TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The number of Taiwanese citizens who have disappeared or been detained in mainland China has risen to 82 since the beginning of this year, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會), the government agency overseeing relations with Beijing, reported Thursday (April 24). The troubling statistic, reflecting an increase of seven cases since the agency's previous report, has intensified concerns about the vulnerability of Taiwanese travelers and businesspeople operating across the Taiwan Strait.
At a regularly scheduled press briefing, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) provided a breakdown of the seven newly reported cases, revealing that authorities have completely lost contact with two individuals. The remaining five Taiwanese nationals face various forms of legal restrictions in China. Four of these cases involve allegations of fraud, while one person is accused of illegal entry, Liang explained, while strongly cautioning Taiwanese citizens against involvement in any potentially fraudulent activities given the severe consequences.
The deputy minister also issued a specific warning against using WeChat (微信), China's dominant messaging platform, to communicate with suspected fraud operations, noting that Taiwanese citizens might find themselves targeted by Chinese authorities even before physically crossing the border. Liang also advised against travel to certain Southeast Asian countries with similar risks. On the broader issue of cross-strait tourism, he expressed the government's preference to negotiate through established channels— the Association for Tourism Exchange Across The Taiwan Straits (海峽兩岸旅遊交流協會) and the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association (台灣海峽兩岸觀光旅遊協會)—though meaningful progress has been elusive.
Taiwan is evaluating a proposal to permit entry to an additional category of Chinese tourists — specifically those arriving through third countries in organized groups of seven or more travelers. This potential policy shift comes despite ongoing concerns about allowing individual Chinese travelers unfettered access to the island. "The ball is in Beijing's court," Liang suggested, as he called for Chinese authorities to respond to Taiwan's negotiation overtures. The tourism issue represents just one facet of the complex and often strained cross-strait relationship between Taiwan and China. ★
