TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's education officials unveiled plans Thursday (April 17) to create new classroom materials designed to deepen students' understanding of China, responding to concerns about Beijing's growing influence on the island's youth. The initiative follows President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) recent directive to counter what he identified as five major national security threats emanating from the mainland, highlighting the increasingly tense cross-strait relationship.
Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) aims to have the new materials ready by summer, with content emphasizing Taiwanese national identity and analyzing potential threats from across the Taiwan Strait. During a press conference following a cabinet meeting at the Executive Yuan (行政院), Taiwan's executive branch of government, Tai Shu-fen (戴淑芬), deputy director of the K-12 Education Administration (國民及學前教育署), reassured reporters that existing civics curricula already examine China's political system and the regional security implications of its economic rise.
The education ministry has commissioned a specialized project focused on enriching high school civics education through carefully crafted supplementary materials, according to Tai. The initiative seeks to bolster students' democratic values and civic engagement in an era of information warfare and cross-strait tensions. Professional educators will spearhead the development process, ensuring pedagogical soundness. The ministry will organize summer workshops for civics, history and social science teachers to introduce the materials, while also creating videos and podcasts to reach wider audiences. Tai stressed that educators would retain classroom autonomy, with freedom to choose these or other supplementary resources. ★