Beijing (TAN): The Chinese government has suspended a programme permitting individuals from 47 cities to visit Taiwan, amid growing tensions between the two sides.
China’s tourism ministry effected the ban from August 1, prohibiting individual leisure travel from China to Taiwan. However, Chinese nationals can still travel to Taiwan if they are part of tour groups or visiting as a business traveller.
The individual visit program, that was implemented in 2011, was restricted to three cities – Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen – to boost friendly ties between Taiwan and China. It was later extended to 47 cities.
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Although the ministry did not cite specifics regarding the reason for the ban, the move that comes five months ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election in January 2020 could be China’s ploy to corner Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. The President reportedly called the restriction a major strategic mistake, adding that China had adopted similar tactics ahead of elections in the past.
“Using tourists as political tools would only create antipathy in Taiwanese people. Tourism shouldn’t be politicized,” President Tsai Ing-wen was quoted by media reports as saying.
Beijing’s relationship with Taipei has been strained ever since Tsai became President in 2016, as Beijing reportedly suspected she was trying to achieve formal independence of the island at the cost of the mainland’s peace.
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“(Tsai’s) Democratic Progressive Party is continually pushing activities to promote Taiwan’s independence and inciting hostility toward the mainland, seriously undermining the conditions for mainland travelers to visit the island,” Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, was quoted by Reuters as saying.
Recently, China and Taiwan had reportedly fought over problems including United States’ arms sales worth USD2.2 billion to Taiwan, the Taiwanese President’s visit to New York, and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests. Though China and Taiwan have had separate governments since 1949, the mainland continues to observe the latter as part of its territory. Consequently, Beijing has resisted President Tsai, under whose leadership the island pushed back against mainland China.
Taiwan’s tourism could take a major hit following the new ban.
“This is a shock to all of us. We are all very worried about it. This will have a huge impact on Taiwan’s tourism and economy. Hotels, restaurants will all be affected,” Benny Wu, chairman of the Taipei Association of Travel Agents was quoted by Time as saying.
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Taiwan woos Indonesian tourists
Taiwan, on the other hand, has been eyeing Indonesian tourists. The Taiwan Tourism Information Center in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta reportedly rolled out three key programmes including halal-certified, medical and aesthetic and educational tourist programmes for visitors to Taiwan.
While the country is home to over 200 halal-certified hotels and restaurants, and an app to visit halal destinations, it has also constructed large mosques in key cities including Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung to attract Muslim visitors, reports said.
A recent survey by a private organisation showed Taiwan has become one of the top destinations for Muslim tourists.
