TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chinese students visiting National Taiwan University on Tuesday (Dec. 3) faced student protesters who held signs and shouted, “This is not Chinese Taipei.”
The NTU students called for dialogue with the visiting Chinese student delegation to discuss democracy, freedom, and human rights. However, the Chinese student delegation was not permitted to interact with local students, filing silently past the protesters, per CNA.
The Chinese student delegation along with a few of their teachers were invited to Taiwan by the Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) Foundation. The delegation was comprised of representatives from seven universities in China.
The NTU students gathered on the first floor of NTU’s College of Social Sciences (社會科學院). They held signs as they chanted slogans such as, "This is not Chinese Taipei," "National Taiwan University students love freedom," "Democratize," "Redress the Tiananmen Square Incident," and “Support Hong Kong's democracy and freedom.”
The protest organizer, a student surnamed Chi (齊) from NTU’s School of Social Sciences, said the protest was spontaneous and brought together students from all university departments. The organizer said that all participants are students passionate about democracy, freedom, and human rights.
The organizer said the students are concerned about issues such as China’s military operations against Taiwan, the release of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, stopping ethnic cleansing in Xinjiang, redressing the Tiananmen Square Incident, and a comprehensive democratic transformation of China.
The organizer said bilateral communication should be based on equality, respect, and openness. The organizer was also proud that people in Taiwan value democracy, human rights, and freedom, qualities that the student said China lacks.
An NTU junior surnamed Chang (張) expressed disapproval that the Chinese students' trip would be kept confidential. Chang lamented the visit was not about student exchange and may serve another purpose.
“We have a lot to share about our country’s laws, democracy, and human rights," Chang said. Chang said he prepared the book “Revolution, unfinished: Hongkongers' democracy movement and everyday resistance” for the Chinese students.
A video of the controversial visit by the Chinese students can be viewed here.
