New regulations to benefit cross-Strait travelers, spokeswoman says

A spokeswoman for the Chinese mainland stated that new regulations on exit and entry administration, which took effect on Tuesday, are intended to protect the lawful rights and interests of travelers and provide a better legal environment for cross-Strait exchanges, countering concerns raised by Taiwan authorities.

Taiwan's "Mainland Affairs Council" has warned that some provisions could pose risks for certain groups traveling to the mainland.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a news conference on Wednesday that the regulations aim to standardize exit and entry administration, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of travelers, and protect national sovereignty, security, and development interests.

She stated that the regulations mainly improve mechanisms for preventing security risks related to outbound travel, require that reasons given in entry and exit applications be truthful and lawful, and regulate intermediary services.

The measures are designed to protect the lawful rights and interests of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and provide Taiwan residents with a better legal environment for traveling to the mainland, Zhu said.

She added that Taiwan residents traveling to the mainland for tourism, family visits, exchanges, and other lawful purposes could do so normally as long as they comply with relevant laws and regulations.

Zhu criticized the Democratic Progressive Party authorities for what she described as exaggerating risks and misleading the public to restrict cross-Strait exchanges.

She claimed such warnings were intended to discourage interaction between people on both sides and prevent Taiwan residents from gaining a fuller understanding of the mainland.

Zhu also cited continued cross-Strait travel as evidence of strong demand for exchanges. According to statistics from the Taiwan Affairs Office, Taiwan residents made 2.85 million visits to the mainland in the first half of this year, up 24.9 percent year-on-year.

She said the growing number of visits showed that cross-Strait exchanges remained active despite restrictions and warnings from the DPP authorities.