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Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office Photo:VCG

The crux of the obstacles to cross-Straits tourism lies entirely with Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, according to State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua on Friday. 

The claim from Taiwan's "mainland affairs council" ignores facts, shifts blame, seeks to evade responsibility and attempts to mislead the public, which is unpopular and does not help restore normal tourism between the two sides, Chen said in response to the claim that "the obstacles to cross-Straits tourism exchanges are on the mainland side."

As early as May 2023, the mainland announced the resumption of group tours from the island of Taiwan. In April and August of this year, arrangements were made for mainland residents' travel to Kinmen, Matsu, and Taiwan island for group tours, Chen said.

Since 2020, the DPP authorities have used the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to prohibit residents from the mainland from traveling to the island of Taiwan and halted the operations of travel agencies on the island that organize group tours to the mainland. Up to today, the DPP authorities still disregard the calls from Taiwan island's tourism industry and residents, refusing to lift the "ban on group tours to the mainland," according to Chen.

Chen emphasizes once again if the DPP authorities lift the ban on group tours and eliminate barriers to cross-Straits exchanges, the mainland will actively explore expanding tourism for mainland residents to Taiwan.

Global Times