Taiwan has blocked the leakage of key national technologies through Chinese international students

Taiwanese media, including the Free Times and the Yonhap News Agency, reported on the 28th that Taiwanese authorities have come up with measures to prevent the leakage of key national technologies through Chinese international students.

According to reports, at a meeting of the Board of Governors the day before, Zhu Rongtai (Prime Minister) ordered the Ministry of Education to convene a ‘multi-ministerial research discussion meeting on Chinese students’ learning control of key Taiwanese national construction technology items’.

He also ordered related ministries to check and report on defense-related science and technology and industrial competitiveness.

The meeting will be attended by the National Science and Technology Commission (NSTC), the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Digital Development and the Maritime Commission, and will hold its first meeting next month.

According to the “National Core Construction Technology Recognition Method,” the administrative agency said it has been disclosing key national construction technology items and administrative agencies every year since 2023, adding that 22 items were selected in 2023 and 32 items last year.

These items include areas such as defense science and technology, space, agriculture, semiconductors, and information and communication security, and 10 items added last year included qubit design and manufacturing process technology, low-temperature semiconductor circuit design and manufacturing process, quantum encryption-related technology, and secondary battery-related technology.

An official said that the move would further reduce academic exchanges between the two sides in the future, saying schools in Taiwan are likely to have a conservative approach to exchanges with mainland China.

As of the end of last year, there were 2,296 short-term trainees and 1,556 degree students in Taiwan, according to data from Taiwan’s mainland affairs agency, the Continental Commission.

SAM KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL