The government will relax its regulations in three months' time to allow Chinese performing artists to visit Taiwan and take part in commercial activities, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Chairman Liu Te-shun (
Publicity
The move is a response to negative publicity generated by the government's refusal to allow Chinese actor Zhang Guoli (
"Cross-strait exchanges have taken a huge step backwards. I don't understand why so many Taiwanese artists are allowed to perform in China, but Chinese artists can't go to Taiwan," Zhang said yesterday during a telephone conference held during the public hearing.
The public hearing was held by People First Party Legislator Shen Chih-huei (
Taiwanese authorities rejected Zhang's visa application, citing concerns over a potential "threat to national security." Zhang has previously visited Taiwan on five occasions.
Liu explained yesterday that when the government enacted the laws governing professional cross-strait exchanges in 1992, the regulations did not permit Chinese visitors to engage in commercial activities in Taiwan.
Liu admitted that it was inaccurate to describe Zhang's visit as "a threat to national security."
Contradictory laws
The official said that the problem had resulted because there were three separate laws governing Chinese publications, professional cross-strait exchanges and visits by Chinese citizens for commercial purposes.
Currently, Chinese artists visiting Taiwan are governed by the law pertaining to professional exchanges, which prohibits them from taking part in commercial activities.
Liu promised that the government would review the three laws and merge them if necessary.
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