TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chinese tourists will be allowed to travel to Taiwan from third places again beginning Sept. 1, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Thursday (Aug. 24).
The reopening will also cover Chinese nationals studying overseas or living in Hong Kong or Macau. As the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided and adequate measures taken to limit risks, MAC said Chinese citizens living and studying in other countries could apply to travel to Taiwan, per CNA.
According to the Tourism Bureau, 93,000 Chinese from third places visited Taiwan in 2019, the year before the pandemic started to affect international travel. From Aug. 1, 2019, China banned independent travel to Taiwan for its nationals for political reasons, and has not lifted the restriction since.
On Aug. 10, Beijing announced a list of 78 countries which Chinese tour groups would be allowed to visit, but Taiwan was not mentioned. In reaction, MAC called for further measures to return to the situation before the COVID pandemic.
