Taiwan’s democracy and academic independence are invaluable, and universities should be cautious about exchanges with China, President William Lai (賴清德) said today at an academic conference in Yilan.
He made the comments at the 2025 National Conference for the University Presidents of Taiwan, the same week as officials warned about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempts to influence Taiwanese university students and blacklisted two Chinese universities.
Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) yesterday said Taiwanese institutions would be banned from collaborating with Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, as well as Jinan University in Guangzhou after national security officials found that both schools are under the direct control of the CCP political warfare bureau.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Education
Additionally, during an eight-day educational trip in China's Sichuan Province for Taiwanese students on Tuesday last week, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Deputy Director Wu Xi (吳璽) told participants they should oppose Taiwanese independence and advocate for the good of the Chinese people.
A government official speaking on condition of anonymity warned that such trips are part of “united front” tactics by the CCP.
Lai laid out four key goals for Taiwan’s educational sector — ensuring that no student is left behind, promoting collaborative development among universities, encouraging innovation in higher education and increasing government support for institutions.
The Ministry of Education must allocate resources to provide equal opportunities for all students, even those from rural areas; ensure universities are fostering interdisciplinary talent, promote new possibilities for academic development, support students in pursuing international experiences and assist in setting up private-public collaborations, Lai said.
One of the initiatives Lai cited was the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, to which the government has allocated NT$10 billion (US$306 million) to fund opportunities for Taiwanese youth to travel overseas.
To raise awareness of national defense among the entire population, the Presidential Office established the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, Lai said.
Regarding China, Lai said that institutions must be aware of the risks and join the government in protecting the country’s core key technologies, research and competitiveness.
Taiwan’s freedom and democratic way of life are “precious” assets, Lai added.
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