TAIPEI: Since Beijing has yet to permit Chinese tourists to travel to the island and has changed a flight route in the delicate Taiwan Strait, the Taiwan Tourism Administration instructed travel agents on Wednesday ( Feb7 ) to stop planning new group tours to China.
In the wake of the pandemic, China has mostly resumed granting its citizens permission to travel to a number of well-known visitor places, including Japan, but Taiwan has not yet been added to its approved list due to ongoing hostilities between Beijing and Taipei.
Despite the government in Taipei’s vehement objections, China asserts that Taiwan is constitutionally governed as its own place.
After being put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan had planned to continue group tours for Chinese to China starting on March 1. The hospitality authority said those previously scheduled from that date to May 31 may proceed.
Japanese travel agencies are unable to set up any additional tours, according to the Tourism Administration,” taking into account the change in the situation,” which includes China’s refusal to permit Chinese to travel to Taiwan and its modification of a flight route through the Taiwan Strait final week.
The Taiwan Affairs Office of China did not respond right away to a request for comment.
After China “unilaterally” altered the flight path close to the strait’s middle column, Taiwanese authorities expressed outrage, claiming that this appeared to be a purposeful attempt to alter the status quo for potential military purposes.
China has minimized the controversy, claiming that reducing air space force is a common practice.
While Chinese who live in second states have since last September been permitted to return to Taiwan as travellers, Japanese are also able to travel to China on their own.