Beijing yesterday announced that starting today it is suspending a program that allowed individual tourists from 47 Chinese cities to travel to Taiwan, citing the current state of relations between the two sides.
Chinese nationals may only travel to Taiwan as tourists if they are part of tour groups, the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a statement.
The ministry’s statement did not provide any further details as to the reason for the ban.
Photo: CNA
The unexpected move comes as China attempts to isolate Taiwan and President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration.
Travel to Taiwan was opened to Chinese nationals in 2011, during former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration.
The move might also be aimed at hurting Tsai’s re-election chances in the presidential election on Jan. 11 next year.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying (華春瑩) declined to answer a question about the decision, asking reporters at a briefing in Beijing yesterday afternoon to talk to the relevant department for Taiwan affairs.
The Mainland Affairs Council issued a statement condemning the move, saying that cross-strait tourism is an important way of promoting better understanding.
It called on Beijing to discuss the issue with Taipei.
The Tourism Bureau said it regretted Beijing’s decision and hoped for a return to positive interaction with China.
“This is a shock to all of us. We are all very worried about it,” Taipei Association of Travel Agents chairman Benny Wu (吳志健) said by telephone. “This will have a huge impact on Taiwan’s tourism [industry] and economy.”
Spending by foreign tourists accounted for about 2.2 percent of GDP in 2017, the last year for which data is available, according to the bureau.
China was the largest single source of people visiting Taiwan and accounted for almost one-third of total visitors to the nation in May, according to a Bloomberg calculation based on data published by the bureau.
“As Taiwan is holding a presidential election soon, it’s not surprising that China is banning its citizens from visiting Taiwan,” KGI Securities Investment Advisory Co (凱基投顧) chairman Chu Yen-min (朱晏民) said.
“It seems to be a routine practice ahead of elections, as China doesn’t want its citizens to witness democracy,” Chu added. “The ban is expected to have a limited impact on Taiwan’s economy and stock market, as those hit are mostly not listed companies.”
STRENGTHENING: The defense budget this year is to focus on replenishment of artillery and rocket stocks, and equipment for F-16 jets, the defense ministry said Defense spending this year is to focus on preparing weapons and equipment for a “total blockade” by China, including parts for F-16 jets and replenishing weapons, the military said in a report. China staged war games around the nation in August last year, firing missiles over Taipei and declaring no-fly and no-sail zones in a simulation of how it would seek to cut Taiwan off in a war. In a report seeking legislative budget approval, the Ministry of National Defense said it began reviewing its strategic fuel reserves and repair abilities last year, but did not give details. In “anticipation of a total
ANTI-SHIP CONFIGURATION: The Tuo Chiang-class vessels are to be built for NT$9.7 billion by Lung Teh, a shipyard that previously built four similar corvettes for the navy The Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday awarded Lung Teh Shipbuilding (龍德造船) a NT$9.7 billion Co (US$317.57 million) contract to build five Tuo Chiang-class corvettes with anti-ship capabilities, a defense official familiar with the matter said yesterday. The corvettes would carry vertical launchers for four Hsiung Feng II (HF-2) missiles, as well as eight Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) anti-ship missiles, in contrast to ships configured for anti-air warfare, which carry eight HF-2 and four HF-3 missiles, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The anti-ship corvettes would be armed for improved standoff range against surface combatants and carry the latest
NINE TYPES: One of the devices can be carried by a single soldier and can destroy high-value, high-risk vehicles as well as target personnel, an official said Taiwan’s top military research body yesterday unveiled nine domestically developed drones in Taichung, including a loitering munition, or “suicide drone,” similar to the US-made AeroVironment Switchblade 300. The surveillance and attack drones shown to the media by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology included the Albatross medium-range uncrewed aerial vehicle Nos. 1 and 2, and the Teng Yun 2 and Cardinal 2 and 3 indigenous uncrewed combat aerial vehicles. The institute also unveiled a domestically made drone inspired by the AeroVironment Switchblade 300, which Ukrainian forces have employed in the country’s war with Russia. Aeronautical Systems Research Division head Chi Li-pin (齊立平)
PARTIAL SUPPORT: Morris Chang said he agrees with the US’ goal to slow advances of China’s chip sector, but US policies that might boost chip prices perplex him Washington’s efforts to on-shore semiconductor production might lead to surges in chip prices and supply bottlenecks, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀) said yesterday. The 91-year-old industry veteran said he supports parts of Washington’s effort to slow China’s progress on advanced chip manufacturing. China is still six years behind Taiwan in making advanced chips, despite years-long efforts to catch up, Chang told a Commonwealth Magazine forum that he coheadlined with Tufts University assistant professor Chris Miller, an expert on the US-China rivalry’s effects on chip manufacturing. However, Chang said that other parts of the effort, particularly Washington’s on-shoring
RSS