The Hong Kong Government might order Hong Kong universities to cease exchanges with Taiwanese universities to prevent students’ involvement in political activities, a source said yesterday.
National security legislation imposed on the territory by Beijing in June empowers the Hong Kong government to interfere in educational exchanges.
Article 9 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region stipulates that the Hong Kong government “shall take necessary measures to strengthen ... supervision and regulation over matters concerning national security, including those relating to schools.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
Hong Kong government officials believe that the Democratic Progressive Party is influencing Hong Kong students in Taiwan and encouraging them to take part in “subversive activities” when they return home, the source said.
Beijing has asked the Hong Kong government to revise curricula in the territory and plans to require Hong Kong students to visit China at some time during their studies to attend lectures and write reports, the source said, adding that the changes aim to instill patriotism.
Hong Kong Outlanders spokeswoman Justine said that Hong Kong students are already self-censoring out of fear.
Hopefully, Hong Kongers would still be able to study in Taiwan, where they are free to express themselves, and the government offers them scholarships and other assistance, she said.
The Mainland Affairs Council on Saturday said the number of Hong Kong students applying for post-graduate studies this year more than doubled from last year.
This year, 648 Hong Kongers applied for master’s and doctoral degree programs in Taiwan, up from 260 last year, the council said, adding that the increase was likely due to deteriorating human rights conditions in the territory.
The number of Hong Kongers applying for undergraduate programs increased by 26 percent this year to 3,093 applicants, up from 2,463 last year, it said.
The council denied a local media report that applications by Hong Kong students had been delayed due to a high number of applicants.
Applications from overseas students were accepted online from Nov. 1 to Friday, it said, adding that they are being processed.
Due to restrictions on gatherings and movement to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic, some applicants in Hong Kong had to wait until the deadline to submit their documents to Taiwan’s representative office in the territory, it said, adding that the office stayed open late to collect applications.
The Ministry of Education has allowed universities to admit 10 percent more students for the coming academic year, it said.
As schools this year only filled 30 percent of their quotas for students from Macau and Hong Kong, there would be no problem with accepting more students from the territories, the council said.
The ministry has also implemented a new recruitment program for students from Macau and Hong Kong, and commissioned National Taiwan Normal University to open more classes in spring to accommodate them, it said.
STRENGTHENING: The defense budget this year is to focus on replenishment of artillery and rocket stocks, and equipment for F-16 jets, the defense ministry said Defense spending this year is to focus on preparing weapons and equipment for a “total blockade” by China, including parts for F-16 jets and replenishing weapons, the military said in a report. China staged war games around the nation in August last year, firing missiles over Taipei and declaring no-fly and no-sail zones in a simulation of how it would seek to cut Taiwan off in a war. In a report seeking legislative budget approval, the Ministry of National Defense said it began reviewing its strategic fuel reserves and repair abilities last year, but did not give details. In “anticipation of a total
ANTI-SHIP CONFIGURATION: The Tuo Chiang-class vessels are to be built for NT$9.7 billion by Lung Teh, a shipyard that previously built four similar corvettes for the navy The Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday awarded Lung Teh Shipbuilding (龍德造船) a NT$9.7 billion Co (US$317.57 million) contract to build five Tuo Chiang-class corvettes with anti-ship capabilities, a defense official familiar with the matter said yesterday. The corvettes would carry vertical launchers for four Hsiung Feng II (HF-2) missiles, as well as eight Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) anti-ship missiles, in contrast to ships configured for anti-air warfare, which carry eight HF-2 and four HF-3 missiles, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The anti-ship corvettes would be armed for improved standoff range against surface combatants and carry the latest
NINE TYPES: One of the devices can be carried by a single soldier and can destroy high-value, high-risk vehicles as well as target personnel, an official said Taiwan’s top military research body yesterday unveiled nine domestically developed drones in Taichung, including a loitering munition, or “suicide drone,” similar to the US-made AeroVironment Switchblade 300. The surveillance and attack drones shown to the media by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology included the Albatross medium-range uncrewed aerial vehicle Nos. 1 and 2, and the Teng Yun 2 and Cardinal 2 and 3 indigenous uncrewed combat aerial vehicles. The institute also unveiled a domestically made drone inspired by the AeroVironment Switchblade 300, which Ukrainian forces have employed in the country’s war with Russia. Aeronautical Systems Research Division head Chi Li-pin (齊立平)
PARTIAL SUPPORT: Morris Chang said he agrees with the US’ goal to slow advances of China’s chip sector, but US policies that might boost chip prices perplex him Washington’s efforts to on-shore semiconductor production might lead to surges in chip prices and supply bottlenecks, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀) said yesterday. The 91-year-old industry veteran said he supports parts of Washington’s effort to slow China’s progress on advanced chip manufacturing. China is still six years behind Taiwan in making advanced chips, despite years-long efforts to catch up, Chang told a Commonwealth Magazine forum that he coheadlined with Tufts University assistant professor Chris Miller, an expert on the US-China rivalry’s effects on chip manufacturing. However, Chang said that other parts of the effort, particularly Washington’s on-shoring
RSS