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DPP camp held for
Chinese students to boost understanding
By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has taken a first step toward closer
engagement with Chinese students in Taiwan with a two-day student camp, hoping
the activity will foster better understanding between the two sides.
In the camp, held on Saturday and yesterday by the party¡¦s think tank, 34
students focused on democracy and human rights as well as Taiwan¡¦s history and
its struggle for human rights.
The students participated in a symposium with a number of DPP officials,
including Chairman Su Tseng-chang (Ĭs©÷), on Saturday and visited the Green
Island Human Rights Memorial Park yesterday, DPP Department of Youth Development
director Chang Chi-chang (±i°òªø) said.
Taking inspiration from a remark from Chinese dissident Wang Dan (¤ý¤¦), who said
the DPP did not have to look far to increase its understanding of China because
Chinese students currently studying in Taiwan were the best source for contact,
plans for such a camp materialized within a short period, DPP Department of
China Affairs director Honigmann Hong (¬x°]¶©) said.
The party said it stayed low-key about the event in the hope of lowering
political sensitivity that came with the nature of such activity, which was why
it did not make any announcement about the event prior to issuing a press
release yesterday.
The DPP has had difficulty handling issues related to Chinese students in
Taiwan, such as their rights to work and receive National Health Insurance
coverage, as the party was caught between national security concerns, reciprocal
treatment for Taiwanese students in China and human rights considerations.
Although it previously insisted on tougher restrictions on Chinese students in
Taiwan, the party appears to have softened its position.
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