Taiwan Halts Group Tours To China In Response To Beijing's Travel Restrictions And Airspace Controversy

Taiwan has put a halt on new group tours to China as a response to Beijing’s refusal to allow Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan and a controversial flight path change in the Taiwan Strait.

What Happened: The Taiwan Tourism Administration has instructed travel agencies to cease organizing new group tours to China, Reuters reported on Wednesday. This decision comes in the wake of China’s ongoing refusal to allow its citizens to visit Taiwan and a recent alteration of a flight path in the Taiwan Strait, a move that Taiwan sees as a potential military threat.

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Despite China’s resumption of international travel, Taiwan has not been included in the list of approved destinations. This has led to the suspension of group tours for Taiwanese citizens to China, which were scheduled to resume on Mar. 1 after being halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tourism Administration has allowed the tours already arranged from Mar. 1 to May 31 to proceed.

Why It Matters: In January, China reopened its borders to international tourists after a three-year COVID-19 closure. However, the country still requires proof of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of traveling.

China’s military pressure on Taiwan has also been escalating, with the country sending 33 military aircraft and six naval vessels toward the island. This move came amid U.S.-China talks, potentially complicating efforts to stabilize relations.

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