Some universities in Taiwan are to begin their break late next month, resulting in the longest winter vacation in history. Meanwhile, China has been expanding recruitment for its “united front” activities disguised as tourism, organizing exchange groups targeting Taiwanese university students.
China has openly promoted and solicited sign-ups through student communities and other channels. By offering trips at extremely low prices — ranging from just NT$10,000 to more than NT$20,000 — the programs are exclusively meant for Taiwanese university students to travel to Shanghai, Beijing, Harbin and other cities in China for so-called “exchanges” over the winter break.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Mainland Affairs Council have repeatedly issued warnings about this. The ministry issued a notice to universities, instructing them to remind staff and students not to forward such promotions or participate in China’s “united front” activities.
While the ministry’s warnings are well-intentioned, it could take a much more proactive approach.
Effective countermeasures should draw on the experience of organizing youth camps during the winter and summer breaks in the past era of anti-communist and national salvation campaigns.
Winter and summer break programs for young students could be designed to be exciting, diverse and enriching — while keeping costs affordable, and ensuring that accompanying counselors and guides are professional — to attract Taiwanese university students, thereby replacing the low-price programs offered by China.
I am older than 70 now, but I am still unfamiliar with many corners of Taiwan and the culture. I believe that many fellow Taiwanese share similar regrets, each for their own reasons. The summer and winter break youth camps held by the China Youth Anti-Communist National Salvation Corps (中國青年反共救國團) are collective memories of our generation.
If the ministry could draw on that experience and organize similar programs, students could gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s history, geography and local culture, strengthening their sense of national identity, cleansing their mind and spirit, and training them in group living, all while stimulating the local economy.
Vincent Hong is a writer and technology industry retiree.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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