The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said it would probe allegations that a local academic society and a publication firm contravened cross-strait laws by working with Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-funded organizations to launch an essay competition in Taiwan.
The essay competition, called “Reading a Book Together in 2025,” was jointly organized by Taiwan’s Zhangfa Society and Wan Juan Lou Books Co (萬卷樓圖書), as well as several organizations in China directly funded by the Chinese government.
They include the Straits Publishing and Distributing Group (海峽出版發行), which is owned by the Fujian Provincial Government; the Fujian Educational Society, overseen by the Chinese Ministry of Education; and the China Association for Promoting Democracy, one of the eight so-called “democratic parties” in the People’s Republic of China under the direction of the CCP.
Photo: Taipei Times
The competition came to the MAC’s attention after a tip alleging that the competition is part of China’s “united front” efforts.
The person who gave the tip said that they knew about the competition through Taipei First Girls’ High School Chinese literature teacher Alice Ou (區桂芝), who forwarded the information to students.
Based on the registration guidelines posted on the Zhangfa Society’s Web site, the essay competition was held to facilitate friendships between Taiwanese students and teachers, and their Chinese counterparts, with a deadline of May 15. The essay competition offers a total NT$200,000 cash prize pool, which could be awarded to about 100 recipients, the guidelines say.
Students and teachers of universities, senior-high schools, junior-high schools and elementary schools are all qualified to participate, the guidelines say, adding that participants are then divided into teachers’ group as well as groups for university students, senior and junior-high school students and primary school students.
Each group is given a list of recommended books, and participants can select one and write an essay about it, the guidelines say.
The books were written by Chinese writers.
Those who submit essays for the competition are also qualified to file an application to study and conduct research in China’s Fujian Province, the guidelines say.
An official familiar with China’s “united front” tactics said that the Zhangfa Society and Wan Juan Lou Books Co might be in contravention of Article 33-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), which stipulates that “any form of cooperative activity with Chinese agencies, institutions, or organizations that are of political parties, the military, the administration or of any political nature, or which are involved in any political work against Taiwan or affect national security or interests” are prohibited.
The Ministry of Education would investigate and issue penalties if any illegality is found, the official said.
The purpose of the competition is to sway the opinions of young Taiwanese about China, with winners receiving the award and prize at the Straits Forum, they said.
Elementary-school students could participate in the essay competition by simply writing 150 words, and the organizers would pay for the entire trip for the winners to go to the Straits Forum.
Cross-strait experts said that the competition is a “united front” tactic disguised as an essay competition, adding that participants should beware that political personalities could be abused.
“Having winners of the essay competition receive the awards at the Straits Forum would create the impression that young people in Taiwan identify with the unification of China and Taiwan. However, participants of the essay competition might just want to travel to China and have someone pay for the trip. They were not told that they were required to receive the award in China. They need to be aware that their photos and political personalities would be used as part of the CCP’s united front campaign,” Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said.
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