Mainland sees surge of young visitors from Taiwan

More Taiwan residents, especially young people, are visiting the mainland for travel, exchanges, study, and work, reflecting strong public support for cross-Strait communication and cooperation, a mainland spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a regular news conference in response to online discussions among youth in Taiwan over whether it is "worth it" to visit the mainland.

According to the National Immigration Administration, cross-Strait personnel exchanges reached nearly 3.12 million in the first half of this year, up 22.1 percent year-on-year. Taiwan residents made 2.85 million visits to the mainland, an increase of 24.9 percent.

The figures indicate that peace, development, exchanges, and cooperation are the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan and the shared aspiration of people on both sides of the Strait, Zhu said.

She stated that claims by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities that the mainland is dangerous have been disproved by facts, as more Taiwan residents, particularly young people, have visited or are planning to visit the mainland.

"We warmly welcome more Taiwan compatriots to come to the mainland for exchanges, visits, study, internships, employment, entrepreneurship, tourism, and business," Zhu said, adding that the mainland will provide more convenience and better conditions.

"A trip to the mainland is not only worthwhile but more than worthwhile," she said.

Zhu also highlighted the "mini three links," the direct passenger, postal, and trade links between coastal areas of Fujian province and Jinmen and Matsu, calling them important livelihood and family routes for people on both sides.

As of June 30, more than 27 million passenger trips were made through these routes, including more than 1.15 million trips in the first half of this year, giving fresh momentum to Taiwan's tourism sector, she said.

The mainland has actively promoted the resumption of trips by residents of Shanghai and Fujian to Jinmen and Matsu after listening to opinions from various sectors in Taiwan, Zhu said. So far, such trips have exceeded 300,000.

She noted that mainland residents are willing to visit Taiwan, including Penghu, but the DPP authorities have continued to block mainland tourists with untenable excuses, hindering the recovery of the cross-Strait tourism market.

Zhu urged the DPP authorities to prioritize people's interests and lift restrictions on mainland residents traveling to Taiwan as soon as possible.

Her remarks came after Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang, said recently in Penghu that the county has rich natural and cultural resources but has faced development constraints in recent years. Cheng called for a full reopening of the "mini three links" so Penghu, like Jinmen and Matsu, can welcome mainland tourists and revive tourism.

The plan for building China into a leading tourism country during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) proposed promoting cross-Strait tourism cooperation and strengthening exchanges among young people on both sides.

Zhu said tourism is a natural bridge for cross-Strait exchanges, allowing people to experience shared culture, history, and landscapes. It can also support Taiwan's catering, transport, cultural, and creative industries and improve local livelihoods.

The mainland will continue to promote cross-Strait tourism cooperation, smooth two-way travel channels, and use tourism to strengthen emotional ties and cultural identity between compatriots on both sides, she said.