Taipei [Taiwan] February 21 (ANI): The Ministry of Education is considering discussions on inviting Chinese students to pursue their studies in Taiwan, but Beijing has not responded, said Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng, as reported by Taipei Times.

Speaking at the National Conference for University Presidents in Taiwan, Chiu urged China not to use educational exchanges as a tool for 'united front' strategies. He was invited to discuss cross-strait relations and relevant policies, Taipei Times reported.

He said that since 2004, around 20,000 agreements have been signed between educational institutions across the strait, and educational exchanges have gradually stabilized following the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Taipei Times.

Chiu mentioned that last year, approximately 2,000 Chinese students travelled to Taiwan for short-term studies, and over 300 Chinese school administrators or vice presidents visited Taiwan for exchanges. However, he stated that China continues to regulate the number of Chinese students studying in Taiwan, Taipei Times reported.

In 2020, China imposed a temporary ban on its students enrolling in Taiwanese institutions due to the pandemic and political circumstances, resulting in only about 1,500 students remaining in Taiwan last year, he said. Conversely, he pointed out that China has been attracting Taiwanese students to study within its borders, thereby creating an imbalance in cross-strait educational exchanges, as reported by Taipei Times.

Chiu emphasized that the Taiwanese government has already implemented 10 policies to promote Chinese students studying in Taiwan, such as acknowledging more Chinese qualifications, raising admission quotas for Chinese students, and, since February of last year, broadening the National Health Insurance system to include Chinese students, as reported by Taipei Times.

Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao announced this week that Taiwanese institutions will be prohibited from collaborating with four Chinese universities due to security apprehensions: Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, Jinan University in Guangzhou, and Beijing Chinese Language and Culture College, Taipei Times reported.

The MAC will honour the Ministry of Education's decision and work together accordingly, Chiu stated.

Educational exchanges should be grounded in reciprocity, respect, and fairness, he remarked. He asserted that the restrictions on Chinese students coming to Taiwan often stem from stringent regulations imposed by Beijing rather than Taipei, Taipei Times reported. (ANI)