Taiwan has barred the island’s universities from collaborating with mainland Chinese institutions affiliated with Beijing’s United Front Work Department – the ruling Communist Party’s overseas arm.
Taipei also said it would not recognise degrees from those institutions to discourage Taiwanese from attending them, in the latest move to counter what it sees as Beijing’s efforts to influence Taiwanese.
The move has sparked a backlash against the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party government, with critics saying it is further restricting the type of exchanges considered crucial for improving mutual understanding between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait
Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao announced the new restrictions on Thursday, citing the UFWD’s political agenda.
“Chinese universities affiliated with the UFWD serve a political purpose rather than a purely academic one,” Cheng said. “To prevent political influence operations we must halt cooperation and exchanges.”
The ban specifically targets three mainland institutions: Jinan University in Guangzhou, Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, and Beijing Chinese Language and Culture College.
Cheng said Taiwanese students remained free to study at the institutions but the education ministry would no longer recognise degrees obtained from them.
He said transitional measures could be considered for students enrolled at the institutions before the policy change.
Taiwanese universities would be formally notified of the decision and any that violated the ban – such as by maintaining partner relationships – could face penalties including reductions in government subsidies, Cheng said.
He noted that around 2,100 Taiwanese students were currently enrolled at Huaqiao and Jinan universities.
The decision follows broader efforts by the DPP government to curb Beijing’s influence, including a crackdown on Taiwanese applying for mainland Chinese identity cards and the recent barring of Shanghai officials from attending the Taipei Lantern Festival.
Beijing views self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory to be brought under mainland Chinese control, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but oppose any attempt to take the island by force.
The main opposition Kuomintang criticised the move as politically motivated and detrimental to cross-strait exchanges.
“Students from over 80 countries attend these universities. It is shortsighted for the DPP to isolate Taiwan academically,” KMT legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi said on Thursday.
Fu, who studied at Jinan, said the university was internationally recognised and should not be classified as a United Front institution.
Jinan University was ranked 580th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings.
KMT chairman Eric Chu Li-luan said the policy would do more damage to Taiwan’s higher education sector.
