China with 30% Unemployment Rate Aiding Taiwan's 3%? Mainland Affairs Council Chairperson Chiu Chui-cheng Slams Taiwan Affairs Office, Blocks 'Taiwan Youth e-Home' to Counter 'Ruling Before Unification'

The Taiwan Affairs Office of China recently launched the 'Taiwan Youth e-Home' platform, integrating services for job hunting, internships, and school enrollment to attract young people from Taiwan to mainland China. On August 5, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairperson Chiu Chui-cheng stated that with China's unemployment rate reportedly reaching 30%, it is absurd for a country with such high unemployment to assist Taiwan, which has only a 3% unemployment rate, in finding jobs. He questioned sarcastically, 'What kind of jobs can they offer? Should they work at the Taiwan Affairs Office itself?' Chiu accused the office of 'putting on a brave face' and declared 'Taiwan Youth e-Home' illegal, announcing it would be blocked.

On August 5, reporters found the 'Taiwan Youth e-Home' website inaccessible from Taiwan and only viewable via VPN. Chiu explained that previously, intermediary agencies helped Taiwanese citizens find jobs in mainland China, but now the mainland has shifted to direct outreach—inviting individuals to submit resumes directly to the website for employment or school enrollment. However, this violates Taiwan's 'Cross-Strait Relations Act,' which prohibits direct school placement services and job advertisements from mainland entities. Therefore, 'Taiwan Youth e-Home' breaches multiple regulations and is considered an illegal website. Chiu warned that providing personal data to this site poses significant risks.

He highlighted a contradiction: 'How strange is it that a region with a 20% to even 30% youth unemployment rate is helping a region with only 3% unemployment find jobs?' In 2017, China promoted startup hubs for Taiwanese youth, but most have since disappeared. Chiu argued that 'Taiwan Youth e-Home' is similarly just a passing trend. With domestic university graduates facing high unemployment, the Taiwan Affairs Office is merely 'putting on a brave face.'

According to a teacher from a 'Project 985' university (China's elite 39 universities), while top graduates once averaged three job offers, now even master's degree holders face a 50% unemployment rate, forcing many into food delivery jobs. Chiu questioned, 'What jobs can the Taiwan Affairs Office offer Taiwanese students? Are they supposed to work at the office itself? It's unbelievable.'

Chiu asserted that 'Taiwan Youth e-Home' is part of China's 'ruling before unification' strategy, a form of psychological and propaganda warfare against Taiwan. While actual job placements remain unverified, the platform directly targets students with messages like 'Need a job? Contact us. Need an internship? Contact us. Need school guidance? Contact us.'

Previously, such efforts were outsourced to intermediary groups, but after Taiwan cracked down on these, the Taiwan Affairs Office took over directly. Chiu emphasized that this platform is a serious threat, and Taiwan will coordinate with relevant agencies to take it down or block it.