children of Taiwanese businesspeople working there) and illegally. That figure could easily rise to 100,000 if the government lifts its ban on studying in China. Assuming that each student would spend an average of NT$500,000 a year on tuition, room and board and admission payouts, there would be a capital outflow of NT$50 billion a year. This will certainly aggravate Taiwan's financial hemorrhaging.
Beijing's secret economic war against Taiwan is essentially aimed at hollowing out the nation's economy. The pressure on the economy will escalate if Taiwan opens direct links. Taiwan cannot afford any more capital outflow, which increases unemployment and increases the risk of economic collapse.
In order to maximize the impact on Taiwan, China is selling the academic traditions and integrity of its best universities like commodities. This certainly is a major insult for the institutions themselves. However, the Chinese Communist Party has long been notorious for such behavior -- from the Red Guards' rampages to the propaganda slogans "bring down academic authority" and "reading is useless," which were used to highlight the political and social status of the proletariat. China's leaders have always used education as a tool for political struggle. They have none of the respect for or understanding of academic knowledge found in democratic countries.
Both parents and students should shy away from the trend of studying in China unless it is absolutely necessary -- for example, the parents are working in China on a long-term basis. If one can buy one's way into university, then what kind of quality education can one really expect? Students are simply denigrating themselves if they pin their future hopes on an academic institution that only opens its eyes at the sight of money. Diplomas from such universities will soon have about as much value as those from diploma mills in the US.
Any Taiwanese with any worthy aspiration should not waste their precious time in such institutions or countries that do not respect academic integrity.
Taiwan's youth should take a good look at the proper paths for the pursuit of knowledge because this involves their future welfare. They should never follow the lead of people with ulterior motives and be fooled by the Chinese Communist Party in wasting their parents' money and their time.
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