During their visit to Taiwan invited by the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, a group of mainland Chinese students sparked controversy by referring to Taiwan as “Chinese Taipei,” which has been seen as diminishing the Republic of China (Taiwan). In response, students from various Taiwanese universities united in protest today, denouncing the visit as “fake exchange, real united front” orchestrated by the Chinese Communist Party through the mainland student delegation.
The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation extended the invitation to 40 teachers and students from seven universities in mainland China, who arrived in Taiwan on November 27, accompanied by Olympic table tennis gold medalist Ma Long and Olympic shooting gold medalist Yang Qian. During a visit to the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on December 1, a student from Fudan University in Shanghai, Song Siyao, congratulated the “Chinese Taipei team” on their world championship win and expressed hopes for closer cooperation between mainland China and Taiwan in the realm of baseball.
The use of “Chinese Taipei” by the mainland student delegation when referring to Taiwan has stirred up a whirlwind of controversy on the island. On the 3rd, when the delegation visited National Taiwan University, they were met with student protests chanting “This is not Chinese Taipei” and advocating for “democratization in China.” Today, the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation’s CEO, Xiao Xucen, led the mainland student group on a visit to National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu, where they were once again met with student protests calling for equal exchange and democratic principles.
The students gathered in front of the Tsing Hua University Hall of Fame, holding signs that read “Exchange should be equal, democracy is a prerequisite” and “No to the Cultural Revolution, yes to reform.” Some individuals even presented the national flag of the Republic of China to Xiao Xucen, who refused to accept it, stating, “You cannot demand actions from me.”
In a joint press conference held at the Legislative Yuan this morning, students from National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University, and other schools declared their rejection of united front activities on campus. They outlined three demands: to reject “fake exchange, real united front” tactics employed by Chinese Communist Party members posing as students for propaganda purposes, to uphold freedom of expression in exchanges, and to ensure respect as a fundamental principle in interactions, without denigrating Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Huang Zhongxian, a graduate student from National Taiwan University, expressed disappointment in the mainland student delegation’s reluctance to engage in genuine dialogue during their visit. He questioned the true intentions behind the visit, suggesting that it was a disguised united front operation rather than a sincere exchange of ideas. He criticized the delegation for belittling Taiwan’s sovereignty and pushing boundaries that were intolerable, highlighting the need for transparency in such exchanges.
In response to the events, legislators and alumni organizations have condemned the deceptive nature of the exchange activities and called for vigilance in assessing the motives and participants of future cross-border exchanges to prevent similar controversies. They emphasized the importance of informed student participation, post-activity feedback, and support in the face of public scrutiny and criticism.
Furthermore, various civic groups and education unions held a press conference denouncing the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation’s collusion with the Chinese Communist Party in conducting disguised propaganda campaigns under the guise of academic exchanges. They urged Taiwan’s residents to unite against the CCP’s united front tactics to prevent any potential threat to the island’s autonomy.
At the Legislative Yuan’s Internal Affairs Committee meeting today, the Mainland Affairs Council and the Straits Exchange Foundation were summoned to report on their operations amid concerns raised by legislator Su Chiao-hui regarding the mainland student delegation’s activities undermining Taiwan’s democracy and rule of law.
Minister Qu Chuizheng acknowledged that the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation had violated the terms of their agreement and entry protocols for mainland visitors, promising administrative investigations in collaboration with relevant authorities to rectify the situation promptly. He emphasized the government’s displeasure with the disruptive conflicts arising from the mainland student delegation’s visit to Taiwan.
Moreover, given the initial guidelines of “three no’s, one low-key approach,” which prohibited media interviews, Minister Qu admitted to concerns regarding the Foundation’s breach of the agreement’s terms and pledged to conduct administrative investigations accordingly. Depending on the severity of the violations, sanctions ranging from temporary entry restrictions to written warnings for the organizing body may be enforced, with possible bans on future professional exchanges between Taiwan and mainland China lasting from 6 months to 5 years.