TAIPEI: The leaders across the Taiwan Strait are advocating for increased exchanges amid ongoing tensions between Beijing and Taipei. This development comes as a senior Chinese official announced efforts to expand cooperation with Taiwan to promote integrated development, according to state media.
According to Anadolu Agency, the statement from Beijing followed a call from Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te on Wednesday, urging China to negotiate with Taipei to ease tourism restrictions. Lai emphasized that the real barrier to cross-strait exchanges lies with China and not Taiwan, citing alleged restrictions by Beijing on Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan.
China continues to regard Taiwan as a "breakaway province," even as Taipei has maintained its independence since 1949. Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council in Beijing, stated that effective efforts were made last year to deter separatists and external forces, thereby maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait while safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Tensions have escalated since Lai's inauguration in May following his victory in the presidential elections in January of last year. China has conducted large-scale military drills around Taiwan, which Beijing claims are aimed at deterring "independence forces" on the island.
The situation remains tense as Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported that Taipei detected 22 Chinese military aircraft around the island on Thursday. In response, Lai proposed that the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and the Association for Tourism Exchange across the Taiwan Straits initiate negotiations to ease travel restrictions.
The two associations, established by Taipei and Beijing respectively, are tasked with coordinating and negotiating tourism-related matters between the two sides. Lai highlighted the disparity in tourism numbers, noting that 2.05 million Taiwanese people traveled to China for tourism or business between January and November last year, compared to only 285,000 Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan during the same period.