TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會) Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) on Friday (Sept. 27) highlighted the stark disparity between Taiwan and China in terms of group travel numbers.
Chiu reported that fewer than 200 Chinese individuals have engaged in personal or group travel to Kinmen and Matsu, which falls short of MAC's expectations.
Chiu noted that 138,000 Taiwanese travelers have visited China in groups, resulting in a 690-fold difference between the number of group travelers from Taiwan to China and vice versa. He described this imbalance as highly asymmetric.
Chiu urged China to relax its policies and expedite the process of allowing more Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan. He emphasized the need for immediate action to address the current travel restrictions.
In June, multiple Chinese departments jointly issued a judicial document with 22 provisions aimed at punishing pro-independence activities. Chiu remarked that although China claims these measures target a small number of staunch pro-independence advocates, they also affect Taiwan's military personnel and other citizens.
Chiu advised Taiwanese citizens to carefully consider the necessity of traveling to China and to remain vigilant about their personal safety. He stressed the importance of weighing the risks involved in such trips given the current political climate.
