TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School (中山女高) on Wednesday (Dec. 4) addressed the harm caused by false statements and objectifying reports circulating on Chinese social media regarding a visit by a student delegation from mainland China. The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation (馬英九基金會) organized the visit, which included table tennis star Ma Long (馬龍). However, due to contentious statements in addressing Taiwan, the visit has sparked significant controversy.
The school emphasized its firm opposition to the objectifying reports and urged the organizers to address the issue. The two-hour educational visit included an introduction to the school's educational philosophy, a historical site tour, and a virtual golf course experience integrating technology into sports without involving political topics. The school scheduled the visit before midterm exams, following the Ministry of Education's advice to minimize disruptions to students' routines.
Zhongshan Girls High School respected the organizers' decision to keep the visits non-public without requiring students to participate or welcome the visitors. The school refrained from allowing media coverage. Photos of students circulated online, prompting the school to remind organizers to adhere to guidelines on minors' portrait rights and advise students to remove or report unauthorized uploads.
The school acknowledged receiving diverse feedback on the educational exchange and respected differing opinions. It stressed the importance of fostering students' media literacy and critical thinking skills, urging the public and media to express views rationally, understand the true nature of events, and avoid unfounded criticism.