Chinese who had sought to enter Taiwan for a religious event were not granted visas because they were not “religious personnel” and planned to visit places not listed on their group tour’s itinerary, then never supplied supplemental information upon request, the Ministry of the Interior and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday.
Visas were not issued for 218 of the 239 applicants, as they did not provide additional information or explanations as requested, Minister of the Interior Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) told a committee at the legislature in Taipei.
Multiple groups, including the Taiwan Matsu Fellowship, had signed a petition that sought permission to bring a statue of Matsu from Meizhou Island in China’s Fujian Province to tour Taiwan.
Photo: CNA
The temple was quick to respond and arranged for a visit from Nov. 3 to 13.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on Wednesday accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of making an “arbitrary” decision to reject visa applications out of malice.
TAO spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) asked why an application by Hui Ju Matsu Temple in China’s Jiangsu Province was approved, while the Meizhou temple’s application was denied.
The ministry said it had asked visa applicants to prove that they were not affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Chinese People’s Liberation Army or the Chinese government, as they were not affiliated with the temple.
Separately, MAC Minister Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) also denied claims that the ministry had wrongly denied visa applications.
The ministry has stated that the documents submitted were incomplete or erroneous, and it asked the temple to submit further information and details about the trip, Chiu said.
Agencies on both sides are familiar with the process, which is the same as when religious interaction across the Taiwan Strait was more frequent, he said.
Chiu urged the CCP to refrain from using religion as a tool to advance its “unified front” rhetoric while also promoting a secular worldview, adding that devout Taiwanese would not believe such politically motivated accusations.
At the International Conference on the Chinese Path to Modernization under One-Party Rule forum at the Shangri La Far Eastern Hotel in Taipei later yesterday, Chiu called on Beijing to live up to its obligations as a great power, maintain peace and stability in the international community, and cease its threats against Taiwan.
If China’s claims to foster “modern socialism with Chinese characteristics” and its plans to promote “common prosperity” fail to guarantee fundamental human rights, a free and democratic way of life, and a higher standard of living for its citizens, its claims are only propaganda to prop up its autocratic government, he said.
Beijing should uphold global peace, which is the only way for it to be genuinely respected by the international community, he added.
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
Two Taiwanese prosecutors were questioned by Chinese security personnel at their hotel during a trip to China’s Henan Province this month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. The officers had personal information on the prosecutors, including “when they were assigned to their posts, their work locations and job titles,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. On top of asking about their agencies and positions, the officers also questioned the prosecutors about the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a pact that serves as the framework for Taiwan-China cooperation on combating crime and providing judicial assistance, Liang
Reports of Taiwanese going missing, being detained or interrogated, or having their personal liberties restricted in China increased about fourfold annually last year, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Last year, 221 Taiwanese who traveled to China were reported missing, were detained and interrogated, or otherwise had their personal freedom restricted, up from 55 the previous year, the council said. Reopening group tours to China would be risky, as it would leave travelers with no way to seek help through official channels after Beijing shut down dialogue between the associations tasked with handling cross-strait tourism, the MAC said. Taipei’s Taiwan Strait Tourism
SHIFT: Taiwan is evolving from a transit stop into a tourist destination, with more international travelers willing to spend on tours, dining and cultural activities Taiwan rose three places in the World Tourism Barometer to 36th globally in 2024, with international tourism revenue of US$10.028 billion, the Tourism Administration said on Monday. The UN Tourism Organization publication said that its focus has switched from whether a country has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels of tourism to the amount spent by a tourist during an overseas trip. The nation last year welcomed 8.57 million international tourists, about 9 percent more than in 2024, with most tourists coming from Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong and Macau, all of which accounted for at least 1 million tourists each. During the first
RSS