Chinese mainland authorities announced on Sunday their decision to lead the way in resuming tourism for residents of East China’s Fujian Province to visit Matsu, as well as approving certain imports from the island of Taiwan. These moves, experts believe, signal goodwill and aim to further promote cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation by upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing “Taiwan independence.”
Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Rao Quan revealed during a meeting with a visiting Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party delegation, led by Fu Kun-chi, that after the direct passenger sea routes between Pingtan, Fujian, and Taiwan are resumed, group tours for Fujian residents to the island will also be reinstated. In a parallel development, Zhao Zenglian, a deputy chief of the General Administration of Customs, announced that Chinese mainland customs would permit the imports of agricultural and fishery products from Taiwan, including pomelo, in compliance with mainland quarantine requirements and regulations.
These measures, including the resumption of tourism to Matsu, are seen as goodwill gestures from the mainland, with expectations for further opening measures in the future to bolster cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation while adhering to the 1992 Consensus and rejecting “Taiwan independence,” Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, commented to the Global Times.
The Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration of China have urged the Taiwan authorities to resume direct cross-Straits sea passenger routes and expand the resumption of direct cross-Straits flight destinations. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, emphasized the importance of considering the demands of people and shipping companies on both sides of the Straits for the prompt resumption of direct cross-Straits sea routes and flights.
Tang Yonghong, a professor from the Taiwan Research Center at Xiamen University, highlighted Matsu’s favorable political foundation for fostering economic exchanges and its role in the integrated development across the Taiwan Straits. He stressed the significance of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing “Taiwan independence” for the benefit of Taiwan compatriots through cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation.
In efforts to enhance convenience for Taiwan compatriots, Fujian has previously implemented measures related to travel, finance, and telecommunications. Since the beginning of 2024, a substantial increase has been recorded in the issuance of travel permits to Taiwan compatriots, with a pilot program for online applications and issuance of entry and exit documents launched across 20 mainland cities, further streamlining exit-and-entry services. Starting from May 6, mainland residents above the age of 16 in these cities can apply for renewal and replacement of Taiwan travel permits through the national immigration administration’s online platform.