Beijing may be tightening policies on granting travel papers for Taiwanese wishing to visit China in the aftermath of its recently established "Anti-Secession" Law, according to the nation's top cross-strait policymaking body.
While refraining from mentioning names or releasing relevant details, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Joseph Wu (
He said that the council would continue to keep an eye on such cases and confirm whether they were necessarily a direct result of Beijing's recently passed law. Beijing's Anti-Secession Law, which was passed on Monday by its top legislative organ, gives legal license to check so-called "secessionist" forces in Taiwan with "non-peaceful means or other necessary measures."
Wu made the comments yesterday at the Legislature during a short break in a question and answer session.
"China has always had unclear standards for authorization [of travel papers]," council Vice Chairman Chiu Tai-san (
Wu also said yesterday that Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
Wu added that Chinese cross-strait academics had recently avoided visiting with council officials, a practice that has been common in the past.
"Article 4 of the bill states that accomplishing the great task of `reunifying' the motherland is the sacred duty of all Chinese people, the Taiwanese compatriots included," Wu said, adding that violations of that "duty" would be defined by Beijing.
"We will not stand in the way of anyone who wants to visit China, but they need to know that they go at their own risk," Wu said, commenting on KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun's (
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