Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

June 21 marked the 10th anniversary of the attempt to push the cross-strait services trade agreement through the legislature.

Ten years ago, under then-president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) pro-China administration, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) tried to sign the Faustian deal without consultation, an undemocratic move that ignited anger among students and others that turned into the Sunflower movement.

As a political star born out of the movement, former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), founder and chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and its presidential candidate, has the audacity to propose in a policy white paper that if elected president, he would restart talks on the services trade deal with China, and even an arrangement for trade in goods.

To support the government’s policy of extending compulsory military service to one year, the Ministry of Education has introduced a “3+1” program where conscripts can finish college in three years and military service in one year, enabling them to graduate alongside those who do not have to serve. To achieve this, universities are required to raise the cap on the number of credits draftees can earn per semester. They should also offer summer courses and allow draftees to take classes at other colleges.

The program has drawn criticism from some quarters. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators said it would sacrifice students’ education rights and that conscripts would be “burning the candle at both ends” by juggling schoolwork and conscription. KMT Legislator Charles Chen (陳以信) added that it is sexist in nature, as women do not need to serve and would therefore not be eligible for the program.