BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior official announced here Friday that tuition of students from Taiwan at mainland universities will be reduced so that they will soon enjoy the sametuition as their mainland counterparts.

    "The education department will also strive to set up a scholarship for university students from Taiwan within this year,"said Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

    Chen, also director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office,said that the balance of the tuition and the actual cost of education will be subsidized by the government.

    The director called on the Taiwan authorities to recognize the schooling records of Taiwan students studying on the mainland as soon as possible to protect their legitimate rights and interests.Enditem