TAICHUNG (TVBS News) — Vice President Lai Ching-te vowed to address the disparity in tuition fees between private and public universities on Tuesday (June 20). Attending the flag-awarding ceremony for summer volunteers at the Chaoyang University of Technology, Lai commended the students for their dedication to global citizenship and encouraged them as representatives of Taiwan.
"You are all representing Taiwan. You are all Team Taiwan," he said.
Lai also emphasized the government's responsibility to bridge the tuition gap between private and public universities, citing statistics indicating financial hardships students face in private institutions face. While acknowledging existing support measures for financially disadvantaged students, Lai proposed expanding subsidies further.
He introduced a potential policy in which the government would provide a subsidy exceeding 50% of the tuition gap, amounting to over NT＄25,000. The students responded with enthusiastic applause. Following the ceremony, Lai, with a smile, refrained from commenting on recent polls involving other presidential candidates, such as Taiwan's People's Party's Ko Wen-je and Kuomintang's Hou Yu-ih.
Lai also avoided addressing inquiries about a recent child sedation case in Kaohsiung. Meanwhile, Lai's election campaign team has launched a question-and-answer section on Instagram, allowing users to submit questions for Lai, with responses scheduled for the following day. This initiative aims to engage young adults and foster increased interaction between supporters and Lai.
