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兩岸學術交流中心 Cross-Strait Affairs

The Mainland Affairs Council convened its 48th Consultation Committee meeting recently, focusing on the theme of "China's 'Year of Extensive Exchanges' and Strategies for Interaction with Taiwanese Youth."

 

The key points raised by participating advisory committee members during the meeting were as follows:

  1. Scholarly Introduction: The introductory report by scholars highlighted China's short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives in its united front efforts targeting Taiwanese youth. In the short term, China aims to "tell China's story well" to create a positive image of peaceful development in the mainland. In the medium term, the goal is to "attract Taiwanese youth to the mainland" and make it their preferred destination for career development. In the long term, the objective is to "alter national identity" and promote unification. China employs a combination of "carrot and stick" tactics and "discriminatory treatment," including initiatives like "beneficial policies" to entice Taiwanese youth to study and work on the mainland. Simultaneously, unilateral actions such as the enactment of the "Counterintelligence Law" are used to detain and prosecute individuals, creating a chilling effect to make people comply with the CCP's rule. It was suggested that the government should assist Taiwanese youth in gaining a better understanding of the true nature of mainland China and consider adopting strategies employed by Western democratic nations to guard against authoritarian expansion.

  2. One-Sided Nature of Cross-Strait Exchanges: Committee members observed that there is currently an unhealthy "unilateral" pattern in cross-strait exchanges. This is due to China actively encouraging Taiwanese students to study and develop careers on the mainland while unilaterally suspending the enrollment of mainland students in Taiwan. This one-sided approach, which favors the mainland, is detrimental to cross-strait interactions and does not contribute to positive developments in cross-strait relations. It was recommended that China should promptly reinstate the enrollment of mainland students in Taiwan to restore normal two-way exchanges.

  3. Intellectual Property Concerns: Some committee members highlighted that China has been organizing various innovation and research competitions, such as youth entrepreneurship contests and industrial robotics competitions, which attract Taiwanese students' participation. However, given the inadequate protection of intellectual property rights in mainland China compared to Taiwan, Taiwanese students participating in these competitions face a high risk of their innovative research findings being exploited or copied by the mainland. It was recommended that relevant authorities and schools should caution students and faculty to carefully assess the associated risks.

  4. Effectiveness of Measures: Some committee members observed that China's establishment of youth entrepreneurship bases, touted as "beneficial policies" for Taiwanese youth, has not delivered the expected results in terms of united front efforts. Particularly, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the mainland's economic recovery has been weak. Most job opportunities for Taiwanese youth in China are short-term contract positions with limited job security. Additionally, China has been constructing a digital authoritarian governance system through measures like social credit systems and digital currencies, posing a high risk of data breaches. It was emphasized that Taiwanese youth should carefully consider these factors before pursuing opportunities on the mainland.

  5. Public Awareness: Committee members discussed the lack of understanding among some Taiwanese citizens about the current social and political developments in mainland China. This knowledge gap makes them susceptible to one-sided propaganda from the CCP and leads to unrealistic expectations. It was suggested that the government should continue to assist Taiwanese youth in gaining an accurate understanding of the reality in mainland China through diverse channels. Additionally, given the increasing military threats from China and the recent enforcement of the "Counterintelligence Law," individuals engaging in various forms of exchange with the mainland have faced unusual cases of infringements on personal freedom and safety, along with unfriendly treatment. Therefore, it was recommended that the government strengthen public awareness to ensure personal safety and freedom while safeguarding national security.

 

https://www.mac.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=05B73310C5C3A632&sms=1A40B00E4C745211&s=45ED9D6E74FAEB21

 

 

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