The Executive Yuan recently made an important decision relating to Taiwan-Hong Kong relations. Visitors from Hong Kong and Macau will now be granted 14-day visas upon arrival -- if they have visited Taiwan at least once before. This is a friendly gesture and an important effort on Taiwan's part to develop relations with Hong Kong. The decision was welcomed throughout the territory and especially in business and tourism circles, for the convenience it will provide.
In the past, visitors from Hong Kong and Macau faced extensive red tape, especially when entering Taiwan for the first time. It was necessary to submit oneself to a review, which mainly focused on one's relationship with China. This was done for security reasons because China has sent quite a few intelligence agents into Hong Kong. To prevent such people from using the territory as a springboard to infiltrate Taiwan, there were restrictions of all sorts. Just getting a visa took about three weeks, since the forms had to be sent to Taiwan and then returned. This was very inconvenient if one had an urgent matter to handle.
Moreover, the visas given to Hong Kong and Macau residents were of limited duration. Some were single-journey visas, and some were valid for three years. But even if a visitor had a three-year visa, he or she still had to apply for a special stamp before each trip -- a request that took one business day to process. The process was a hassle.
Therefore, a two-week visa received on arrival is a godsend for those visitors from Hong Kong and Macau who frequently travel to Taiwan.
There are, however, some things that can't be decided by the goodwill of one side alone. Taiwan has repeatedly expressed goodwill toward China only to be coldly rebuffed. Since early this year when Taiwan opened the "small three links," China's attitude has been deliberately enigmatic.
Taiwan's decision on the visas triggered some surprising reactions in Hong Kong. Some of China's "people's representatives" in the territory feel that stamping the passports of Hong Kong and Macau residents is an intentional expression of Taiwan's sovereignty that forces people from those two territories to accept that Taiwan is a country. Naturally, those who feel this way are quick to link the visa/passport stamping to "Taiwan independence." Who would have thought that some people's obsession with the concept of "class struggle" would cause them to think in the direction of Taiwan independence. It is clear how overly politicized Hong Kong has become.
There are two primary reasons why Taiwan is now making it more convenient for visitors from Hong Kong and Macau to enter the country. First, the economy has been sluggish, so making it convenient for more visitors to come could stimulate tourism. Second, more people from China are now visiting Taiwan, so it is appropriate that it should be more convenient for residents from the Special Administrative Regions to do so as well.
Taiwan has been an independent, sovereign country all along, regardless of whether or not it provides visas on arrival. This point doesn't require China's recognition. Taiwan has all of the characteristics of a country. Anyone coming from China must have Taiwan's approval. This in itself shows Taiwan's sovereign status. It's not like Hong Kong and Macau, where the local authorities have no choice but to accept anyone China chooses to let out.
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