Taipei: Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao announced that Taiwan will no longer recognize qualifications from Chinese educational institutions affiliated with the United Front Work Department (UFWD), a branch of the Chinese Communist Party. This decision also includes a ban on cooperation between Taiwanese universities and UFWD-affiliated schools.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will enforce measures to prevent Taiwanese universities from forming partnerships or engaging in exchanges with UFWD-affiliated institutions. Cheng emphasized the importance of studying in politically neutral environments and described UFWD-affiliated schools as atypical academic institutions with specific political objectives.

Minister Cheng plans to notify Taiwanese universities about the prohibition on collaborating with UFWD schools. Non-compliance with this policy will result in penalties, including reduced government subsidies. The MOE's K-12 Education Administration will also inform high schools about the new policy. Despite this, Taiwanese high school graduates retain the right to choose their universities but are advised that qualifications from UFWD schools will not be recognized in Taiwan.

Cheng identified Huaqiao University in Fuchien Province, Jinan University in Guangdong Province, and Beijing Chinese Language and Culture College as UFWD-affiliated institutions. As of Thursday, 2,100 Taiwanese students were enrolled in Huaqiao and Jinan universities. The MOE is considering measures to protect these students' rights during the transition period before the policy is implemented.

Taiwan's MOE maintains a list of overseas universities whose qualifications are automatically recognized. Jinan University was previously on this list, but its status is now under review. Meanwhile, China has increased efforts to attract Taiwanese students with incentives such as scholarships and reduced tuition, leveraging Taiwan's General Scholastic Ability Test results for entry into Chinese institutions.

Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu criticized the MOE's policy, attributing it to political motives. He accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of disrupting cross-strait academic interactions, similar to its impact on tourism. Chu, known for his China-friendly stance, advocated for academic engagement with institutions meeting global standards and expressed a desire to see more international students in Taiwan.