Taipei: Taiwan's government is taking steps to remove or block a Chinese platform targeting Taiwanese youths due to alleged violations of the Cross-Strait Act, according to Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng. Speaking after a legislative session, Chiu highlighted that the "Taiwan Youth e-Home" platform, which claims to assist Taiwanese youths in finding educational and employment opportunities in China, is in breach of Articles 23 and 34 of the act.
According to Focus Taiwan, Article 23 mandates that individuals and organizations must obtain government approval before recruiting students in Taiwan for Chinese educational institutions. Article 34 stipulates that advertisements or promotional activities for Chinese goods, services, or other matters in Taiwan require authorization under the act. Chiu warned that the platform poses significant risks by potentially compromising personal information of its users.
Chiu accused Beijing of using the platform as a tool to assert governance over Taiwan prior to unification and to engage in psychological warfare. The direct engagement with Taiwanese students was described as a serious issue, prompting the MAC to collaborate with other agencies to have the platform removed or blocked. Despite these efforts, the platform remained accessible from Taiwan as of 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The "Taiwan Youth e-Home" platform was launched on July 15, with the purported aim of supporting the integrated development of young people across the Taiwan Strait, as announced by China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on July 22. It features sections on internships, employment, exchanges, and education, providing information on Chinese provinces, cities, government policies, and experiences of Taiwanese youths in China.
The platform enables users to search for job vacancies, submit applications, and access information on admissions policies and academic programs offered by Chinese universities. In response to MAC's warnings about potential misuse of personal information, TAO spokesperson Chen Binhua dismissed the concerns as deliberate smears, noting that online job platforms typically require personal data submission.
Chen reported that nearly 2,000 companies have joined the platform, posting almost 6,000 vacancies. He assured that the platform adheres to a "minimum necessary" principle for data collection and ensures strict protection of users' personal information in compliance with legal standards.