At the invitation of the Taiwan Labor-Management Relations Advancement Association, Professor Lin Yanling from the China University of Labor Relations (CULR), along with 8 professors and lawyers from across the country, visited China’s Taiwan Region from April 19 to 26, 2009 for academic exchanges and research on the theme of "Anti-Employment Discrimination: China’s Taiwan Region's Experience". During the visit, Chinese mainland scholars visited the Taiwan Labor-Management Relations Advancement Association and gained a general understanding of the adjustment mechanism of labor-management relations in China’s Taiwan Region. They exchanged with Liu Zhipeng, Huang Chengguan, Qiu Junyan and other scholars of the Taiwan Labor Law Association, and felt the quality and academic background of these lawyers and scholars. They visited the Institute of European and American Studies and the Institute of Law of the Academia Sinica, and left a deep impression on the natural and human environment there. They also met with the chairperson and deputy chairperson(s)of the Council of Labor Affairs of the Taiwan Executive Yuan, and visited the Department of Labor, Taipei City Government, to gain a specific and intuitive understanding of labor administration in China’s Taiwan Region and its role in combating employment discrimination. They watched the trial proceedings of the High Court and the District Court, and met with the Chief Justice. On this trip, Chinese mainland scholars also visited trade unions and some non-governmental organizations, including the China Airlines Trade Union Members Association, the Child Welfare League Foundation, the Modern Women's Foundation, the Eden Social Welfare Foundation, and the Awakening Foundation. These organizations play a vital role in promoting anti-discrimination.

The delegation also visited the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) upon invitation, and had discussions with Mr. Raymond Tang Yee-Bong, Chairman of the EOC, Ms. Florence Chan, Director of the Training Department of the EOC, and Ms. Lam Siu-wai, Director of the Complaint Services Division. The delegation also had an in-depth discussion with Ms. Kelley Loper, an expert on anti-employment discrimination at the University of Hong Kong. Furthermore, the delegation also visited non-governmental organizations including the Women Affairs Committee of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Asian Legal Resource Centre, and exchanged views with Ms. Anna Wu Hung-yuk and Ms. Cyd Ho Sau-lan who advocate against discrimination in the HKSAR.

Through this academic exchange, we not only gained a comprehensive and intuitive understanding of anti-employment discrimination in China's Taiwan Region and HKSAR, but also acquired a lot of professional information on labor relations. The delegation will analyze, organize, and research the information obtained, and will work together to complete a report on anti-employment discrimination in Asian countries and regions, in order to promote the progress of anti-discrimination legislation and practices in China.

(School of Labor Relations and Human Resources)