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Beijing appears to be restricting entry rules for Taiwanese

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 (吳釗燮) told reporters yesterday that a few members of academic and business circles working in China-related fields had been denied the authorization necessary to visit China since the bill was made public in December.

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 (邱太三) explained. "At times standards are more stringent and other times more relaxed, depending on the overall atmosphere [of cross-strait ties]." Chiu said it appeared that the review of Taiwanese travel applications had been more stringent recently.

Wu also said yesterday that Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) failure to obtain a visa to travel to Hong Kong in January and South Korea last month were a result of the critical remarks he had made regarding the Anti-Secession Law. Hong Kong has refused to confirm that, saying it does not comment on individual visa applications.

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 (江炳坤) plan to visit Beijing next month.

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