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Chinese access to Kinmen and Matsu aids exchange

Allowing Chinese nationals from Fujian Province to make sightseeing trips to the islands of Kinmen and Matsu is a policy designed to facilitate civilian exchange across the Taiwan Strait, a Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) official said yesterday.

MAC Vice Chairman Chen Ming-tong said that 700 daily visits by visitors from Fujian are allowed to Kinmen, while 100 daily visits are permitted to Matsu.

The restrictions were stipulated in statutes governing the trial opening of direct transportation links between Kinmen and Matsu and the port cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou, which began in January, 2001.

On whether the number of ferries linking Kinmen, Matsu and the port cities was sufficient to meet actual needs, Chen said the Chinese authorities were welcome to come to the negotiating table at any time.

Chen was commenting in light of reports that Beijing has approved plans to allow tourists from Fujian to visit Kinmen and Matsu from this Chinese New Year.

He urged the Chinese to take preventive measures against worsening public order that has adversely affected Taiwanese people with business and investment operations there.

Referring to a recent dismemberment killing in Guangdong Province of a Taiwanese businessman, Ho Ching-sheng, Chen called on the Chinese authorities not to spare any effort in solving the case and develop preventive measures to allow Taiwanese people to operate in a safer environment.

Chen also urged China-based Taiwanese businessmen to heighten their awareness of the seriousness of public disorder in China.

Quoting tallies compiled by the quasi-official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), Chen said 63 Taiwan businessmen and members of their families have been killed in China since 1991.

In addition, he said, 115 other people from Taiwan had gone missing over the same period.

Meanwhile, 50 Taiwanese had either been kidnapped or illegally detained there, while 78 others had reported being robbed, injured or blackmailed.
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