TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s target for international visitors needs to be readjusted as China continues to restrict its citizens from traveling to the country, Transportation and Communications Minister Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said on Monday (April 1).

Wang reported to the Transportation Committee of the Legislative Yuan on Monday, CNA reported. The Tourism Administration originally set a target of 12 million arrivals for this year, per RTI. 

Wang said the original target included an estimate of Chinese tourists. However, China’s attitude towards prohibiting tour groups or independent travelers from coming to Taiwan is firmer than he had anticipated.

Wang said that Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) had said that if 2 to 2.5 million Chinese tourists are estimated this year, then the target should be 9.5 million tourists in total. However, Wang believes that the target should be set at 10 million tourists.

“Since last year, the Taiwanese government has been continuously extending goodwill gestures, including its early opening of independent travel to China for Taiwanese citizens,” Wang said. The minister said he hopes for cross-strait tourism to resume.