A maximum of 500 individual Chinese tourists a day could be allowed to visit Taiwan beginning next month, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said yesterday as he unveiled the government’s goals for future negotiations with Beijing.
“There is a great opportunity [for the authorities on both sides] to conclude the deal this month in negotiations. Only minor issues remain … some people wish that residents of Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Xiamen would also be allowed to visit,” Wu said.
Taiwan and China have tentatively agreed to an initial stage that would open Taiwan to individual Chinese tourists from major cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The number of Chinese visitors has increased to an average of 3,600 a day since the daily quota was raised from 3,000 to 4,000 early this year, but they have been required to travel as part of an organized group.
Wu said the economy had benefited since 2008 when Chinese tourists were first allowed, with 1,500 tourist buses put into operation and an estimated NT$160 billion (US$5.54 billion) invested in hotel construction.
Wu made the remarks in response to a question about the government’s priorities in its negotiations with China in the coming year during a press conference to mark the third anniversary of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) inauguration.
Wu said the government would maintain the course set during the past three years and continue to seek stable and peaceful developments in cross-strait relations.
Among the issues to be included in future talks are an investment protection protocol, which has been put on hold because of a disagreement on clauses regarding double taxation and an arbitration mechanism, a plan to build up a cross-strait clearance mechanism and a nuclear safety agreement, Wu said.
The planned seventh round of cross-strait talks will not be affected by the presidential election and legislative elections scheduled for Jan. 14, Wu said.
Wu said the government had negotiated with China to increase the number of night flights between Taiwan and certain Chinese cities, with the aim of increasing the number from 370 a week to 500
The government will continue to negotiate with the airline to lower ticket prices to a more reasonable level, he said.
Regarding rumors that he would run as Ma’s vice presidential candidate on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) ticket next year, Wu said the president had yet to discuss the matter with him.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost