TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council on Thursday called it “really inappropriate” for a high school teacher to accept an interview with Chinese state-run media and repeat CCP talking points.
During an interview with CCTV, Alice Ou (區桂芝), a Chinese literature teacher at Taipei First Girls’ High School, criticized President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) classification of China as a "hostile external force," per Liberty Times. Ou claimed such a stance makes it difficult for her or those with relatives to visit them in China.
Ou alleged that Lai is using political power to pressure students to “sever their family bonds.” Ou claimed Lai's gradual push for “pragmatic Taiwan independence" is an idea that "distorts the roots of our history, our cultural origins, and our bloodline.”
The remarks led to public complaints that Ou violated the principle of political neutrality in education by participating in an interview with Chinese state media.
Speaking outside the school on Thursday, Ou clarified that she had agreed to the interview to discuss traditional culture and education. She said that the interview outline did not include political topics, but a political question was unexpectedly raised.
She said she had responded instinctively, thinking about what she would do if her mother in China were labeled an “external hostile force." Ou said she feels anxious that the current atmosphere in Taiwan could be on the verge of returning to the martial law era.
Ou asserted, "I am a proud Chinese," emphasizing that she upholds the Republic of China Constitution, which states that Taiwan and China are part of its inherent territory. In response to accusations that her remarks echoed Chinese propaganda, she countered, "Then would you prefer I engage in United Front work against China?"
MAC Spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) on Thursday said that as a public school teacher, Ou has access to daily news reports and is aware of frequent incursions by Chinese military aircraft. Given this context, Liang said, “It is really inappropriate to accept an interview with CCP media at this time and use language that CPP media wants to promote.”
Liang said that the Taipei Department of Education and Taipei First Girls’ High School hold primary responsibility for evaluating whether Ou is suitable to teach at one of Taipei’s top public schools.
He emphasized that, according to Article 3 of the Act Governing the Appointment of Educators, teachers should be selected based on their morals and loyalty to Taiwan.
Liang also questioned Ou's past remarks regarding the necessity of reading Gu Yanwu's (顧炎武) work "Honesty and Morality," in which she suggested that without studying it, people would lack a sense of integrity. "What about those who lived before Gu wrote this work? Did they all lack integrity?" he asked.
Taipei Department of Education Director-General Tang Chih-ming (湯志民) said the Ministry of Education had forwarded a public complaint for review. After an internal investigation, the school reported no evidence of Ou violating political neutrality within the school.
Tang said the education department respects teachers' professional autonomy and freedom of speech.
When outlining a 17-point strategy to counter China's campaign to subvert Taiwan's sovereignty on Mar. 13, Lai said, “China has undeniably become what our Anti-Infiltration Act defines as a ‘hostile foreign force.’” Lai said that China's use of espionage to infiltrate Taiwan's military and cross-strait exchanges to run United Front operations leaves Taiwan with “no choice but to take more proactive measures.”
