《TAIPEI TIMES》 MAC to continue camps on cross-strait issues

By Chen Yu-fu and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Mainland Affairs Council （MAC） in a report vowed to continue organizing youth camps on cross-strait relations to better educate young Taiwanese on “united front” strategies employed by Beijing.

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The report on the council’s work to counteract China’s targeting of young Taiwanese was required by the Legislative Yuan to unfreeze this year’s funding for certain MAC projects.

The council said that it has organized a study camp on cross-strait relations for college students, drawing 65 participants to discuss “cross-strait and international developments.”

Through sand table exercises and other activities, including a visit to the Straits Exchange Foundation, students gained a deeper understanding of the status of cross-strait exchanges, it said, adding that the reported satisfaction rate was about 80 percent.

The council also reported using multiple channels, including radio and online media, to promote reciprocal exchanges of information across the Taiwan Strait, as well as inform Chinese of Taiwan’s democratic and pluralistic society.

Considering that the Chinese government blocks all information coming from Taiwan, average Chinese have difficulty understanding the nation and its values, the council said.

It therefore commissions professional content to broadcast on short and medium-wave radio across China, reaching as far as Xinjiang, it said, adding that 3,640 hours of content were broadcast last year.

The council also said it produces podcasts and other online programs to introduce Taiwanese values and culture in China, attracting 340,000 listeners.

As for its work supporting Hong Kong, the council said that the Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office has handled more than 2,200 calls and e-mails inquiring about relocation, extending residency in Taiwan, immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues.

It reiterated that procedures for handling humanitarian requests from Hong Kong and Macau residents are stipulated in Article 18 of the Act Governing Relations With Hong Kong and Macau （香港澳門關係條例）, with considerations for urgency.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES