Taiwan Allows Solo Mainland Visitors
NTDTelevision
2011-06-30
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Taiwan has started allowing Mainland Chinese visitors to travel to the island without being part of an official tour group. The first tourists arrived on Tuesday, as part of a trial program open to residents of three Mainland cities.
Chinese solo travelers arrive in Taiwan for the first time since 1949.
The tourists are from Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen on a new trial program that allows 500 solo visitors per day to enter Taiwan from the Mainland.
China and Taiwan split in 1949 after a civil war. There were no direct flights between the two sides until 1998 when Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou, lifted restrictions and allowed direct flights as well as Chinese tour groups to visit the island.
Since then Taiwan's tourist industry has boomed, with over 1.6 million Chinese visiting Taiwan last year. The largest group from any nation.
Now restrictions have been relaxed even more. Taiwanese officials hope allowing free travel will promote peace between the two sides. China's communist regime still regards Taiwan as its territory and maintains that the island is "awaiting unification," possibly by force.
Ben Hedges
Follow us on Twitter ☛ http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision
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Taiwan has started allowing Mainland Chinese visitors to travel to the island without being part of an official tour group. The first tourists arrived on Tuesday, as part of a trial program open to residents of three Mainland cities.
Chinese solo travelers arrive in Taiwan for the first time since 1949.
The tourists are from Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen on a new trial program that allows 500 solo visitors per day to enter Taiwan from the Mainland.
China and Taiwan split in 1949 after a civil war. There were no direct flights between the two sides until 1998 when Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou, lifted restrictions and allowed direct flights as well as Chinese tour groups to visit the island.
Since then Taiwan's tourist industry has boomed, with over 1.6 million Chinese visiting Taiwan last year. The largest group from any nation.
Now restrictions have been relaxed even more. Taiwanese officials hope allowing free travel will promote peace between the two sides. China's communist regime still regards Taiwan as its territory and maintains that the island is "awaiting unification," possibly by force.
Ben Hedges
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