The Cabinet yesterday approved measures to officially open Taiwan from Jan. 1 to Chinese nationals studying, traveling or living abroad.
Beijing declined to comment on this most recent olive branch from Taipei, saying that it would be inappropriate to do so during Taiwanese elections, but Chinese travel agencies and regional officials welcomed the move.
"[Taiwan] sincerely hopes that China will respond positively to this door-opening policy, a goodwill gesture coming at such a critical juncture, by resuming cross-strait negotiations soon [to discuss] the matter," Chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said after the Cabinet's provisional ministerial meeting yesterday.
Tsai added that the measures signify the government's determination to solve the current cross-strait political stalemate by acting on the consensus reached at the president's Economic Development Advisory Conference.
She stressed however that the new rules would apply only to Chinese nationals living, studying or traveling in third countries -- including Hong Kong and Macau -- and that only 1,000 tourists per day would be entitled to enter the country.
"The restriction prevents Chinese tourists from [intentionally] overstaying and it's easier to manage," Tsai said, adding that the government would gradually open the nation to more Chinese.
Tsai did not lay down a timetable to do so, however, and added that national security would continue to be central to the council's considerations.
But she added that if Chinese authorities respond favorably to the move and help facilitate the plan, it would have a positive impact on efforts to improve cross-strait exchanges.
Indeed, she called for cross-strait discussion on issues arising from the policy, including criteria for eligibility, repatriation of illegal entrants or those who overstay, the arbitration of travel disputes, and cooperation between travel agencies.
Yang Li-po (楊歷波), a government official from the Xiamen city government, expressed his personal desire to travel to Taiwan and said that the move would be beneficial to interaction between the two sides.
"We are very attracted to Taiwan, since it is so mysterious to us. Even though a trip to Taiwan costs more than trips to other countries, we still want to go," he said.
Lo Te-yi (
"There have been so many people asking about tours to Taiwan, and price is not an issue," Lo said.
Under the plan, Chinese tourists, who would have to prove that they maintain full-time employment or have at least NT$200,000 in assets, will be allowed to enter and leave Taiwan in tour groups of between 15 and 40 people, including a tour guide. They will be limited to stays of up to ten days, extendable by up to seven days.
To fund potential repatriation or detention expenses, a deposit of NT$1 million per head will be payable by Taiwanese travel agents after visas are granted to their Chinese clients.
In the event of overstays by their clients, Chinese travel associations could be banned from bringing groups to Taiwan for at least a year.
Permission to visit Taiwan will not be granted to Chinese civil servants, military or political officials or citizens who have broken the law within five years of their application.
Additional reporting by Tsai Ting-I
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from