Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te highlights the importance of protecting Taiwan’s democracy and academic freedom
Yilan: According to the Taipei Times, Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te emphasized the need of preserving Taiwan’s democracy and academic autonomy on Thursday, advising academic institutions to exercise caution while conducting relations with China.
Lai emphasized the need of shielding Taiwan’s universities from outside influence when speaking at the 2025 National Conference for the University Presidents of Taiwan.
His comments coincided with a week in which Taiwanese authorities expressed alarm about the CCP’s attempts to influence Taiwanese students.
Citing national security studies that revealed these colleges are part of the CCP’s political warfare department, authorities have placed two Chinese universities on a blacklist: Jinan University in Guangzhou and Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou.
A previous eight-day instructional program in China’s Sichuan Province also sparked worries since it allegedly exposed Taiwanese students to political messages. Wu Xi, the deputy director of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, encouraged attendees to resist Taiwanese independence and strive for the greater good of the Chinese people during the visit.
According to the Taipei Times, a government official who wished to remain unnamed said that these kinds of programs are a component of the CCP’s “united front” plan to sway young people.
Lai presented four main goals for Taiwan’s educational system during the conference: making sure no student is left behind, promoting university cooperation, boosting academic innovation, and bolstering government assistance for institutions.
He emphasized the value of extending foreign experiences, multidisciplinary education, and equitable chances for students in all locations. The government-funded Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, worth NTD 10 billion (USD 306 million), was cited as a major initiative to provide Taiwanese adolescents access to international education.
Lai also emphasized the significance of national defense awareness, pointing out that the Whole-of-Society Defence Resilience Committee was formed by the Presidential Office to improve readiness. According to the Taipei Times, he reaffirmed the need for academic institutions to identify any threats and work with the government to protect important technology, research, and Taiwan’s competitive advantage with regard to China.
According to Lai, Taiwan’s democratic principles and liberties are “precious” resources that need to be safeguarded.
