Covid-19: Taiwan finally eases restrictions on Chinese travelers

Bridge between Taiwan and China? As part of a strategy to promote cross-strait tourism exchanges, the Mainland China Business Council, the Taiwanese government body in charge of relations between Beijing and Taipei, plans to ease restrictions on organized business and tourist travel from mainland China.

As a reminder, Taiwan reopened its borders to tourism in October following the Covid-19 crisis, with the exception of travelers from mainland China.

Selected Chinese citizens will also be able to apply to travel to Taiwan from another country from September 1, spokesman Yang Zih-Horng said.

Within 2000 people

The spokesman gave details of this relief. “We will also allow Chinese tour groups to come to Taiwan, but initially at a limit of 2,000 people a day,” Yang Ziyh-Horng added.

The resumption of organized travel for Chinese groups will take place in a month to allow “preparation time,” but the spokesman did not give a specific date. “Taiwan tour groups can travel to China, but the initial number was limited to 2,000 based on reciprocity,” the spokesperson said.

Currently, only select Taiwanese travelers are allowed to enter China, as the island does not allow its citizens to participate in organized tours.

Taipei hopes to “reopen trade at all levels”

Asked if this reversal is in line with a desire to pacify the very tense relationship with Beijing, Yang Yih-Horn replied that Taipei hopes to “reopen trade between the two sides at all levels.” “Today we decided to announce our group travel policy. We have taken the first step and hope that they (the Chinese) will respond positively,” he said.

Since the election of pro-independence party Tsai Ing-wen as president in 2016, Taiwan has seen a sharp decline in tourist travel from China. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese tourists made up more than a third of the industry, according to Ringo Lee, president of the Taiwan Tour Operators Association.

“The current situation is not healthy and has nothing to do with Covid-19,” he said, feeling that the announced measures were very insufficient. “We need more Chinese tourists, the tourism sector is suffering,” he said. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has declared its readiness to one day take it by force if necessary.