Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the nation's "China rush," seeking education in China despite continuing political uncertainties between the rival governments.
According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate programs in China totalled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.
Although no latest official tallies were available, Netbig.com estimated this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years, with well over 1,000 entering China's campuses last year.
"As more Taiwanese companies move their operations to China, there will be a greater demand for Taiwanese professionals," said Netbig.com vice president Ingrid Huang.
The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, in Guangdong Province provides education services and information on Chinese colleges and universities.
China-bound investments and cross-strait trade began to thrive after Taipei lifted a decades-old ban on civilian exchanges in late 1987.
Although virtually all direct links are still banned, around 50,000 local companies have poured about US$45 billion worth of investments into China.
Many students here believe a Chinese education coupled with more knowledge about the people and culture of China will boost their chances in the Chinese job market, Huang said.
"I believe it will give me hands-on experience in the business field in China and a better understanding of the mindset of the Chinese people," said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University in Taipei.
Chang plans to pursue a masters degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies.
A journalism graduate student surnamed Lin, at National Taiwan University said he would like to study law in China since "there will be better career prospects for me now that more Taiwanese enterprises are going there."
Some business executives were also sending their children to study in China hoping they can build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations, said Yang Ching-yao, a professor of mainland studies at Tamkang University.
A Netbig.com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwanese students included Beijing, Tsinhua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine.
Currently, Taipei does not recognize Chinese diplomas nor help with any inquiries about studying in China. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are finalizing a policy accepting certificates from selected universities.
"In principle, the government does not encourage its students to study in China for political reasons," said an official with the Mainland Affairs Council.
There have been fears that local students will be "brainwashed" under the communist education system.
Yang said Taiwanese students trained in China may prove to be valuable assets to Taiwanese businesses there.
"The Taiwanese-invested companies will not be as isolated and vulnerable as many are now if they have China-trained and well-connected Taiwanese professionals working for them," he said.
Yang said he expected Taipei to start recognizing Chinese diplomas sometime this year amid an ease of cross-strait hostility.
Early this month Taipei inaugurated the "small three links" with China, allowing direct post, trade and transportation contacts between two outlying islands and China's Fujian Province. It has said if the limited links proved successful, full links would follow.
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