The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) says that Taiwan’s position on opening cross-Strait tourism remains unchanged and that the matter must first be negotiated through established mechanisms. That came during a press conference on Thursday, May 14, in response to China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) announcing plans to resume pilot programs for individual tourism to Taiwan for residents of Shanghai and Fujian.

TAO Spokesperson Zhang Han (張晗) said at a press conference on Wednesday, May 13, that the tourism industries in China and Taiwan have recently begun visits and inspections to pave the way for future cross-Strait tourism exchanges. He hoped Taiwan would open its borders as soon as possible.

In response, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister and Spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said on Thursday that no familiarization tours to Taiwan proper have been approved at this time and that the stance on opening cross-Strait tourism remains unchanged. He said that matters relating to both group and individual travel must first be negotiated through the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association (TSTA) and the Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits (ATETS). He added that only after reaching an agreement can the process move forward and expressed hope that China will respond to the request.