China lifts restrictions on Fujian residents traveling to Taiwan-held Matsu

Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) China has lifted restrictions on group and independent travel to the Taiwan-held Matsu Islands for residents of Fujian province, a source familiar with the matter told CNA Thursday.

The Exit-Entry Administration Bureau under the Fujian Provincial Department of Public Security resumed processing exit visa applications for those traveling to Matsu Thursday, according to the source.

Fujian residents and holders of Fujian residence permits can apply for a single-entry personal or group travel visa to Matsu Islands, with the visa, valid for six months, annotated for direct travel to Matsu only, the source said.

Eligible tour leaders from travel agencies authorized to organize tours to Taiwan can apply to the bureau for a multi-entry group travel visa to Matsu, with a validity of up to one year, the source said.

Fujian residents who obtain the correct documentation can enter and exit the Chinese border through the Huangqi or Mawei ports in Fuzhou, the source said, adding that they will be able to take the cross-strait ferry services under the "mini-three links" to the Matsu Islands.

Regarding the length of their stay, the source said under current Taiwan entry policies, Chinese visitors can stay for up to 15 days.

Yang Yao-chih (楊曜誌), chairman of the Lienchiang County Association of Travel Agents, told CNA that eight Fujian tourists, all from the travel industry, will arrive in Matsu on Friday and stay for around five days.

Yang said that those eight tourists are approved by the Chinese authorities to travel to Matsu under individual travel visas, therefore no Chinese tour leader will accompany them, but they will join a guided group during their visit.

Before Thursday's lifting of restrictions for Fujian tourists, Chinese tourism to Taiwan, whether independent or group travel, had been largely frozen for more than three years.

China halted independent travel to Taiwan on Aug. 1, 2019, citing the poor state of cross-strait relations. It then suspended group travel to other countries, including Taiwan, in early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

In a written reply to CNA, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that it was pleased to see the Chinese authorities announce the resumption of applications for Fujian residents to travel to Matsu for both group and individual travels.

"The government's stance of welcoming Chinese tourists to visit Matsu, Kinmen, or Taiwan remains unchanged," the MAC added.