Taiwan Imposes Sanctions on Seven Chinese Universities for Security Reasons

Synopsis

Taiwan has sanctioned seven universities linked to China's national defense due to security threats. The Ministry of Education has prohibited academic exchanges to protect vital technologies, highlighting concerns over espionage and influence from Beijing.

Key Takeaways

Taiwan sanctions seven Chinese universities.
Institutions are tied to Chinese military development.
Academic exchanges with these universities are banned.
Concerns over espionage and technology theft.
China's influence poses a growing security threat.

Taipei, Mar 1 (NationPress) Taiwan has imposed sanctions on seven universities, referred to as the “seven sons of China's national defence,” which are perceived as a threat to national security, as reported by local media.

The Ministry of Education in Taiwan revealed that these institutions were initially established by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense before being transferred to the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, according to the leading daily, Taipei Times.

Taiwan's Minister of Education, Cheng Ying-Yao, stated on Friday, “Taiwanese universities and research institutions are prohibited from engaging in any academic activities or exchanges with these seven Chinese universities to safeguard technology vital to our national security interests.”

He added that the universities listed are significantly involved in the development of Chinese arms, equipment, aviation, telecommunications, chemicals, and material sciences, serving the interests of the Chinese Army and the Chinese Communist Party’s “united front” initiatives.

The universities in Taiwan are prohibited from engaging in any exchange programs with these seven institutions.

This ban has been enacted due to concerns that such interactions “could potentially lead to the inadvertent theft of critical Taiwanese technologies,” the minister further stated.

A Taiwanese researcher, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that he had interacted with several faculty members from the “seven sons” and was approached by a professor from the Beijing Institute of Technology who hinted at dubious activities.

During a February event, President William Lai emphasized the importance of democracy and academic independence, urging universities to exercise caution regarding exchanges with China.

Previously, Taiwan had also blacklisted two Chinese universities from participating in academic exchange programs due to allegations that these institutions are linked to Beijing’s United Front Work Department.

China's expanding influence has raised significant security concerns for Taiwan.

Taiwan has accused the Chinese Communist Party of utilizing its “United Front” strategy to gather intelligence and sway public decision-making within the nation.

According to a report from the Taipei Times, since 2020, Beijing has employed educational policies to attract Taiwanese individuals to China, including a new unified online admissions system.