The NT$60 billion (US$2 billion) windfall expected to be generated by Chinese tourists may now be at risk, as the Chinese government has reportedly insisted that only 1,000 tourists per day be allowed to visit Taiwan in the initial stages, a third of the number agreed upon by the two sides during recent cross-strait talks, a local newspaper reported yesterday.
The news has raised fears within the domestic travel industry that Taiwan’s tourism market revenues this year could fall short of expectations, which could also have an impact on economic growth, the Chinese-language China Times said.
In response to the report, Straits Exchange Foundation Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Kao Kong-lian (高孔廉) said yesterday that since both sides of the Taiwan Strait signed an agreement in Beijing earlier this month that permits up to 3,000 Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan per day, the government has not yet received any information from China about adjusting the threshold and believes that there won’t be such adjustments.
CONSULTATIONS
Mainland Affairs Council Vice Chairman Fu Don-cheng (傅棟成) also said that Beijing had already indicated during the consultations that the threshold of 3,000 would be adjusted as needed and in line with market demands. Whether the number is 1,000 or 3,000, the Chinese government will have their own concerns and make a decision and the public shouldn’t over-interpret it, Fu said.
Other officials added that during the consultations, Beijing had proposed to proceed step by step, starting from 1,000 and gradually increasing to 3,000 because of national security concerns. Beijing was worried that if Taiwan allowed so many tourists to enter Taiwan each day from the start, it would double security problems and increase the burden on both sides.
In response to China’s concerns, Taiwan’s representative said that Taiwan was confident it could handle the expected influx of Chinese tourists and preferred that the number remain unchanged.
Taiwan’s representatives demanded that Beijing meet the 3,000 target as it was part of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) election platform and had been agreed upon by Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).
IMPROVEMENTS
Meanwhile, the Taipei City Government said it would improve sanitary conditions and infrastructure at the city’s popular night markets to provide a better shopping environment for foreign visitors — especially Chinese tourists, who are expected to visit Taiwan in greater numbers starting on Friday.
Taipei City’s Department of Economic Development said the first phase of the night market renovation project would focus on the three night markets that attract the most foreign visitors — the Shihlin, Huaxi Street and Raohe Street markets.
In addition to improving sanitary conditions, Wang San-chung (王三中), a division chief of the department, said the Department of Transportation would create more parking space for tour buses in the markets within a week.
Wang said the Economic Development Department would also increase the number of public restrooms and large trash cans around the night markets, adding that the vendors in the three night markets would be required to wear uniforms bearing their stalls’ logo or name for easier recognition.
Tourism Bureau statistics showed that 88 percent of foreign tourists named Shihlin as their favorite night market in the country, followed by Kaohsiung’s Liuho Night Market, Huaxi Street Night Market and Raohe Street Night Market.
Once the first phase of renovations was completed, Wang said, the department would then turn to 11 municipal night markets by the end of this year.
To provide more detailed information on the city’s night markets, the department will provide free “2008 Taipei City Night Markets Guide” pamphlets in Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean at MRT stations, Songshan Airport and various tourism information centers, starting tomorrow.
Visitors can also obtain updated information on night markets on the department’s Web site, www.tcma.gov.tw/new/download.asp.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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