RESIDENTS of two places on the Chinese mainland with strong ties with Taiwan have been given the green light for group tours to the island after almost five years of disruption. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), group tour services to Taiwan will soon be resumed for residents of Fujian Province and Shanghai Municipality, a move to restore normal interactions between people across the Taiwan Strait and facilitate their regular exchanges. Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities banned mainland residents from visiting Taiwan in 2020 on the pretext of COVID-19, and are yet to lift the ban on group tours to the mainland, much to the discontent of residents on both sides of the Strait. This initiative is to address the high expectations of the public and the tourism industry in Taiwan and enhance the well-being of people across the Strait, the MCT said. The announcement has received positive feedback from Taiwan’s tourism circles. A respondent with the Taiwan-based Chinese Great Travel Association said it was great news as the Chinese New Year draws near, and that the normalization of travel across the Taiwan Strait is what they have long been craving. Preparations for the resumption are well underway, the MCT revealed, expressing the hope that tourism industries on both sides of the Strait would strengthen communication to provide quality services and products for mainland tour groups to Taiwan. The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said the move responds to Taiwan compatriots’ appeals for peace, development, exchanges and cooperation, and that “the crux and obstacle in the tourism issue across the Taiwan Strait lie in the DPP authorities.” Chen Binhua, the office’s spokesperson, said the mainland has always supported and promoted normal interactions and exchanges across the Strait, in seeking to enhance the well-being of compatriots in Taiwan. He voiced his hope that the DPP authorities in Taiwan would consider mainstream public opinion and concerns on the island, and urged them to lift the ban on group tour services at an early date, remove travel warnings for visits to the mainland, and fully restore direct transport services to all previously designated destinations for cross-Strait travelers. (Xinhua) | 