Chinese visitors arriving under the free independent travelers (FIT) program will be more impressed with Taiwanese life attitudes than with political ideology at home, cross-strait affairs experts said yesterday.
While public debate mounts over whether different political views held by Taiwanese and Chinese will clash with Chinese FITs visiting the country, experts said cultural exchanges following the implementation of the program were more likely to be lifestyle-related.
As Chinese people struggle to find a balance in life as a result of their country’s rapid economic development over the past few years, the FIT program allows those who can afford it a chance to experience first hand and reflect on another way of life, said Lin Gu-fang (林谷芳), a professor at Fo Guang University.
“I think they will be very surprised to learn that in Taiwan, people don’t necessarily earn respect because they are rich,” Lin said.
Taiwanese life attitudes “highlight critical thinking and social diversity” and bring people inner peace “because not everyone has to climb to the top of a mountain, and not everyone has to climb the same mountain,” Lin said.
Eddie Huang, a tour guide for PST Travel, said he would encourage FIT clients to watch Taiwanese TV programs, because they represent a very different cultural norm to what they are used to.
“Just pick any channel from Channel 50 to 56 and see what the public has to say about government policies,” he said. “It’s not only about political alternatives or freedom of expression, but the notion that people should reflect on their own lives.”
Kevin Chen, secretary-general of the Shen Chun-chi Foundation, which is devoted to cross-strait cultural exchanges, elaborated further on Huang’s comments.
“If they pay attention to how Taiwanese talk, Chinese tourists will realize that we have preserved the best of traditional Chinese culture,” he said.
For instance, Chen said, Taiwanese frequently use a respectful form of address for a male or female friend, calling them “brother” or “sister.”
“This verbal practice reveals that Taiwanese are very people-oriented when they engage with society,” he said.
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