Mainland Affairs Council

MAC Regular Press Briefing

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Both sides continue to examine and improve the situation regarding the unexpectedly low number of Mainland tourists visiting Taiwan through negotiations

QUESTION: Since the opening up of tourism in Taiwan for Mainland tourists in July 2008, the number of Mainland tourists visiting Taiwan has not been as many as expected. Are Mainland tourists not interested in visiting Taiwan or are there too many restrictions imposed by the mainland Chinese government?

DEPUTY MINISTER LIU: Regarding this issue, both sides have already examined related factors one by one through negotiations. The ROC side has successively relaxed the relevant restrictions; for example, the minimum size per tour group has been reduced, and the length of stay allowed in Taiwan has been extended. The Mainland side has also increased the number of tour operators to 146, and the number of provinces and municipalities that allow their residents to visit Taiwan has increased to 25. Moreover, the application review procedures have also been expedited. Recently the China National Tourism Administration has also held a series of activities in Taiwan. We believe that all these are conducive to the whole situation.

Foundations have been laid under the existing legal framework to regulate cross-strait affairs

QUESTION: Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng indicated that he hoped the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) would formulate the relevant regulations on the signing of cross-strait economic agreements. What is the MAC’s attitude and stance toward this matter?

DEPUTY MINISTER LIU:

■ With regard to the regulations governing the handling of cross-strait affairs, new regulations have been stipulated when the Act Governing Relations between People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area was amended in 2003. In the six agreements signed during the First and Second Chiang-Chen Talks, although there were diverging opinions during the negotiation process, it could be seen that related matters were handled in accordance with the legal stipulations.

■ As for the Third Chiang-Chen Talks, we will reinforce the communications during the process and provide reports in order to enable the public and the legislators to gain an idea of the relevant issues, the content, and the processes that are of concern to everybody. In such a way, the results of the negotiations will garner more understanding and support. We will also invite the relevant agencies to make further improvements together with us.

■ Under the existing legal framework, we can continue to work on such a foundation. But we will exert more efforts to see how we can handle the case in a more subtle way in the future.

■ Nevertheless, the matters that involve the law will absolutely be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review; we will not evade any supervision by the Legislative Yuan. Even if no legal amendment is involved, our reports to the Legislative Yuan before the signing of an agreement and the submission of the agreement to the Legislative Yuan for review after the signing of the agreement are under the Legislative Yuan’s supervision.