20100608 Taiwan likely to allow solo Chinese tourists

Taiwan likely to allow solo Chinese tourists

TO EVERY CORNER: Pointing to examples in France and Germany, where Chinese tourists used their visas to live and work illegally, a DPP legislator called for caution

By Vincent Y. Chao
STAFF REPORTER, WITH AFP AND REUTERS
Thursday, Jul 08, 2010, Page 1

“I’m not against the proposal if the government has made the necessary preparations, but so far, we haven’t seen this take place.”— Pan Men-an, Democratic Progressive Party legislator

Honor guards perform in front of Chinese tourists at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei yesterday. Premier Wu Den-yih announced the government would likely lift a longstanding ban on Chinese traveling alone to Taiwan.

PHOTO: NICKY LOH, REUTERS

Taiwan is likely to lift a ban on visits by individual Chinese tourists, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said yesterday in yet another sign of Taipei’s warming ties with Beijing.

So far, Chinese have only been allowed to travel to Taiwan in groups, because Taiwanese authorities are concerned they might otherwise overstay their visas and work in the country illegally.

“Individual Chinese tourists could be allowed to come early next year if preparatory measures have been completed by the two sides,” Wu said.

As many as 500 individual tourists would be permitted to travel to Taiwan each day after the ban is lifted, he said.

Initially, the opportunity will be available only to tourists from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, ­Chongqing and the province of Jiangsu, the premier said.

Asked for comment, Anthony Liao (廖文澄), standing supervisor at the Taipei Association of Travel Agents, said: “The relaxation of the control will mark another step forward in ties with China and it certainly will benefit the economy.”

“Individual travelers will be able go to every corner [of the country] and spend money,” he said.

“They won’t necessarily have to stay in star-level hotels. They will be able to take the high-speed rail or a public bus instead of tour coaches,” Liao said.

“They would be able to visit night markets and all the stores — not just souvenir shops. This will be to the advantage of the Taiwanese economy,” he said.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Pan Men-an (潘孟安), however, said the measure was unnecessary and could increase the likelihood that Chinese tourists would stay in Taiwan illegally.

“I’m not against the proposal if the government has made the necessary preparations, but so far, we haven’t seen this take place,” Pan said.

He cited cases where Chinese tourists had used their tourist visas to live and work in France and Germany illegally as examples of why Taiwan should make careful preparations before the ­proposal is implemented.

“In Taiwan, there is not yet a clear procedure as to how to deal with cases like this,” he said. “Basically, we are not prepared to open Taiwan up to [individual] Chinese tourists.”