More stringent measures to monitor Chinese tourists will be implemented next year in response to an upsurge of reported illegal activities and breach of national security by visitors from China, National Security Bureau (NSB) officials said.
The new measures have been under preparation for some time by the bureau, including coordinating with various government departments and law enforcement agencies to enhanced surveillance, to track down those Chinese tourists who have gone missing.
Bureau Deputy Secretary-General Wang Der-lin (王德麟) told lawmakers on Thursday that new measures would go into effect on Jan. 1, including background checks and verification of personal information provided on Chinese tourist visa applications.
Despite current restrictions that bar issuing regular tourist visas to people working in China’s military, intelligence and political offices, there had been numerous cases of such people entering Taiwan by providing false information in their visa applications and other methods.
The bureau and other national security bodies will improve their monitoring to deter illegal conduct and possible spying activities by such visitors and other Chinese visitors, he said.
Ministry of the Interior data show 82 Chinese had overstayed their visas since the government allowed visits by independent travelers three years ago, and 52 are still unaccounted for.
Wang’s comments came after Chinese-language Next Magazine reported in its latest edition on Wednesday that a Chinese visitor had been able to gain access to an off-limits machine room in a Chunghwa Telecom Co office in Taipei. The visitor, identified as Wu Xin (吳昕), took photographs and posted them online.
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