The length of the government’s “orange” travel warning to China would depend on Beijing’s actions, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday, while opposition parties criticized the “downward spiral” in cross-strait relations.
The Mainland Affairs Council on Thursday announced that the travel advisory to China, Hong Kong and Macau would be raised from “yellow” to “orange” in light of new penalties for “Taiwanese independence diehards.”
The 22 judicial guidelines announced by Beijing on Friday last week include jail terms ranging from three years to life imprisonment and even the death penalty for supporting Taiwanese independence, and permits holding trials in absentia.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The non-mandatory “orange” travel alert advises Taiwanese against taking nonessential trips to China or its territories.
President William Lai (賴清德) in his inaugural address on May 20 called for a restart to cross-strait exchanges, beginning with reciprocal tourism, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said yesterday during Cho’s appearance at the legislature.
However, only a month into his presidency, the plan has been “throttled,” he said.
Cross-strait animosity is increasing, he said, adding that everyone knows it is in the name of protecting Taiwan, but “it is actually isolation.”
Cho said Beijing’s new definitions of “Taiwanese independence advocacy” include many erroneous restrictions, adding that the travel warning is meant to protect the safety of Taiwanese in China.
Asked how long the warning would be in place and whether it could be lowered to “gray” or raised to “red,” Cho said it “depends on China’s attitude.”
“Hopefully Beijing will ease up and change its approach so we can all have peaceful and rational exchanges,” he said.
Separately yesterday, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) criticized the “tit-for-tat” decision to increase the travel warning as “elevating the spiral of hostility” across the Taiwan Strait.
The move is harmful to Taiwanese and cross-strait relations, worrying not only the travel industry, but also businesspeople and students, he said, calling for an end to the “downward spiral.”
Cross-strait relations are getting worse, Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said.
Beijing’s announcement has made Taiwanese worry about whether things they say in Taiwan could be used against them, he said.
“People could be arrested if they travel to China, so it is reasonable for Taiwan to issue a travel warning,” he said.
However, this shows that cross-strait relations are continuing their downward spiral, Ko added, urging for a solution to protect Taiwanese studying, working and traveling in China.
Additional reporting by Wang Chun-chi and Lee Wen-hsi
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