TAIPEI - Taiwanese universities aim to admit Chinese students for the first time next year, an official said Wednesday, but the plan immediately drew criticism from the independence-leaning opposition.

Chinese students from 41 of the mainland's universities recognised by Taiwanese authorities are expected to start enrolling as early as the autumn term of 2010, an aide quoted Education Minister Wu Ching-ji as saying.

The Taiwanese universities will be allowed to offer no more than two percent of their available places to Chinese students, she added.

The plan, which must be approved by parliament, follows talks between Taipei and Beijing last year, when they signed deals to forge closer trade ties and agreed to promote educational exchanges.

Taiwanese authorities also hope the plan will help ease a shortage of students in the island's schools, sparked by dwindling birth rates.

According to forecasts, more than one in three Taiwanese colleges will have to close by 2021, local reports have said.

However, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which aims for formal separation of Taiwan from China, voiced concern that an influx of young people from the mainland could make the jobless situation worse.

"The government should consider the labour market... as allowing Chinese to study here could jeopardise local people's chances of getting jobs," DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said in a statement.

Taiwanese students have gone to the mainland to attend universities for years, attracted by their relatively low tuition fees.

An estimated 7,000 Taiwanese are currently enrolled in higher education in China, according to officials.

China and Taiwan split in 1949 after a civil war but Beijing still considers the island part of its territory and has threatened to invade if Taiwan moves toward formal independence.

Ties have improved dramatically since Beijing-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou came to power last year on a platform of boosting economic ties with China.