Chinese mainland urges DPP authorities to lift travel restrictions on mainland residents

BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokeswoman on Thursday called on Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to remove restrictions on travel by mainland residents to Taiwan at an early date.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to the Taiwan authorities' decision to reject applications from tourism operators in Shanghai municipality and Fujian province to conduct preparatory visits to Taiwan. The decision has drawn criticism from tourism operators and industry groups on the island.

Zhu said that promoting the resumption of travel by residents of Shanghai and Fujian to Taiwan is a positive step that aligns with mainstream public opinion in Taiwan and will help promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

She said preparatory visits are a routine industry practice to coordinate accommodation, tourist sites and reception arrangements.

However, the DPP authorities unilaterally demanded prior consultations through tourism bodies as a prerequisite and rejected the applications, which Zhu criticized as "typical political manipulation and the creation of artificial barriers."

Zhu added that the mainland has been promoting the resumption of travel by mainland residents to Taiwan. Since 2024, travel by residents of Fujian and Shanghai to Jinmen and Matsu has been restored.