The China Qun Peng Association, which has been accused of carrying out “united front” tactics on Taiwan college campuses, is being dealt with in accordance with the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例), the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said today.
The MAC said in a news conference that no individual or organization in Taiwan may engage in any form of cooperative activity with any agencies in China unless permitted according to Article 33-1 of the act.
The Taiwan Economic Democracy Union yesterday said the group was carrying out “united front” tactics on Taiwan’s college campuses in a news conference with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Fan Yun (范雲), Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) and Jean Kuo (郭昱晴).
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The group, which has its background in the New Party, facilitates exchanges for Taiwanese college students to China with the goal of promoting pro-unification politics.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) should seek to close these loopholes, and the MAC and Ministry of the Interior (MOI) should investigate the matter, the union said.
The MOI yesterday said the group contravenes the Civil Associations Act (人民團體法), as it does not convene meetings of the board of directors, the board of supervisors and the members’ assembly.
The ministry said a warning was issued to the group on Tuesday in accordance with Article 58 of the act.
The group would be ordered to disband if it does not “improve” by June 6, the ministry said.
Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) cited Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) as repeatedly emphasizing that cross-strait exchanges should be conducted in a “healthy and orderly manner,” should not have a political agenda and should be risk-free.
The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) infiltration of Taiwan’s college campuses is becoming increasingly serious, the MAC said today.
MAC Deputy Minister Shen You-chung (沈有忠) appeared at the Legislative Yuan today, where he warned about CCP attempts to lure people to participate in the “communist” supply chain for the benefit of their professional development.
The council intends to continue to remind people of the risks associated with moving to China, Shen said.
Cross-strait exchanges should follow principles of equality, Shen said, adding that the MOE and MAC both have relevant mechanisms for these matters.
Students interested in bilateral exchanges with China should keep in mind their personal safety and register prior to the exchange to ensure they are carried out appropriately, Shen said.
Besides China, there are many destinations where Taiwan’s students can gain international exposure, Shen added.
Referring to the Qun Peng Association, the CCP’s methods of infiltrating college campuses are becoming more diverse, he said.
The MAC is to look at the itineraries for these types of exchanges and note any abnormalities involving organizations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Regarding the group carrying out “united front” tactics by organizing student exchange activities and using school campuses, the case is to be handled by the MOE, the MOI said yesterday.
One university has decided it would not give permission to the group to use its venues, Department of International and Cross-strait Education Deputy Director-General Rebecca Lan (藍先茜) said today.
The MOE is to work with the council and national security authorities to prevent the CCP’s infiltration of Taiwan’s campuses, Deputy Minister of Education Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) said today.
Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) yesterday said schools should not “only think about exchanges with China,” sparking a heated discussion.
China is still listed as a travel warning area by the MAC, as there are risks in traveling there and tensions remain relatively high, Cheng said.
Today, Cheng said that he is not “opposed to student exchanges with China.”
Exchanges are positive, but the US and countries in Europe are not as “unfriendly” to Taiwan as China currently is, Cheng said.
Since China is not democratic, young people, students and teachers should be encouraged to have exchanges with democratic countries elsewhere, he added.
Additional reporting by Yang Mien-chieh
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