Zhu Fenglian, the second spokeswoman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, debuts on Nov 27, 2019 at a regular news briefing in Beijing. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - Taiwan authorities and relevant colleges should properly address matters concerning the rights and interests of mainland students studying on the island, a mainland spokesperson said Thursday.

It is unreasonable for Taiwan authorities to deny the return of mainland students given the school semester opened normally on the island, said Zhu

Mainland students enrolled in Taiwan colleges and universities are now unable to return to the island due to the entry restrictions imposed on mainland residents by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party administration on Feb. 6 amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said in an interview.

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However, they were still required to pay tuition and register as the island's colleges and universities started the new semester as usual in late February or early March.

Some colleges did not make necessary arrangements and some even required a one-semester delay for mainland students to start school after collecting their tuition fees.

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It is unreasonable for Taiwan authorities to deny the return of mainland students given the school semester opened normally on the island, said Zhu.

Currently, over 8,300 mainland students are enrolled in Taiwan colleges and universities.

The mainland students have strongly demanded relevant parties in Taiwan to pay attention to their legitimate rights and interests and correct unreasonable practices, as the negligence of relevant colleges and universities will hinder their studies and even affect their graduation and employment.

Their demands are reasonable, and their rights and interests should be protected, said Zhu.

The mainland students have strongly demanded relevant parties in Taiwan to pay attention to their legitimate rights and interests and correct unreasonable practices

Zhu urged the DPP authority and relevant colleges and universities on the island to make changes to the unreasonable restrictions and plan for necessary epidemic prevention and control measures to support and facilitate the return of mainland students.

But in light of the deny or delay of return, colleges and universities should address the concerns of the mainland students and take remedial measures to avoid affecting their studies or inflicting economic losses on them, said Zhu.

On the other hand, Taiwan students enrolled in colleges and universities on the mainland have not returned as the mainland's education departments are yet to decide the opening dates of schools in different regions. 

Both Taiwan and mainland students have been required to follow the plans and instructions made by their colleges and universities on the mainland in terms of study and epidemic prevention and control.