According to The Harvard Crimson*, Harvard University's time-honored Mandarin learning program is relocating from Beijing to Taipei. As confirmed by Program Director Jennifer L. Liu (劉力嘉), her students have received unfriendly treatment in China while celebrating Independence Day earlier this year. In addition, she mentions that another Beijing-based language flagship program (under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense) has already moved to Taiwan.

In an email statement to Hong Kong Free Press regarding the above news, Harvard University's Associate Director of Communications Harry Pierre goes no further than saying that it is a planned move.# The Harvard Crimson, meanwhile, has learned from the Harvard Center in Shanghai that most Harvard-affiliated institutions remain in China for now. There is no official reference to their future plans, however.

Planned or otherwise, Harvard's departure from Beijing has caught everyone by surprise. Its relocation to Taipei at this juncture is also intriguing. At the same time, it is quite telling that no one seems to worry about American students going to learn Mandarin in Taipei amid the current Taiwan Strait crisis. One can't help but ask this: Is Taipei safer than Beijing?

--- by Lingyang Jiang

* https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2021/10/7/harvardbeijingacademy/

# https://hongkongfp.com/2021/10/14/harvard-university-moves-chinese-language-summer-programme-from-beijing-to-taipei/

Beijing: A happier time for Harvard students back then

Photo: The Harvard Crimson