An opposition legislator and tour operators yesterday voiced their opposition to a further easing of restrictions for independent travelers from China, amid concern that the nation’s security is being compromised by the government’s open-door policy for Chinese tourists.
“We are worried that public safety and national security may be jeopardized, given the many incidences of Chinese tourists overstaying their visa, not sticking to their tour group’s itinerary, or entering restricted areas,” Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安) told a press conference.
Chou said that a number of experts and government officials have known for some time of China’s attempts to infiltrate Taiwan by having military personnel and espionage agents use forged documents and entering Taiwan as tourists.
The national security agencies know very well that these “fake” Chinese tourists are in reality Chinese military and intelligence agents and that they have visited the nation’s air bases, naval ports and army facilities to take photographs and gather information, she said.
“Our government has not put up any defense against these open or covert espionage activities by these fake Chinese tourists. We ask the government to plug these loopholes and stop this lax enforcement of regulations governing Chinese tourists,” she said.
Chou said Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and the Tourism Bureau should drop a proposal to give a 30-day extension — an increment from the current 15 days — to independent travelers from China, while limiting the number of Chinese tourists to 3,000 a day and 500 per day for independent travelers.
Taipei Traveler Association chairman Chang Feng-chi (張鳳吉) said that he has encountered cases of Chinese tourists bearing forged or suspicious documents.
He said 2.26 million Chinese tourists visited the nation last year, accounting for 41 percent of the total of 5.47 million foreign arrivals.
“A majority of the Chinese package tours are focused on sightseeing and shopping, leading to cutthroat pricing competition.This is not conducive to the development of Taiwan’s international tourism,” he added.
Chang said the large numbers and behavior of some Chinese tourists have also irked the local populace.
“The best way to improve the quality of the nation’s tourism industry is to reduce the number of Chinese tourists,” Chou said.
“The low-budget and low-quality Chinese tour groups have not brought the big economic benefits promised by the administration of [President] Ma [Ying-jeou (馬英九)]. Instead they are driving away higher-spending tourists from Japan, the US and European countries,” she said.
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