Taiwan’s President, William Lai Ching-te, underscored the need to protect the country’s democracy and academic independence on Thursday. According to the Taipei Times, he urged universities to remain cautious when engaging in exchanges with China.

At the 2025 National Conference for University Presidents of Taiwan, Lai stressed the importance of shielding higher education institutions from external interference. His remarks followed concerns raised by Taiwanese officials about the Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to influence Taiwanese students.

Due to national security concerns, authorities have blocked two Chinese universities, Huaqiao University, with campuses in Xiamen and Quanzhou, and Jinan University in Guangzhou. Reports indicate these institutions operate under the Chinese Communist Party's political warfare bureau.

Concerns have also been raised about an eight-day educational program in Sichuan Province, where Taiwanese students were allegedly exposed to political messaging. During the trip, Wu Xi, Deputy Director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, urged students to reject Taiwanese independence and align with the broader interests of the Chinese people.

A government official, speaking on anonymity, stated that these initiatives are part of the Chinese Communist Party's "united front" strategy aimed at shaping young minds, according to Taipei Times.

During the conference, Lai highlighted four key priorities for Taiwan’s education system- ensuring equal opportunities for all students, promoting collaboration between universities, driving academic innovation, and enhancing government support for educational institutions.

He emphasised the need for equal educational opportunities for students nationwide, the benefits of interdisciplinary learning, and the importance of gaining international exposure. A meaningful initiative supporting this goal is the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, a government-funded program with a budget of NTD 10 billion (USD 306 million) to provide Taiwanese youth with opportunities to study overseas.

Lai stressed the significance of national defence awareness, highlighting that the Presidential Office had set up the Whole-of-Society Defence Resilience Committee to enhance preparedness. Speaking about China, he reaffirmed the importance of academic institutions identifying potential risks and working with the government to protect crucial technologies, research and Taiwan's competitive advantage, according to the Taipei Times.

He also stressed that Taiwan's democratic values and freedoms are "precious" assets that must be guarded.