Tsai's provocations come at a cost

Individual travel permits to Taiwan for people from the Chinese mainland were suspended on Wednesday. It was a decision that came out of the blue. But in light of the current state of cross-Straits relations, it may be just the first of a series of moves.

It is noteworthy that this is the first time individual travel permits have been suspended since the program, which applies to the residents of 47 major mainland cities, was launched in 2011.

The move shows the extent to which cross-Straits relations have plummeted over the past three years, since the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party administration led by Tsai Ing-wen took office on the island.