MAC Press Release No. 023
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) issued the following press release in response to the announcement made by mainland China’s Taiwan Affairs Office today (May 19, 2023) regarding the immediate resumption of travel agency operations for Taiwanese tour group visits to mainland China. The MAC stated that the personal experiences gained through visiting the other side for tourism are most conducive to fostering mutual understanding between people living across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has always welcomed mainland Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan and has not imposed restrictions on Taiwanese citizens visiting mainland China. Mainland China made the announcement today about resuming inbound tour group operations for Taiwanese citizens. The MAC welcomes that the mainland Chinese authorities have lifted their travel ban, and strongly urges them to also remove restrictions on mainland Chinese citizens traveling to Taiwan so as to gradually restore exchanges to the pre-pandemic normal.
The MAC stated that cross-Strait tourism has been suspended for over three years due to the pandemic, specific unilateral considerations of mainland China, and other factors. Before restoring such ties, both sides across the Taiwan Strait must communicate and make appropriate arrangements through established mechanisms. Key aspects of this matter—mutual protection of people’s safety, ensuring travel quality, maintaining market order, settling travel disputes, handling emergencies, and managing cases of missing persons—should be reexamined and proper adjustments should also be made based on the changes in the cross-Strait situation during the hiatus. This is the only way to fulfill the good intentions of both sides across the Taiwan Strait to resume cross-Strait tourism exchanges.