Source: CCTV.com

06-13-2008 13:41

Special Report:   Mainland tourists visit Taiwan

It has been 21 years since the mainland began welcoming Taiwan residents to visit the mainland back in 1987. Nearly 50 million Taiwan tourists have crossed the Taiwan Strait to the mainland in the past two decades.

It has been 21 years since the mainland began welcoming Taiwan residents to visit the mainland back in 1987.
It has been 21 years since the mainland began welcoming 
Taiwan residents to visit the mainland back in 1987.

On October 14th, 1987, an official of the Chinese State Council made a speech to welcome Taiwan residents to return to the mainland to visit their families and to travel. It was the ice-breaking moment for the 40 years of segregation across the strait. Since then, many Taiwan compatriots have realized their wish to visit the mainland.

With the development of closer relations between the two sides, tourists from Taiwan are gradually shifting from those who have families in the mainland, to ordinary local Taiwan residents. Although the journey involves a detour through Hong Kong and Macao, it has not put Taiwan residents off. Statistics from the Tourism Bureau show Taiwan travellers to the mainland increased from more than 400,000 people to 4.6 million. Cumulative visits reached 47 million in the past two decades.

On the other side, travel of mainland residents to Taiwan has long been restricted. Till now, only students who study abroad, overseas Chinese who acquired permanent living rights in other countries, outbound travellers, or those on a business trip are allowed to visit Taiwan. Up to 2007, only 1.6 million mainland travellers visited Taiwan, one 28th of the figure going the other way.

However, tourism insiders from the two sides are working hard to realize the two-way opening. Tourism organizations of Taiwan and the mainland have organized 6 technical negotiations in 2006 and 2007, and reached consensus on many issues.

On September 28th, 2007, Fujian residents have seen their wish to visit Taiwan's Penghu Island come true. Although a small step, it shows that the wish of more mainland residents is coming nearer to realization.