Restrictions barring Chinese students from enrolling at Taiwanese colleges could be lifted, pending further research into the matter, the nation's top cross-strait policymaker said yesterday.
However, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) officials were quick to equivocate on the issue, stressing that the policy was still being deliberated and that no timeframe had yet been set for its implementation.
During the 11th Congress of the Asian Federation of Taiwan Chambers of Commerce in Kaohsiung yesterday, MAC Chairman Joseph Wu (
"President Chen Shui-bian [
As cross strait economic and civil exchanges become more common, MAC will also relax rules to promote cross-strait exchanges," Wu added.
However, MAC officials pointed to the difficulties that the new policy posed, saying that it would involve cooperation from other agencies, such as the Ministry of Education.
"This policy touches upon so many different issues. For example, if these students are to stay in Taiwan for over a year, there is the question of whether national health insurance should be extended to them. Also, as college is a four year program, we need to consider whether these students can work in Taiwan," MAC Department of Cultural and Educational Affairs Director Chen Huei-ying (
With regards to when the policy could be enacted, Chen responded that the council was "taking it one step at a time."
Despite the difficulties involved, there are precedents for cross-strait educational exchange. Two years ago, the MAC authorized the establishment of Taiwan-based continuing education programs in China. In addition, several Chinese students have been allowed to perform graduate-level research in Taiwan for periods of several months.
The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading
The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) has been investigating nine shell companies working with Prince Holding Group, and the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office is seeking further prosecution of alleged criminals, a source said yesterday. The nine companies and three Taiwanese nationals were named by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Oct. 14 as Specially Designated Nationals as a result of a US federal court indictment. Prince Holding founder Chen Zhi (陳志) has been charged with fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and overseeing Prince Holding’s suspected forced-labor camps in Cambodia, the indictment says. Intelligence shared between Taiwan,
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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