(Central News Agency reporter Lu Jiarong, Beijing, 24th) Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, released a signal at the “Malaysia-Xi Second Meeting” that the tourism policy on both sides of the mainland will change. Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of Mainland China, stressed today that active measures will be taken to promote cross-strait cooperation in various fields, including tourism.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou recently led a delegation to visit mainland China and held a “Ma-Xi meeting” with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping. Xinhua News Agency pointed out in the press release that Xi Jinping would like to see more mainland people visiting Taiwan.
Does this mean that the mainland will consider allowing mainland people to travel to Taiwan? Zhu Fenglian said at a press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council today that Xi Jinping’s speech reflects the common desire of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to get closer and closer, and to continuously deepen cross-Strait integration and development.
Zhu Fenglian said that although there are still some artificial resistances and obstacles to cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, she believes that as long as compatriots on both sides work together to remove obstacles, cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation will usher in a bright future.
Zhu Fenglian said that she would “take active measures to promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including tourism.”
She further pointed out that the mainland has always insisted on promoting the normalization of cross-strait personnel exchanges and normalization of exchanges in various fields.
However, she said that the “DPP authorities” have not lifted the ban and have not opened up mainland residents to visit Taiwan for exchanges. Only by removing these obstacles can we create favorable conditions for cross-strait tourism and personnel exchanges to return to normal.
After the COVID-19 epidemic broke out in 2020, cross-strait personnel exchanges were restricted. After the epidemic was reopened, cross-strait tourism was still difficult to carry out.
In August last year, the Mainland Affairs Council held a press conference with the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Economic Affairs to announce plans for resuming cross-strait tourism and relaxing business exchanges for Mainland Chinese nationals in Taiwan. It was announced at that time that groups would be allowed to travel to the mainland on March 1 this year. However, this policy changed before the Spring Festival this year, and only those who had signed up for group tours from March to May were open.
Transportation Minister Wang Guocai once said that Taiwan has shown goodwill last year, and now the ball is in the opponent’s court. Only when mainland China also shows goodwill can cross-strait tourism flourish. (Editor: Tang Peijun) 1130424
