Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

China Plans to Reinstate Tourism to Taiwan Islands


(MENAFN) Beijing has greenlit plans to reinstate maritime tourism links between Shanghai and Taiwan-controlled islands, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism disclosed Wednesday, marking a significant shift in cross-strait travel policy.

The initiative will permit Shanghai residents to visit Kinmen and Matsu—both territories under Taiwanese administration—via water-based tourism routes that have remained suspended.

According to the ministry's statement, the move seeks to "normalize cross-Strait people-to-people exchanges and regularize interactions across various fields, respond to the strong expectations of Taiwan residents and the tourism industry, and enhance the interests and well-being of compatriots on both sides of the Strait."

Logistics for implementing the tourism corridor are actively underway, with officials calling on travel industries across the strait to "strengthen communication and coordination to provide high-quality services and products for mainland residents traveling to Kinmen and Matsu."

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, characterized the announcement as addressing popular demand, according to a state-controlled news agency. "This is a concrete step taken in response to the strong desire of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait for closer exchanges, and to the mainstream public opinion of people in Taiwan who want peace, development, exchanges and cooperation," Chen stated.

He simultaneously pressed Taiwan's governing Democratic Progressive Party to "lift restrictions on cross-Strait visits as well as cooperation in various fields, and restore travel by mainland residents to Taiwan at an early date."

The timing coincides with a Kuomintang delegation from Taiwan's opposition currently visiting mainland China for think tank discussions with the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing.

Senior political figure Wang Huning received the visiting delegation Wednesday, calling for "joint efforts to firmly grasp the destiny of the Chinese nation and resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatism and interference by external forces."

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