| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 國家發展研究所 === 103 === Since the KMT regained it’s power in 2008, Ma Ying-jeou administration has successfully promoted peaceful development of cross-strait relations, leading to the signing of a string of agreements with China that have benefitted Taiwan’s Economy. In particular, the Cross-straits Economic Cooperation of Framework Agreement signed in 2010 further strengthened the cooperation in trade and expanded personnel exchange between Taiwan and China. By analyzing the presidential election in 2012, improvement in the cross-strait relations was the key factor that Ma Ying-jeou was successfully re-elected as President of Taiwan. However, the signing of Cross-strait Service Trade Agreement, a follow-up negotiation from the ECFA, spurred protests in 2013 and further sparked the Sunflower Student Movement which attracted international attention in 2014. Many participants in the movement were young students. There were signs reflecting student protesters’ mistrust in the Ma administration and resistance against Mainland China.
After the Sunflower Student Movement, China shifted its Taiwan policy and operation to place greater emphasis on the role of the central and southern region, the working and lower middle classes, small and medium enterprises and the young generation. A series of new ideas and measures directed specially at young people and students.
This study seeks to explore the correlation between The Sunflower Student Movement and the change of China’s policy and operation towards Taiwan in youth and student exchange. First, it is important to conduct a literature review by analyzing China’s policy and operation towards Taiwan in youth and student exchange before the student movement. Secondly, the research methodology includes in-depth interviews, field observations aiming to explore the direction and tradecraft of China’s policy change towards Taiwan in youth and student exchange after the Sunflower Student Movement. Finally, by gathering questionnaires from students, it is helpful to grasp a better understanding of Taiwanese young student viewpoints on cross-strait relations as well as on cross-strait youth and student exchanges after the student movement. The research aims to combine theory with practice and discusses feasible measures to enhance cross-strait youth and student exchange.
Main findings of this study indicate that China did change its strategy towards Taiwan in youth and students exchange both in policy and in practice after the Sunflower Student Movement. China has enhanced “five-policy” services for Taiwan’s young students. In practice, China has increased working opportunities and set up platforms for Taiwan’s young people to start their undertaking businesses. Finally, the study has better understood the viewpoints of Taiwan’s young students on cross-strait relations and the youth and student exchanges after the Sunflower Student Movement through analyzing their questionnaires in order to evaluate the effects of China’s change in policy and operation as well as to provide our government with respective policy recommendations.
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