Chinese officials exclusion from travel expo raises concerns

BEIJING (TVBS News) — China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Wednesday (June 28) urged Taiwan authorities to lift restrictions on cross-strait travel and prioritize the exchange of information on the tourism industry amid reports that 60 mainland officials were removed from an invitation list to attend Summer Travel Expo in Taipei from July 14 to 17.

Speaking at a press conference, Chu Feng-lien, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said that relevant parties in Taiwan must address the desires and expectations of most Taiwanese individuals involved in the tourism industry. 

The remark came in response to a decision made a day earlier by a joint review committee of the 2023 Summer Travel Expo slated in Taipei in July, which only allowed representatives from nine Chinese provinces to attend the event while excluding all Chinese officials from the list.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) and the Tourism Bureau reportedly asked to review the invitation list of 212 attendees from China to the Summer Travel Expo. It unexpectedly retracted invitations extended to deputy directors, with only around 140 travel-related individuals leaving on the list.  

Chu acknowledged that the Taiwan Affairs Office was aware of this incident and further emphasized that the participation of Chinese representatives at the expo would allow people in Taiwan to gain insights into the latest advancements in China's travel industry, including new travel packages and routes.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council explained that the NIA organized the joint meeting, refusing to provide more information about the meeting. The NIA later shared the decision was made due to doubts over the necessity and urgency for Chinese officials coming to Taiwan to participate in the expo.

Sources familiar with the decision expressed concerns that this latest move by the joint review committee could hinder and impede the much-awaited process of normalization in cross-strait tourism. 

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