The Executive Yuan has formed a task force to investigate academics suspected of breaching cross-strait laws by taking part in China’s Thousand Talents Plan, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said yesterday.
The government would not restrict any cross-strait educational exchanges, but such exchanges should be conducted in an equal and reciprocal manner, and according to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), he said.
Taiwanese academics could break the law if they attend events that promote unification under the pretense of enhancing educational exchanges, he said.
Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei Times
To prevent people from becoming prey to China’s “united front” tactics, the government would improve efforts to remind people to avoid cross-strait exchanges with political agendas, he said.
While 33 Taiwanese, including several retired teachers and six to seven professors and researchers, are said to have joined the program, Pan said the government is still investigating whether the allegations are true.
To counter China’s attempts to recruit Taiwanese talent and obtain Taiwanese technologies through the program and other state-funded research initiatives, the ministry has been planning to tighten regulations on cross-strait partnerships.
It drafted amendments to regulations to require universities to notify the ministry before launching partnerships or holding exchanges involving a political agenda with Chinese schools.
According to Article 33-1 of the act, unless approved by the ministry, universities and their employees cannot collaborate with Chinese individuals or organizations on political issues or matters that could affect national security, or jointly establish organizations for political purposes.
Participating in the program could contravene the article.
Amid rumors that Chinese universities allow Taiwanese public university professors to take part-time positions under assumed names to avoid repercussions in Taiwan, Department of International and Cross-strait Education Director-General Bi Tzu-an (畢祖安) said that anyone doing so would still contravene the law, as such university professors are banned from taking part-time positions.
When Taiwanese academics visit Chinese universities to give speeches, the host universities sometimes claim that they are honorary professors at the institution, he said, urging academics to watch out for such situations.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old